If you are left handed, and you use a digital reader, in which hand do you hold the device?
Conversely, if you are right handed, and you use a digital reader, in which hand do you hold your device?
This was something Jane Litte and I were talking about yesterday as we were getting ready for our session, eReading from the eReader’s Perspective. (Full conference update coming soon.) Our presentation covered the differing hardware, software, and customer support of the different readers, and what a curious device buyer needs to consider when shopping for a device.
The device Jane was examining specifically was the Nook Color, which has a touchscreen page turn (and no buttons) that cannot be customized. So the page forward is on the right side of the screen, and the page back is on the left. This cannot be changed.
ETA: as MsCrankyPants identified, I’m speaking specifically of the frame screen tap: “It is done by a quick light tap between the frame and the screen that will forward a page or go back a page. Tap on the right side of the NookColor to advance a page, done on the left goes back a page.”
Jane and I realized that we’re both right-handed, but we hold our devices in our left hand. My husband is left handed, and when I asked him, he thought about it, and said that he holds his reader in his right hand. I’m wondering if it’s true generally, that digital device readers hold their devices in their non-dominant hand (so the dominant hand can be busy cooking, eating, lifting drinks, driving a public bus, applying mascara, etc) (all at the same time, of course).
If that’s true, and digital readers are more commonly held in the non-dominant hand, that makes design a more crucial point for ease-of-use. As we pointed out yesterday, the Kindle has page forward and back buttons on both sides in equal sizes, making the device pretty ambidextrous when it comes to page turning. Menu operations are on the right side, however. The Nook Color is right-handed, as is the current Kobo, which has the page turn button in the lower right corner. I believe Sonys are customizable with the touch screen page turning options available for every which way, so they can be reset as well.
This isn’t earth-shattering by any means, but it makes a difference when you spend money on a device – you want it to be easy to use. And since I’m nosy and curious, would you let me know if this is true for you – generally speaking. Subway poles and varying environmental factors not withstanding, if you read digitally, do you hold your device in your non-dominant hand most of the time? And if you read books that you can hold in one hand (like mass market sized paperbacks, or hardbacks if you’re like that bouncer I saw last night with hands like a catcher’s mitt) which do you use, dominant or non-dominant hand?
I’m right handed, but almost always hold my Kindle in my left hand. I either hold it on the left side of the device or I hold it like you used to hold your school books. I have my arm around the back of the device, and my fingers hooked over the right side of the kindle. Gives my wrist a bit of a break.
BUT I almost always use the Next Page with my RIGHT hand.
I’m right handed, and when I read, I usually hold paperbacks in my left hand, and that has been true to the Sony touchscreen ereader I got for Christmas too. I have experimented with switching it up and holding it in my right hand too, but I prefer holding it in my left hand. For me it is not the page turning that decides this (the touch screen swipe is easily done with whatever finger is free), it’s the fact that if I need to look up a word in the dictionary or make a note somewhere, I find it easier to do with my right hand fingers, or holding the stylus.
Well, I had to say both… However I am a leftie and hold the book or reader in my left hand until it cramps up, then I switch hands and so on until my hands are both crampy or dinner burned because I forgot about it.
I have a Kindle. It cost £109. I hold it with both hands 😉 But I’m a leftie, and I use the right-hand button to go forward. I know the big button on the left also goes forward, but in my head that’s all wrong. Right for forward, left for back. If I was going to hold it in just one hand, it would be my right hand.
I’m left-handed and generally prefer to hold my Kindle in my right hand, but in bed, where I do most of my reading, I can go either way (hmm, didn’t mean it like that) and I appreciate its ambidexterity.
Kindle allows you to switch the orientation of the screen. This means the keyboard could be on top or on either side. It’s handy although not entirely practical.
I’m predominantly right-handed but also have chronic RSI in my hand especially my thumbs. I would tend to hold right-handed and turn pages right-handed BUT I *need* to be able to switch between hands to prevent causing a flare-up. Secondary factor is I come from a family with is 50-50 right to left-handers. This makes me conscious of lefthanded-issues.
I’ve had a Palm and an Ipaq- both had the next button at the bottom of the screen, essentially neutral. The Foxit eSlick and the Kobo are both firmly intended for hold in right hand, turn page with right hand. Drove me nuts.
My current device is the Sony touch 650. I love it so much- finger swipe on either side of the screen moves you to the previous/next and you can also change the swipe direction- useful if you are used to right-to-left reading. It’s great for me as I can easily switch it between hands and I’m not forced in to holding it in a weird position to get to the next page aka the Kobo.
I’m a rightie, but switch, depending on where I am and what’s most comfortable. In bed, I lie on my side and hold my Kindle with my left hand, but on the couch I normally hold it with my right. When using it on the treadmill, I press the button with my left.
