Got the following response from iRex when I inquired as to when the DR800 would be available (ie the end of October has come and gone). I received the following response within 12 hours..


Thank you for showing interest in our product.

The release has been delayed, the Dr800SG will hit stores end of
November.

http://www.irexreader.com/
http://i-to-i.irexnet.com/

I hope this information is sufficient, if there are any questions don't
hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,
The iRex Shop.

So, a bit disappointing, I'm really looking forward to the DR800 but it drives me crazy when companies make announcements but don't deliver.

Larry

Also received the following info in same email.

They better be wrong. I've already been billed by Best Buy.

They better be wrong. I've already been billed by Best Buy.

Are you sure the order wasn't canceled? My understanding is that after BestBuy screwed up and had to take the listing off of their website, they were canceling orders that had been placed based on the faulty listing.

You might want to contact BestBuy and find out what the status of your order is.

Based on the PDF, it's MICRO usb and not MINI usb (I think Europe recently standardized on micro-usb). Hopefully that will make it harder to break. One months time is probably not enough time to get wifi onto it, though annotation support is possible.

One months time is probably not enough time to get wifi onto it, though annotation support is possible.

I didn't think they were putting wifi on it, just 3G. Good point about annotation though, I hadn't thought of that.

I got an email from Best Buy that my order was actually never placed. And my credit card never showed a debit. I would check with Best Buy as soon as possible. In the mean time, where the hell is it?????

I want one!

Still want one but it looks like my Nook may arrive before the Irex. Lame! I really wanted to at least try the larger screen format first. Irex equals FAIL for me at the moment. Again give a date a stick to it. What existing Irex owners have said about the company may come true with the model. Promises promises and never deliver. Sad...

The good news is those that sit on the sidelines for at least 6 month will got lots of new and possibly better choices.

Are you sure the order wasn't canceled? My understanding is that after BestBuy screwed up and had to take the listing off of their website, they were canceling orders that had been placed based on the faulty listing.

You might want to contact BestBuy and find out what the status of your order is.

My order is still listed on Best Buy's website, but you're right. I wasn't actually charged.

When I checked with my bank a few weeks ago, that transaction was listed as pending. Usually that means the money is in the process of being drawn from my account. This time it didn't mean that.

Based on the PDF, it's MICRO usb and not MINI usb (I think Europe recently standardized on micro-usb). Hopefully that will make it harder to break. One months time is probably not enough time to get wifi onto it, though annotation support is possible.

I heard somewhere that approximately 25 new ebook readers will see the light of day next year. If you can, wait to see which of the devices comes out as the best.
iRex is probably delaying the DR800 for only one reason : the DR800 firmware and/or hardware is not in a state that customer would find acceptable.
iRex's track record tells us that they prefer to go to market 'too soon' with their devices, so it must be REALLY 'too early' when even they find it not opportune to start selling their new device. Especially when they know that a whole hurd of competing devices is going to hit the market in the next couple of weeks/months and speed to market is even more essential than ever before.

What I would love to see (other than an operating DR800SG) is Irex and Liquavista teaming up to create a device with the Liquavista Bright screen. Wow, would THAT be a winner. Especially if the have 3G, Barnes and Noble, and a writable screen! But for now, I would just settle for the DR800SG in full working order! I have had some great luck with Irex repair and turn-around, and with getting information from Irex in a timely manner. My Iliad is starting to skip pages when I use the flip bar, and the little on-off switch has broken off, so I have to use a paperclip to turn it on and off. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Iliad, and I take it with me whereever I go. I am an attorney, and I use it in court for note-taking, brief reading, and argument. It is just the right size. I thought about purchasing the DR1000, but I also read recreationally, and the 1000 is just too damn big! Oh well... there's my two cents!

What I would love to see (other than an operating DR800SG) is Irex and Liquavista teaming up to create a device with the Liquavista Bright screen.

I'm not sure that's a good fit. iRex's main strength is the display engineering that they do with E-Ink and PVI to design and manufacture their custom displays. I don't think they would partner with another display company that does the same thing as their own core competency.

I'm not sure that's a good fit. iRex's main strength is the display engineering that they do with E-Ink and PVI to design and manufacture their custom displays. I don't think they would partner with another display company that does the same thing as their own core competency.

Never hurts to suggest!

I noticed that Best Buy have recently glossed up their Sony Ebook reader section as the last one they had was terrible. I have doubts the Irex will ever been available at Best Buy and certainly would hestitate to purchase if it's already been delayed. Plus the Que is going to blow them all away.

I noticed that Best Buy have recently glossed up their Sony Ebook reader section as the last one they had was terrible. I have doubts the Irex will ever been available at Best Buy and certainly would hestitate to purchase if it's already been delayed. Plus the Que is going to blow them all away.

The other way to look at this is that it is the first step toward making a dedicated ebook section like they do for phones or mp3's. iRex certainly has it's business challenges, but I don't think there is any reason to believe they won't be bringing the device to Best Buy as indicated.

Well, I'm VERY interested in the DR800SG, and would buy one today if the local Best Buy had one. But, I'm also a realist and realize that the total overall support from iRex may be sketchy, ie promises or announcements that never come to pass. I hope I'm wrong as it looks like the right size of e-reader for me!

KindleMan

Plus the Que is going to blow them all away.

Not sure what's with the QUE hype. Is a glossy black case all it takes to make an ebook reader a success? We still don't know anything about the battery, the display contrast due to touch screen, removable media support, interface, etc. It's running WindowsCE so it'll be one of the few readers where there is a licensing cost for the operating system. And of course not everyone wants such a large size reader. I am interested in the supposed more durable plastic backplane, but it's too early to say that the device overall is more durable. And maybe they'll use the same 'business market' justification that IREX used for the DR1000 and price it at $900+. And for those interested in making hand written annotations, I'm not sure if the finger can replace the pen, unless you just like making big circles or writing really large letters. Depending on the touch technology, a pen can be used, but care may be needed to ensure that your hand resting on the display won't interfere with the pen.

Speaking of delays and promises, IREX had mentioned an upcoming 2010 (Q3?) device with finger-touch screen. From this awesome primer (http://www.epapercentral.com/epaper-technologies-guide) on current e-paper technologies, I believe that mysterious reader will be using a new touch technology incorporated into new PVI (future owners of e-ink) displays:

In addition, in 2008, it added touch screen technology from F-Origin, a force-sensing touch technology supplier. (PVI has a 20% ownership in the F-Origin (http://www.f-origin.com/).) Traditional touch-screen technologies add a layer on the surface of the device, which can diminish the reflective qualities of the display.

Warning, reading the e-paper primer may make you even less likely to buy an e-paper reader now!

