Even if an app doesn't support brightness or contrast changes that contains text on the iPad, the accessibility options screen in Preferences will allow for inverted video for those who need or desire that kind of contrast or white to black ratio on the screen.

I use it and have it set to triple click the home button for accessibility mode to show the inverted video.. and can then be turned on or off without actually leaving the app. So it's pretty sweet, even for some apps without text, just to be able to see an inverted image of the same app.

Hint: if a photo is taken while in this mode.. the photo is still in original color, its just that your viewing inverted video mode and as soon as you return to normal viewing you will see that the camera did capture all of the color with the photo data.

I always wondered about the eye strain thing. People (me included) stare into computer screens all day, and have done for years. I've never seen or heard of any major eye strain issue amongst computer users in that time.

Reading a book on an iPod Touch seems easy enough on the eyes. I suspect the eye strain issue probably has more to do with hype than anything else. Let's face it, how long does the average person actually spend reading a book at any one time (even at university I couldn't handle hitting the books for longer than an hour at any one time - and usually much less - and if most students are being honest that's probably true for a good 90% of them - and especially on something like an iPad that will be filled with distractions).

Also, how many books does the average person read a year? Apparently in the US it's 4 amongst the 75% that read any at all.

I'm not sure an activity that takes up so little time justifies a dedicated screen for most people so the use of an iPhone-like screen makes sense.

My issue with the books is the interface and the price. I can't understand how anyone can justify $10 or more for a book when there is no printing or distribution involved. Just seems greedy. And I wish programmers would stop with the 'page turning' effects. I personally find it irritating and it slows everything down (the worst is when they add the sound effect)

Originally Posted by mac

And I wish programmers would stop with the 'page turning' effects. I personally find it irritating and it slows everything down (the worst is when they add the sound effect)

Awe man I love that, it makes it all the more like a real book.

My 3GS has the Classics app installed and its almost identical to the new iBookStore, it has no issues at all with the animations.

I don't mean slowing down the app. It's more to do with slowing down the user experience.

With a text heavy publication like a novel it's not really an issue (I guess I just find having an animation a bit gimmicky), but with something with more pictures that lends itself to being flicked through (like a school text book, or a magazine) I, and over 90% of people we tested found that it gets in the way.

I can't confirm that, but since their other devices have it and since they are actually pushing the book reader aspect of this device it only makes sense

I just remembered that you don't have to use the animation aspect of tap and slide for a page turn, if you would rather, you can tap the side of the page and it just fades into the next page from there.

Originally Posted by iDan

Short demo of what it will be like reading a book on the iPad:

YouTube - Apple - iPad - How to read a book on a iPad - 2010

Hi..
Yet i am not concern through the iPad and really i have just heard and read about it on Internet but yet don't get chance to use so not having any idea...

I think the only problem with reading on the iPad will be in bright sunlight. As far as the talk about e-ink being so much better in room/office lighting how eye-straining it will be, I don't buy it. I mean I don't see a lot of people leaving office buildings and bumping into walls from the eyestrain of looking at their computer screens for a few hours. I actually think that the most serious problem with reading a computer screen is not the video display brightness but the posture problems causing neck aches -- and the iPad is a nicely holdable tablet like the Kindle so no problem-o there.

Originally Posted by NeilShapiro

I think the only problem with reading on the iPad will be in bright sunlight. As far as the talk about e-ink being so much better in room/office lighting how eye-straining it will be, I don't buy it. I mean I don't see a lot of people leaving office buildings and bumping into walls from the eyestrain of looking at their computer screens for a few hours. I actually think that the most serious problem with reading a computer screen is not the video display brightness but the posture problems causing neck aches -- and the iPad is a nicely holdable tablet like the Kindle so no problem-o there.

Good call...I think the glossy screen could make outdoor reading tough

My guess is that the screen will be optimized for reading or other long term use. I used to use a Palm book reader a lot and never had any eyestrain from the backlit display. The small size of the print was a problem but Apple has that taken care of.