]I just received my V3 today. You know waht? 330 bucks is really worth it. The cover, format, weight, screenlooks and feels great. I already test PDF, TXT, DOC, HTML, MP3, all of them works fine. and my 2G SD card works well. I am going to learn more about my V3. Any thing new I will let you guys know.:book2:

]I just received my V3 today. You know waht? 330 bucks is really worth it. The cover, format, weight, screenlooks and feels great. I already test PDF, TXT, DOC, HTML, MP3, all of them works fine. and my 2G SD card works well. I am going to learn more about my V3. Any thing new I will let you guys know.:book2: Please post a more detailed review, with screenshots :)

How well does the V3 handle paper sized PDF with such a small screen? Does it allow zooming and panning?

Oh, yes, let us see some pictures.
I need to get my hand on one ;) Where do you live?

I got some pictures , check it out. the two pictures are show in different zoom. This device may read PDF in different size.

I got some pictures , check it out. the two pictures are show in different zoom. This device may read PDF in different size.
ok, you have pictures. Where are they?

When you say different sizes you mean like zoom in so the margin is removed or do you mean zoom in and then pan?

If you want to upload the images, click on "Go Advanced".

There is a button "Manage Attachments", which will allow you to upload images on the forum. JPGs may only be 1MB maximum.

V3Black (http://www.lbook.com.ua/sites/lbook/us_files/Foto/V3Black_big.jpg)

V3Black_b (http://www.lbook.com.ua/sites/lbook/us_files/Foto/V3Black_bot.jpg)

Did anyone read the text on that screen? :laugh4:

Say miyami, how about a picture of a pdf with graphics?

It's uncanny how this device's functions display has a family resemblance with the Sony.

LVD, do you have any photos showing how the V3 handles US Letter sized PDF?

Congratz miyami. Do you think you can show us how it handles a pdf with mixed content? Here, try something like this;
http://www.pcpower.com/products/assets/T1KWSR/specs.pdf

Congratz miyami. Do you think you can show us how it handles a pdf with mixed content? Here, try something like page 5 of this;
http://www.futurecb.com/doc/SUNON/SUNON%20GB0535AEV1-8.PDF

Link is broken.

Looks good! Did you buy it in China?

Just tried the PDF link again. It works now.

Looks good! Did you buy it in China?
All right ! I will post more pictures( pdf with graphics).
I order from their Web
http://www.jinke.com.cn/Compagesql/English/embedpro/prodetail.asp?id=41

No pressure, take your time. :)

My camera not good enough to make clear shot. Zoom in the picture may see clearer.

Thanks, much appreciated. So I take it that it has no zoom features to speak of? Other than rotating to landscape that is.

Have you tried reading any a4 pdf:s? Is it readable?
Thx for the pictures, I hope for more :)

Looking at the pictures closely, I don't think this device is any better than the Sony at interpreting PDFs... unless as 2eason points out, there is a 'Zoom' function.

I suppose the only advantage this might have over the Sony (aside from the alleged Vizplex) would be if Jinke were very good with allowing 3rd party development. That might allow the firmware to leap ahead of the Sonys functionality, so long as plenty of developers got on board.

Does it support PDF and HTML natively?
How about touchscreen and wifi that are said to be "in development" previously?
I'm really excited about this device!

It's a nice looking unit - I prefer the design over the Sony.
I just looked at the website - 1 month operating time on one battery charge @ 300 pages per day! Wow! Iliad user turns green with envy...
I look forward to a version with a bigger screen and nice zooming functionality.
I find the Iliad annotation functions really useful for my academic stuff, but this could be a very nice reader-only unit...

The pictures taken of the power supply manual look pretty nice. Do you have any manga PDF's you can throw on there to give us an idea of how well it renders those? Guess they didn't go for any DRM-type of formats, so you'll have to get your books in HTML, PDF, or text format (not that this is bad or anything, thought it might keep prospective publishers to their device away). It has a comparable price to the Sony too.

Thanks for the info & pics!

So you cannot purchase any books with DRM? That means for the average person, it's going to be almost useless if that's the case.

So you cannot purchase any books with DRM? That means for the average person, it's going to be almost useless if that's the case.
Did you mean 'without' ?

Did you mean 'without' ?
Without supporting some sort of DRM format that's got enough books for it, it won't work.

I've ordered a v3 and got a confirmation message saying it's been shipped. I will try to post some pics here to say a late "hello" as a newbie here. :)

At first i was considering buying a Cybook Gen3. But it seems to me that Hanlin v3 and Cybook Gen3 have almost the same hardware specs, except the former has more internal memory and is cheaper (USD 324 vs. USD 399), so I simply go for a v3.

The lack of touchscreen is not a concern for me. Speed and power consumption is one thing, and I am used to making quick notes on a simple small writing pad first and then organizing the information on my trusted Sharp Zaurus (now dualbooting a full OpenBSD 4.2 and a full X11 Linux distro called "pdaXrom") with its superb keyboard and touchscreen functionalities. I only expect the v3 to be a nice and large enough display for viewing my tons of digital documents.

As far as the V3 goes, if your digital documents are PDF, you can forget it big time. It just isn't suited for it unless it has zooming and panning. The screen is just way too small with not enough resolution to be able to display something meant for a full sheet of paper.

When you make a choice in favour of Jinke V3, you should not forget, that there is a clone lBook V3. The main difference of these projects that for lBook V3 (V8) exist opened SDK and the software distinct from the Chinese. Practically any programmer of an average level can create the programs for lBook.

Unfortunately, this software is optimised for use in Russia, Ukraine, and other CIS countries. We have no partners in Europe to offer the devices in your market. We do not have sufficient experience for job in Europe.

The open software has allowed to make these devices mass in our market. We hope till the end of a year to sell about 20000 devices V8 and V3. The Retail price on V8 makes only 270-280 Usd. By the end of 2007 we hope to reduce the prices on V8 to 250-255 Usd and on V3 to 305-310 Usd in a base variant.

Ok, here is my initial hands-on report.

I bought the V3 online. It cost USD 324, plus USD 44 express delivery.
First I filled in the online form last Sunday. Then Jinke sent me a message detailing the purchase procedure the next day. I wired the money to Jinke last Tuesday. They confirmed the transaction on Thursday and shipped the device in the evening on the same day. Because of the weekend, I received it on Monday morning.

The customer service is excellent. I sent several emails asking about the details of delivery and they answered every single mail promptly, mostly on the same day.

My impression is that for now the recently *hacked* Sony Reader may have functionalities than HanlinV3. I am really looking forward to Jinke's Linux SDK in October.

