iPad mini Disappointed with Magazine Reading on iPad Mini

srkmish · May 23, 2013

I am satisfied with mini with respect to Gaming,Audio/Video and Web Browsing. However, i purchased all about space magazine today and the magazine reading experience is suboptimal.

I have to constantly zoom in and the text seems blurry. After 15 minutes, my eyes got watery

. I have very good eyesight ( the best among my friends).

I think that purchasing magazine via that app was a mistake. Atleast if i had the pdf, i could have used some pdf app to resize/ increase fonts or something else.

I think i should stop purchasing magazines via app and download the pdfs instead and use some good PDF Reader.

Can anyone recommend a good PDF Reader which can resize the magazines for proper reading while having the option to increase font size. Another thing i have noticed in mini is if i zoom in, the text seems clearer . The default text rendering in some websites and one other magazine was really blurry and only after zooming in, i was able to get a decent viewing.

Also, im thinking about purchasing an ipad 4 for pure reading experience but am put off by the weight issues.

s15119 · May 24, 2013

srkmish said:
I am satisfied with mini with respect to Gaming,Audio/Video and Web Browsing. However, i purchased all about space magazine today and the magazine reading experience is suboptimal.

I have to constantly zoom in and the text seems blurry. After 15 minutes, my eyes got watery . I have very good eyesight ( the best among my friends).

I think that purchasing magazine via that app was a mistake. Atleast if i had the pdf, i could have used some pdf app to resize/ increase fonts or something else.

I think i should stop purchasing magazines via app and download the pdfs instead and use some good PDF Reader.

Can anyone recommend a good PDF Reader which can resize the magazines for proper reading while having the option to increase font size. Another thing i have noticed in mini is if i zoom in, the text seems clearer . The default text rendering in some websites and one other magazine was really blurry and only after zooming in, i was able to get a decent viewing.

Also, im thinking about purchasing an ipad 4 for pure reading experience but am put off by the weight issues.

The weight issues? Are you handicapped? My 5 year old has no trouble with the weight. What exactly are the weight issues?

srkmish · May 24, 2013

s15119 said:
The weight issues? Are you handicapped? My 5 year old has no trouble with the weight. What exactly are the weight issues?

I meant its easy to hold mini for long periods of time and im not sure ipad 4 will be tat comfortable to hold for long periods of reading. How has ur experience been for long sessions of reading?

ougum · May 24, 2013

s15119 said:
The weight issues? Are you handicapped? My 5 year old has no trouble with the weight. What exactly are the weight issues?

LOL!!! I laugh every time I hear about this weight issue. There must be quite a few weak people who post here. I think if you hear something enough times, you'll start believing it. Thanks for the laugh.

madgibbon · May 24, 2013

ougum said:
LOL!!! I laugh every time I hear about this weight issue. There must be quite a few weak people who post here. I think if you hear something enough times, you'll start believing it. Thanks for the laugh.

Have you ever used a mini or any other small tablet for that matter? I didn't think the iPad 4 was heavy until I purchased a mini. I challenge you to hold an iPad 4 one handed for an hour while reading a book. Then try the same thing with a mini, you will notice a significant difference.

jonnyb098 · May 24, 2013

madgibbon said:
Have you ever used a mini or any other small tablet for that matter? I didn't think the iPad 4 was heavy until I purchased a mini. I challenge you to hold an iPad 4 one handed for an hour while reading a book. Then try the same thing with a mini, you will notice a significant difference.

I challenge anyone to actually hold a book in one hand for an hour. Because most don't! Reading a book is typically a lap or 2 handed experience anyway. I'll use Steve's remarks on this one " you're holding it wrong". Hahaha.

Anyway to the OP concerned about weight I advise you to......wait. The new ipad 5 will be here in a few months. It will be closer to a pound.

Internaut · May 24, 2013

I compared reading a magazine on my Mini to reading a magazine on my Nexus 7. I prefer the Mini. Unlike a full sized iPad, there's a bit of zooming but not enough to be too annoying. Weight is fine (I tend to move from hand to hand though).

darngooddesign · May 24, 2013

madgibbon said:
Have you ever used a mini or any other small tablet for that matter? I didn't think the iPad 4 was heavy until I purchased a mini. I challenge you to hold an iPad 4 one handed for an hour while reading a book. Then try the same thing with a mini, you will notice a significant difference.

The Mini being lighter doesn't make the iPad 4 heavy, just heavier.

Night Spring · May 24, 2013

srkmish said:
Can anyone recommend a good PDF Reader which can resize the magazines for proper reading while having the option to increase font size.

I don't think you can resize fonts on a PDF file -- the whole point of PDF is it acts exactly like a printed page, keeping the layout exactly as specified by the people who created the PDF. If you could resize the fonts, that would change the layout, which is the opposite of what a PDF is aiming to do.