The problem I have with the Que is the same problem I have with the DR1000 and the Kindle DX - it's just too damn big! I use my reader for many purposes - reading briefs, reading law reviews, and reading case law, but also for recreational reading and reading newspapers and periodicals. The DR800 should be excellent for all of these tasks. And with the ability to connect with B&N to purchase books in epub format, and (I hope) the ability to loan books (like the Nook), the DR800 will be the one for me. I also hope, when it is finally released, that I can take notes as I can on my Iliad (which I love!).

I just received confirmation from Irex that the DR800 would be available at Best Buy by the middle of December. I hope they get it to market before Christmas!

I can't say that I'm surprised with the delay. I don't believe they've ever hit a date commitment! The really challenging piece for them is missing the "Black Friday" window. For the non-U.S. folks on the board that is the day after Thanksgiving and is the biggest retail day of the year in the U.S. Not having the device in the stores at that time will cost them significant holiday period sales.

I still like what I see in the DR800SG, but I continue to be amazed at how poorly iRex functions as a business.

I'm afraid that if IREX misses the Christmas selling season, people are just going to wait until next year (only one month away) to see what shakes out in the e-reader market. There are lots of rumors and "sort of" pictures and new technology out there, and there will be many choices to come early in January.

I'm afraid that if IREX misses the Christmas selling season, people are just going to wait until next year (only one month away) to see what shakes out in the e-reader market. There are lots of rumors and "sort of" pictures and new technology out there, and there will be many choices to come early in January.

The one thing that might help them is that several other new readers are struggling to meet the Christmas selling season as well. There has been speculation on several other threads that it's a screen shortage from the single manufacturer that is effecting the DR800, Nook, and Sony Reader (all of which are having delays).

Edit: Add the Txtr to that list as well, apparently.

I think IREX and Nook and several other reader with 3G have the same problem: FCC
This one shows Nook correspondence with FCC for their SAR problem. http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-12553-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=72159&messageID=1396271&tag=col1;tbTools

Any updated release news? We're now pushing mid-December and I haven't seen anything. I think that was the last date someone mentioned as coming from irex. Definitely looking like this will not be around until after the holidays.

I hope you are right, Shag. I so much want to believe in Irex and their products. As you know I have owned an Iliad 2nd edition for more than a year, and I love it. My only disappointment was Irex's early abandonment of product support. It looks like they are getting their act together in that respect... BUT, if Sony or some of the other larger screened devices come out first, I'm afraid Irex might miss sales big time! And why NO WORD at all from IRex?

Any updated release news? We're now pushing mid-December and I haven't seen anything. I think that was the last date someone mentioned as coming from irex. Definitely looking like this will not be around until after the holidays.

Nada, zilch, nil. Nothing from their previously active twitter account since November, either.

seems they want to make it a perfect product

That's all well and good, we can all say hooray to a perfect product...but how does that preclude them giving updates on anticipated availability? I'd rather hear 'delayed again' than just the chirping crickets we're hearing now.

I have never owned an irex product but I'm very interested in this one. My interest is turning into concern now, and if the company is this poor at communicating with their customers, I'm not so sure I want to buy from them after all.

That's all well and good, we can all say hooray to a perfect product...but how does that preclude them giving updates on anticipated availability? I'd rather hear 'delayed again' than just the chirping crickets we're hearing now.

I have never owned an irex product but I'm very interested in this one. My interest is turning into concern now, and if the company is this poor at communicating with their customers, I'm not so sure I want to buy from them after all.

After having owned the iLiad and the larger device for a short period of time the way I would recommend approaching an iRex purchase is to ignore any reference to future enhancements. If it doesn't have the features you want either choose another device or wait until they have added the features. They have a poor record of delivering on commitments, although in their defense they have gotten much better than when they first launched the iLiad.

As much as the company frustrates me with their poor service, I still like this device due to the 8 inch screen size. I think it's the ideal size when wrapped in a minimal package like they've accomplished with the 800 device. Newspaper direct support, epub and their general open approach are great added benefits, but it remains to be seen what level of commitment they will have to future development or how refined the current software is.

After having owned the iLiad and the larger device for a short period of time the way I would recommend approaching an iRex purchase is to ignore any reference to future enhancements. If it doesn't have the features you want either choose another device or wait until they have added the features. They have a poor record of delivering on commitments, although in their defense they have gotten much better than when they first launched the iLiad.

As much as the company frustrates me with their poor service, I still like this device due to the 8 inch screen size. I think it's the ideal size when wrapped in a minimal package like they've accomplished with the 800 device. Newspaper direct support, epub and their general open approach are great added benefits, but it remains to be seen what level of commitment they will have to future development or how refined the current software is.

What he said!

I personally won't buy from iRex again unless they deliver a product that has the features that I want, that no one else offers, in a package and form factor that no one else offers. And before I will ever buy from them again, I will scour the internet for reviews and forum postings on how well they deliver on their promise. Had I found and read all the postings of disappointed DR1000 early adopters I would never have bought it when I did.

The biggest thing with iRex that seems consistent from model to model to model is that they haven't got a bloody clue when it comes to batteries and power saving. The DR would have irked a lot of people, but fared a lot better IF they'd issued it with a user replaceable battery. People would have stocked up on relatively inexpensive spares and battled on.

What he said!

The biggest thing with iRex that seems consisted from model to model to model is that they haven't got a bloody clue when it comes to batteries and power saving. The DR would have irked a lot of people, but fared a lot better IF they'd issued it with a user replaceable battery. People would have stocked up on relatively inexpensive spares and battled on.

This is one reason I am interested in the 800. For the first time, an irex reader will use standard USB to charge...which means that in an emergency (like in a plane halfway over the atlantic) if the reader battery goes dead, I can use one of the USB battery rechargers I carry around for my other gadgets.

This is one reason I am interested in the 800. For the first time, an irex reader will use standard USB to charge...which means that in an emergency (like in a plane halfway over the atlantic) if the reader battery goes dead, I can use one of the USB battery rechargers I carry around for my other gadgets.

Erm... the DR1000 charged from USB.

really? I didn't realize that. But I'll still wait for the 800, that screen size seems ideal to me, a nice balance between large enough to actually *read* on and small enough to fit in my purse.

With PDF reflow and ePub zooming, a 5" screen is large enough to read on.

really? I didn't realize that. But I'll still wait for the 800, that screen size seems ideal to me, a nice balance between large enough to actually *read* on and small enough to fit in my purse.

The screen size is perfect for a "good for everything" compromise. I read a lot in bed before sleep, and holding up a DR1000 or a Kindle DX or the proposed QUE would be torture. I'm still waiting for word on the DR800. Doesn't look like Santa will be putting it under the tree though. Oh well, I wasn't going to put up a tree this year anyway.

My only disappointment was Irex's early abandonment of product support.

Not sure I'd really put it that way. The iLiad came out in 2006, right? Any other companies still supporting their 2006 model?

And why NO WORD at all from IRex?

