So iRex came out with the big news of launching a new e-book reader... the iRex Reader DR1000 Series.

If you were to buy a new e-book device today, would you buy one an iRex? If yes, which one would you buy?

So iRex came out with the big news of launching a new e-book reader... the iRex Reader DR1000 Series.

If you were to buy a new e-book device today, would you buy one an iRex? If yes, which one would you buy?

I do want a 9-10 inch device for work documents and technical books that generally need more room to display code and charts and diagrams. However, I will be waiting to see what Plastic Logic and Astak (maybe Sony will announce too) come out with. I am in no hurry to acquire a large format reader at this time.

BOb

EDIT: Your pool doesn't have a vaid response for me. It should say "I would consider...".

Tough call. My Iliad just died, 400 Euros to repair. I'm waiting to see what the Plastic Logic looks like and would like to see how usable the new Irex product is. Can I live without a touch screen?

I am definately going to get one of those. DR1000S first, The SW when it comes out. But i might not be your average Joe ;)

Tough call. My Iliad just died, 400 Euros to repair. I'm waiting to see what the Plastic Logic looks like and would like to see how usable the new Irex product is. Can I live without a touch screen?

What did you do to it, that it costs 400 Euros to repair???

I'm looking at them real hard, depending on how they handle a few specific details, I may be buying a couple (one for me one for my wife, probably one at a time), and recommending them to a couple dozen friends and colleagues.

I think that I'll be waiting and buying the SW. As much as I'd like to replace my iLiad with the S and then get the SW later on, I can't afford it.

Waiting until 2009 to buy it will be tough though...

It's way too soon to tell. I want to wait and see what peoples' opinion of the software is, and how fragile that screen is before I come to any decision.

I will buy as soon as FBReader is available, and I'm probably getting the DR1000S (since FBReader works best with a touch screen) unless there is a better web browser than currently on the iLiad. If Qt works on the DR1000SW then there is a good chance of a better web browser. I don't buy the EInk isn't good for web browsers argument by the way. Greyscale is a disadvantage, but most web pages are static (or at least the bits we care about are) and work perfectly well on EInk.

If you want to run 3rd party apps, the don't get the DR1000. Almost all Linux GUI-based apps assume you have a pointing device.

I think that most here aren't the target audience (apart from all you gadget freaks :D). I think most people will be waiting for a colour reader at this size for use with magazines and graphic novels. I know I am.

I'll just stick with my smaller form factor for reading novels.

... apart from all you gadget freaks ....The first step to getting help is admitting you have a problem ... and I don't have a problem with being a gadget freak. :D

I will wait - PlasticLogic and Astak could be interesting, and I really do want to know what others write about this little stuff of hard- and software. There are simple too many open questions (real Batterylife, screen stability, speed, suspend, when will their be a SDK, etc).

i'll first have to see how much they're willing to improve the iLiad's OS first, before considering buying something else from them.

I will wait - PlasticLogic and Astak could be interesting, and I really do want to know what others write about this little stuff of hard- and software. There are simple too many open questions (real Batterylife, screen stability, speed, suspend, when will their be a SDK, etc).

Don't forget the Sony annoucement for Oct 2nd. All these new readers are so pretty (yes, I'm very visual and that's why I don't have a Kindle:p). I'll wait for all of them to come out and then decide but so far the iRex is my #1 choice for a 2nd reader this December!:2thumbsup

http://irextechnologies.com/dr1000images/dr_menu.jpg

Look at that screen, the interface. I think I'm in love. :smitten::sweethear

Tribble,
What did you do to it, that it costs 400 Euros to repair???


Irex were helping me with an issue with the Iliad not charging properly and then I managed to break the screen whilst loading my bag onto the aircraft I was about to bring home. 270 for the screen or 400 for the screen and the electronics if they couldn't fix them. No complaints about their support, just kicking myself for not getting insurance on the Iliad.

You should have included a poll option for "At those prices? Keep dreaming!"

It is going to be my next reading device. I have just ordered it :D. With touchscreen. My cybook broke :(. I was waiting for Christmas for a drop in the prices, or something new, to buy a 6 inch screen device but I cannot wait anymore as my eyes are burning from reading novels in my N70 phone. And as I need two devices, one for reading novels and other for reading pdfs, for now, this will do for both.

iLiad already cost me too much. I definitely can't afford a Digital Reader. I guess its retail price may be above 1000USD.

iLiad already cost me too much. I definitely can't afford a Digital Reader. I guess its retail price may be above 1000USD.