So far I find these nice things about Hanlin V3:
1) Very handy bookmarking using the number keys: short pressing = jump to the designated bookmark or create one if not yet there; long pressing = erase the old bookmark and add a new one.
2) Pretty fast file access, e.g. only 3-4 secs for a 10MB PDF
3) Turning page takes less than a second
4) Long pressing page turning button makes a 10-page jump
5) Easy menu for first page, last page, or any specific page in a document
6) 3 viewing modes: default full page portrait view, zoomed in portrait view, the biggest landscape view. A cool thing is for A4 PDF, the landscape view will automatically leave out the margins and justify the text!
The results look very close to what is shown in the pics of Sony Reader above.
7) Built-in 512MB memory plus support of up to 4GB of SD
8) As a run-of-the-mill USB mass storage device when connected to a PC (and my Zaurus too ) just like a huge USB stick; no driver is needed.
9) Very good rendering of both simplified and traditional Chinese characters (even Hong Kong Cantonese characters!), and nice multi language support
10) Good support of embedded fonts in PDFs.
11) Good display of images (even in PDF, DOC and HTML)
12) No file conversion is necessary (unlike the unhacked Sony Reader)

What is left to be desired:
1) More zooming levels!
2) Time display (as in the Sony Reader hack)
3) File manager (to copy/delete/move files)

Will post some pics later.

Wow, that's an impressive feature set! Looking forward to the pix when you get time to do them. Thanks for the overview!

10) Good support of embedded fonts in PDFs.

12) No file conversion is necessary (unlike the unhacked Sony Reader)



Those two points are not very clear to me.

10 - Sony reader also supports it but then turning a page takes 3-4 seconds instead of less than a sec. So, what does it mean good support?

12 - Sony supports RTF without images, which doesn't require any convertion. You need to convert any format into LRF if you want to use it.
So, what do you mean by No file conversion is necessary ? Does it support HTML, DOC, RTF and LIT natively without any restriction i.e like sony's restriction with RTF?

Those two points are not very clear to me.
10 - Sony reader also supports it but then turning a page takes 3-4 seconds instead of less than a sec. So, what does it mean good support?

12 - Sony supports RTF without images, which doesn't require any convertion. You need to convert any format into LRF if you want to use it.
So, what do you mean by No file conversion is necessary ? Does it support HTML, DOC, RTF and LIT natively without any restriction i.e like sony's restriction with RTF?

I open some PDF journal papers with special fonts and symbols and characters of different languages. Everything displays fine. No difference in page turning speed.

Yes, V3 has native supports of PDF, Word DOC, TXT and HTML (with images) without the need of conversion. :2thumbsup

Hello Everyone!

First time poster, here. I live in Germany and I am leaning heavily towards buying a V3 asap. What is my cheapest - but still reliable - option for acquiring one of these babies? I have heard that there are French, Hungarian/Ukraine, Turkish, and Chinese routes to ordering.

Any sugguestions from the fray? Thank you in advance. I am truly excited about the prospect of ebook readers!!!!

fjell

I think buying directly from Jinke online is the best solution. The process was mentioned in a few posts up.

I'm thinking about buy a v3, or wait and buy and V9.

Anybody has bought a V3 in Europe?
How much it cost in Euros, with taxes (IVA), etc?

Sorry for my English.

Best wishes from Spain.

I'm thinking about buy a v3, or wait and buy and V9.

Anybody has bought a V3 in Europe?
How much it cost in Euros, with taxes (IVA), etc?

Sorry for my English.

Best wishes from Spain.

I bought V3 from their web and cost me $391. I live in Us. I think the total cost to Spain should be under $400. you will like this stuff.

Your English is fine, miguel_zaragoza, and welcome to MobileRead, by the way. :hatsoff:

One question: Lets say I have a big html file (in Dimension 3000x2000 Pixels), can I scroll with the V3 like with the scrollbars in Firefox?

Does the V3 supports frames?

Thank you for a answer :)

Gogolo (who absolutely now wants a V9 and will buy a V3 to shorten the waiting time :D) )

Is the V3 a Vizplex or not? I've seen claims that it is, but no proof of it yet. It would make it the only Vizplex on the market, since the Bookeen isn't out yet.

It would also mean the tag for this subforum should be updated.

It's been over a week since I tried ordering a V3 with Jinke. They simply have not yet responded to my initial mail. Getting a little restless. That being the case, I thought I might ask here on the forum - anyone have a V3 they'd be willing to sell?

If so, let me know. I'd be happy to buy it - especially if you happen to be in the EU.

fjell

It's been over a week since I tried ordering a V3 with Jinke. They simply have not yet responded to my initial mail. Getting a little restless. That being the case, I thought I might ask here on the forum - anyone have a V3 they'd be willing to sell?

If so, let me know. I'd be happy to buy it - especially if you happen to be in the EU.

fjell

Did you order it through Jinke's website? I filled out their electronic order form on Friday evening and received their payment instrucrtions on Monday morning. Wire payment took two days, and express delivery took another three days.

Yeah, I ordered with the electronic order form which simply takes your details. I did so, like yourself, a week ago Friday. But unlike you I heard nothing then on Monday. It's possible that an email was sent but was mistakenly treated as junk mail by Outlook. Anyway, I sent off another "order form" yesterday. We'll see if I receive anything this time on Monday. Thanks for chiming in, zdevil.

One last thing - I'm really still torn between the v3 and the Sony: zdevil, if you had to buy again, which would you go for?

fjell

Yeah, I ordered with the electronic order form which simply takes your details. I did so, like yourself, a week ago Friday. But unlike you I heard nothing then on Monday. It's possible that an email was sent but was mistakenly treated as junk mail by Outlook. Anyway, I sent off another "order form" yesterday. We'll see if I receive anything this time on Monday. Thanks for chiming in, zdevil.

One last thing - I'm really still torn between the v3 and the Sony: zdevil, if you had to buy again, which would you go for?

fjell
Check the junk mail folder on your ISP's web based email. If it's filtering it, then you need to tell the system that it's not junk. And at least you will know why you did not receive the message.

JSWolf, with your understanding of both the V3 and the Sony Reader, which would you buy if you had to buy again?

fjell

On September, 20th the beginning of sales lBOOK eReader V3 VizPlex - screen. A retail price 320-325 Usd
It is a little pictures:

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6555/v31ik4.jpg

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/5453/v32xd5.jpg

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/2159/v34mz6.jpg

These contents of a box:
ebook, handbag, instruction
power unit, Li-Ion 950mAh, mini USB-cable, ear-phones, a belt for a hand, 512Mb a SD-card, USB SD-cardreader, a screw-driver for opening of a compartment of a battery.

In the complete set there is no leather cover (enters into the standard complete set)

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/406/v33fr8.jpg

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/7347/covercn2ol0.jpg

On September, 20th the beginning of sales lBOOK eReader V3 VizPlex - screen. A retail price 320-325 Usd

That's a great price LVD!