I agree with you there. It would be REALLY nice to get an update from them. I've tried contacting the people there that I know, but haven't heard anything back yet. Didn't you mention in other threads on here that you've had email exchanges with iRex management before? Have you tried asking them for any information?

After having owned the iLiad and the larger device for a short period of time the way I would recommend approaching an iRex purchase is to ignore any reference to future enhancements. If it doesn't have the features you want either choose another device or wait until they have added the features.

That's the advice I like to give, regardless of what company we're talking about. Make decisions based on what it will be capable of at the time you purchase it. If you are relying on future promises for what you consider to be required features, then it's a good idea to wait. No matter what company, plans can change and those "promises" may never happen.

The biggest thing with iRex that seems consisted from model to model to model is that they haven't got a bloody clue when it comes to batteries and power saving. The DR would have irked a lot of people, but fared a lot better IF they'd issued it with a user replaceable battery. People would have stocked up on relatively inexpensive spares and battled on.

What he said! :)

The one thing that I find encouraging about the DR800 is that it does have a replaceable battery. Whether that means keeping a spare on hand, or else (like they do with PDAs and phones) somebody down the road will likely come out with an "extended" battery that fits the device. Kind of like what users have come up with for putting larger batteries into the iLiad, but it should be a lot simpler on the DR800 because of the built in access.

With PDF reflow and ePub zooming, a 5" screen is large enough to read on.

Well, yes and no. If you are a very fast reader, like I am, a small screen has you spending more time waiting for page turns than you spend reading. This can get a bit annoying. It's a tradeoff between portability and usability...and I hate seeing readers that sacrifice screen size to put in buttons and keyboards.

The irex 800 looks like it has a decent size screen and very little wasted space, which is very appealing to me.

I am a fast reader also. The 8.1" screen seems to be the perfect size/weight ratio.

Not sure I'd really put it that way. The iLiad came out in 2006, right? Any other companies still supporting their 2006 model?


Sony is still supporting the PRS500.

Sony is still supporting the PRS500.

They did.

I am a fast reader also. The 8.1" screen seems to be the perfect size/weight ratio.

That's the allure to me for the iRex and why I was so interested in it. But the more that is reported (or not reported) about iRex, the more uncomfortable I am with the idea of buying an iRex device. So now I'll take a look at replacing my 505 (well, handing it down to my wife who would like it as it still works flawlessly after 2 -- or is it 3? -- years) with the 900. I would have gone for the 600 but I really want a device that will let me change my New York Times subscription from p to e but give me the same paper, letting me download it wirelessly at breakfast.

Sony is still supporting the PRS500.
They did.

The difference is that Sony is offering an ePub upgrade to the PRS500, a product they stopped selling in 2007 and IREX has long stopped offering upgrades to the iliad, a product they still sell as new.

Are we expecting this in December still? It's still probably better than the Que for what I'm looking for.

iRex has been responding to this question with deafening silence...

If you ask me Irex is acting like a company that either wants to be bought out and/or is currently in the middle of a deal to get bought out and that they've delayed this product launch because the product will be rebranded.

I received an e-mail from Irex today that stated that the DR800SG would be released mid January.

Yeah I got the same email.

Thank you for contacting us.

The release of the DR800SG has been slightly delayed and will be
available mid Januari and can be bought at Best Buy USA.

Not all Best Buy stores are informed, so it might happen that when you
contact them they are not aware of the DR800SG, their head office will
soon inform all stores.

I hope this information is sufficient, if there are any questions don't
hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,
iRex Technologies

And I noticed that they can't spell January. :eek::rolleyes:

Etienne66

hmmm something is going on with this product. I think I will defer my usual 'early adopter' status and wait to read some reviews before I decide.

I like their reference to "slightly delayed". In consumer electronics a two and a half month delay might be considered more than "slight". At least their record of never getting anything out on it's committed date is still in place! Well, at least this will give me an opportunity to check out the Sony 900 before making a decision.

And I noticed that they can't spell January. :eek::rolleyes:


Januari is Dutch spelling ... :D

They might as well close the doors now. They've missed the window and now they are right up against the Que Reader release and possibly Apple tablet.

They are done.

They might as well close the doors now. They've missed the window and now they are right up against the Que Reader release and possibly Apple tablet.

They are done.

Kind of reminds me of the articles I read about "the end of the internet" back in the 1990s. :)

Products often slip, especially from small companies. What would you prefer - that they released an unfinished product to meet some artificial deadline, or that they waited until it's ready?

Chill out - it's no big deal.

HarryT, I have no problem with them releasing it when it's ready. That's a GOOD thing. My concern is that they've announced and missed two release dates already.

It probably means no more than that they hit last-minute snags which weren't anticipated - perhaps beta testers found some nasty bug that's proving troublesome to fix. With the best will in the world, these things do happen.

I agree with Harry that I want them to put out a quality product even if that means delays, but I would feel more comfortable if they would give some idea of why they are delaying the release.

We don't really know if they are fixing problems or if there is another problem unrelated to the actual product. I'm not going to speculate on what that issue might be, because I have no inside information and I don't want to start any wild rumors.

Etienne66

It would be nice though if they'd release the adobe epub update for the DR1000. As far as I can tell the 800 is epub and it's built on similar hardware/software.

HarryT, I have no problem with them releasing it when it's ready. That's a GOOD thing. My concern is that they've announced and missed two release dates already.

Keep in mind that the Nook is sold out and they aren't able to produce new ones fast enough, shipments for the Sony Reader are being delayed, and the Txtr has limited availability.

They may all be related. IE, a backlog on eInk manufacturing from PVI would explain all of the above delays, including the DR800.

The only thing that really bothers me about the iRex delay is that they're not sharing more information with us as to why, but I don't think the others really are either.

It would be nice though if they'd release the adobe epub update for the DR1000. As far as I can tell the 800 is epub and it's built on similar hardware/software.

Yes, but they've said that they don't have annotation for the DR800 yet (which is related to the ePub/Adobe replacement). I assume they're going to wait until the annotation part is done before offering an update for the DR1000.

Would you really want them to do the Mobipocket/poppler -> ePub/Adobe switch now if it meant you'd lose annotations on the DR1000?

It probably means no more than that they hit last-minute snags which weren't anticipated - perhaps beta testers found some nasty bug that's proving troublesome to fix. With the best will in the world, these things do happen.

I agree, delays happen and it doesn't damper my enthusiasm for what looks to be a really nice product. Time will tell whether it can truly compete with the other products on the market. They've definitely carved out a niche with the 8 inch screen

However, I continue to be amazed at how consistently they "screw up" product launches and software releases. They definitely have a trend of missing dates and from a business perspective they really need to understand what part of their process is breaking down and fix it.

They've definitely carved out a niche with the 8 inch screen

Personally, I think the 8 inch screen is the best compromise between too small vs too big. As far as I know, iRex are the only ones who make a display controller for an 8 inch eInk screen, so they essentially have a lock on that size device.

