CHI Favorite: E-Books — Two Screens or One?
by Rachel HinmanNicholas Chen of the University of Maryland presented an interesting talk on navigation techniques for for dual display e-books. Unlike the Kindle, Nicholas and his colleagues wanted to experiment with a form factor that was similar to a book or magazine. So they built a prototype with dual screens. The form factor allowed them to experiment with embodied interactions, like opening and closing the device (he referred to the interaction as “clapping”) or folding the device so that the cover and back are facing and turning it like we do a magazine (he referred to the interaction as “fanning”). They tested the device with users and came up with some interesting pros and cons.
Some of the benefits of a dual display:
Easy to read the content
Better for assessing length of the content
Helpful for finding new articles
Downside of dual displays:
Clunky – he device was heavy so opening and closing the cover was awkward as an interaction
Confusing – the single screen was simplier and less confusing
Restrictive form factor – grip required to hold device was awkward
Nicholas’s conclusion was that dual displays are better for serious reading but one display is more convenient.
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April 14th, 2008 at 6:44 am
Thanks for sharing Chen’s research. Good to know his findings.
I’ve wondered if, should Apple come out with the hypothesized Mac Tablet device, whether it would possibly have a dual-screen element to it. that is, opening a clamshell would allow for use like a conventional laptop (but with a touchscreen as keyboard), holding vertically would allow for reading like a conventional book, or opening all the way (Chen’s “fanning” mode) would allow more traditional tablet interaction. We’ll see if that ever comes to fruition.
Anyway, thanks for the writeup.