If you want reading material with resizable texts, you need a different format, such as ePub or HTML. Unfortunately, not many magazines offer their content in those formats.

As for weight, I have a mini and an iPad 3 (which weighs the same as 4). Yes, the mini is easier to hold, but it's not like the 3 is difficult to hold, either. I mostly use the mini when I go out, because it's easier to carry, but when at home, I usually prefer the larger screen of the 3. But I do agree with the poster who said you should wait for the 5. Because while the 3/4 isn't difficult to hold, any reduction in weight does make it easier, so when we know that a lighter device is coming in a few months, I think it's worth it to wait for it.

srkmish · May 24, 2013

Damn you people.

Waiting for Ipad 5 seems such a tough task. How am i gonna enjoy those lovely magazines. Anyways, im trying to enjoy the "web browsing" aspect of Mini as of now. Have given up on purchasing magazines until i get full sized ipad.

Got perfect browser today for mini and overrode the default font size option to 200%. Now browsing is a lot better as i dont have to zoom in everytime on every webpage.

ougum · May 25, 2013

madgibbon said:
Have you ever used a mini or any other small tablet for that matter? I didn't think the iPad 4 was heavy until I purchased a mini. I challenge you to hold an iPad 4 one handed for an hour while reading a book. Then try the same thing with a mini, you will notice a significant difference.

As a matter of fact I've owned two mini's. Returned them both. Great device, but my older eyes couldn't read the text. Of course the mini is lighter weight than the 4. LOL!! All I'm saying is, before the mini, most of us were using our full sized iPads for reading with very little fuss. Now that the mini is here, the full sized is just too heavey to hold. Did you use the full sized iPad for reading before the mini came out? If so, did you fuss about it being too heavy? I carry my iPad 4 to and from work with me every day. Of course I'm a 230 pound man. It's not too heavy to me.

thelookingglass · May 25, 2013

ougum said:
As a matter of fact I've owned two mini's. Returned them both. Great device, but my older eyes couldn't read the text. Of course the mini is lighter weight than the 4. LOL!! All I'm saying is, before the mini, most of us were using our full sized iPads for reading with very little fuss. Now that the mini is here, the full sized is just too heavey to hold. Did you use the full sized iPad for reading before the mini came out? If so, did you fuss about it being too heavy? I carry my iPad 4 to and from work with me every day. Of course I'm a 230 pound man. It's not too heavy to me.

Actually, before the mini many of us were already lamenting how the iPad was too heavy for extended reading periods and how we wanted something a lot lighter and smaller. It's not that it's too heavy to carry around, it's that it's heavier than most paperbacks and some hardbacks. Over the course of 2-3 hours, that makes it slightly uncomfortable.

vmaniqui · May 25, 2013

ougum said:
Of course the mini is lighter weight than the 4. LOL!! All I'm saying is, before the mini, most of us were using our full sized iPads for reading with very little fuss. Now that the mini is here, the full sized is just too heavey to hold. Did you use the full sized iPad for reading before the mini came out? If so, did you fuss about it being too heavy? I carry my iPad 4 to and from work with me every day. Of course I'm a 230 pound man. It's not too heavy to me.

Before the mini came out people are not complaining because there's nothing for the regular ipad to compare it to. People can now compare the weight of both iPads. Now that we have the mini anyone can tell and complain how heavy the ipad is.

xraydoc · May 25, 2013

I don't find the text blurry on the mini, though I do prefer apps that have options to adjust the size of the text - one or two point size up on the mini can reduce eye strain.

But so far I find my iPad mini the perfect tablet so far. And I've had an original iPad, an iPad 2, an iPad 3 and a Nexus 7. I find the iPad mini better than all of them.

srkmish · May 25, 2013

xraydoc said:
I don't find the text blurry on the mini, though I do prefer apps that have options to adjust the size of the text - one or two point size up on the mini can reduce eye strain.

But so far I find my iPad mini the perfect tablet so far. And I've had an original iPad, an iPad 2, an iPad 3 and a Nexus 7. I find the iPad mini better than all of them.

sir. I'm nt tlkin abt blurry text in general. It is really blurry when u purchase something from newstand and u have to zoomin and read .it becomes obvious that the text is fuzzy.

I think I have to purchase an ipad 4 for enjoin magazines

srkmish · May 27, 2013

Hey guys,

I might have been a bit premature in judging magazine reading capability on mini. I downloaded Distro and Cineworld and they are perfectly optimized for ipad. Even though the text is still a little bit fuzzy, the reading experience is much better due to good layout in these magazines. I dont have to zoomin anymore.

I might still get a full ipad to really enjoy the reading experience.

