From the i-to-i blog (http://i-to-i.irexnet.com/2008/09/18/irex-to-unveil-a-new-era-in-digital-reading/).

iRex is planning to make a big announcement on Monday September 22nd. It apparently involves both hardware and software. It seems they're not content to stay still while Amazon and Sony steal their thunder. They're planning to "unveil a new era in digital reading", so one can only guess what that would mean.

Karel states that he will "share more details" about what's coming, so I doubt we will see a new product for sale on Monday.

Let the speculation begin (again).

From the i-to-i blog (http://i-to-i.irexnet.com/2008/09/18/irex-to-unveil-a-new-era-in-digital-reading/).

iRex is planning to make a big announcement on Monday September 22nd. It apparently involves both hardware and software. It seems they're not content to stay still while Amazon and Sony steal their thunder. They're planning to "unveil a new era in digital reading", so one can only guess what that would mean.

Karel states that he will "share more details" about what's coming, so I doubt we will see a new product for sale on Monday.

Let the speculation begin (again).

9,7" display to be released during spring 2009 anyone? :)

I seems that a larger version of the iLiad is likely.

I'm also going to going to guess that they've completed the viewer framework, and are setting up a wireless book store.

viewer framework (and improved UI) would be nice, yes.

viewer framework (and improved UI) would be nice, yes.

As long as everyone out there benefits. I seem to remember something from a few days back about them dumping java and going native to save battery life and cpu time.

Quite clearly it'll be a new cover with a built-in green neon highlighting light. Kinda like those wall-mounted HDTV displays that someone was selling a year or so ago. Very sexy. Battery life will be marginally effected.

why is everyone introducing a "new era"....

The fact they say "on the horizon" makes me feel anything is going to take quite some time to arrive. Pity.

I'd guess it will be something like built in phone, larger display (as suggested) or foldable/flexible display.

Isn't that picture Kindle shaped?

Isn't that picture Kindle shaped?

Interesting observation. It does indeed look to be Kindle shaped...

:chinscratch:

Edit: Looking at the big picture on iRex's main page, it seems that both sides are bulging are are more rounded. Maybe that's not actually the shape of the new device.

Quite clearly it'll be a new cover with a built-in green neon highlighting light. Kinda like those wall-mounted HDTV displays that someone was selling a year or so ago.
ACK, "Ambilight" was my first thought too...

Interesting observation. It does indeed look to be Kindle shaped...

:chinscratch:

Edit: Looking at the big picture on iRex's main page, it seems that both sides are bulging are are more rounded. Maybe that's not actually the shape of the new device.

Yes, I understand that iRex is buying Amazon and will be stuffing Jeff Bezos himself into the Kindles. They're out now looking for Steve Jobs who is next in line.

Regarding the size of the display Irex has always been a step ahead of the competition, so l think they will release a device with a 9.7 inches screen in the next weeks while all the others(sony, astak, amazon...) will release it in the next spring.

Well, we knew this had to happen.

They are certainly gonna release a lager iLiad (9.7"). (or they could surprise me and make it larger...)

Hopefully this time they'll get hardware right (power management, faster cpu).
Maybe even integrate a 3G module. :)

That would be great.

But I'll tell you what's on the horizon: Plastic Logic.

And that means they have to release before 2009, things don't look good otherwise.

On the software front: a new viewer framework (modular).

Price €550

The factury of plastic logic in Dresden (Germany) opened today. I bet that Irex gets problems when plastic logic starts to sell their device.

It's interesting and irritating to guess. Oh, I wish to know the reality behind the veil.

I'm guessing the rumoured 9.7" screen device, plus exciting new software for the existing models. I can't afford the former, so I'm hoping for the latter.

Or it could be a *really* big iLiad, revealed in a crater on the moon to the tune of Also Spracht Zarathustra. Followed by an even bigger model, in orbit around Jupiter.

Hey iRex, it was time for something new. The i to i blog became a kindle/sony/plastic logic blog instead of an irex' one in the last months.

What ever it will be I don't wanna miss the news on Monday.

If irex wanna present a new the reader it will the best time right now to maintain the "best e-reader by miles" [imho] position in the market. The 9,7 e-readers of competitors are announced already.
The book edition is "out of stock" in the irex shop. Recently?

A somehow more "3.0" than 2.13 firmware would be cool. As said irex promised a new reader framework ages ago.

