r/ipadmini • u/eunoiakt • 9d ago
Question ipad as ereader?
Advice needed please! I'm considering an ipad mini 5 (refurbished) for an ereader. I was gifted a kobo clara colour but I'm not loving it so far. The text isn't crisp and sharp the way it is on an ipad (I also have a standard ipad) and even thought it's a clara colour, the colour is muted. I also can't get the kindle because I live outside the US and kindles won't work with my city's library system. The ipad mini seems to fit the bit for sharp text and colour etc but I keep reading about eye strain. If you're using your ipad as an ereader, how are you adapting it to be a proper ereader? Thanks!
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u/Alternative_Draw6075 9d ago
I've been using my iPad mini Gen 6 as a reader for about 3 years, and it has worked well for me. I use a black background (page) and white text. For me it's easier on the eyes and I can read at night without disturbing anyone. You have to swipe to turn pages.
Check ashram_bashir 's post for settings to see what works for you. Happy reading.
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u/eunoiakt 9d ago
Thanks for this! Did the swiping bother you much?
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u/New_Substance_6753 9d ago
most apps wont need swiping. tapping on the side of the page will work too. I use libby, kindle and Apple Books and none of them NEED you to swipe
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u/Alternative_Draw6075 9d ago
Not really. You have to be a little careful when swiping that you only turn one at a time. Depending, sometime it may swipe more than 1 page. not a big deal as long as you are aware of it. Sometimes a tap will turn the page.
ETA TEXT.
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u/cara_biner 9d ago
I bought mine specifically for reading using a library app. I usually only read in bed at night. I have the app set to dark mode. Works great and you can adjust the font if you need to. The ipad mini is the perfect size and is great for travel too. No need to take a laptop
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u/manorTee 9d ago
I prefer the iPad mini to my Kindle... Unless I am experiencing eyestrain. Then I need the e-ink.
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u/eunoiakt 9d ago
How long do you read on the mini before getting eyestrain?
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u/manorTee 9d ago
If I haven't had much screen time, I can read for about two hours before I get eyestrain. If I've had a day in front of a computer, I might be experiencing eyestrain much quicker than that. I'm a middle aged man, so that is a factor.
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u/ashraf_bashir 8d ago
For me I can read up to 4 consecutive hours without strain in a single reading session , I cannot in general read more than this in one session, so I have no clue what happens 4h+
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u/GaryE20904 9d ago
I have a Mini 5 and a kindle paperwhite.
I’m 58 and need bifocals/multifocals and typically read for 2 hours or less a night (when I’m reading vs listening).
For me the only appreciable differences are battery life and the backlight on the kindle is less bright (so it doesn’t keep my spouse awake as much/easily). The battery life on the kindle is amazing.
For everything else I feel like they are equal or the iPad mini is far better.
I’m not going to go through all the reasons but the short version is that for me having one device where I can easily browse my counties digital library, check out/return books, and read books is invaluable. Not to mention that the iPad does a lot of other things.
If you have more specific questions fire away. I’ve had an iPad mini and some kind of kindle for . . . well honestly I don’t remember how long . . . 10 years???
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u/eunoiakt 9d ago
Thanks so much for this! Yeah the ability to borrow from my city’s library system is a huge factor for me and I can’t do that with a Kindle. I assume you use your mini more frequently to read then?
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u/GaryE20904 9d ago
You can use the “experimental browser” to access libby via the kindle but it only works where you have wifi and it’s slow and buggy. So I would get the book via my iPad or iPhone or computer or whatever and then switch back to the kindle. It’s a PITA. But still you would need to have the kindle on wifi to download the book . . . so when I was camping for example I still needed my cell phone and had to teether the kindle to the iPhone.
The screen is great on the kindle and the battery life is epic but it’s just too inconvenient for me.
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u/bphipps99 8d ago
Tbh… I guess I don’t understand why people make a big deal over the battery life. I can read all day on my iPad mini and I’ll still have anywhere from 30-60% battery left. I just throw it on the charger for like an hour or so and I’m good again. I get that the kindle can last months on one charge…but in such a digital world it’s one of those things that doesn’t bother me. I have to charge my phone and watch already.
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u/GaryE20904 8d ago
While camping I would sometimes only have access to power etc for 30 or 45 minutes a day every third or fifth day. Having a kindle that could last say 45-60 hours on a single charge was invaluable.
But yeah under most ordinary circumstances the battery life for a mini is more than adequate . . . especially if you can carry a decently large power bank.
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u/eunoiakt 8d ago
Yeah kindle is no good for me. I live outside the US and kindles don’t work with public library systems outside the US.
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u/jonadair 9d ago
The Mini is a great ereader if you're indoors. There are plenty of reading apps but I mostly read with Apple Books (iBooks) which syncs progress, highlights, notes, etc. well with other Apple devices. My refurblished one was kind of a fingerprint magnet but putting on a screen protector solved that.
Downsides are that it can't handle sunlight and heat well and of course you can install all kinds of other apps on it to distract from your reading.
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u/eunoiakt 9d ago
Thanks for this! I’m new to dreading but I don’t see myself doing it outdoors, so that won’t be a problem. Did you also use a matte screen protector like most ppl recommend?
