Category Archives: Reading and writing

Nook Simple Touch Firmware Update 1.1.0

By Joe Golton | Published: November 8, 2011

The Nook Simple Touch received a major software update yesterday. Barnes and Noble’s communications around this update were confusing, and they have not published a detailed list of changes and bug fixes. News outlets have added to the confusion by parroting the Barnes and Noble press release without doing any fact checking.

In this post I’ll lay out the facts about the update, and then I’ll discuss my opinion about these changes in the context of my prior review of the Nook Simple Touch. Read More »

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Filed in category: Reading and writing

Which is the Best E-reader? The Nook Simple Touch?

By Joe Golton | Published: September 28, 2011

Using a dedicated portable reading device is one of the best ways I know to read digital content without distraction. But selecting an appropriate device can be confusing. My guess is you won’t get the most suitable device for your needs if you ask, “Which is the best e-reader?” Try instead asking the following set of questions: Read More »

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Filed in category: Reading and writing

Web Page Reformatting Services Readable and Readability

By Joe Golton | Published: April 11, 2011

With a single click, you can reformat a busy web page so that only the main content is visible. I first wrote about this in Filters for Reading on the Web, where I also discussed why extended reading on a computer monitor is so difficult.

Since that time, there has been an explosion of interest in helping people read without distraction. Apple has included a Readability button with the Safari browser. All browsers but Safari now include a full screen mode. Many web page reformatting services have come and gone.

But Readable and Readability are the two web page reformatting services which came out first, and both have withstood the test of time. Both also came out with new versions in early 2011. Here’s what you need to know about the latest versions. Read More »

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The Best Monitor Setup to Reduce Eye Fatigue and Distraction

By Joe Golton | Published: February 26, 2011

For years I’ve struggled to find a monitor setup that allows me to be the most productive, without causing eye fatigue or eye strain. Here’s my best answer so far:

I now use a vertical monitor with high pixel density. It helps reduce eye fatigue, clicks, and distraction.

Why?

How?

Read More »

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Distraction-Free Reading on Tablets? Should You Buy One?

By Joe Golton | Published: February 10, 2011

Tablets are the latest tech fad and for good reason. Compared with laptops, they’re more portable, they have longer battery life, and they’re easier to use and maintain. This makes for a superior experience for displaying a wide variety of content. I suspect that within a few years, tablets will be a general purpose computing appliance that is easier to use, maintain, and secure than traditional computers.

But are they good for distraction-free reading of the sort I talk about so much at FilterJoe? Should you spend $500 or more on a tablet for use as a dedicated reader? Or should you stick with a less expensive iPod Touch or Kindle for reading? Read More »

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iPod touch vs Kindle: Which is Best for Reading?

By Joe Golton | Published: February 7, 2011

Do you spend hours reading computer displays each day? Does this tire your eyes? Me too. So I’m on a mission to find a device on which I can read anything. Ideally, it should be:

  • as easy on my eyes as a paperback book
  • as portable and convenient as a paperback book
  • simple to read for any kind of format
  • simple and free to get reading material onto the device

I tried reading anything on a second generation Kindle. The e-ink screen is easy on my eyes and Kindles are great for reading novels. But the software has many shortcomings for reading other material such as PDFs or long articles on the web. I devoted considerable effort to making my Kindle overcome these shortcomings, but in the end decided to try a more flexible device lacking an E-ink display.

An iPod Touch and a Kindle

An iPod touch and a Kindle

Enter the iPod touch, 4th generation (or iPhone 4), with double the screen resolution of prior models. Reading with the “Retina Display” is easy on my eyes and the software makes reading a breeze for a surprisingly wide range of reading material.

The iPod touch 4G works well for reading. It works so well for me that I stopped using my Kindle and sold it. Read on for details, including many tips along the way for using an iPod for reading. Read More »

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Can You Read Anything with the Kindle? Almost . . . with Google Reader

By Joe Golton | Published: July 23, 2010

A year ago I wrote about how difficult it is to read text-heavy content on a computer, here. Though I recognized the virtues of E-ink, I was not enthusiastic about the Amazon Kindle as a device for reading lengthy online text due to its high expense, slow browser, and the difficulty of getting online content onto the device.

Can you read anything on a Kindle?

Now the price is lower, the browser is faster, and getting many forms of content onto the Kindle is easier, especially if used in conjunction with Google Reader. Read More »

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Filters for Distraction-free Writing

By Joe Golton | Published: April 3, 2009
writing-with-pen

Is the pen mightier than the computer?

Distraction-free reading is not a fully solved problem–which is why the last article was so long. Distraction-free writing is a solved problem, which is why this article is short. Read More »

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Filters for Reading on the Web

By Joe Golton | Published: March 25, 2009
woman-hugging-book-page

Will reading on the web ever be as good as reading a book?

Will reading lengthy text on the web ever be as comfortable as curling up in your favorite chair with a paperback? In theory, computers offer some reading advantages such as fast look-up and infinite storage. In practice, conflicting priorities of site design and current display technology get in the way.

For people like me who read hours per day, there has to be a better way. Luckily, there is. Read More »

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Site Design for Reading

By Joe Golton | Published: March 23, 2009

Site Design for Reading – sounds like an oxymoron, right? When is the last time you read a 1000+ word article on the web that was just as easy to read as a chapter of a paperback? Never, if you’re like me. Read More »

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Filed in category: Reading and writing