Reading takes longer on an iPad/Netbook

Reading easier on paper?

While it may be cutting edge technology and a handy gizmo, a study has revealed that reading on an iPad or Kindle netbook can take longer than a traditional paper or a book.

A report by Dr. Jakob Nielsen of the Nielsen Norman Group compared the reading times of 24 users on the Kindle 2, the iPad (utilising the iBooks application), a standard PC monitor and paper.

The study found that reading on an electronic tablet was up to 10.7 percent slower than reading a printed book. However, despite the slower reading times, Nielsen found that users preferred reading books on a tablet device compared to the paper book.

Of all the options, the PC monitor was the medium least liked by the test subjects. For a fair study, all the 24 test users were people who "like reading and frequently read books."

The test

The subjects each read different short stories by Ernest Hemingway on all four platforms, and were measured for their reading speeds and story comprehension. Overall, it took each user an average of 17 minutes and 20 seconds to read a story regardless of the platform and comprehension levels were virtually identical on all four reading formats.

However, Nielsen says the printed book was the clear winner in terms of speed. Users were reading 6.2 percent slower on an iPad compared to paper, and 10.7 percent slower on the Kindle 2.

Nielsen did not provide any statistics on the reading time for the PC monitor. Between the Kindle and the iPad however, it was found that reading on Apple's flagship product was "significantly faster", but Nielsen added to this conclusion that the reading speeds between the two devices were "not statistically significant."

"The difference [between reading times on the iPad and Kindle 2] would be so small that it wouldn't be a reason to buy one over the other," Nielsen wrote.

The different mediums were also rated on likability. The iPad, Kindle 2 and printed book were nearly tied at 5.8, 5.7 and 5.6 respectively, while the PC monitor ranked last at 3.6 points. Users complained that the PC monitor felt too much like being at work, whereas the printed book was more relaxing to read than an electronic device.

Despite this report, e-readers are growing in popularity with sales rising by 176.6 percent last year alone. That is expected to increase to 217.3 percent this year.

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