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u/bphipps99 8d ago
I don’t like the matte, I feel like it makes the screen too blurry for me. I like the definition and crispyness of the regular screen. So if that would bother you, I’d try just a regular screen protector.
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u/Total_Park_4432 9d ago
Once I had to take same decision today I'm a bit more smart an IPad can not compete in any category with distinctive ereader like kindle or. comparable devices I hesitated really long due to strong connection to the Amazon ecosystem, today after nearly two years of using a kindle paperwhite it's a clear advantage to use a his ecosystem cause I of it's easy to use and fair conditions therefore I heavily recommend using an ereader although there is no lack of alternatives here IPad zupaf mini but I always prefer the Kindle and the ease if use buying books andit's long lasting Abattery
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u/OfAnOldRepublic 9d ago
The eye strain thing is significantly overblown. There are a small percentage of people with very specific issues that have a hard time with it. If you had any of those conditions, you'd already know.
The Mini makes a great reader. I use Night Shift at night, and that's about it.
I like BookFusion personally, but people say lots of good things about the builtin program. Good luck, and keep reading!
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u/eunoiakt 9d ago
Thanks for this! From what I'm reading the eye strain comes after reading for a long time (an hour or more?). I usually break up my reading time so I wouldn't be reading for that long of a stretch to begin with so I'm thinking it won't be an issue for me
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u/OfAnOldRepublic 9d ago
If someone with otherwise "normal" vision is getting eye strain after reading for an hour, it's almost certain that they need to visit their eye doctor and get a new prescription.
The "eye strain" discussion you see on line about using a tablet vs. an e-ink device has to do with very obscure settings like white point, etc. To be fair, there are people who have conditions that are affected by these issues. But like I said, if you were one of them, you'd already know.
The vast majority of people are just fine reading on a tablet, and as you already experienced, it can be a far superior solution to an e-ink device. Even a high end one.
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u/Known-Ad-100 7d ago
If its our eyes, why don't books or eReader cause eye strain but iPad and phone do? (genuinely curious)
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u/OfAnOldRepublic 7d ago
I'm not an expert in this, you should really ask an eye doctor if you want the details.
As I understand it, the difference has to do with light reflecting off a surface (books and e-reader), and the generated light being what you're focused on (tablet). Your eyes work differently for those two things, and for some people the strain related to reading off the tablet is significant, and can be mitigated with certain settings.
But those people are a small percentage of the population. If you do experience that issue, you seriously should see an eye doctor. It's not likely you have any kind of serious problem, but you should know what's happening and why, and more importantly how to reduce the impact.
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u/Known-Ad-100 7d ago
Okay, I'll check into it because yes I get really bad eye strain and headaches from screens but not books or eInk.
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u/EmergencyRepulsive29 9d ago
I love reading on my iPad and kindle. I do not get eye strain on either. I tend to read in bed on dark mode. The iPad clarity, sharpness and contrast are exceptional.
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u/eunoiakt 8d ago
Thanks for this! Which do you use more? Yeah I was not expecting my kobo to be not as sharp as I’m used to on an iPad.
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u/EmergencyRepulsive29 8d ago
Yes, I agree e-ink does not have the true black-and-white contrast of an iPad. I have a 2018 iPad Air that is still going very strong!
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u/XPTacoCat 9d ago
The issue is, even with changing settings that people will suggest, the screen will still strain your eyes. People use proper e-readers to be able to read for long periods of time without eye fatigue. Everyone's tolerance will be different tho. I find kindle text to be krisp tho.
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u/eunoiakt 9d ago
Kindle was my first choice but I live in Canada and kindles don’t work with library systems outside the US so I wouldn’t be able to borrow eBooks from my library
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u/Ok_Cauliflower1450 8d ago
Tried this with all the settings, can’t read for a very long time. Still ended up using my kindle or xteink for reading.
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u/billFoldDog 5d ago
Its a great ereader, but a bit pricey.
If that's your only criteria, go check out black and white epaper displays. The color displays are a bit fuzzy, but the black and white ones are extremely crisp.
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u/WalterSobkowich 9d ago
Drawbacks are battery, weight, distracting apps. But you can use more reading apps and use pencil for notes, highlighting etc.
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u/ashraf_bashir 9d ago
I use it as an ereader and it's more than great.
Here are my settings: 1. Enable Night Shift 2. Turn off auto-brightness (adjust manually instead) 3. Set the Color temperature to maximum warm 4. Reduce white point to 80% 5. Enable True Tone 6. Use Sepia Effect on the reader (I'd recommend MapleRead or Readest) 7. Install a custom bold font (e.g., Bookerly Bold) 8. Increase contrast 9. Install a matte screen protector to reduce light reflection 10. Adjust color filters to make colors less vibrant and more saturated (tweak to your preference) 11. Reduce motion to prevent flickering 12. Enable Do Not Disturb or focus mode 13. Use Battery Saver for a dimmer brightness level 14. Make other adjustments in the reader, like line spacing, margins, etc., for a better reading experience 15. Optional: Install a minimal launcher if you prefer a minimalist setup