They definitely have a trend of missing dates

They're hardly unique in that though.

Personally, I think the 8 inch screen is the best compromise between too small vs too big. As far as I know, iRex are the only ones who make a display controller for an 8 inch eInk screen, so they essentially have a lock on that size device. It is true that iRex use their own display controller, but the Epson Broadsheet can also drive 8" screens. EInk Corp. has been advertising 8" screens (http://www.eink.com/products/matrix/High_Res.html) since Vizplex came out. The missing part of the puzzle was standard 8.1" screens in volume from PVI, and I think this is exactly what iRex is using in the DR800SG. It isn't clear if anyone else is going to use this screen size, perhaps we will hear more at CES.

I don't see IREX on the upcoming January CES Exhibitors list if that means anything. Since they are already so very much out of the public's mind, they might as well wait until CES to see who they are competing against and re-introduce themselves... and hopefully not be like those Chinese restaurants with their grand opening decorations still hung out (barely) even after several years.

Last tweet from IREX was on Nov 6. Last update on their blog was on Nov 5. Looks like someone at IREX is taking a long unpaid vacation...

It is true that iRex use their own display controller, but the Epson Broadsheet can also drive 8" screens. EInk Corp. has been advertising 8" screens (http://www.eink.com/products/matrix/High_Res.html) since Vizplex came out. The missing part of the puzzle was standard 8.1" screens in volume from PVI, and I think this is exactly what iRex is using in the DR800SG. It isn't clear if anyone else is going to use this screen size, perhaps we will hear more at CES.

Thanks. I didn't realize the Epson controller came in an 8" size as well. That's good to know.

They might as well close the doors now. They've missed the window and now they are right up against the Que Reader release and possibly Apple tablet.

They are done.

Wow, overreact much?

According to the specs of the Epson controller (S1D13521), it supports up to 2048x1536 resolution. At current dpi of the mainstream 6" displays (800x600 res.), that would be a 15" diagonal screen...
But the costs for such an E-ink layer would be huge!

It's smaller brother (S1D13522) supports up to 1024x768 resolution. Exact match with the resolution of 8" screen from the iLiad and DR800

Yeah I got the same email.



And I noticed that they can't spell January. :eek::rolleyes:

Etienne66

I have received a mail just now, and it says it has been delayed till end Januari, not mid.

If they continue like this, maybe for 2012?

I have received a mail just now, and it says it has been delayed till end Januari, not mid.

If they continue like this, maybe for 2012?

The Nook says the same thing. I just went to Barnes and Nobles site and it says that the Nook will not ship until February.

All signs are that this is a general eInk device problem. I'd put my money on a shortage of eInk screens that is effecting the DR800, Nook, PRS-900...

All signs are that this is a general eInk device problem. I'd put my money on a shortage of eInk screens that is effecting the DR800, Nook, PRS-900...

Agreed. Good thing that PVI have announced that they'll be doubling their screen output in early 2010, from 100,000 to 200,000 screens per month.

Agreed. Good thing that PVI have announced that they'll be doubling their screen output in early 2010, from 100,000 to 200,000 screens per month.

Do you have a link to the announcement? Does it give any hints that there is currently a manufacturing capacity problem that is driving the need for an increase?

It certainly seems to be an issue affecting many manufacturers. I can't help but wonder if Amazon is sucking up a very high percentage of the capacity.

It certainly seems to be an issue affecting many manufacturers. I can't help but wonder if Amazon is sucking up a very high percentage of the capacity.

Same here. I would assume that the reason Amazon hasn't had delays yet is because they built up a large stock of devices leading up to the Christmas season. That is probably what caused the shortage for newer devices that are trying to get through manufacturing now. Amazon sucked up a lot of the available screens, and now the other manufacturers can't get on the shelves to compete with them for the holiday shopping.

It sucks for consumers, but from a business perspective it's a pretty slick move on Amazon's part, if that is what really happened. A good way of limiting your competition is to use up as much of the common resources that you're all dependent on.

FYI, I sent an email to PVI's e-paper sales representative asking if there is currently a screen shortage. I have no idea if they'll actually reply (I doubt it), but I'll pass on anything I learn.

As for me I've given up for now. I went ahead and bought a Sony PRS-600. My brother had one and it handled the PDFs I wanted to read just fine and it's able to read epub.

The PDF's I want to read are for Microshaft's certification books. (No I don't like Microsoft, but they put money in my pockets.) And it reflowed the text just fine. I didn't know some PDFs could be reflowed. I learned something new. ;) I'm sure the Irex will probably be able to do the same thing since they are using ADE.

I still want the DR800, but I will now wait for others to review it and maybe I'll buy one for my birthday in May. I still think the 8" screen is the idea size and I like their form factor. As long as the annotation works with that pen, they'll still probably get a purchase out of me, it will just be later rather than sooner.

Etienne66

As for me I've given up for now. I went ahead and bought a Sony PRS-600. My brother had one and it handled the PDFs I wanted to read just fine and it's able to read epub.

The PDF's I want to read are for Microshaft's certification books. (No I don't like Microsoft, but they put money in my pockets.) And it reflowed the text just fine. I didn't know some PDFs could be reflowed. I learned something new. ;) I'm sure the Irex will probably be able to do the same thing since they are using ADE.

I still want the DR800, but I will now wait for others to review it and maybe I'll buy one for my birthday in May. I still think the 8" screen is the idea size and I like their form factor. As long as the annotation works with that pen, they'll still probably get a purchase out of me, it will just be later rather than sooner.

Etienne66

I agree. I really wanted the IRex but I bought the Nook because I had a feeling it would sell out and I was excited by the Nook. I do believe the 8 inch screen is the sweet spot for me as well as it opens the door to read more than just regular books but also spreadsheets, PDFs and comics. My real concern apart from the deafening silence is the complaints I hear about customer service and product support for their existing products. If this silence is an indication of what we can expect for customer satisfaction, I may not pick up this unit. At the price point for the unit I really don't want to take a chance and wind up feeling burned.

The Nook says the same thing. I just went to Barnes and Nobles site and it says that the Nook will not ship until February.

Well, that's if you order it right now. When I ordered mine several days ago, I got an arrival date of January 15th.

My real concern apart from the deafening silence is the complaints I hear about customer service and product support for their existing products.
When I had a problem with my DR, customer service helped me very quickly, so there are also good things about the customer service. On this (and other) forum we seem to all react like 'normal people' venting/releaving our frustation, but forget to tell the good things. So do not forget that there are also positive things regarding iRex and the DR1000. :D
(Although the silence on the delaying of the DR800 and new firmware releases for the DR1000, does not help very much in seeing the good things ...)

Do you have a link to the announcement? Does it give any hints that there is currently a manufacturing capacity problem that is driving the need for an increase?