You'd pay for being a first mover. If the Digital Reader became as demanded as the iPhone, we'd probably see a 50% reduction in price in no time. :chinscratch:

You'd pay for being a first mover. If the Digital Reader became as demanded as the iPhone, we'd probably see a 50% reduction in price in no time. :chinscratch:

Um...isn't that the opposite? I thought high demand meant high price. I did pass Econ 101.

Or do you mean they will be able to scale the manufacturing process? If that's so I think we are a few gens away from that.

BOb

The DR could actually be my first eInk device (excluding my Motofone). Right now I have 50+ PDFs, mostly on computer programming topics, that would be much nicer to read through with eInk on a large display. I'd pretty much stop buying paper books... faster delivery, a little less money, and so long as they are DRM-free, it works great.

Still, $750 is a lot to plop down, so I'd like to wait and see a few reviews, find out about Mac support, and iRex's SDK offering.

The Wi-fi is probably worth while, if spending that much already... it just takes patience to wait for it. If not an included web browser, perhaps one from a third-party... which could be handy for the likes of O'Reilly Safari. Only thing I wonder is battery drain, but assuming it can be turned off...

I WANT one. I cannot AFFORD one. $850 for an ereader? I thought $400 was expensive enough. Also, I want Amazon content, so I'm 'stuck' with the current Kindle and its future iterations.

no suspend no Irex

My next one will be a 256 Greylevels 6MPixel device, with pure white and pure black (no need for colors).

It's THE definitive e-book reader (I read mostly novels) and THE digital photo frame...

Until then, I'll switch to the cheapest reader in the market when my iLiad dies (I didn't say "if": in a few months my v2 will be unreadable due to ghosting, wich is getting worse and worse every day...)

;)

No, the screen isn't large enough for this format. I'd want to read PDF books, mainly my role-playing collection which are formated for normal letter size books. The screen is just to small to be legible properly for these books. I'll wait and see what the Plastic Logic one is like. The resolution is fabulous, but the screen just too small to really fit into the market area it's going for. I'd want a minimum 12.1", and ideally 14"

The iRex is not on my list:
1. Cost is considerably too high for a reader. I can purchase a notebook that will do more for the same price even considering the difference in battery-charge-life.
2. No color.
3. Connectivity feature doesn't particularly interest me.

No, the screen isn't large enough for this format. I'd want to read PDF books, mainly my role-playing collection which are formated for normal letter size books. The screen is just to small to be legible properly for these books. I'll wait and see what the Plastic Logic one is like. The resolution is fabulous, but the screen just too small to really fit into the market area it's going for. I'd want a minimum 12.1", and ideally 14"I haven't played RPG's in so long that the manuals were only in paper, so I have to ask: do the PDF manuals have margins on them?

I was thinking this display might be a bit small, then I realized that chopping off the 1" margins that are on most dox (assuming it supports that, of course) would mean the actual text on a Letter/A4 page would be about the same size as the actual display.

On the plastic logic, if I'm not mistaken, I think the whole device is Letter/A4 sized, with a ~1" frame around the display -- that's actually what got me working through the margin-chopping thing.

i was thinking buy irex second edition but right now i am suspending my decision because i dont want pay device which i dont know nothing about actually most important thing i guess for me wifi and pdf but nobody hands on device still we are talking about just guess we dont know how its going to support 3 part application and irex keep telling people its going to be available sw version but when they sell without wifi version okey we got sw version buy this selling strategy 500 euros for without wifi version i guess here nobody stupid like this

I haven't played RPG's in so long that the manuals were only in paper, so I have to ask: do the PDF manuals have margins on them?

I was thinking this display might be a bit small, then I realized that chopping off the 1" margins that are on most dox (assuming it supports that, of course) would mean the actual text on a Letter/A4 page would be about the same size as the actual display.

On the plastic logic, if I'm not mistaken, I think the whole device is Letter/A4 sized, with a ~1" frame around the display -- that's actually what got me working through the margin-chopping thing.

Generally the roleplaying PDFs (such as those sold through www.driverthrurpg.com) are simply derezzed versions of the print files put into a user usable format. Yes they would have margins, like the books would have.