Isn't it only fair that the tag for this sub-forum gets changed to "E ink Vizplex, 6-inch SVGA 800x600, 4 grey scales, lBook (OEM)".

I mean, firstly, the Bookeen is still just vaporware atm but even it has the 'Vizplex' tag. And, secondly, 'chinese counterpart' makes it seem like some kind of knock-off copy, whereas in fact I suspect Jinke have been making Ebook readers long before Sony jumped on the band wagon.

That's a great price LVD!


You are ready to offer me the good price?
I am ready to discuss your offers.

I can buy in a year not less 50K devices for reading under the good price.

LVD, sorry, are you selling these V3's yourself? Are you in the EU? If so, I would interested in buying one from you. I hope you don't only sell in enormous quantities.

fjell

Congratulation LVD :) It looks awesome.

Concerning a wholesale price for the given device. We offer price FOB China 180-190 euros depending on volume.

The device has opened SDK. Programmers from Russia and Ukraine already create the software.

Hi LVD,

nice to hear the lBook with Vizplex is coming soon...
Can you show us any pictures of the device showing english or german text in a reflow (eg. HTML, TXT, RTF) format?

Since you never sent me that sample I can't do that myself... ;)

All that and a screwdriver too? What a deal! And it looks like a nice screwdriver, at that. :nice:

I especially like the inclusion of a wrist-lanyard. :yes:

All that and a screwdriver too? What a deal! And it looks like a nice screwdriver, at that. :nice:

I especially like the inclusion of a wrist-lanyard. :yes:
Yes, the dryscrewver is for warranty violations :)

Well, I finally contacted Jinke and sent them some money for the V3. Now I get to wait, excitedly, for about a week. Can anyone tell me if the ones directly from Jinke are with Vizplex technology? Thanks in advance.

fjell

At this point, I'd guess they're not, I'm not sure if PVI is actually manufacturing Vizplex yet. :shrug:

At this point, I'd guess they're not, I'm not sure if PVI is actually manufacturing Vizplex yet. :shrug:
Did anyone (besides me) actually look at the picture of the back of the box where this yellow oval has black letters that read VIZPLEX?

To NatCh: Well they must be if LVD's version above has Vizplex already.

To JSWolf: Yeah, what do you reckon, Wolf, would Jinke's direct supply likely employ the Vizplex?

I don't think that back cover would have been posted if it wasn't an actual cover. So yes, I think it'll be VIZPLEX. But, I think the lack of a known DRM format is a problem. I think WOL instead of some DRM is going to be it's downfall.

One last thing - I'm really still torn between the v3 and the Sony: zdevil, if you had to buy again, which would you go for?
fjell

I think I'd still choose v3, because of its faster refreshing rate, more user-friendly interface (even with some hacks), the newer Vizplex, and more format support. Then again, I am no friend of DRM or other proprietary formats because I had bad experience with them.
And I am really looking forward to its Linux SDK, as Jinke promises at its website.
I have already taken some shots. Will post them soon.

For anything to wait it is not necessary
SDK for a long time already in an easy approach.
www.lbook.org

The given device has the low price (220 Euro) and will not be popular in the market of Europe.

LBook V3 has powerful system of protection DRM on the basis of the symmetric key RC-5 which has been written down on a SIM-card.

Now there is a menu support in 16 languages.

In October 2007 there will be a model with touch screen WaCom and WiFi, and in December there will be one more model in which module WiFi will be replaced with module GSM/GPRS. These models will have very high retail price, approximately, 240 Euro and 260 Euro is possible, these more expensive devices will involve the European buyer.

Thanks for the pointer, LVD.
Does the SDK also work for Jinke's devices?
The content is all in Russian. Would there be any English version/translation?

@LVD

It's nice to hear that there will be more ereaders out there soon, but I realy don't see where all this "the cheap models are not for europe" stuff comes from :smash:


I for one would be happy with a device like the STAReBOOK that can display various formats and display text in a pleasing fashion. That's all I really need.

If somebody wants to edit documents, surf the interent or read academic documents with lots of pictures and stuff, then they'll need a different kind of device...but that'll be the same in any region, not only europe.

For those of us who (like me) just want to read fiction, all that counts is format support, proper text formatting (the weak point of the STAReBOOK) and a long long battery life.
According to what we know, the lbook V3 can do all these things (although I have not seen how it handles english and german text), so why should it not be sold here?

Also, any device that is sold from outisde the EU into the EU gets loaded with a quite considerable amount of additional cost, VAT and customs...that'll add a good 20% to the price of the device and of course shipping also has to be taken into consideration.
Maybe somebody (like tribble who now sells the Iliad in Germany if I'm not mistaken) would open a "local" distribution centre here in germany to reduce those costs for the customers.

Whatever happens on that front, I really don't see why we should not get "Pure Fiction" ereaders like the Sony Reader, lbook V8 and V3 and similar devices here.

Can you explain why you think selling these devices in Eruope would be such a problem???
Thanks.

I offered many European firms lBook V3 at the price of 195-210 euros on the terms of FOB Holland. But to me refused. I have received recently the offer on CyBook in Europe:

Cybook: (FOB in Euro)
-> 100 - 270
-> 500 - 260
-> 1000 - 250
-> 5000 - 240

And I have understood, that my offers have been rejected because of the low price.

At lBook V3 there are no problems with reading and formatting. If there will be we them will correct. Is opened SDK, there are good programmers. All OK. The device has the European certificate of quality and 24 months of a guarantee.

ATTENTION ANYONE ORDERING A V3 FROM JINKE:

The V3 on the following page (this is jinke's homepage) does NOT employ the new Vizplex technology. It sells, as listed, for 329 dollars: http://www.jinke.com.cn/Compagesql/English/embedpro/prodetail.asp?id=41

However, Jinke does sell V3s with Vizplex. They simply don't advertise them online yet (I'd say they want to try and sell off all the old non-Vizplex stock as fast as they can). But, although they aren't listed online, you can specially request one of the Vizplex models and pay 349 instead of 329 dollars. This is what I am doing. I'll let you know how it unfolds.

fjell

Wow, listen to my impressive experience with Jinke (transcripts from a few emails):

>> >Hi Mei Yan (the Jinke contact with whom I've been dealing),
>> >
>> >Can you tell me whether the hanlin V3s you are
>> selling
>> >are equiped with Vizplex technology? Thanks.
>> >
>> >fjell (me)

>> Dear fjell,
>> Thank you for your mail.
>>
>> Currently we have two types of V3, one is with the
>> Vizplex display, the other is with the normal
>> display.
>> The V3 with Vizplex display is $349; the one with
>> normal display is $329.
>>
>> Best Regards,
>> Mei Yan

>Hi there, Mei Yan,
>
>I didn't know you offered V3's both WITH and WITHOUT
>Vizplex when I ordered mine from you on Monday. I
>have already transferred 329 dollars to your bank.
>Can I transfer an additional 20 dollars to you
>tomorrow so that I might receive a V3 with Vizplex (If
>you haven't already sent the other)?
>
>fjell

Dear fjell,
Never mind, you don't need to send us the additional 20 dollars to us.
Because to only wire the 20 dollars will cost you much in charges.