It was here on MR a few weeks ago. It would have been on the "News" forum.

It was here on MR a few weeks ago. It would have been on the "News" forum.

Sorry, my mistake. It's Netronix who are doubling production, not PVI:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64228

Apologies for the misinformation.

Apologies for the misinformation.

No problem, I appreciate the correction.

On this (and other) forum we seem to all react like 'normal people' venting/releaving our frustation, but forget to tell the good things.

Yep, that's pretty standard for any discussion forum. People who are angry/upset are a lot more motivated to speak out than those who are happy. It's just human nature. For every person you see complaining online about any product, there are probably many more who are silently content.

Yep, that's pretty standard for any discussion forum. People who are angry/upset are a lot more motivated to speak out than those who are happy. It's just human nature. For every person you see complaining online about any product, there are probably many more who are silently content.

I totally agree but I still think the venting and frustration being felt is pervasive. This isn't a case were people are trolling and throwing out unfounded complaints. It appears the complaints are genuine and I find them extremely helpful in making purchasing decisions. I really appreciate this group as the people here scrutinize the products more than the casual buyer and give a better insight into not only the form and function but the technical as well. Also, in this type of active group I would expect those who have an Iliad to counterpoint the negative posts and those have been far and few.

While the 8 inch screen is my heart's desire, my brain will be happy with a 6 inch device if it does what I want it to do while receiving good and responsive support which the Irex "seems" to lack at this point. Time will tell but I don't think I will be an early adopter of this product which is sort of killing me since I am such a gadget guy and that 8 inch screen is calling my name. :D

I totally agree but I still think the venting and frustration being felt is pervasive. This isn't a case were people are trolling and throwing out unfounded complaints. It appears the complaints are genuine and I find them extremely helpful in making purchasing decisions. I really appreciate this group as the people here scrutinize the products more than the casual buyer and give a better insight into not only the form and function but the technical as well. Also, in this type of active group I would expect those who have an Iliad to counterpoint the negative posts and those have been far and few.
I see your point and indeed we do not have any trolls in this forum. I am using my DR1000 now for more then a year and it really helped me a lot in getting my 'productivity' higher. Fortunately I only got one problem with the hardware which was very quickly solved by iRex (it helped that my office is about 500meters from the Irex headquarters). The software problems I solve myself (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64865) :D

I totally agree but I still think the venting and frustration being felt is pervasive. This isn't a case were people are trolling and throwing out unfounded complaints. It appears the complaints are genuine and I find them extremely helpful in making purchasing decisions.

I'm sure the complaints are genuine, I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. I'm just saying that people are a lot more likely to post if they are upset than if they are happy, it doesn't mean that what you see online reflects the total customer base. Seeing a large percentage of upset people like that isn't necessarily an indication of a pervasive problem. It's just that people who are happy and don't have any complaints aren't going to be as vocal.

Also, in this type of active group I would expect those who have an Iliad to counterpoint the negative posts and those have been far and few.

There use to be a a lot more of them. One of the problems you sometimes see is that the people who are angry and have a negative opinion of a company may tend to get upset when there are others who disagree with them. It's very noticeable over on the iRex forums. In years past the tone of the discussions on there was much different, and you did see counterpoints and opinions from both sides. Over time though, a lot of the people who had positive attitudes ended up leaving because they got sick and tired of an upset vocal minority that would attack anyone who had differing opinions. I don't think most of them really did it on purpose, they were just frustrated and lashed out, but it got bad enough a while ago that most of the people making the type of counterpoints you're asking about gave up and left. It's all part of the same human nature. People who are happy aren't as motivated to stay when their opinions are met with criticism.

I've seen that happen with other forums as well. It's unfortunate, but sometimes that's just the way it turns out. People who don't jump on the bandwagon get driven off. In the long run it hurts everyone, because those who are left don't really hear differing opinions/ideas anymore, which is how we learn.

It's always good to look for opinions from others online when making a decision, but it's usually also a good idea to take them with a grain of salt. The number of people posting online is almost always a very small fraction of the total customer base, and the percentage of the ones online tends to lean heavily towards those who are complaining because of human nature.

I'm sure the complaints are genuine, I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. I'm just saying that people are a lot more likely to post if they are upset than if they are happy, it doesn't mean that what you see online reflects the total customer base. Seeing a large percentage of upset people like that isn't necessarily an indication of a pervasive problem. It's just that people who are happy and don't have any complaints aren't going to be as vocal.



There use to be a a lot more of them. One of the problems you sometimes see is that the people who are angry and have a negative opinion of a company may tend to get upset when there are others who disagree with them. It's very noticeable over on the iRex forums. In years past the tone of the discussions on there was much different, and you did see counterpoints and opinions from both sides. Over time though, a lot of the people who had positive attitudes ended up leaving because they got sick and tired of an upset vocal minority that would attack anyone who had differing opinions. I don't think most of them really did it on purpose, they were just frustrated and lashed out, but it got bad enough a while ago that most of the people making the type of counterpoints you're asking about gave up and left. It's all part of the same human nature. People who are happy aren't as motivated to stay when their opinions are met with criticism.

I've seen that happen with other forums as well. It's unfortunate, but sometimes that's just the way it turns out. People who don't jump on the bandwagon get driven off. In the long run it hurts everyone, because those who are left don't really hear differing opinions/ideas anymore, which is how we learn.

It's always good to look for opinions from others online when making a decision, but it's usually also a good idea to take them with a grain of salt. The number of people posting online is almost always a very small fraction of the total customer base, and the percentage of the ones online tends to lean heavily towards those who are complaining because of human nature.

Good points. Any purchaser should make the decision based on what they need and what the product delivers. Some of the early frustration with iRex had to do with commitments they were never able to fulfill such as iLiad power management.

Unfortunately these boards can tend to be impersonal and the vocal minority wins. Even if they have valid points, it gets lost in the noise and rhetoric. I think iRex has come a long way, although they could still use quite a bit of help in the marketing area and probably planning, but they generally make a really nice product. You also can't argue that they've been at the cutting edge of this market since day one. A little more focus on the user experience in their process and the market today would be quite a bit different.

Personally I can't wait to get my hands on the 800. When I look at that big screen in a package the same size as the K2 I'm like one of Pavlov's dogs!

I would like to put another point of view on this. This view is very likely to be seen as "rhetoric" but.....

Just consider that perhaps there is the possibility that over exuberant defense of iRex rather than allowing genuine concerns to be aired and discussed causes firstly the escalation of the anger and then those who would contribute to a discussion decide it is not worth it.

This may be because negative points are put down in such a determined and fanatical manner that frankly there is little point posting as it always turns into "iRex are right, negative comments are from an angry and vocal minority that must be made to understand how wrong they are".

Just because people are silent, it does not mean they are happy with the product or the fact that a promise or commitment has been missed.

