I’ve been seeing a lot people posting pictures online lately of Kindles, Kobos, and other reading devices, including eNotes from Onyx, with cracked screens.
The fact is ereader screens tend to break a lot easier than most other types of devices like phones and tablets with LCD and LED screens, and broken screens aren’t covered by most warranties.
Dedicated reading devices like Kindles and Kobos use E Ink screens that mimic the look of print on paper, which is great for reading, but E Ink screens are more fragile than typical LCD screens, so you have to be more careful with reading devices and notetaking devices that have E Ink screens.
It’s very important to keep them in a case or a cover when putting them in a purse or a backpack with other items. In fact just having them in a case might not be enough with other items around; you’re better off placing ereaders and eNotes in a more secure spot with less items, or wrapping them in something soft.
E Ink screens can easily crack when pressure is applied to them because they have a very thin backplane that’s made of glass. Even something small like a set of keys can break an E Ink screen under the right circumstances.
Devices with E Ink screens are also more prone to breaking from simple drops than other types of handheld electronics so you have to be a little more careful with them. Also avoid bending or torquing the device in any way, and try to avoid leaving your devices in extreme temperatures.
Sometimes the front layer that goes over the E Ink screen on flush-screen devices can crack and the device can still be functional, but if the E Ink screen itself cracks it will no longer work and there is no fixing it.
Are some brands more prone to cracked screens than others? That would be an interesting statistic to know, but pretty much all E Ink devices are more susceptible to cracking than LCD screens. They do make flexible E Ink screens that don’t crack, but almost no devices use them. The Onyx Boox Tab X is pretty much the only current model, and it’s nearly $900.
I have been using e-ink devices well over a decade and haven’t had one to break on me ever. I have always gotten a case for them sometimes even before receiving the device.
But I have had a few smart phone displays to crack but it has been years ago.
I read recently on reddit of a person who expressed their shock that their kindle screen cracked after tossing it in their backpack. I don’t understand how he would have gotten the idea that his kindle is indestructible. Even a tablet with Gorilla glass you would not toss it in a back pack thinking it could hold up to abuse. Then there are the stories of people who report their screen is scratched for unknow reasons and they they say that they don’t use a case with a flip cover or at least a screen protector and they are upset because the device got scratched or damaged. Clearly people over estimate the durability of their devices, only to get upset when the device doesn’t live up to their exaggerated expectations.
I’ve owned my first ever e-reader for just under a month and there’s no way I would treat it so haphazardly. It being so thin and the materials it’s made out of, was my red flag of just how gently I’ve decided to treat it. While at the same time not being afraid to use it daily, I can see it’s easily breakable if not treated with care. It has a screen protector, a back case cover, and a very nice sturdy travel pouch to store it in. I even use the foam piece that came inside the back case to give the screen extra cushion when I place it in it’s travel pouch. Am I going to the extreme? I don’t think so. I have a giant killer cat who thinks what’s hers is hers, and what’s mine is just another new toy for her. No way am I leaving this sitting out on the coffee table or bedroom furniture for her to toss around. And the thought of just throwing it in my purse or anything else unprotected is just asking for trouble. I’ve never had any phone or tablet screen break on me bc I take care of my investments and it’s all about common sense.
If your device doesn’t break during it’s useful life, then I would not say you are going overboard.
I don’t feel they are easily broken, more they break easier than mobiles, but in over 15 years of owning e-readers, only one suffered a fall that broke the screen, and they go everywhere with me, they have suffered multiple falls from my bed…
It’s true that mine are always in a protective cover, but they aren’t the most protective, just something to absorb part of the fall.
Hello,
There is Fujitsu Quadeno Gen 2 A4, they are using the Flexible panel too. I have used Gen 1 and 2, and I can confirm this ( I already tearn down Gen 1 device). I don’t have A5 device so I cannot confirm.
They are only selling this in Japan. Gen 2 A4 13.3 inch device have original price 69800 yen. (~$490), but now the price is reduce to 52000 – 57000 yen ( ~$365 – $400). It’s the cheapest A4 13.3 inch with Flexible Eink panel on the market. You can search this device on Amazon JP or Rakuten with name FUJITSU FMVDP41 for the A4.
Overall hardware quality is very good with the price https://www.linfiny.co.jp/product/digital-paper/, but their software is very limited. They are only allow read and write with PDF files, that’s all.
That’s not been my experience, I’ve been using ereaders since the Sony PRS 505 was released, owned a Kindle Paperwhite for over 9 years now and never had a cracked screen. I did have the case with the wedge light for the PRS 505 and a case for the Paperwhite for a couple of years before I stopped using the case.
My Paperwhite has taken more drops onto harder surfaces than any of my smartphones in the same period and come through without any damage, wish I could say the same about my lcd devices! When travelling I do make sure my Paperwhite is in it’s own little padded pocket though.
Have owned a dozen or so different e-readers since 2011. Nook, Sony, Kindle, Kobo … and not one screen ever broken. Every device in a case.
Two were dropped, one fallen upon, and I’m not a lightweight. The readers went out with me in my carry bag, and were whipped out whenever I had a chance to read, including standing in line at the grocery store checkout.
So yes, that e-ink substrate is fragile, but reasonable care and protecting with a case keeps most disasters from happening. FWIW, have not had a broken phone or tablet ever either. TPU cases on all phones, decently protective cases on tablets. Broken screens aren’t that hard to avoid.
My devices all seem to die of old age battery issues.
Yep, I just bought a new Elipsa 2e because I accidentally knocked mine off a table that is only about 3 feet high and it fell onto a carpeted floor.. And the Elipsa 2e I replaced I’d bought when they came out a few months ago. Argh.
I use many brand.. and sell many brands of e ink ereader. Seem to be BOOX and Pockerbook devices seem to have very thin frame on the PCP board. The thin cause the fingers to hold the ereader at an angle and always crack the left side.
Of course, a single drop tend to leave a bad crack.. and the device’s screen will freeze like the picture above.
I left my Kindle Paperwhite on my bed once and my 10 pound cat stepped on it. That was enough to break the screen and render it useless.