Slog

News & Arts

Line Out

Music & the City
at Night

« Zimmerman Charged With Second Degre… | Balagan Theater (Wisely) Abandons t… »

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Tech Here Come the Glowing E-Readers: What Do You Think?

Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Apr 11, 2012 at 3:31 PM

There have been rumors that the next generation of e-ink Kindles will have screens that give off a gentle glow, so you can read them in the dark without a book light. Now, The Digital Reader has seen proof that the next generation of Nook e-readers will come with GlowLight™ technology, too. Signs are being distributed to Barnes & Nobles around the country touting the new feature:

Screen_shot_2012-04-11_at_1.34.52_PM.png

The new Nooks will probably either be announced tomorrow or next Thursday. The new Kindles will probably come out sometime soon after.

FacebookShare

Comments (15) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

My books glow, but only because I dip them in radioactive isotopes to develop superpowers.

The books that is, not me.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on April 11, 2012 at 3:52 PM

This was needed to save e-readers - it was a real flaw.

But I'll never buy one. My iPhone works just fine as a reader, and it's always with me.

Posted by Matt the Engineer on April 11, 2012 at 3:53 PM

This is how a bible should be read- all glowy and shit like magic.

Posted by Vince on April 11, 2012 at 3:58 PM

I like my tablet, but it's not the best for reading in bright sunlight. The average e-readers aren't so hot in the dark. The glow will make that better. I'd still like to see a full color tablet that can also do e-ink. The technology already exists.

Posted by Rob in Baltimore

on April 11, 2012 at 4:10 PM

The $79 works fantastically in bright sunlight.

Also with just a regular home light.

I don't think reading solely by the glow of your e-Reader without any ambient light is a good idea...unless your a young boy under the blanket reading with a flashlight.

Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe

on April 11, 2012 at 4:36 PM

What, you don't think young girls also read by flashlight under the blankets at night? Typical.

Posted by Aaron on April 11, 2012 at 4:55 PM

If this can make the average e-ink reader background look more like white and less like a first generation Game Boy screen then I'm all for it. Reading text on a grey screen is unappealing to me.*

*Yes, I'm sure many of you are fine with it or think that it doesn't look that bad or know of the proper conditions to get the screen to look its best, yadda yadda yadda.

Posted by Wicked Virgin

on April 11, 2012 at 4:56 PM

The glow feature is probably pretty nice for red eye airplane rides and the like.

@5 you're 1 for 3 on complete & coherent sentences there bud.

Posted by ItsAllOverNow

on April 11, 2012 at 5:26 PM

Of course it should fucking glow. A goddamned device with an electronic screen that I need an external light to read is absurd. It's like selling a computer and instead of having a notepad program on it, you tape an actual paper notepad to the case.

Posted by beef rallard on April 11, 2012 at 5:30 PM

I agree w @9: I think it's weird that they didn't glow, in the first place.

Posted by Aurora Erratic

on April 11, 2012 at 5:41 PM

@8 First-gen Game Boy screens were more green than grey.

I'm a bit wary of any sort of backlighting in e readers. I don't understand how anyone can read a book on an iPhone / iPad or even a computer. I spend enough time staring into a lamp-lit LCD at work. I don't even like reading long articles on a computer; I read-later them to my Nook.

Posted by tjsander

on April 11, 2012 at 5:53 PM

@3 Reminds me of my favorite Arcade Fire album, Neon Bible.

I love my new Kindle. It's a delight to read in conditions ranging from direct sunlight to ambient interior light, but I usually use an LED headlamp for low-light (i.e. bedtime) reading. I might like a glowing screen, depending on cost and battery life.

Posted by brendan on April 11, 2012 at 6:47 PM

@6 Perhaps you're not familiar with SRotU. He is incapable of considering the female gender in any way. You should read his thoughts on oral sex.

Posted by Allyn on April 12, 2012 at 7:07 AM

I'm not tech-savvy in the slightest, but couldn't “They” make a reader that switches? I hate back-lit screens, but sometimes it would be necessary. Does the technology exist to have a glowing screen the user could shut off when it's not needed?

Posted by Allyn on April 12, 2012 at 7:36 AM

I love everything regarding my e-reader. It's such a great, little device and I can read some of the eBooks I downloaded from All You Can Books... a site with so many titles where to choose from. Thanks for the article... I enjoyed it!

Posted by Diana Guess on April 18, 2012 at 12:37 AM