They may actually just not really fancy getting into a detailed semantic dissection of the original post to justify how they personally feel about the service / product.

Of course, on the other hand, I may be wrong.

Just a thought for discussion.

I'm sure the complaints are genuine, I didn't mean to suggest otherwise. I'm just saying that people are a lot more likely to post if they are upset than if they are happy, it doesn't mean that what you see online reflects the total customer base. Seeing a large percentage of upset people like that isn't necessarily an indication of a pervasive problem. It's just that people who are happy and don't have any complaints aren't going to be as vocal.

There use to be a a lot more of them. One of the problems you sometimes see is that the people who are angry and have a negative opinion of a company may tend to get upset when there are others who disagree with them. It's very noticeable over on the iRex forums. In years past the tone of the discussions on there was much different, and you did see counterpoints and opinions from both sides. Over time though, a lot of the people who had positive attitudes ended up leaving because they got sick and tired of an upset vocal minority that would attack anyone who had differing opinions. I don't think most of them really did it on purpose, they were just frustrated and lashed out, but it got bad enough a while ago that most of the people making the type of counterpoints you're asking about gave up and left. It's all part of the same human nature. People who are happy aren't as motivated to stay when their opinions are met with criticism.

I've seen that happen with other forums as well. It's unfortunate, but sometimes that's just the way it turns out. People who don't jump on the bandwagon get driven off. In the long run it hurts everyone, because those who are left don't really hear differing opinions/ideas anymore, which is how we learn.

It's always good to look for opinions from others online when making a decision, but it's usually also a good idea to take them with a grain of salt. The number of people posting online is almost always a very small fraction of the total customer base, and the percentage of the ones online tends to lean heavily towards those who are complaining because of human nature.


Again, I totally agree and I did not mean to imply that I take everything said as genuine fact. When I first started my search for an e-book reader I REALLY liked the specs on the Iliad to the point that it was my first choice so I did quite a bit of research on it and while there are certainly those that love it and those who are frustrated with it, there was enough commonality to the complaints that I could see a pattern involving, among other things: firmware issues, promises regarding functionality that was never implemented, battery life, etc. Those put me off enough to reconsider when the Sony PRS 505 was getting pretty standard positives across the board. Also, I knew this was such a new technology that better and better readers would be released and I think the first wave of those are here with more coming. The surprising thing to me is how much I like using an e-book reader now. I never thought I could give up the feel of a book in my hands but now, I prefer the convenience and e-reading experience.

It is discussions like this--civil, respectful and more importantly intelligent that encourage me and keep me coming back. All that being said, I still REALLY want the DR800 :D

I would like to put another point of view on this. This view is very likely to be seen as "rhetoric" but.....

Just consider that perhaps there is the possibility that over exuberant defense of iRex rather than allowing genuine concerns to be aired and discussed causes firstly the escalation of the anger and then those who would contribute to a discussion decide it is not worth it.

This may be because negative points are put down in such a determined and fanatical manner that frankly there is little point posting as it always turns into "iRex are right, negative comments are from an angry and vocal minority that must be made to understand how wrong they are".

Just because people are silent, it does not mean they are happy with the product or the fact that a promise or commitment has been missed.

They may actually just not really fancy getting into a detailed semantic dissection of the original post to justify how they personally feel about the service / product.

Of course, on the other hand, I may be wrong.

Just a thought for discussion.

Valid points. It's sometimes tough to sort through the "fanboys" versus those with legitimate issues to gain a balanced view. Trends usually come out over time and the extremes balance out. I would tend to agree that some people may not be happy, but choose not to engage in the conversation. They will typically just vote with their wallet the next time around by buying another vendors product.

Just caught a vague update on the iRex DR800SG...
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-irex-wireless-e-reader-will-miss-the-holiday-party-amazon-brags/

"... iRex Technologies execs have declined interviews or detailed comment but a company rep told paidContent today it “has experienced unexpected delays” and isn’t issuing a new delivery date yet. That will have to wait until early January—at the earliest."

Just caught a vague update on the iRex DR800SG...
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-irex-wireless-e-reader-will-miss-the-holiday-party-amazon-brags/

"... iRex Technologies execs have declined interviews or detailed comment but a company rep told paidContent today it “has experienced unexpected delays” and isn’t issuing a new delivery date yet. That will have to wait until early January—at the earliest."

This is beginning to sound worse with each additional piece of information. One would think that if it was screen backlog issues they would be able to be a little more definitive in their time frame. With the vagueness it's beginning to sound like some major bug, functionality issue or fcc certification problem. Hopefully they get it resolved soon.

Just caught a vague update on the iRex DR800SG...
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-irex-wireless-e-reader-will-miss-the-holiday-party-amazon-brags/

"... iRex Technologies execs have declined interviews or detailed comment but a company rep told paidContent today it “has experienced unexpected delays” and isn’t issuing a new delivery date yet. That will have to wait until early January—at the earliest."

Nothing there that we didn't already know. I really wish they would come out and tell us what the reason for the delays are, but I guess that's stating the obvious. I still suspect it's manufacturing shortages with the screens.

Just consider that perhaps there is the possibility that over exuberant defense of iRex rather than allowing genuine concerns to be aired and discussed causes firstly the escalation of the anger and then those who would contribute to a discussion decide it is not worth it.


A valid point of view as well. I don't think that anyone has the ability to "allow" concerns to be aired though, at least not unless they're the owner of the site. Just because some people disagree with your opinion does not mean that you are not allowed to state it. I've never seen anybody preventing concerns or discussions from taking place.

Generally though, people with concerns tend to be more motivated to stick around and contribute.

This is beginning to sound worse with each additional piece of information. One would think that if it was screen backlog issues they would be able to be a little more definitive in their time frame. With the vagueness it's beginning to sound like some major bug, functionality issue or fcc certification problem. Hopefully they get it resolved soon.

Yeah, all of the companies who are having delays right now are being pretty vague about it. If it's a backlog, could there be things in their contracts with PVI that state they are not allowed to reveal information about PVI's manufacturing capacity? Some manufacturers tend to be protective about those kinds of things. Don't know if it would have an impact on things like stock prices, etc. Is PVI a public company?

Well, I'm VERY interested in the DR800SG, and would buy one today if the local Best Buy had one. But, I'm also a realist and realize that the total overall support from iRex may be sketchy, ie promises or announcements that never come to pass. I hope I'm wrong as it looks like the right size of e-reader for me!

KindleMan

I agree, and I'm waiting to see what shakes out.

Another potential indication of screen supply problems........the Kindle DX just went into back order status with a 4 - 6 week delivery estimate. The point about contractual clauses preventing mention of supplier issues is a good possibility given the lack of details from any of the ebook vendors.