Hey cool! 22nd Sep. happens to be my birthday, so maybe they'll send me one of those new devices as a present - yes, irex, pleeeeaaaazzze? :2thumbsup

And btw the thing on the banner looks more like the good old Alien egg than an ereading device...;)

Huh, what a great, interesting time. First Canon and their mystery ("destined evolution") campaign and now irex...

Too bad all those shining new nifty little gadget thingies cost SO much money. :(

Cheers,
- Don [:-]

Check out the below article, it says the the new iliad is called The iRex Reader 1000 and offers a 10.2-inch diagonal E-Inkscreen.

http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/09/18/ereader-kindle-irex-tech-egang08-cx_ag_0918irex.html

Hmm wild speculation....

A4 screen size.
Foldable to A6.
10ms reaction time.
No writting gap -- hand touchable also
Color

Check out the below article, it says the the new iliad is called The iRex Reader 1000 and offers a 10.2-inch diagonal E-Inkscreen.

http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/09/18/ereader-kindle-irex-tech-egang08-cx_ag_0918irex.html

Great find, Skyblue. There's a lot of information (and speculation) in there.

Check out the below article, it says the the new iliad is called The iRex Reader 1000 and offers a 10.2-inch diagonal E-Inkscreen.

http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/09/18/ereader-kindle-irex-tech-egang08-cx_ag_0918irex.html

I suspect iRex wanted to wait until monday for this announcement. Kinda crappy of Forbes to leak that information early...

But from the article:


Name: iRex Reader 1000
10.2 Inch Screen
eBook (Mobipocket?), PDF, Word, and html support (probably others)
Stylus input (wacom?)
60-70 hour battery life
3 Versions
Base - $650
Touch Screen - $750
Touchscreen + Bluetooth, Wifi, and 3G, $850
16 levels of greyscale

that is all well and good, but i want an UI that can display more than 6 items without having to buy a 2.1" larger screen :P that's just cheating

but i want an UI that can display more than 6 items without having to buy a 2.1" larger screen Since the announcement includes "software", we can hope for a major upgrade for existing iLiads.

Well, we'll see what Monday will bring. I hope it will be more than a "paper-launch" with the actual product still half a year away from market-ready status.
The specs sound nice enough, especially for PDF and technical documents, the battery life also sounds promising although the 60-70 hour battery life is a bit of a mystery since it does not specify how you get 60-70 hours out of the device, reading or idling or standby...but let's hope they learned from the Iliad mistakes...^^

Well, we'll see what Monday will bring. I hope it will be more than a "paper-launch" with the actualy product still half a year away from market-ready status.

I hope we don't have to wait another 6 months. But I do agree that it's likely to just be an announcement, with the device coming at a later time.

From the limited knowledge I have, the basic one should be available this year, with the others around Q1 of next year. That could change obviously, even from when I was told it (which was a month or so ago).

When I bought my iLiad someone who knows these things (i.e. an inside source) told me that I might want to wait for this new device instead of buying the existing one at that time. I was asked not to impart that info to others, which was fair enough ... much as it pained me to see others buying iLiads when I knew a new one was coming out. I did drop a few hints on the forum though that it might be prudent to wait but I couldn't come out and say it as it would be betraying a confidence. I know that has been the case for a couple of other posters here too.

I decided to go with the original iLiad as I felt the 10" screen would be too big and unwieldy, though from what I was told the weight of the new one will only be slightly more than the current one, and the new one will be macbook air thin. However I can't see that the current iLiad is much thicker than a macbook air, if at all !

If a colour screen would have been in the mix I would have waited (and probably fell down in a dead faint at the price !), but I'm happy I made the right choice when I bought my iLiad. I too am hoping the new UI will transfer directly or indirectly to the existing iLiads.

Rachael

Let's hope they learned their lesson with the easily cracked/broken screens people had experienced. I don't know this from first-hand knowledge, but I remember when I first joined this forum that there were quite a few people upset about how fragile the screens were (though from what I gathered, I think the real issue was the size of the screen and the fact that it could flex too easily). A 10" screen would be phenomenal, but while $650 is a bargain compared to their original, it's out of my budget. :(

I, too, think they're getting this thing out ASAP to try and trump $ony's release and I don't doubt Plastic Logic has them more than a little nervous, especially if they can supply a system larger & cheaper than theirs (let's hope it's a lot cheaper!).

I did drop a few hints on the forum though that it might be prudent to wait but I couldn't come out and say it as it would be betraying a confidence.

This one is my favorite:
Anyone interested in reading pdfs on a larger screen than the current iLiad and who can wait a while might do well to wait a few weeks. You never know what September might bring.
Very subtile :fedora: :D
But thanks for sharing the info!