We will send the product with vizplex display after we receive your
previous payment.

Best regards,
Mei Yan
________________

How cool is THAT? I sent them an enormous thank you. Mad props to Jinke.

fjell

nice deal :-)

but how can you tell if the one ships to you is a Vizplex unit?

What DRM format(s) does the V3 support? Can I go to Fictionwise and purchase a book with DRM and read it on the V3?

What DRM format(s) does the V3 support? Can I go to Fictionwise and purchase a book with DRM and read it on the V3?

Perhaps someone else can already answer this question for you. I won't be able to say until I get my own and start knocking around with it.

nice deal :-)

but how can you tell if the one ships to you is a Vizplex unit?

I don't know. I guess one could expect it to be indicated in several places, perhaps on the box, in the manual, maybe even on the unit itself.

I don't know. I guess one could expect it to be indicated in several places, perhaps on the box, in the manual, maybe even on the unit itself.

Or you could just download the video of the, as yet unreleased, Cybook. Just play the video on a PC whilst flipping pages on your V3 and see how it compares. They have the same CPU and I doubt there would be much difference in OS, so it should be a fair fight.

This unit really looks good, but the shipping cost almost make the price goes up to $400.

Wondering if anyone wanna do group buy in Chicago...

Well, I will be getting a V3 from LVD, but i'm going to wait till the Wacom version comes out

Man, sure wish someone was supplying these inside the EU. Sales tax here in Germany is going to be an extra 45 Euros on top of 310 already (product, bank transfer fee, and shipping) for a whopping 355 Euro total. That's 492 US dollars!

At first it's a bit disappointment (and surprise) to learn that Hanlin is offering the Vizplex version secretly while purging the "old stock". And it's really a strange way to buy the Vizplex version by requesting it explicitly otherwise the buyers would never know of its existence ... It's tricky because if you order it directly via their online ordering form, you'll only get the price quote for the non-Vizplez model "by default".
It seems that the main improvement of the vizplex version is simply faster refresh rate and page-turning speed, and not resolution-wise or function-wise (both versions are 4-level grayscale). But still I can't help but wondering what else the USD20 price difference would justify here ... I suppose Vizplex matters more to models that support screen input like V9. Correct me if i am wrong here.

Actually I am still very happy with my USD329 non-Vizplex V3. I assume it is not Vizplex because that is not mentioned anywhere in the box and i bought it directly online without being aware of the two offers. After using it for a couple of weeks, my V3 quickly becomes one of my most frequently used mobile devices. The most amazing thing is I enjoy reading with it more than paper now! I don't know if it's still my initial excitement or not, but I do find myself reading faster and more concentrate when reading stuff on this screen than staring at piles of shiny A4 printouts, which also adds to my allergy of reading on computer screens.

All I know is that if I saw the photo posted here of the back of the box that says Vizplex very clearly and I ordered a V3 and got one that wasn't Vizplex, I would be pissed and want to know why I didn't get a Vizplex version and if they then said it costs more, I'd demand I got one at the price I paid and that they take mine back (at there cost) in replacement for one that is Vizplex.

And yes, that is a very sneaking bad business practice. I'm sorry, but that is just sleazy (IMHO). You post showing the screen is Vizplex and then sneakily try to sell the non-Vizplex without saying so.

Sorry, I feel compelled to jump in here.

JSWolf, I believe you're mistakenly confusing two unrelated scenarios.

LVD, the supplier in the Ukraine, will begin selling V3s soon with Vizplex screens. They are the one whose photos you saw with the Vizplex stickers. No sales from LVD have taken place so far at all. That is one scenario.

The other scenario has to do with Jinke in China, where zdevil and I have gone about buying our V3s. This company's website and online order form makes no mention of Vizplex at all. But they DO happen to sell V3s with Vizplex - it's just that Jinke is not mentioning it, presumably because as soon as they do, no one will want the old non-Vizplex versions anymore (although they sell for 20 dollars less). zdevil was not promised something which didn't come - zdevil is simply disappointed because Jinke is not forthcoming with the knowledge that they have V3s with Vizplex on hand.

The sneakiest part of it all is that I highly suspect that once the non-Vizplex versions have been "purged", or sold off, that the Vizplex versions will drop in price that 20 dollars which seperates the two models for now. (I have to add that this is nothing but speculation)

Until then, the factor which most prevents people from chosing Jinke's Vizplex V3 over the non-Vizplex model is not the 20 dollar price difference, but the fact that Jinke is completely silent about the existence of the Vizplex models except when directly asked about them.

fjell

A bold (perhaps provocative) suggestion:
So, would that be possible to unite the V3 owners here to request a Vizplex replacement, especially because someone already got it without paying the additional USD20?

What I am going do? When the V9 series coming out, I will ask them for a discount (30 bucks) I am pretty sure to buy a V9 device for my old man. V9 has 9.7 inch. is that right.

And I am new here, say hello to every one.

Until then, the factor which most prevents people from chosing Jinke's Vizplex V3 over the non-Vizplex model is not the 20 dollar price difference, but the fact that Jinke is completely silent about the existence of the Vizplex models except when directly asked about them.

fjell
If I purchased the V3 and then after receiving it, found out I could have gotten one with a Vizplex screen, I would have been not happy. Now if I then turned around and said I wanted the Vizplex, would I be able to send what I had back in or would I be stuck with it? If I go to Junke's website and look at what products are available, it would be nice to know the Vizplex model is available and that I can get one. But to hide it is bad business practice.

@zdevil - I can totally appreciate the reason for your disappointment in this situation. But if you go about trying to round up other folk who want to make an appeal to Jinke to somehow get Vizplex models for your nons, I can only ask that you don't specifically mention me as "the one who got a Vizplex for a discount".

The reason is, I don't want to make a circus of the graciousness on the part of the Jinke rep with whom I dealt. They were enormously benevolent in offering me the Vizplex model for the same price as the non just to save me, someone they don't even know, from losing a lot of money in wire-transfer fees. On the one hand, that speaks for someone's integrity at Jinke. I don't know who's.

