Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

trout2k

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 6, 2010
1
0
I have been holding out on getting an iPad because I am a little worried about the eyestrain issues. I currently have a 13" Macbook Pro and while the screen is rather nice, my eyes get quite tired after reading longer texts. Is the screen on an iPad any different and easier on the eyes?
 

netdog

macrumors 603
Feb 6, 2006
5,760
38
London
I am dyslexic and hence a slow reader.

I read my first book on the iPad in about half the time it would have taken me with a paper-paged book. Not sure why.

No eye-strain at all.

As for compared to a MBP, the iPad's form and interface is just perfect for reading a long-form book.

FWIW, I was using the Kindle Reader app with a book from Amazon.
 

flyingturtle

macrumors regular
Apr 7, 2010
116
2
I have been holding out on getting an iPad because I am a little worried about the eyestrain issues. I currently have a 13" Macbook Pro and while the screen is rather nice, my eyes get quite tired after reading longer texts. Is the screen on an iPad any different and easier on the eyes?
I have a 15" MacBook Pro and a iPad 3G 64GB. The screen on the iPad is better, but as far as eyestrain, I can't comment as I don't get it from either. I can read fine.

However, you can set the iPad for white text on black background setting, which should help to prevent eyestrain if you plan on reading for a long period of time.
http://www.tothepc.com/archives/invert-ipad-display-colors-make-it-white-on-black/

Incidentally, your MacBook (Mac OS) has the similar accessibility setting, too. Just press Ctrl-Option-Cmd-8 to switch the colors.

I used to use a similar function on my monochrome Palm devices when reading as white text on dark background made it easier to read my ebooks. (BTW, it's odd how long ebook readers have taken to become mainstream -- I was reading ebooks 8 to 10 years ago on Palm devices. At the time, I would have bet that it would have takes less than a decade for e-readers to become mainstream.)
 

illutionz

macrumors 65816
Oct 2, 2007
1,339
49
Rhode Island
I am dyslexic and hence a slow reader.

I read my first book on the iPad in about half the time it would have taken me with a paper-paged book. Not sure why.

No eye-strain at all.

As for compared to a MBP, the iPad's form and interface is just perfect for reading a long-form book.

FWIW, I was using the Kindle Reader app with a book from Amazon.

Just wondering which color setting and brightness you picked for the Kindle app.
 

kodos

macrumors 6502
May 1, 2010
427
1,051
I can read my iPad screen all day, no fatigue whatsoever. The e-ink crowd loves to scream "eyestrain!". Well, reading on the iPad is much more pleasant than my Sony e-Reader ever was. Unless you like to read in bright sunlight. Then, the iPad is not for you.

I do more reading at night in bed -- which requires an annoying light on the e-Readers (or a traditional book). I like the backlighting and some of the color options in the Kindle App.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.