For those of you who would like to see the user manual, you can find it here (http://support.irexnet.com/index.php?_m=downloads&_a=viewdownload&downloaditemid=26).

I, for one, love reading manuals on new devices. ;)

Interesting read, thanks for the heads-up Adam.

A couple of reflections after reading that...

1) You will not be able to read anything without an SD card in the reader, i.e. no internal storage for documents? Silly wabbits.

2) No where in the documentation does it say which max size SD card you can use.

Apart from that, it's folder system looks pretty impressive. But still, not being able to store any doc internally still irks me, especially since that will drain battery faster if it has too access the SD card all the time.

Also what was interesting was that they strongly recommend using their software to transfer files to the device as opposed to just using Finder or Explorer to put them on the SD card. Odd.

"By using the application, you will ensure that your files stay intact and are not at risk of being damaged or losing information."

It looks all very nice. A lot of features which I missed on iLiad.

Now we need the devices! :D
Gogolo

Also what was interesting was that they strongly recommend using their software to transfer files to the device as opposed to just using Finder or Explorer to put them on the SD card. Odd. They also said (about the companion software): Note: copying a folder to the device is not allowed because the database information the device needs cannot be created.

The manual seems to be implying that connection to a Windows PC and using the companion software is the only fully functional way to use the device. It does not include anything about how to use a DR1000S from a Mac or Linux.

On the other hand the FAQ (http://forum.irexnet.com/viewtopic.php?p=13419) says: Q: Is there support for Linux and Mac and how will it work with these operating systems?
A: The device will be recognized as a mass storage device but the pre-installed Windows application from the SD-card will not be functional.

A couple of reflections after reading that...

1) You will not be able to read anything without an SD card in the reader, i.e. no internal storage for documents? Silly wabbits.

2) No where in the documentation does it say which max size SD card you can use.

Apart from that, it's folder system looks pretty impressive. But still, not being able to store any doc internally still irks me, especially since that will drain battery faster if it has too access the SD card all the time.

Some of the decisions do seem a little odd like forcing all content to the SD card, but if you think about it in the terms of a business device it makes more sense. With all content and settings on the card it becomes a piece of cake to swap out devices.....just move the card to another device and you're ready to go. It definitely seems to show their business focus with this device.

From page 56: Using Hyperlinks
Many documents these days have hyperlinks that let you open new documents or jump to other places in the same document. You can tap with the stylus on a hyperlink to follow it, or select and open it using the sensors. This suggests that it will be possible to create your own catalog of (hyperlinks to) documents on the device, ordered however you want, and use it in place of file navigation. The catalog can be PDF, MOBI , or HTML.

Nice to see the "Page Thumbnail" view in the document reader. Now, if only we could get that document reader on the iLiad....

After reading it again, what I miss: Where is the 'last read' list????

I always was stressed by the only 6 items in last read with iLiad - and now it has gone completely????

Gogolo

After reading it again, what I miss: Where is the 'last read' list? It seems to have been replaced by (p 23): ‘Task Manager’ in the Menu
In the menu, just above the ‘General’ group, is another group that always appears: ‘Task Manager’. The Task Manager group shows the files and applications that are currently open and running on the device and a quick link (the icon on the left) back to the last folder that was open.

Once the Task Manager row in the menu is full, the least used task will be saved, closed, and removed from the list when you open a new task. You can also close a task yourself by opening it and selecting Menu>Close. This presumably does not persist through a shut down.

I agree that a "Recent Tasks" list would be useful, and could easily be added by iRex as a cyclic list based on the Task Manager (the difference being that closing a task does not delete it from the Recent Tasks list).

Never mind - eReader Outfitters have posted that the iRex DR1000S are en route.

It seems that iRex has shipped first batch to the eReader Outfitters

"10/5/08- The first batch or DR1000s is en route from Europe to eReader Outfitters. We will ship on Tuesday. "

I'm not sure about Tuesday though, unless he got them on Monday, he is probably talking about 10/14.

Meanwhile I'm sure they had to fix something. That would not be bad, if they would tell it frankly.

A 'Recent read' list is absolutely necessary IMHO. I'd be glad to see the last 30 Docs I've read.

If this device and Plattform is designed like iRex says (offers a lot of possibilities for future upgrades) its really really cool. It offers all I need...:rolleyes2:

Gogolo

It seems that iRex has shipped first batch to the eReader Outfitters

"10/5/08- The first batch or DR1000s is en route from Europe to eReader Outfitters. We will ship on Tuesday. "

I'm not sure about Tuesday though, unless he got them on Monday, he is probably talking about 10/14.

Bummer - you make a good point here. :chinscratch: I just 'assumed' that Tuesday meant today (10/8). I'll being checking often...
CJP

[QUOTE=Slite;265663]
2) No where in the documentation does it say which max size SD card you can use.
QUOTE]

I have read the manual cover to cover, rechecked the discussions, but I too cannot determine what is the maximum size SD card the DR1000S uses. Mine ships today/tomorrow and I wanted to get another card (or several) to have so that I can catorgorize all my PDF journals.

I'd like to use at least a 2GB, just to simplify the process of having to switch cards when I need to access other journals.

Does anyone know? I'd appreciate hearing about it.
CJP

[QUOTE=Slite;265663]
2) No where in the documentation does it say which max size SD card you can use.
QUOTE]

I have read the manual cover to cover, rechecked the discussions, but I too cannot determine what is the maximum size SD card the DR1000S uses. Mine ships today/tomorrow and I wanted to get another card (or several) to have so that I can catorgorize all my PDF journals.

I'd like to use at least a 2GB, just to simplify the process of having to switch cards when I need to access other journals.