However, I wouldn't want to stop you voicing your disappointment to Jinke about the lack of info on Vizplex models on their webpage. I wish you the best and will share what I can with everyone about the Vizplex model once it arrives.

fjell

The sneakiest part of it all is that I highly suspect that once the non-Vizplex versions have been "purged", or sold off, that the Vizplex versions will drop in price that 20 dollars which seperates the two models for now. (I have to add that this is nothing but speculation)


I'm just guessing here, but there could very well be another reason why Jinke aren't advertising their Vizplex versions. They have said it the past that they are not ready to take on the Western markets and would prefer to rely on OEM and ODM resellers in Europe and America for sales in that market. Bearing that in mind, it could be that Jinke have reserved it's own Vizplex V3 for it's own markets and is allowing LVD and others a certain 'exclusivity' for Vizplex in the Western markets. That may have the effect of driving western consumers away from Jinke's store-front, but that is not without it's merit as far as Jinke is concerned.

To me, that makes a lot of business sense.

To me, hiding a prduct you have that the consumer may want more then the product you don't hide is SLEAZY!

To me, hiding a prduct you have that the consumer may want more then the product you don't hide is SLEAZY!

Irex and Sony have/are doing the same with the Iliad v2 and the prs505. They both sold off old stock while holding back on the replacement. Only difference is that Jinke is being flexible about it. You call that sleazy? I'd say they are doing us a favour. They could have just said "we won't sell you the vizplex!".

Why spending 349$ in such a device while the cybook gen3 and the prs-505
which both are better (and the reader is cheaper) are about to be launched ?

If the V3 was available for 200-250$ that would be a great deal, but
349 bucks is just too much imho.

What makes the other readers better than the V3?

I have Lbook V3 with Vizplex screen now.

The screen looks really very good. Me V8 with old eink screen, but with updated eink screen driver, looks whiter, then sony's prs-500 screen.
And V3-Vizplex hits them both.

And of course, I should mention file format support (russian software version):

txt, fb2 (xml), pdf, wolf, doc, html, chm, zip, jpg, mp3

txt, fb2 supported in .zip form. (.rar planned soon).
rtf support is planned for near future too.

Irex and Sony have/are doing the same with the Iliad v2 and the prs505. They both sold off old stock while holding back on the replacement. Only difference is that Jinke is being flexible about it. You call that sleazy? I'd say they are doing us a favour. They could have just said "we won't sell you the vizplex!".
How is what Sony and iRex doing wrong? iRex announced their V2 already and Sony is selling off old stock via the credit card offer for about $60. I don't think the VizPlex screen is worth $240 (roughly) over the old screen. For all we know, Sony might not be ready with the 505 yet and have not announced it. We really do not know. But what we do know is there is no 505 for sale now. It's not hidden while all they show is the 500. And it is a new model at that so you don't just buy a 500 and get the old one (no Vizplex) when you could have bought a new one (with Vizplex).

A detail to note is that the credit card company will be picking up some, if not the majority, of the cost of any "reward" item acquired through those programs -- they buy the "reward items" from the seller (in this case, Sony) and offer them through the rewards program according to the terms they (the CC Co.) choose. It's not quite the same thing as if SonyStyle were offering PRS500s for $60.

Just a detail. :nice:

How is what Sony and iRex doing wrong? iRex announced their V2 already and Sony is selling off old stock via the credit card offer for about $60. I don't think the VizPlex screen is worth $240 (roughly) over the old screen. For all we know, Sony might not be ready with the 505 yet and have not announced it. We really do not know. But what we do know is there is no 505 for sale now. It's not hidden while all they show is the 500. And it is a new model at that so you don't just buy a 500 and get the old one (no Vizplex) when you could have bought a new one (with Vizplex).

Hmm, i think you dont give Sony and iRex anough credit. Why do you think the V2 took so long to hit the market, and Sony probably has 505s already on their shelves somewhere, they just do not offer customers theri devices early. So basically the nice person from Jinke made a bad business call in letting someone have such a device before the old ones where sold. Thats just simple economics.

What makes the other readers better than the V3?

Well, the cybook and the PRS-505 have the same vizplex screen but
can both read drm ebooks (mobipocket and lrf). Moreover they are
priced lower and you have to pay custom fees to buy a V3.

Of course there is roughly no major difference but I prefere waiting
1 month and buying a PRS-505 which is cheaper, can read drm ebooks,
and is made by a bigger firm.

Moreover the design of the V3 is, well... very minimalistic and no very
cool imho.

We don't really know that the 505 will have Vizplex (though I share your belief that it will) ... actually, we don't really know for sure that it will release in October ... or that the V3 will launch on time ....

Well, considering all the advertisements sony is currently doing, the fact
that the PRS-505 was in pre-order on abtelectronics and that amazon will
launch the Kindle in one month and bookeen is about to launch the GEN3
I think it's not crazy to believe the PRS-505 is gonna be launched very soon!

Once more it will be a great deal for european with currently 1€=1,4$ :cool:

Heh, I didn't say I didn't believe it would launch in October, just that we don't really know. :wink:

We don't know if the Cybook will launch in Septmeber with the software still going through revisions. We know the hardware is done. But the software is yet to be finished.

What I am tempted to do is go into the SonyStyle store and ask about the 505 just to find out what they have to say.

Hmm, i think you dont give Sony and iRex anough credit. Why do you think the V2 took so long to hit the market, and Sony probably has 505s already on their shelves somewhere, they just do not offer customers theri devices early. So basically the nice person from Jinke made a bad business call in letting someone have such a device before the old ones where sold. Thats just simple economics.
I'm giving Sony and iRex plenty of credit. It's Jinke I'm not giving credit for holding back on the Vizplex model when they have it for sale.

Sony may very well have the 505 ready to go. But they aren't yet selling it. So you cannot buy one. All we have is an advert from one store that was quickly pulled. We don't even know if the date of release is correct or when in October it is due even if October is correct. iRex's one fault in this case is calling the new iliad a v2. It's not really that much of an update. Maybe a v1.5.

Man, sure wish someone was supplying these inside the EU. Sales tax here in Germany is going to be an extra 45 Euros on top of 310 already (product, bank transfer fee, and shipping) for a whopping 355 Euro total. That's 492 US dollars!

My God! My v3 was just delivered and I didn't have the money to pay for the damn sales tax. They have to come back tomorrow!!! Fucking hell. :angry:

They must have put an extra customs fee on top of the sales tax (this is Germany where sales tax alone is 19%). The delivery man was asking for 84 Euros - like any average joe would have that in his wallet! That's almost double what I quoted above!!

So, at the end of the day (my God I can't believe this), if you live in Germany and order a V3 from Jinke's website, you're going to pay a grand total of:

394 Euros

Which means:

Although the device sells for 329 Dollars on the website, by the time it falls into your eager little hands, you will have parted with:

553 Dollars :knife:

That's a 59% increase over that original figure. I don't care how useful this thing ends up being (I'll have to find out tomorrow as I had to turn the delivery man away for now), I wouldn't pay that again. Period.

fjell

Damn, you've been really unlucky, the customs do not always charge
people...