Night Spring · May 27, 2013

srkmish said:
I might have been a bit premature in judging magazine reading capability on mini. I downloaded Distro and Cineworld and they are perfectly optimized for ipad. Even though the text is still a little bit fuzzy, the reading experience is much better due to good layout in these magazines. I dont have to zoomin anymore.

Well, of course good layout makes magazines more readable on the mini -- some magazines look bad even on the full-size iPad because of bad layout. Then there are magazines that actually use resizable font, like Marco Arments The Magazine and the new Loop Magazine. Those are perfectly readable on the iPhone even. So it's not the device per se, it's whether or not a particular magazine has been optimized for that device. And magazines that have been optimized are still in the minority, I'm afraid.

sracer · May 28, 2013

srkmish said:
sir. I'm nt tlkin abt blurry text in general. It is really blurry when u purchase something from newstand and u have to zoomin and read .it becomes obvious that the text is fuzzy.

I think I have to purchase an ipad 4 for enjoin magazines

If reading magazines is an important priority in your tablet usage, then I highly recommend the iPad4. I just upgraded from an iPad2 and it is terrific. I read lots of classic magazines, comics, and even old catalogs (like the 1971 Sears Wishbook) on the iPad4 and it is a very enjoyable experience.

beautifulcoder · May 28, 2013

ougum said:
LOL!!! I laugh every time I hear about this weight issue. There must be quite a few weak people who post here. I think if you hear something enough times, you'll start believing it. Thanks for the laugh.

Are you kidding me people?? The iPad is an ideal device to be held with ONE hand. Holding a device that weights over a pound for long periods of time is a wretched user experience.

I really just don't get this type of thinking. The point of iDevices is that it makes things accessible and easy to use. The point is never to enter into a pissing contest.

For that, there is this thing called a wretched PC. I actually have a friend that's convinced anyone who finds a three pound lablet to be held with one hand too heavy is simply weak.

mono1980 · May 28, 2013

ougum said:
As a matter of fact I've owned two mini's. Returned them both. Great device, but my older eyes couldn't read the text. Of course the mini is lighter weight than the 4. LOL!! All I'm saying is, before the mini, most of us were using our full sized iPads for reading with very little fuss. Now that the mini is here, the full sized is just too heavey to hold. Did you use the full sized iPad for reading before the mini came out? If so, did you fuss about it being too heavy? I carry my iPad 4 to and from work with me every day. Of course I'm a 230 pound man. It's not too heavy to me.

Hold it closer. Problem solved.

henrystar · May 28, 2013

.... and the magazine reading experience is suboptimal.
Hey, just wait until you try reading Foreign Affairs on your iWatch!

iamthekiller · May 28, 2013

srkmish said:
I am satisfied with mini with respect to Gaming,Audio/Video and Web Browsing. However, i purchased all about space magazine today and the magazine reading experience is suboptimal.

I have to constantly zoom in and the text seems blurry. After 15 minutes, my eyes got watery . I have very good eyesight ( the best among my friends).

If you have this kind of issue, you urgently need to see an eye care professional. Having good near & distant vision doesn't mean you are immune to early onset of glaucoma or cataracts.

akdj · May 28, 2013

sracer said:
If reading magazines is an important priority in your tablet usage, then I highly recommend the iPad4. I just upgraded from an iPad2 and it is terrific. I read lots of classic magazines, comics, and even old catalogs (like the 1971 Sears Wishbook) on the iPad4 and it is a very enjoyable experience.

I'm with ya. I've got a mini and an iPad 4. All of my rags are on my 4. I subscribe to a half dozen monthlies through newsstand and zinio. I've not bothered to d/l any of my mags to my mini as the retina screens are Much better for reading periodicals...newspapers included.

That said...I'm a HUGE fan of the old catalogs from sears, penny's and...was it Ward's Can't remember...but I'm definitely curious as to where you've been able to find the old copies? Do share please

blackhand1001 · May 28, 2013

If you want something smaller with a good screen then something like current nexus 7 or the refreshed one due to come out would work much better. Text is night and day on the nexus 7 vs the mini. I also find the nexus 7 easier to hold in one hand as it as not as wide as the mini.

My friend had both and recently just sold his mini.

Apple could address this issue by using more aggressive font kerning like windows and cleartype but theres only so much you can do with such a low resolution.

xraydoc · May 29, 2013

srkmish said:
sir. I'm nt tlkin abt blurry text in general. It is really blurry when u purchase something from newstand and u have to zoomin and read .it becomes obvious that the text is fuzzy.

I think I have to purchase an ipad 4 for enjoin magazines

I disagree - at least for the magazine's I've purchased. Text rendering looks no different than text rendering for everything else. Wired, Car & Driver, Geek, NY Times, Popular Science. Text looks fine on those - Or at least text looks the same as any other iPad mini app.

iPad mini Disappointed with Magazine Reading on iPad Mini

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