This is a url to the Forbes magazine piece announcing the new irex machine.
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/09/18/ereader-kindle-irex-tech-egang08-cx_ag_0918irex.html

This is a url to the Forbes magazine piece announcing the new irex machine.
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/09/18/ereader-kindle-irex-tech-egang08-cx_ag_0918irex.html

Is the picture really iRex's ebook device? From that pic, I feel that its size is the same with iLiad.

I wonder if they release it now they would let me upgrade mine for a discount.. I bought my iLiad book reader last week :(

Is the picture really iRex's ebook device? It certainly isn't one of their existing readers,and it is labeled iRex Reader 1000. If so, I am surprised by the lack of buttons. I initially thought the pad at the bottom might be a touchpad, but it looks more like an elongated D-pad.

Actually, I like the look of the device which appears to be symmetric left to right and so equally good or bad for left and right handers.

Business users rather than academic users... I doubt they're going to support the bibliography extraction I was hoping for, at least in the near term. I guess I can just hope that it will still be possible for the developer community to enhance whatever software they provide.

Even the New York Times reported on the new Irex Iliad.
Here's the article:
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/will-this-e-reader-replace-papers/?ref=technology

This is very exciting news.
I have to save some more money and see should I upgrade to new device from
iRex or not..
Anyway I really hope this new iliad can operate up to 60-70 hours cause
I really love my iliad except its battery life

This one is my favorite:

Very subtile :fedora: :D
But thanks for sharing the info!

LOL. ;) Indeed, now the word is out I seemed about as subtle as a slap. ;)

To be honest I assumed very few people were listening to me, as I haven't been around that long !


Rachael

The iRex shop is down. They must be doing something. ;)

yeah, although i'm mostly curious about the press release, and rather less interested in being able to see its picture on the Webshop :P

They just released the press info.

It sounds like they're going to setup a printer driver to literally let you "print" to the iLiad through USB. That sounds like a good idea, and should make it more accessible to the average person.

It sounds like they're going to setup a printer driver to literally let you "print" to the iLiad through USB. That sounds like a good idea, and should make it more accessible to the average person.

Hmmm, could you "print" a DRMed book in another format to the 1000 then?

Screen: 26 cm (10,2")
Weight: 570 g (1,1something lbs)
Resolution 1024 x 1280 pixels, 160dpi
greyscale, 16 color

CPU: Freescale i.MX31L processor (>=532MHz)
128mb RAM

Out of box file format support: PDF, PowerPoint, HTML, .txt, Mobipocket, JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, BMP

Battery(life): Li-Ion, ~24h (duno battery capacity though)
Navigation keys: respond to being lightly touched, with optical feedback

Price: €499 or €599 (with stylus)

Which means the iLiad v2 will be the same price as the (wifi/bluetooth/3g-less) 10,2" Reader 1000S.

Yes, I understand that iRex is buying Amazon and will be stuffing Jeff Bezos himself into the Kindles. They're out now looking for Steve Jobs who is next in line.

Two questions:

1) Is this a new plot for a horror novel?
2) Is the technology mature enough to stick a grown man inside an ebook reader?

Don

It sounds like they're going to setup a printer driver to literally let you "print" to the iLiad through USB. That sounds like a good idea, and should make it more accessible to the average person.
It's an excellent idea (and one that I suggested a while ago here at MR, but I'm sure they were working on it before that). If you want people to be able to substitute your device for printed paper, make it possible to "print" to your device. Makes perfect sense.

Now, hopefully they have updated their PDF software to provide search, bookmarks, annotations....

Hmmm, could you "print" a DRMed book in another format to the 1000 then?

If the DRM format permitted printing at all. Some do not.

Dale

It's an excellent idea (and one that I suggested a while ago here at MR, but I'm sure they were working on it before that). If you want people to be able to substitute your device for printed paper, make it possible to "print" to your device. Makes perfect sense.

Now, hopefully they have updated their PDF software to provide search, bookmarks, annotations....

Hanlin Wolf format already has a tool like this. It is the main method to generate native documents for the device.

Dale

It's an excellent idea (and one that I suggested a while ago here at MR, but I'm sure they were working on it before that). If you want people to be able to substitute your device for printed paper, make it possible to "print" to your device. Makes perfect sense.And its totally simple ... If you have PDF-support and some kind of "upload a file to the reader"-support, it can be done with a shellscript ..