wha t do you think?

wha t do you think?

Okay, I placed my "Yes" bet. Now let's see if I win the pot! :D

Derek

If there was a majority of "No", bookeen would wait until November
to launch it just to say they are aware of what we say here :p

My prediction is that they will be taking orders by the end of October, but won't have actually started to ship the product.

nice to see a positive outlook within the group so far :)

my "no" was based purely on the flakyness (sp?) of the software updates that Derek seems to have received so far and also on more than twenty years of seeing technology products from small companies get delayed a lot longer than this :)

i agree with Harry about them taking orders by the end of october though.

Not a chance. Taking orders... maybe. Shipping a couple hundred this year so they can say they "shipped in 2007"... maybe. Most people won't see this unit until 2008.

I'd say an October release is highly unlikely because they are making hardware changes now. That means Mass-Production has to be further off than 4 weeks...

Who told you they are maing hardware changes?

I thought Delphidb96 said that somewhere? Please correct me if I'm mistaken...

I believe he did say that the case on the production units would be slightly different to that of his prototype.

I believe he did say that the case on the production units would be slightly different to that of his prototype.

Doesn't sound like a "hardware update" to me. The production of a few sample units is a different process than mass production of retail units.

I wouldn't expect mere casing changes to necessarily cause a big delay, especially if they've been working on them since early last month. :shrug:

I heard that they were building in a light...

:grin:

I heard that they were building in a light...

:grin:

Oh! I! Wish! :pray:

Yeah, I think there may be some case changes, but I don't know if there are any substantive changes to the hardware - I don't think so.

However, if they *just* made the decision to change how the case looks - matte finish vs. glossy, *NOT* putting a rubbery cover over the USB port :pray::pray::pray:, etc. - then the OEM hardware source may well not be set up for the changes and that may add delays. As I'm not part of the decision-making process, I'm jus guessing from what I've learned as NAEB considered the option of making our own unit.

Derek

I really DON'T think they are gonna change the casing to make it matte,
they are showing the gen3 on their website for months so I guess that if
they change something it will only be details, such as logos...

I really DON'T think they are gonna change the casing to make it matte,
they are showing the gen3 on their website for months so I guess that if
they change something it will only be details, such as logos...

I don't know whether matte is an option either, but glossy *SUCKS*!!! It's impossible to keep the rainbow glow of fingerprint oil from ruining the "gleaming" appearance without resorting to wearing gloves at all times when I'm handling the unit. Bad choice, Bookeen! Bad! Bad!

Derek

wasnt this something for you r dealership meetin gs?

wasnt this something for you r dealership meetin gs?

We discussed this early on. We thought - weeks before the engineering samples were shipped - we'd be getting matte finish. Surprise!

As for the rubbery cover - no, we did *NOT* know of it until we got the engineering samples. Remember, *Bookeen* did the hardware design with the hardware manufacturer. We were not part of that discussion.

Derek

Didn't you SEE the photos on their website ?

Didn't you SEE the photos on their website ?

Guguy,

We've seen *LOTS* of photos from them. And statements. And responses.

Derek

I guess they wanted to change as little as possible from the original STAReBOOK...and that's just shiny plastic. Shiny Plastic is OK for a white device because fingerprints don't show on white...

I guess they wanted to change as little as possible from the original STAReBOOK...and that's just shiny plastic. Shiny Plastic is OK for a white device because fingerprints don't show on white...


I absolutely agree! Shiny is not a problem with a white case. But on the black it's just asking for people to notice the oils and crud from handling. :(

Derek

I guess they wanted to change as little as possible from the original STAReBOOK...and that's just shiny plastic. Shiny Plastic is OK for a white device because fingerprints don't show on white...I think you may have hit the nail on the head there. Perhaps the place that manufacturers for all the new reference-based device can only do a certain kind of finished plastic at the moment.

That would certainly be a very big disappointment.

I've never liked glossy black for any electronic device. Sadly, my interest is starting to fade. If they can't go matte, then I might avoid this device -- unless they come up with a few alternate pigment choices. Doing special runs of the case in different pigments should add little to no cost to the process, unless they've already taken delivery of a massive batch of cases in black.

I've read somewhere (at NAEB?) that Bookeen wanted to make a white model, but they had some trouble with the colour -- whatever that means.

I think you may have hit the nail on the head there. Perhaps the place that manufacturers for all the new reference-based device can only do a certain kind of finished plastic at the moment.

That would certainly be a very big disappointment.

I've never liked glossy black for any electronic device. Sadly, my interest is starting to fade. If they can't go matte, then I might avoid this device -- unless they come up with a few alternate pigment choices. Doing special runs of the case in different pigments should add little to no cost to the process, unless they've already taken delivery of a massive batch of cases in black.


AFAIK, these glossy black cases are for the engineering samples. And I would hope that glossy white and matte black are still viable choices.

Derek

The iLiad is a matte charcoal grey; that works very well and provides a nice contrast with the screen. I prefer dark colours, but not gloss finishes!

The iLiad is a matte charcoal grey; that works very well and provides a nice contrast with the screen. I prefer dark colours, but not gloss finishes!


So do I. So do I.

BTW, no update received on the firmware. Still using version 0.91. Was promised update today. They're in France, I'm in California, it's 10AM my time - 6PM-7PM theirs. You figure it out.

Derek

... it's 10AM my time - 6PM-7PM theirs. You figure it out.Let's see, 10AM * ( 6-7 ) / Pi * (the integral of France, i.e. 0) ... carry the 5 ... ah yes, the answer is "S.O.L." ... or ... possibly "PRS505," I'm never sure if I handle those imaginary numbers correctly. :headscratch:

Let's see, 10AM * ( 6-7 ) / Pi * (the integral of France, i.e. 0) ... carry the 5 ... ah yes, the answer is "S.O.L." ... or ... possibly "PRS505," I'm never sure if I handle those imaginary numbers correctly. :headscratch:


Read my new thread. The firmware update ARRIVED! (Naturally, it arrived *after* my post you were responding to.) :2thumbsup :2thumbsup :2thumbsup

I'll be going RL as soon as it quits downloading in order to install, but I'll be giving a quick post on the changes later today. :smash:


Derek

I saw it, naturally after I responded to your post above -- ah, well, I guess it just proves I've never mastered this "new math" stuff. :grin:

I'm glad the (finally) came through with the update. :yes:

I wonder if they were reading your growing frustration here, and that finally got them off the dime .... :chinscratch:

Whatever it was, I'm glad they finally got around to it. :grin:

On their blog the Bookeen people said that the Cybook will definitely be available before the end of october. An official release date will be announced through their newsletter "very soon" (tm) ;)

so it seems we picked it at the beginning of the thread - order by the end of october, but shipping in november.

damn we're good!

And I picked it right saying it would not be available till November.

And I picked it right saying it would not be available till November.

I guess it depends on what available means. If it means ordering then the October target has been met but if it means arrival on your front door then we still have to wait and see.

Dale

What I mean by available is when it is actually available for shipping.

What I mean by available is when it is actually available for shipping.

I would have to agree with this standard. I ordered the last Harry Potter book six months before it was shipped. I wouldn't have called it "available" simply because I had finalized my purchase. The time lag here is much shorter but the principle is the same. Until it's actually leaving Bookeen and ending up in the users' hands, I can't really think of it as available.

My prediction was that they'd be accepting orders, but not shipping product, by the end of the month. Guess I was right :).