Moreover the guys from Jinke should not have declared the real value,
since this kind of product isn't very well known they could have said
it costs 50-100$...

They must have put an extra customs fee on top of the sales tax (this is Germany where sales tax alone is 19%). The delivery man was asking for 84 Euros - like any average joe would have that in his wallet! That's almost double what I quoted above!!

Well, you have to pay a customs fee on most electronic gadgets. If its declared as a PDA, you dont have to pay any customs. Most electronic devices add another 4-6 % on the sales price. So thats

(329+shipping)*1,05 * 1,19

But what did you pay for shipping and handling?
Sometimes the shipping companies add an extra service fee for handling customs.

And thats where you see why things in the US are usually the same price in $ as they are here in Euro

Hey tribble,

Let me state everything in Euros, just to keep it simple.

Device: €234
Shipping: €47
Bank Transfer: €29
Sales Tax & Customs fee: €84

Total: €394

fjell

Damn, you paid 36% of custom fees over the price of the device!
That's crazy!

I can only advise everyone else in Germany against making this purchase from Jinke. Stated plainly:

the HanLin v3 is not worth 394 Euros (553 Dollars), under any circumstances. If you want it, get it elsewhere.

fjell

It really stinks that you had to learn this the hard way. Tell Jinke what happened and that they should always call it a PDA as suggested above. They might even feel bad for you and give you a small credit.

Hey everybody, I've received my V3 and I've made a video featuring it on Youtube. Please tell me what you think concerning the Vizplex issue.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gPBo81PPEwg

And a link to the Cybook video for comparison:

http://www.teleread.org/blog/?p=6889

Cheers all. Anyone have any other questions, now that I have the device?

Hey everybody, I've received my V3 and I've made a video featuring it on Youtube. Please tell me what you think concerning the Vizplex issue.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gPBo81PPEwg

And a link to the Cybook video for comparison:

http://www.teleread.org/blog/?p=6889

Cheers all. Anyone have any other questions, now that I have the device?
All I can say is that your V3 page turn speed is slower then my Sony (non-Vizplex) Reader (PRS500) page turn speed using the built-in fonts.

Yeah, thanks JSWolf. Although I was showing a .pdf file in the video, .wol files using the built-in fonts do not make the page turning go any faster.

fjell

Yeah, thanks JSWolf. Although I was showing a .pdf file in the video, .wol files using the built-in fonts do not make the page turning go any faster.

fjell
If that is supposed to be Vizplex and Vizplex is supposed to be faster, then either you didn't get Vizplex or the software inside the V3 is just slow.

The actual screen change seemed pretty quick. Are you sure it isn't just slow processing after pressing a button?

The actual screen change seemed pretty quick. Are you sure it isn't just slow processing after pressing a button?

No, I'm not sure. I have no idea, nor any way to compare or verify. I'm waiting for the input of some others with V3's to chime in. In fact, I think I'm going to start a new thread about this.

fjell

Well, either I have seen a different video or ...I wanted to say it is definitely Viziplex because it turns pages almost at once. No latency at all. On Sony it takes 1/2 sec.

Well, either I have seen a different video or ...I wanted to say it is definitely Viziplex because it turns pages almost at once. No latency at all. On Sony it takes 1/2 sec.
If it's Vizplex, then the software is slow. (IMHO) I don't think that's all that good then.

Best I can tell it looks like a software issue. The screen has great contrast and refreshes very quickly. caching pages would greatly improve performance of the screen refresh, but how would you judge what to pre-render? Your asking for a low power device with a small processor to do predictive profiling of the user.

OK, I'm like everyone else, I love to look at a perfect uncut cake while eating it (i don't think thats quite the saying... but?) however if jinke releases the SDK in a timely fashion then I don't think this will be an issue. Heck with as cheap as memory cards are you could create a pre-rendered file format, and have the processor just move data from the card to the screen. (wasting resources where they are abundant always seems like a good idea till you need them later, hu?)

There are people on this forum with the non-Vizplex version of the V3. If they could replicate the tests and conditions of the Vizplex video, we'd have a fair test that takes the software out of the picture.

There are people on this forum with the non-Vizplex version of the V3. If they could replicate the tests and conditions of the Vizplex video, we'd have a fair test that takes the software out of the picture.

Exactamundo. Anyone willing?

Also, it should be noted that Bookeen have apparently already succeeded in making incredibly fast page turning possible.

fjell

Exactamundo. Anyone willing?

Also, it should be noted that Bookeen have apparently already succeeded in making incredibly fast page turning possible.

fjell
If what you have is VizPlex then the page turn speed is being hampered by the software. I would guess the software is not very well optimized. You should have faster page turns then with my Sony.

If what you have is VizPlex then the page turn speed is being hampered by the software.Page turn speed also depends on screen controler. For now V3 has the same chip as V8, so screen refresh rate is the same. VizPlex results in more bright and contrast look.

Page turn speed also depends on screen controler. For now V3 has the same chip as V8, so screen refresh rate is the same. VizPlex results in more bright and contrast look.

Lbook V3 adopt same controller with Cybook(OEM from PVI), and same Waveform, therefor the speed of updating screen also should same.

Page turn speed also depends on screen controler. For now V3 has the same chip as V8, so screen refresh rate is the same. VizPlex results in more bright and contrast look.
In that case, then it definitely is the software lagging the page turns.

I see a lot of people complaining about the page turn speed on Hanlin, which is about 1.5 to 2 seconds max.

If you think this is slow, what would you say about Mobipocket reader on the iLiad with 2-3 seconds page turn speed!

I see a lot of people complaining about the page turn speed on Hanlin, which is about 1.5 to 2 seconds max.

If you think this is slow, what would you say about Mobipocket reader on the iLiad with 2-3 seconds page turn speed!
That is about the same page turn speed as the Sony Reader using embedded font(s).

That is about the same page turn speed as the Sony Reader using embedded font(s).
I see, but I suppose mobi format should be less complicated then pdf, and the iLiad has a better processor, so I just hope that they will do some optimization on this.
Will see how fast the Cybook can turn pages, because there is now excuse that the iLiad should not do it faster, even if that means dropping the java implementation.

I see, but I suppose mobi format should be less complicated then pdf, and the iLiad has a better processor, so I just hope that they will do some optimization on this.
Will see how fast the Cybook can turn pages, because there is now excuse that the iLiad should not do it faster, even if that means dropping the java implementation.

Why would you think Mobi is less complicated? Mobi does not define a page like most readers do. It computes the data contents on the fly so when you turn a page it doesn't know where the page ends until it fills up. This may effect performance.