Does anyone know? I'd appreciate hearing about it.
CJP
The iRex Support Knowledge Base appears to say 1GB is the max. See http://support.irexnet.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=26&nav=0,5

It appears they designed to use MMC cards, which have a 1GB limit. SD cards have the same form factor, and can be substituted, but the device won't see capacity beyond 1GB.
______
Dennis

From the FAQ (http://forum.irexnet.com/viewtopic.php?p=13419) Q: Does the iRex Digital Reader 1000 feature SDHC support?
A: The iRex Digital Reader 1000 is able to recognize and work with all compliant SD cards. Officially we do not support SDHC cards but we have noticed that most SDHC cards do work.

This seems to imply that SD cards up to 4GB definitely work, but there is generally much confusion about SD betwee 1GB and 4 GB see Wikipedia:Secure Digital card (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Digital_card).

The iRex Support Knowledge Base appears to say 1GB is the max. This is for the iLiad, not the DR1000S.

The iRex Support Knowledge Base appears to say 1GB is the max.
______
Dennis

The FAQ entry you refer to is for the iLiad. Nor the DR.
The DR product description in their shop (https://www.irexshop.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_35&products_id=69) states : 1GB Removable SD card (replaceable with larger SD cards),
Unfortunately there is no word on SDHC. So larger might be limited to 2GB.

The FAQ entry you refer to is for the iLiad. Nor the DR.
The DR product description in their shop (https://www.irexshop.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_35&products_id=69) states : 1GB Removable SD card (replaceable with larger SD cards),
Unfortunately there is no word on SDHC. So larger might be limited to 2GB.

Here's what I've been able to find. :google:
It is from Frequently Asked Questions - iRex Digital Reader 1000
http://www.ebookreaders.nl/dr_1000_faq_van_irex_zelf

Q: Does the iRex Digital Reader 1000 feature SDHC support?
A: The iRex Digital Reader 1000 is able to recognize and work with all compliant SD cards. Officially we do not support SDHC cards but we have noticed that most SDHC cards do work.

Since (I think!) SD cards max at 2GB (the SDHC are the 4+GB), then I take this to mean that 1GB & 2GB SD cards work and are officially supported. Although if SDHC cards 'work' you'd have to be willing to lose data or files b/c they are not officially supported.
Clear as mud.
CJP

Here's what I've been able to find. :google:
It is from Frequently Asked Questions - iRex Digital Reader 1000
http://www.ebookreaders.nl/dr_1000_faq_van_irex_zelf

Q: Does the iRex Digital Reader 1000 feature SDHC support?
A: The iRex Digital Reader 1000 is able to recognize and work with all compliant SD cards. Officially we do not support SDHC cards but we have noticed that most SDHC cards do work.

Since (I think!) SD cards max at 2GB (the SDHC are the 4+GB), then I take this to mean that 1GB & 2GB SD cards work and are officially supported. Although if SDHC cards 'work' you'd have to be willing to lose data or files b/c they are not officially supported.
Clear as mud.
CJP

It is clear to me. It means they didn't certify it to work with SDHC cards and they got their driver from someone else who actually knew what they were doing. They use the premise that if you don't test it then you can't say it works. After the fact they did try one but the official position is based on the test plan and it didn't test that option. I wouldn't worry about it much. Just like the iLiad there will have to be a page devoted to collecting brands and sizes that work and those that do not.

Dale

Since (I think!) SD cards max at 2GB (the SDHC are the 4+GB), then I take this to mean that 1GB & 2GB SD cards work and are officially supported. Although if SDHC cards 'work' you'd have to be willing to lose data or files b/c they are not officially supported.
Clear as mud.
CJP
The 2GB limit is a file system limitation. The original expansion cards were formatted as FAT16, and the largest volume size for a FAT16 volume is 2GB.

Cards bigger than 2GB are formatted as FAT32, which allows larger volumes.

You can get standard SD cards in up to 4GB capacity. Anything larger than that will be SDHC.
______
Dennis

el cheapo 2Gb SD card is no problem, I didn't try a SDHC 4Gb card as I'm using it elsewhere just now.

Howard

The 2GB limit is a file system limitation. The original expansion cards were formatted as FAT16, and the largest volume size for a FAT16 volume is 2GB.

Cards bigger than 2GB are formatted as FAT32, which allows larger volumes.

You can get standard SD cards in up to 4GB capacity. Anything larger than that will be SDHC.
______
Dennis

Actually the limit in 32 bits is 4G if you treat it as an unsigned number. Signed numbers are only 2G. This is why a non-standard SD card can reach 4GB. The SD card standard is 2G max for non-SDHC cards and even then there was a trick in that they switched block sizes between 1G and 2G which is why devices with MMC card slots cannot go beyond 1G.

Dale

Either way, it seems like a pretty low limit for a device that's supposed to make large quantities of PDF documents available. If it's a driver issue, how likely is this limit to be increased?

[QUOTE=cjp;267401]
The iRex Support Knowledge Base appears to say 1GB is the max. See http://support.irexnet.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=26&nav=0,5

It appears they designed to use MMC cards, which have a 1GB limit. SD cards have the same form factor, and can be substituted, but the device won't see capacity beyond 1GB.


That's for the iLiad, not the new DR.

Either way, it seems like a pretty low limit for a device that's supposed to make large quantities of PDF documents available. If it's a driver issue, how likely is this limit to be increased?

Ya, but you can still fit a s**tload of PDF's on a 2 gig card, and you can always carry a couple of spares. I just bought a bunch of 2 GB cards for my reader, and I paid like 1 euro a piece for them.