Another potential indication of screen supply problems........the Kindle DX just went into back order status with a 4 - 6 week delivery estimate. The point about contractual clauses preventing mention of supplier issues is a good possibility given the lack of details from any of the ebook vendors.

Thanks for the info about the Kindle is getting hit with this as well. That makes it pretty much all of the major eInk devices.

I had given serious consideration to to getting the 800 as I like its size. Now that the Sony Daily Edition is real and the 800 is still vaporware, I'm giving up and getting the Sony.

If the IRex ends up getting rave reviews, I can always Ebay the Sony. At this point, though, a bird in the hand...........

With all these delays, I just now that I'm going to be treating my Kindle DX with kid gloves!!

Frankly, though, as long as iRex gets it right and releases a relatively mature product when they release it, that is much much better than rushing out a half-baked product like the disaster that has been the nook.

I had given serious consideration to to getting the 800 as I like its size. Now that the Sony Daily Edition is real and the 800 is still vaporware, I'm giving up and getting the Sony.


The Sony's were backordered too for a while. Did you get a shipping date when you bought it?

Another thread posted elsewhere indicated that iRex has updated the webpage for the 800. It's not a massive update, but hopefully it means we're getting closer to launch.

Another thread posted elsewhere indicated that iRex has updated the webpage for the 800. It's not a massive update, but hopefully it means we're getting closer to launch.

Did you see anything different? I glanced at the link when I saw that post, but it looked like the same webpage for the DR800 that they've always had. I assumed the poster just didn't realize it was an existing page.

Shaggy,

No shipping date yet on the Daily Edition since I bought if from Best Buy for $359 (includes cover, case and charger). I have played with the Daily Edition at the Sony Style Store here in Vegas, so I know it is real and that it works.

No shipping date yet on the Daily Edition since I bought if from Best Buy for $359 (includes cover, case and charger). I have played with the Daily Edition at the Sony Style Store here in Vegas, so I know it is real and that it works.

Thanks. I was just curious if they're still backordered.

The irex website not the irexreader website now shows the 800 that's what's changed.

The irex website not the irexreader website now shows the 800 that's what's changed.

Ah, thanks. I missed that.

The irex website not the irexreader website now shows the 800 that's what's changed.

I still don't see it. I'm looking at Irex Technologies (http://www.irextechnologies.com/) and the newest thing I see is about going to CES. The only thing I see about the 800 is that picture that has been there for months with links to Irex Reader (http://www.IrexReader.com). What am I missing here?

Thanks,
Etienne66

I still don't see it. I'm looking at Irex Technologies (http://www.irextechnologies.com/) and the newest thing I see is about going to CES. The only thing I see about the 800 is that picture that has been there for months with links to Irex Reader (http://www.IrexReader.com). What am I missing here?

Thanks,
Etienne66

I'm pretty sure that until recently that picture was of the DR1000, not the DR800, but I could be wrong. I honestly don't pay much attention to their front page. I usually go straight to the blog or forums.

I'm pretty sure that until recently that picture was of the DR1000, not the DR800, but I could be wrong. I honestly don't pay much attention to their front page. I usually go straight to the blog or forums.

I've been clicking on that picture since at least October when they announced the release, to go to the http://www.irexreader.com/ location. I didn't feel like bookmarking both sites. :D

Etienne66

There isn't much new on the site. They've now added media pictures and links to an additional interview. That's about it as fas as I can tell, but at least it's an update :)

'm pretty sure that until recently that picture was of the DR1000, not the DR800, but I could be wrong. I honestly don't pay much attention to their front page. I usually go straight to the blog or forums.
I do think so too.

According to their twitter account they will be showing the DR800SG at CES this week and giving live demo's. Hopefully, we're getting close to an actual launch. I wonder if anyone from the site will be there for some hands on time.

According to their twitter account they will be showing the DR800SG at CES this week and giving live demo's. Hopefully, we're getting close to an actual launch. I wonder if anyone from the site will be there for some hands on time.

I would go, but I'm going to be in Las Vegas that week. :snicker:

I would go, but I'm going to be in Las Vegas that week. :snicker:

Now that's just cruel :angry: In all seriousness, can't wait to hear your impressions if you make it to the booth. Buy them a few beers and maybe you can get a release date out of them!

Hopefully they release it before eink goes color :tongue3:. They might as well wait out January and see if they still have any market after the Apple Tablet and Microsoft Courier are announced.

I've definitely been critical of their delays and some of their business practices, but this is still a very young market. The reader penetration rate is still very small. I do question their ability to compete if they don't get a lot more aggressive with marketing and partnerships.

It will be interesting to see what Apple comes up with, but I see it more targeted at the multimedia space with the ability to also do books. I personally would never go back to extended reading on the current LCDs after using eink.

My guess is still the end of November, the only question is if they can make 2010 or 2011.

I got that mail from Irex a few days ago. I guess a similar mail has been posted before.

"Thank you for showing interest in our product.

The release of the DR800SG has been slightly delayed and will be available end Januari and can be bought at Best Buy USA.

Not all Best Buy stores are informed, so it might happen that when you contact them they are not aware of the DR800SG, their head office will soon inform all stores."


And some notes to battery life:

"The battery life is about one week when used regulary.

Loading takes about 3 hours via usb."

I would go, but I'm going to be in Las Vegas that week. :snicker:

FYI, I believe they'll be at the Qualcomm booth (#30320 South Hall) in case you have trouble finding an "iRex" booth.

Now that's just cruel :angry: In all seriousness, can't wait to hear your impressions if you make it to the booth. Buy them a few beers and maybe you can get a release date out of them!

It wouldn't surprise me if they were already planning to announce the new release date at CES. Maybe that's why we haven't heard an "official" announcement yet.

And they are sharing the same booth where Qualcomm is showing off a prototype mirosol-based color reader. No wonder no one has reported one bit of information about irex...

Irex has one chance to sell their reader and that's for it to be in stores by the end of Janurary. If that doesn't happen I really don't see why anybody will favour it over the other offerings.

Has there been a communication of an official release date?

Okay Nate, you've teased us with the trip to Vegas so where's the update on the DR800SG :D We're not asking for much, just a detailed review with video, firm release dates, etc.!

Okay Nate, you've teased us with the trip to Vegas so where's the update on the DR800SG :D We're not asking for much, just a detailed review with video, firm release dates, etc.!

They wouldn't give me a release date for the DR800SG. I did ask.

They wouldn't give me a release date for the DR800SG. I did ask.

Did you get any hands on time with it? I just saw a video posted in the news section which looked pretty nice. Curious as to what your impressions were.

There's an additional video of the 800 over in the news forum if anyone hasn't seen it. Makes the device look really nice in my opinion.

It is good to see the device in use by someone not shepherded by a pr droid, like his assumption about annotation.

Now if they would get rid of the 3G and replace it with WiFi for the Europen market ( see the BeBook quote about 3G in the Neo article in the news & commentary section ) and release it, I might buy it.