Dale

Why would you think Mobi is less complicated? Mobi does not define a page like most readers do. It computes the data contents on the fly so when you turn a page it doesn't know where the page ends until it fills up. This may effect performance.

Dale
Just saw a video of the Cybook Gen3 and the MobiPocket format is not limiting it's page turn speed. It gets right up there and does it fast. The V3 is a turtle in comparison.

Just saw a video of the Cybook Gen3 and the MobiPocket format is not limiting it's page turn speed. It gets right up there and does it fast. The V3 is a turtle in comparison.
I saw that video too, but i'm thinking that this is an apples to oranges comparison.
I'd love to see just a straight text file on both devices (not, pdf's, wols, or mobi)
to me that would give the clearest demonstration of what each devices page turn is.
Oh and yeh, file size no greater than 256k too.

I saw that video too, but i'm thinking that this is an apples to oranges comparison.
I'd love to see just a straight text file on both devices (not, pdf's, wols, or mobi)
to me that would give the clearest demonstration of what each devices page turn is.
Oh and yeh, file size no greater than 256k too.
It is a fair comparison to compare Mobi format. Most people will be reading content in Mobi format. So while say a text file takes out the Mobi software, it still does not take out the inherent slowness in the V3's Mobi Software or OS or whatever the issue is.

Fjell,

How quickly can you switch from one book to another? From your video on UTube, it appears you always must go back to the book list and choose that book. I assume that it goes back to where you left off? Is there a quicker way to switch between books. I do a lot of research where I am switching back and forth between books. I also get the same book in both English and another language, so that I can use them as dual language texts for learning that language.

Dameu



Hey everybody, I've received my V3 and I've made a video featuring it on Youtube. Please tell me what you think concerning the Vizplex issue.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gPBo81PPEwg

And a link to the Cybook video for comparison:

http://www.teleread.org/blog/?p=6889

Cheers all. Anyone have any other questions, now that I have the device?

Most readers will require you to go back to the menu to switch books. Not sure on the iLiad though.

Most readers will require you to go back to the menu to switch books. Not sure on the iLiad though.

That is another feature I like about the eb1150. It has a button devoted to switching between two open books. There are lots of reasons for this feature.

Dale

That is another feature I like about the eb1150. It has a button devoted to switching between two open books. There are lots of reasons for this feature.Is that like Alt-Tab in the Windows world? You can switch from your favorite novel back to a work-related document with the touch of button so your boss thinks you're hard at work?

On 1st of October sales lBook eReader V3 (VizPlex) in Ukraine have begun.
The device price - 350 Usd

lBook V3 differs from the Chinese brother the changed software and presence of an additional natural leather cover.

The review in Russian can be seen here:

http://doc.the-ebook.org/lBookeReaderV3&v=17kz

For a translation into English I recommend:

http://www.google.com/translate_t

Is that like Alt-Tab in the Windows world? You can switch from your favorite novel back to a work-related document with the touch of button so your boss thinks you're hard at work?

Well, that is a use I hadn't even thought of. I use it to compare two versions of a book, such as a Bible or something I have converted using two different conversion tools. I also use to for Bible commentaries. Is is useful for folks that want to use multiple languages or just for a reading change of pace between a novel and other drier reading. It is also useful to return to a book if I go to the library view to check on something.

Dale

How well does the V3 handle various page sizes in PDF files? When I open my PDF files on a PC in Acrobat and look at the properties, most are 8.5 x 11 inch. And they have blank space on the left and right border. Is the V3 smart enough to remove this border? And does it wrap long lines?

I attached a PDF file that is formatted for 8.5 x 11. I would greatly appreciate it if someone with a V3 would see how this looks on their reader.

I downloaded some PDF files from this site for the Sony Reader. They are all formatted for a 3.5 x 4.5 screen and have no blank border.

I think V3 works in the same way as Sony Reader (with hacks) when it comes to text reflow in PDF. I have not much trouble reading well-formatted PDF documents with text reflow on V3.

Miyami,

In the first picture can you read the tiny bottom line of text with no problem? In the fourth picture, can you read the wire colors and voltages on the right? If so, the resolution is great.

The pictures look great. Thanks for posting them.



My camera not good enough to make clear shot. Zoom in the picture may see clearer.

@LVD

Great news! Can we order them from Europe? I'm interested in getting one. How is the i18n, is there sufficient documentation in English? Would I understand the SDK w/o Russian background?

After reading through all of the threads on the Hamlin, I think I found some of the answers to my questions. I didn't realize that "A4' is the rest of the world's equivalent to U.S. letter size of 8.5 x 11 inch. So now I see why this was a hot topic.

Zdevil: When I asked about wrapping of text lines, I meant the splitting of a long line by inserting a newline between words. Formats like TXT and DOC allow the viewing program to do this, but I don't think that this is possible with PDF. I think that the line length is set by the PDF. and that the viewing program can only mess with the size of the font to try and fit the line within the screen. But it looks like the V3 can remove the empty border on the left and right side of the page.

Here is an image from Wikipedia that shows the difference between A4 and US Letter and Legal sizes. We always have to do things different here. :rolleyes:

If you look at your printer or scanner, you will notice that there is a little extra room in the paper feed tray and scanner bed size. This is because most of these devices are made to the slightly wider/shorter A4 specification.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/A_size_illustration.png

I never realized until I saw this picture that the various A-sizes came from the successive cutting in half of a larger standard size of paper... the A0.

I never realized until I saw this picture that the various A-sizes came from the successive cutting in half of a larger standard size of paper... the A0.

This is also basically true of US sizes (except for legal). A size (letter) is doubled on one edge to get B size which is doubled on one edge to get C size, etc. There is also 1/2 A.

Dale

Zdevil: When I asked about wrapping of text lines, I meant the splitting of a long line by inserting a newline between words. Formats like TXT and DOC allow the viewing program to do this, but I don't think that this is possible with PDF. I think that the line length is set by the PDF. and that the viewing program can only mess with the size of the font to try and fit the line within the screen. But it looks like the V3 can remove the empty border on the left and right side of the page.

It is possible in PDF if the PDF is tagged. It is called re-flowing the document. Adobe readers support reflow but most of the other readers do not which is why you said what you said. It is even possible to tag a PDF file after the fact although best results are achieved if it is done at the time the file is created. Tags add smarts about the text to aid in the reflow. Adobe has a content product that is used with ActiveSync on a PC to post tag documents moved to a PPC device so that they can be reflowed. I have seen a product for Palm devices that claims to reflow documents even if they are not tagged but I do not know how well it works.