A letter size book even with a 1" margin (many are lower), will still have about 12 inches (diagonally) of content. I'd have to see it but my 14" tablet PC isn't the best for this due to the low (1024x768) resolution, but a 1280X1024 at that size would be absolutely perfect.

This is of course assuming the new reader will allow a level of zoom to fill the page with text without the margins, and will have a user friendly page skipping for them.

This is of course assuming the new reader will allow a level of zoom to fill the page with text without the margins, and will have a user friendly page skipping for them. All we have is images of the interface, but it looks good so far. Goto http://irextechnologies.com/dr1000images/ and click on menu (4th image). The NY Times New Summary in the image is almost certainly a PDF.

Well, I maybe screwed myself, but I ordered one 1000. Will see how it compares to the cybook that I have.

You should have included option:
Impressive but Waaaaaaaaay too expensive.

Perhaps I would consider it, If I was earning an USA or Western Europe salary ...
Here in my country I earn fraction of what Americans or Germans earn in my position.

I want to take my reader with me everywhere. The only time I leave it home is when I go to work. They do not want to allow me to read there ;-). I have to work instead.

To be able to take my fiction reader with me *everywhere* it has to have a small form factor (6" is ideal for text-only, fiction reading), and it has to be cheap, because sooner or later it is going to be damaged. I would not dare to take 500 Euro device for a camping trip or for a holiday on the beach.

I would like to have a large format reader for an occasional technical book (mostly computer related). So far I have managed by printing a few selected essential books (that I have been able to get only in electronic format) out and binding them by hand (**)
Again, 500 Euro pricetag is prohibitive for me.
Also, a technical book, or a textbook has to be more responsive than recent generation of e-ink readers. When I pick up a reference book I need to find desired information quickly. Flipping one page after another in "browsing" mode 1 second per page is not fast enough.

(**) By binding by hand I mean making a "classical" high quality hardback sewn together by hand using needle and thread (thin string). I can bind a 1000 page book in 90 minutes this way using coptic (***) binding

(***) I found this video and learned how to bind a book. It is very easy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BMSrm0QOt0

I'll be waiting for December to have more information about Astak and Plastic Logic. If no information is given (or the given information doesn't please me), i'll take the plunge with the 1000S. For Christmas.

I'm very curious about the prices. Any more updated info on that?

No, the screen isn't large enough for this format. I'd want to read PDF books, mainly my role-playing collection which are formated for normal letter size books. The screen is just to small to be legible properly for these books. I'll wait and see what the Plastic Logic one is like. The resolution is fabulous, but the screen just too small to really fit into the market area it's going for. I'd want a minimum 12.1", and ideally 14"

You will need to buy a tablet pc or something similar. The plastic logic screen is only 10.7" although the overall size of the machine is A size.

Dale

I would have to wait for the touch screen to be released for a few months, just so they can work the bugs out before buying it.

That and finding the money of course.

I don't really understand why someone would want to buy a model without a stylus.

You should have included option:
Impressive but Waaaaaaaaay too expensive.

Perhaps I would consider it, If I was earning an USA or Western Europe salary ...
Here in my country I earn fraction of what Americans or Germans earn in my position.

Trust me, us Americans and Germans think it's pretty pricey, too.

I would not buy it. In the protective cover it obviously needs (the drop in the video did not look that fierce to me – so it is a fragile machine) it would be bigger or almost as big as my ThinkPad X, and the screen size of my Iliad seems ideal for reading fiction. So I’ll stick with my Iliad for a while I guess.

I can't afford any new hardware right now anyway, but even if I could, iRex gets no more of my money on "promised" features. I got my iLiad used at half-price, and it meets my needs fairly well. I bought it after the SDK was released, there were plenty of 3rd-party apps ported (especially FBreader), and it was possible to re-flash the unit. At that time, iRex was still promising some kind of suspend feature, before they realized the hardware design of the iLiad wouldn't support it. Then they delayed on stylus calibration, until volunteers from the developer community finally worked on that problem.

Since I use my reader for a combination of professional and academic reading and note-taking as well as reading for pleasure, I like the idea of a large screen with stylus input, but I don't think iRex is good at direct-to-consumer sales and support. It's not the business they wanted to be in. I'd need to see some evidence that they've improved their skills in this area before I'd buy any more of their products.

using the iliad, no more irex products for me...