Optimize iPad for Night Reading or Switch to e-Ink eReader

[Nathan Parker]

I tend to do a decent amount of reading before I go to bed.

 

In the past, I used an Amazon Kindle Paperwhite to read my books, but I gave up my Amazon account a while back and gave away my Kindle (I got tired of shopping on Amazon, and so far, I’ve lived without it).

 

I’ve been using an iPad mini instead for reading, both during the day and at night.

 

I love the iPad mini in general to the point where I’m selling my iPad Pro and just using my iPad mini as my tablet. It runs all my e-Reader apps (Accordance, Logos, Barnes & Noble Nook, ChristianBook Reader, my local library apps, and Scribd), plus with Safari, I can access Internet Archive, and I have a PDF viewer app that syncs with iCloud.

 

So far, I haven’t noticed any major cause of sleep disruption by using the iPad at night, although the Kindle did seem a little easier on the eyes.

 

I have changed some settings to the iPad for at night, including Do Not Disturb, lower the brightness, activate Dark Mode, and activate Night Shift, to make the iPad easier on the eyes at night.

 

Since there doesn’t seem to be much of a sleep disruption for me using the iPad at night with these settings, should I keep using the iPad optimized for night reading, or would it be better on my overall eye and sleep health to move to an eInk eReader at night?

 

Since I no longer have an Amazon account, I’d consider a Barnes & Noble Nook since I have a B&N account and books in that account. It seems the Nook can open my ChristianBook.com eBooks and my library’s eBooks using Adobe Digital Editions, but then I’d have to mess with syncing.

 

Plus it would change what I read at night since I’d have to stick with B&N, ChristianBook, or library books (all my other books I couldn’t read at night).

 

I’ve looked at Boox eInk tablets, but I don’t know if I want to get into that.

 

Thanks!
 

[ukfraser]

I am still on my ipad pro model 1 and have been using it daily since 2015 and have never had any sleep disruption caused by it, (only bosses at work!). I have been very aware of the colour balance change of night shift, but if im honest, my original ipad i got in 2010 never caused me any sleep disruption. 
 

The major cause of sleep disruption for me has been work, going over my sermon in my mind or noisy people on the street, and two have been rectified by moving and taking early retirement!
 

are you aware of sleep disruption? Does your apple watch show any patterns that need modifying?

Edited October 23, 2022 by ukfraser

[Nathan Parker]

Good info! I haven’t noticed any sleep disruption with my iPad either, if anything I’ll generally read something that makes me sleepy. 🙂 

 

I too try to switch my brain off from work before I go to sleep. I try to do a couple of activities after work that help to start putting my brain into bedtime mode.

 

I don’t have an Apple Watch anymore, and the model I had didn’t support Sleep tracking. I gave up the Apple Watch and went with a dumb watch in an effort to simplify my life. Got a great watch from Israel. Haven’t really missed the Apple Watch, as when I need to look up something, I’ll use my iPhone.

[Adrian P.]

Don’t know if still relevant: I’m using an Onyx Boox NOVA 3. Works quite well with Accordance, Logos and any other Google Play app. Of course, with the e-ink advantages and limitations.

[A. Smith]

I could never see the allure of a kindle or e-reader for those who own an iPad. Just another device to keep track of, keep charged, etc. So, for me, that's a no!

[ukfraser]

My wife has a kindle and yes its light and the charge lasts a long time but i agree, i cant see the allure, especially as the ipad has night shift that reduces blue light and just does so much more. 

Edited January 11 by ukfraser

[Nathan Parker]

Thanks for the feedback! I’ve considered the Boox, but has anyone had any security/privacy issues with it, or is the OS pretty solid? Online I see them being either sold by China or Russian companies, so I’ve been a little concerned about trying one.

[Adrian P.]

I’m using my Boox for more than a year. No security issues. I only installed Accordance, Logos, Obsidian, and a sync app via Google Play. When I exit the hand written notes, a PDF is automatically created. The sync app (OneSync) copies that in my OneDrive and I can access it everywhere. OneSync synchronizes also my Obsidian notes. 
My Nova 3 Boox has Android 11. In Accordance I noticed some issues with the fonts for transliteration in Instant Details. The fonts palette is limited for this device. 
In conclusion, if you read a lot, an Onyx device is good. It’s also good for note-taking. Quite handy. Not to talk about battery, which lasts for more than a week on a charge (used several hours a day). The disadvantages, for Accordance, are the limitations present in Accordance for Android. 

[A. Smith]

I was thinking about this thread and it reminded me that I've had a lot of interest in remarkable. It looks like a pretty ideal work tablet. Less distraction, easy reading and marking, etc. However, again, I won't get it. I just can't handle any more devices. I felt like Steve was talking to me when he introduced the iPad as combining our devices and reducing clutter!

[Nathan Parker]

Great info @petredanadrian! I’ll further look into it sometime. True @A. Smith! I'm trying to do more work with fewer devices when possible and only introduce new devices into my workflow when they can add a substantial benefit my existing devices can’t. I’ve already scaled back on a ton of tech devices and apps after reading Newport’s Digital Minimalism.

[Rich]

I've read the studies on circadian sleep cycles and backlit devices — I assume their is some truth in them.  I read every night in bed with my iPad (usually in the Kindle app) — but have settings set appropriately and haven't particularly noticed sleep problems.  

 

Rather, I want a Kindle because reading outside on an iPad with glare and sunlight is nearly impossible.  I like to read on my patio / outside in the fresh air as often as I can (and also usually with less distractions). I had a Kindle in the past and wish I still had one.  Sadly, most of my reading is academic at this point (and all purchased from Amazon/Kindle) and requires me to be able to easily highlight and add notes, which the Kindle is not suited for.  Kindle app on iPad is totally workable.  I honestly would like both — but if I can only have one, there is no question it will be my iPad Pro.   Honestly, the reading experience for general reading in Accordance is subpar — I would much prefer to read in the Kindle app, but clearly research with anything with lots of Biblical references is impossible to beat in Accordance.  That said, I generally don't do research or deeper study from the iPad but from the computer at the desk.

[Nathan Parker]

Good comments. I’ve tried to read with an iPad on the back porch, and a Kindle or eInk reader is far easier to use in sunlight. I do love reading in the Accordance app in general when I’m on my iPad. I have an iPad mini running the Accordance app that I use for reading.

 

I’ve given up on doing extensive research on an iPad and doing it on a computer instead. It’s not the limitations to the Accordance app either (even with the current Logos app for iPad, I still don’t perform extensive research). I’ve given up on using an iPad for a high-end work machine. iPadOS, no matter how it improves, just can’t compete with me using a Mac for such work tasks. I’ve shifted my workflow to using a Mac for “producing” work (mostly an iMac Pro, although I’ll invest in a MacBook Air for travel), and I use an iPad for “consumption” work and entertainment (which I’ve shifted to an iPad mini due to its portability).

 

The iPhone fits into my workflow mostly for calls/messages/light web stuff when I’m on-the-go, and the Apple TV fits into my living room entertainment.