Dale

It is possible in PDF if the PDF is tagged. It is called re-flowing the document. Adobe readers support reflow but most of the other readers do not which is why you said what you said. It is even possible to tag a PDF file after the fact although best results are achieved if it is done at the time the file is created. Tags add smarts about the text to aid in the reflow. Adobe has a content product that is used with ActiveSync on a PC to post tag documents moved to a PPC device so that they can be reflowed. I have seen a product for Palm devices that claims to reflow documents even if they are not tagged but I do not know how well it works.

Dale

Thanks Dale, I was not aware of that.

I found this info on Google Groups about tagging files for reflow. This could be one possibility for use on the V3.

"... older non-tagged PDF documents can be tagged in Acrobat 5.0 (full
product) using Make Accessible plug-in. You can then copy larger PDF
documents directly to CF card (via PC Card slot in your notebook or CF card
reader attached to your desktop) bypassing the slower ActiveSync connection. These files will then also reflow (wrap) to screen width."

I have seen a product for Palm devices that claims to reflow documents even if they are not tagged but I do not know how well it works.I used to have it, but it was a casualty of a computer change. :sad:

It worked quite well, reflowing the text, and treating pictures in a "click to zoom" fashion within the text.

The one I had was put out by Adobe, which demonstrates both that it can be done, and that Adobe knows how to do it (which I'd probably have assumed in the first place).

I've been a bit puzzled for some time as to why they didn't just set something like that up for other devices -- I guess I know that answer now: Digital Editions. :shrug:

I used to have it, but it was a casualty of a computer change. :sad:

It worked quite well, reflowing the text, and treating pictures in a "click to zoom" fashion within the text.

The one I had was put out by Adobe, which demonstrates both that it can be done, and that Adobe knows how to do it (which I'd probably have assumed in the first place).

I've been a bit puzzled for some time as to why they didn't just set something like that up for other devices -- I guess I know that answer now: Digital Editions. :shrug:

I wasn't talking about the one from adobe. It is a translator that runs on a pc and makes a file that is in a totally different format. It only runs on a palm and is not compatible with anything else. I was talking about http://www.metaviewsoft.de/en/Software/PalmOS/Freeware/PalmPDF/index.html
which is a program that can actually read pdf files on a Palm without translating them.

Dale

I tend to think that the V3 does not re-flow text even if the tags are present. Wouldn't the user need to tell the viewer program whether to reflow the text or to use smaller fonts to fit it to the screen. There is nothing in the V3 user guide about this.

Also if it reflows the text, that changes the aspect ratio of the page. The standard page sizes all have the ratio of 1 to sqrt(2). If the ratio changes and the viewer fits the width of the page to the width of the screen, the user needs some way to scroll down to see the rest of the page.

I tend to think that the V3 does not re-flow text even if the tags are present. Wouldn't the user need to tell the viewer program whether to reflow the text or to use smaller fonts to fit it to the screen. There is nothing in the V3 user guide about this.

Also if it reflows the text, that changes the aspect ratio of the page. The standard page sizes all have the ratio of 1 to sqrt(2). If the ratio changes and the viewer fits the width of the page to the width of the screen, the user needs some way to scroll down to see the rest of the page.

Yes, reflow is usually an option in the menus if it is supported. I doubt that v3 would support that if it is not in the menus. This means that it is likely that it zooms the image which is generally not satisfactory for reading books. That means it will end up like the sony where you have to build specific books for the size of the reader. Likely you can use the sony built pdf on V3.

Note that when reflow works it also resizes the pages to the page size of the device. Aspect ratio is not a factor. The treatment of images is usually to shrink them if necessary to fit the page. They may also move slightly in the reflowed book with regard to the original placement.

Dale

Miyami,

In the first picture can you read the tiny bottom line of text with no problem? In the fourth picture, can you read the wire colors and voltages on the right? If so, the resolution is great.

The pictures look great. Thanks for posting them.
The screen in the pictures is slightly larger then 6 inches on my screen at 1600x1200. Any lower resolution and it'll be even larger. So what you are seeing is something enlarged.

I was psyched to get a V3 and actually placed an online order. I was just waiting for their reply. In the meantime, I decided to go to the Sony store and look at their reader. One word sums it up: disappointment. The contrast on the screen is terrible. The background is a muddy gray and the characters are not quite totally black. It was not comfortable reading on it --- in spite of the fact the books on it were only 40 characters wide. There was just one book on it that was 60 characters wide.

There was a poster next to the Sony reader with advertising on it. The difference between the print on the poster and the print on the reader was like night and day. The lighting in the mall store was pretty bad and I asked the clerk if he would disconnect the reader so that I could move it to where the light was better. But he refused to do this. I don't know if more light would have helped the contrast. The clerk said that there was no way to change the contrast on the reader.

The Sony has an "Size" button that is supposed to enlarge the font. But it must only do this for specially tagged files, because this only worked for a couple of books. When it did work, it helped but the low contrast still made in uncomfortable to read. The Sony does not allow you to read in landscape mode like on the V3.

I assume that the screen in the Sony that I saw was non-vizplex. Is the contrast in the vizplex significantly better? I am now hesitant to complete my order.

I assume that the screen in the Sony that I saw was non-vizplex. Is the contrast in the vizplex significantly better? I am now hesitant to complete my order.Were the numbered buttons 1-10 along the bottom edge, or the right edge of the screen? If they were along the bottom, then you were looking at the older non-vizplex display which has less contrast.

And if you hold down the size button it will switch orientation.

Were the numbered buttons 1-10 along the bottom edge, or the right edge of the screen? If they were along the bottom, then you were looking at the older non-vizplex display which has less contrast.

The buttons 1-10 were along the bottom edge.

And if you hold down the size button it will switch orientation.

I asked the clerk if it can switch orientation and he said no. Maybe he was wrong but he acted like he was sure of this.

I asked the clerk if it can switch orientation and he said no. Maybe he was wrong but he acted like he was sure of this.
The clerk is SO very wrong. I can demonstrate a reader better then that clerk. Probably sell more too.

I just wired my money for a V3. The latest promotion is $299 for a V3 with Vizplex and $12 for a leather cover. I'll have to just believe that the contrast will be as good as it looks in the pictures people posted.

I have been waiting for a usable Ebook reader for many years. I enjoy reading books from the past more than most books published in this past century. Much of this is available free as ebooks. Also I can find interesting books to read in foreign languages (Spanish, German) much more easily as ebooks than printed books. Having the English version also on the reader will save me a lot of time looking up words and figuring out vague expressions. I have actually been printing out my ebooks and putting them in 3-ring binders up till now, so as not to be tied to the computer.

I will report back any experiences that may be of interest to this group.

Thanks to all for your responses to my qustions.

I just wired my money for a V3. The latest promotion is $299 for a V3 with Vizplex and $12 for a leather cover. I'll have to just believe that the contrast will be as good as it looks in the pictures people posted.
The contrast will be quite good. The Vizplex screen is quite nice.