I have the nook, but not the nook color (what the hell is the point? The screen for the color one isn’t e-ink) and the page turn buttons for the regular nook are on both sides and of equal size.
I would have to say, in defense of the nook Color (though again, I’m opposed to it for the lack of e-ink) if you’re reading an actual book (I mean with paper) you don’t get much of a choice in how you turn pages either – it’s from the right or nothing.
As for me, I’m right handed and I hold my device in my left hand, so I voted for that, but I turn pages with my right. Left hand is like my support, right is my page turn.
My last post stated I am a left handed and hold my NookColor with my right, true. I also switch when fatigued.
I voted Jeeves since I prop it due to physical limitations. Need that swipe or I wouldn’t be able to read at all. That includes paper and the other ereaders.
I’m predominantly (eating and writing) left-handed, but I do certain things, like enter phone numbers and use a touch screen, with my right hand. So I have to hold the device in my left hand.
@MsBookJunkie: Thanks for the additional information – I was indeed talking a about the frame screen tap, and have amended the entry to make that clear. Thank you for the explanation of the difference.
@bookstorecat: Bless your heart.
I have the cruz ereader. It is a touchscreen. I haven’t noticed if I can change how to turn pages. But I am right handed. I hold it in both hands. But I turn pages with my right. Hadn’t thought about it before. Interesting to see how everyone reads.
I mostly hold my Kobo with my left hand, and I have no problem with the button placement where it is. I wrap my hand around the device so that I’m not holding it out in mid-air anyway (this is less tiring, I find), and use my fingers, rather than my thumb to hit the button.
I’m right-handed. I got a cover with a built-in light for my Kindle so it’s mostly held in both hands or in my lap. I do use my right hand to page forward mostly. But I hold my Android phone in my right hand and use my right thumb to touch the right side of the screen to page forward. If I want to page back, I’ll reach over with my right thumb or use my left hand to touch the left side of the screen. As I previously commented, I had the hardest time when I first got my Kindle because I wanted to use the left-hand button to page back and the right-hand button to page forward. Basically, I just think the buttons should be user-configurable so we can all do what is most comfortable for us.
now this is interesting!! I never really thought of it…
i’m left handed and tend to hold it in my right hand. although, sometimes I do hold it in my left.
I tried out my father’s Kindle that he got for Christmas – I guess I sort of “switch-hit,” as I held it in the left hand, but turned the pages with the right. (I am right handed but have a strong-minded left. Useful after my stroke, that.)
My ereader is a Sony pocket which I hold in my left hand and turn the pages either with my left thumb on the buttons or my right index finger to sweep the screen. I think I use the buttons most because I’m usually using my dominant right hand to hold my drink/food/pen but not a steering wheel (yet)
I had to think about how I hold paper books – I had to pick one up and test – I held it in my left hand with middle finger on the spine, index finger and third finger on the left and right cover respectively, thumb on left page, little finger on right page and turn pages with my right index finger. It sounds awkward but is really comfortable.
I realized the other day that my right hand was sore. Then I realized I had read a whole lot of books on my Kindle. Normally I switch between Kindle and paper. I now have a Kindle cover that I can use as a bookstand when I am reading at the table. I also now listen to books on my Kindle so I can “read” while I do housework. It’s much easier on my right hand!
I have a Sony 600. Though I’m right-handed, I’m comfortable holding it in either hand. When one hand gets tired, I switch to the other. 🙂 I can touch the screen anywhere to turn the page, (and you’re right it is customizable.)
I hold with both hands while reading, but hold with my right and page flip with my left, which is sort of the opposite of what I do with paper.
I’m left-handed and hold books/my kindle in my left hand the majority of the time. Never tried the nook, might have to go in to B&N and see if there’s one I can testdrive…
Good point! Left-handed, I would hold an e-book if I had one (still resisting) in my RH so my LH is free to fiddle with knobs. It’s like using the phone – RH holds it, LH free to write notes; escalators – hang on with RH (in UK supposed to use LH side) so LH is free to grab the bloke in front if I fall over; shopping bags in RH, so LH hand free to manipulate for other things, like opening your own doors these days. Expediency, not brain thing. Great blog by the way!
Diane Paul, Bookblogforbookworms
Author of Living Left-Handed (Bloomsbury) and The Left-Hander’s Handbook (Robinswood Press).
I have an iPad, and use both hands equally (sometimes one, sometimes the other, sometimes both). The touchscreen is optimized for turning with the right hand—almost all reading apps are “tap right to go forward, tap left to go back”—but many also respond to swiping, so swiping right-to-left (even on the left side of the screen!) will go to the next page. Which is rather handy, if you will forgive the pun.
I don’t think I would be happy with a device that forced me to use one particular hand/side for pageturning.
I probably favor my right hand, but I have to switch so much I hardly notice. When you’re a obsessive compulsive kindle user, your wrists being sore in the morning has a totally different meaning.