My Old Tired Eyes ...

jimbee said:
Thanks for the update, that should be a good machine. The T series is a real Thinkpad.
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You're welcome. From what I've read, I think the T420s is the last model from Lenovo that has the older fashioned (more standard feel) keyboard instead of the flatter type in most laptops. The latter models from what I've read/seen (youtube) still have nice keyboards but not as nice feel as the T420s and early.
 
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jimbee said:
Thanks for the update, that should be a good machine. The T series is a real Thinkpad.
Click to expand...

Here's someone's video review about the T420s:


He talks positively about the screen and keyboard.

Another laptop that got my interest was a Dell precision workstation. I like how the back come off for easy access to all the parts. But, a laptop workstation is a bit overkill for my needs.
 
Re glasses, I have been wearing lined trifocals ("Executive" type name) for some time. I'm a pilot; the midrange focus is right for the instrument panel and the width of the correction section makes scanning much easier.

Evey time my prescription changes I order a bunch of Chinese single-vision glasses. I have mid-focus glasses on my two working/computer desks, and close-focus glasses sitting by my chair everywhere I normally read. I also have a pair of close-focus glasses in my travel kit. $25/pair is the high side of what I've paid, often I find BOGO offers that work because I am not fussy at all about the frames. Frame color codes are brown or gold for mid-focus and black for close-focus. YMMV, but it works for me.
 
Maybe this is off topic since we are discussion computer screens that are hard to read, but am I the only person who gets frustrated when important infromation (like the direction something should be pushed, pressed, installed etc) is written in raised black letters on a black object. Sometimes on an inside surface that doesn't get much light.

I have a blue tooth speaker this as very nice, but the button symbols are black on black. Thanfully, a silver marker fixed that problem. But, why in the world make it so hard to read in kthe first place?
 
Anyone buy one of the higher cost Kindles (or the Oasis) to make reading easier on old eyes?
 
Yes. I bought the Kindle Voyage about 2 ½ years ago and have used it constantly. Very readable in any light and easy to adjust the font and font size to your liking. Most highly recommended.
 
FWIW, I got the origami case for mine and I love it. Expensive but worth it IMHO.
 
I say for me, the biggest noticeable older age change is eyesight (difficulty looking at smaller print and objects). Second is hand steadiness. Now, sometimes a simple thing like using a small screwdriver on a tiny screw is a noticeable challenge compared to the past. Still okay, but noticeable.
 
I just discovered that maxing the brightness on phone. I had some e tickets to a ball game and the reader was having trouble so the ticket taker says sometimes folks max out the brightness to make the reader work.I maxed it and the scanner worked like a charm. I liked it so much I have left it at max setting. It drains the battery at bit faster but i'm usually close to a charger
 
I'm thinking of getting the Kindle Oasis (physical page-turn buttons, lighter with clever weight distribution, more LEDs for lighting the screen), but if it isn't significantly better than reading on my Nexus 7, I'll return it.

And regarding eye strain:

A 2012 study named “Reading on LCD vs e-Ink displays: effects on fatigue and visual strain” looked at this exact issue. The researchers concluded that there was no difference between reading on an E Ink versus and LCD screen in terms of fatigue and visual strain.
 
Got the Oasis. It's a nice device, but my Nexus 7 is brighter and clearer. The photo isn't completely representative, but the Nexus wins:

vpMp42G.jpg


Hmm.
 
I don't know, I'm pretty happy with my PaperWhite. Nice kindle for the price.
 
TromboneAl said:
Got the Oasis. It's a nice device, but my Nexus 7 is brighter and clearer. The photo isn't completely representative, but the Nexus wins:
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FWIW, that Nexus sets a pretty high bar. As "old" as it is, the Nexus 7 (esp the "gen 2" version) has a >very< bright screen, there are few out there today that are as bright. Pilots who use a tablet to display navigation info in very bright cockpits still cherish them, and are really bummed out that the software has often gotten so "fat" that it won't run, or won't run well, on those sleek little Nexus 7s anymore.

I'm guessing that battery life has become the new holy spec, and now manufacturers don't want to put really strong backlights in their tablets because then they'd have to spend more and put in a bigger (heavier) battery to feed 'em.
 
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I just turn up all the icon and text sizes and use f.lux on the desktop. I haven't been able to deal with that bright desktop at night for some time. F.lux changes the hue to be easy on the eyes at different times if the day.

I crank up the text size on my phone too. Especially on my ereader app (I love FB Reader) and I use Darker to control my lighting. All is well.
 
W2R said:
Al, if it was me, I'd send it back. That looks so dark.
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Yes, I'm doing that now. It works great, and it's light (weight-wise). Nice buttons. I'd hoped to have one device for reading indoors and out, but the Nexus is just easier on the eyes. I'm glad I tried it. Nice design.

I have an old Kindle that works great for reading outdoors.
 
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My desktop has three 22" monitors. That's the only way I can operate for serious computing tasks. I used multiple monitors while working and I don't think I could ever go back to a single screen. The laptop only gets used when traveling and even that is on the decline since our smartphones do almost everything we need. For whatever reason, I'm just not a fan of the laptop form factor, but I'm sure the small screen is part of the reason... and the touchpad.

Before cataract surgery, I had everything set to 125%, sometimes higher, but I still struggled to see the screen. Now I'm back to 100%. At first I had multiple pairs of reading glasses, with various strengths, scattered all over the house. But I finally bought a rather expensive pair of Hoya progressive lenses for a frame I had just purchased before the surgery. Absolutely amazing! Perfect for PC work. Previously, if I was paying bills, I had one pair of glasses to read the bill and another to type it into the bank's bill-pay screen. And I can see the dash while driving, which is probably a really good idea.
 
Update on the Kindle: The backlit Kindle had advantages over the Nexus (particularly battery life), but I couldn't justify the $300 price tag unless it was easier to read than the Nexus. It wasn't. It was almost as good, but not better.

However, I could justify a $100 Kindle. I sent the Oasis back and got a refurbished Kindle Paperwhite 3 instead. It's a good compromise.
 
OldShooter said:
Re glasses, I have been wearing lined trifocals ("Executive" type name) for some time. I'm a pilot; the midrange focus is right for the instrument panel and the width of the correction section makes scanning much easier.
.
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I was interested in the executive trifocals, but I heard they are hard to find these days. Did you have trouble finding an optometrist who sells them?
 
MikeWillRetire said:
I was interested in the executive trifocals, but I heard they are hard to find these days. Did you have trouble finding an optometrist who sells them?
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A long time ago I was talking with a guy who was a 747 pilot. He said he had a pair of glasses with a total of 11 separate focal length sections (between the two lenses) so he could easily read all the cockpit instruments without moving his head. Compared to the six sections a normal pair of trifocal glasses would have, that's a lot. But he told me it was fairly common in multi-engine jets, so I would guess maybe an aviation forum might be a good place to ask.
 
My Old Tired Eyes... revisited

The older I get, the more I struggle looking at computer screens.

Was looking at my current laptops using remote software (Teamviewer and Anydesk). Notice, the older I get, the more my eyes struggle. On one laptop, reading is pretty much unbearable. On the higher res laptop, bearable, but wouldn't want to look too long from squinting.

Now has me thinking of getting a larger, high res laptop. Either 15" or 17" with better resolution.

Is a 17 inch way too big?
 
easysurfer said:
The older I get, the more I struggle looking at computer screens.

Was looking at my current laptops using remote software (Teamviewer and Anydesk). Notice, the older I get, the more my eyes struggle. On one laptop, reading is pretty much unbearable. On the higher res laptop, bearable, but wouldn't want to look too long from squinting.

Now has me thinking of getting a larger, high res laptop. Either 15" or 17" with better resolution.

Is a 17 inch way too big?
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I have a 17 inch screen on my office laptop and all it does is make the advertisements bigger! I don't think it affects text that much.
 
Revlefty said:
I have a 17 inch screen on my office laptop and all it does is make the advertisements bigger! I don't think it affects text that much.
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Just what I need, something to make the advertisements bigger :facepalm:.

I'm in window browsing mode at ebay, did come across a Dell workstation laptop for under $189. 8GB RAM, 1920 x 1200 UltraSharp display. Win 10.

Pretty much computer, but 17 inch might be overkill.


 
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