Or I could wait for the Onyx 8'' to be released as the way things stand this could be released first.

Or give up the fence sitting and buy a Oynx 6'' ( but really want those extra few inches -- now no rude jokes please :D )

Hello!

Here's another eBook freek waiting to get his hands on the 800SG.

As long as there will be a happy end it's probably worth waiting.

What's getting on my nerves ist that iRex hardly communicates with us. (in fact not at all with me - 2 Messages without an answer).

Anyhow - how come there are no other 8" Readers around? Ok, one or two announces. (I cannot hear that word "announces" anymore)

Hello!

Here's another eBook freek waiting to get his hands on the 800SG.

As long as there will be a happy end it's probably worth waiting.

What's getting on my nerves ist that iRex hardly communicates with us. (in fact not at all with me - 2 Messages without an answer).

Anyhow - how come there are no other 8" Readers around? Ok, one or two announces. (I cannot hear that word "announces" anymore)

I've wondered that myself. It may be related to the manufacturers trying to mimic the paperback market from a screen real estate perspective while keeping costs down. I've always felt the 8" screen is the perfect size if packaged in a minimal case like irex has done with the 800.

I've wondered that myself. It may be related to the manufacturers trying to mimic the paperback market from a screen real estate perspective while keeping costs down. I've always felt the 8" screen is the perfect size if packaged in a minimal case like irex has done with the 800.

Originally, back in the iLiad days, iRex were the only ones that had an 8" display controller capable of driving an 8" screen. This was back when even the other manufacturers (PRS-500, Kindle 1, etc) were using iRex 6" controllers. iRex essentially had deals in place with PVI that made the manufacturer of an 8" screen exclusive to the iLiad.

These days, I believe Epson technically also has an 8" controller, but I don't think anybody has ever used it. Not sure why. I don't know if iRex still has any deals in place with PVI making 8" eInk screens exclusive.

Do you know if the DR800 is using the same screen as the iLiad did?

Do you know if the DR800 is using the same screen as the iLiad did?

I assume you mean the same display controller?

It's using an 8" version of the DR1000 controller. I think it's basically a 2nd generation of the iLiad "Delta" controller.

Sorry - does the DR800 not have the same size 8" screen as the iLiad? I thought that it did! My apologies if I'm mistaken.

Sorry - does the DR800 not have the same size 8" screen as the iLiad? I thought that it did! My apologies if I'm mistaken.

Yes, the DR800 is an 8" screen.

Thanks - yes, I thought it did. That's why I was wondering if they were using the "old" iLiad screens (with an updated controller) for the DR800.

Thanks - yes, I thought it did. That's why I was wondering if they were using the "old" iLiad screens (with an updated controller) for the DR800.

2nd generation "Delta" controller (same as DR1000), and 8" viziplex eInk. Not sure what you mean by "old" iLiad screen, unless you just mean the size.

I don't really think of the DR800 as being related to the iLiad though. It's basically an 8" version of the DR1000. Both are fairly different, internally, from an iLiad.

I guess what I meant is, are PVI (or is it iRex?) continuing to manufacture the screens that were formerly used for the iLiad, but now putting them into the DR800 instead.

Just idle curiosity - certainly not a question of any importance.

I guess what I meant is, are PVI (or is it iRex?) continuing to manufacture the screens that were formerly used for the iLiad, but now putting them into the DR800 instead. The original EInk Vizplex announcement included four standard screen sizes (which are actually manufactured by PVI): 5", 6", 8", 9.7". We have seen all but the 8" in shipping devices and it is my understanding that the DR800SG is the first product using the "standard" 8" PVI screen. This means that other vendors could use this screen, mating it with the Epson controller (say).

So far the DR800SG's screen looks stunningly white in videos. So there may be some secret sauce in the new Delta controller it is using (or it may be that iRex binned their screens to get good ones for the demo devices).

I guess what I meant is, are PVI (or is it iRex?) continuing to manufacture the screens that were formerly used for the iLiad, but now putting them into the DR800 instead.


PVI takes an eInk layer (from E-INK Corp) and a display controller (from various sources, Epson, iRex, etc) and uses them to manufacture a "screen". IOW, there are various components that go into it.

Yes, PVI is manufacturing the 8" screens for the DR800. They use the same 8" eInk layer as the iLiad, but the display controller is not the same as the one in the iLiad.

The original EInk Vizplex announcement included four standard screen sizes (which are actually manufactured by PVI): 5", 6", 8", 9.7". We have seen all but the 8" in shipping devices and it is my understanding that the DR800SG is the first product using the "standard" 8" PVI screen. This means that other vendors could use this screen, mating it with the Epson controller (say).

Actually, the iLiad was using the 8" vizplex eInk screen. That part is staying the same with the DR800. They have different display controllers though. Basically, the iLiad used the 1st generation Delta controller, but the DR1000 and DR800 are using the 2nd generation Delta controller.

Actually, the iLiad was using the 8" vizplex eInk screen. That part is staying the same with the DR800. The iLiad's 8" screen was never offered to anyone else (it was made by PVI specifically for iRex and to iRex's design), and only the later versions used Vizplex. See What makes our electronic paper displays different? (http://i-to-i.irexnet.com/2007/11/09/what-makes-our-electronic-paper-displays-different/)

PVI certainly intended to sell 8" screens (of its own design) to anyone who wanted them, and it was my impression that the DR800SG's screen was PVI's generic design not iRex's design. If that is incorrect, we are still waiting for the first generic 8" device.

PVI certainly intended to sell 8" screens (of its own design) to anyone who wanted them, and it was my impression that the DR800SG's screen was PVI's generic design not iRex's design. If that is incorrect, we are still waiting for the first generic 8" device.

I'm pretty sure the DR800 is still a custom screen (aka iRex design). PVI is manufacturing that screen using iRex's Delta controller, which as far as I know has never been licensed to any other manufacturers. Epson does make an 8" display controller, which I assume is what PVI would use in their "generic" 8" screen, but I don't know of anybody that is using it.

There's an additional video of the 800 over in the news forum if anyone hasn't seen it. Makes the device look really nice in my opinion.

And here is that video if you get this far down the page and don't want to go hunting for the vid, too! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deZ9rw_YvGE

EDIT: I tried to get the video to pop up here like others have done, but it didn't work, not sure why.

I'm not suprised iRex is delaying the DR800SG, actually I don't think it will ever be seen by any customer for the simple reason that no customer will ever want it. Demand promises to be very thin at just about ANY price point!

When they saw what the competition has brought to market at CES they probably quickly folded their tails between their legs and scurried home :
http://content.zdnet.com/2346-13615_22-382181.html?tag=col1;post-11005

Check out the Skiff with it's 11.5 inch screen and stainless steel foil, the Que with it's shatterproof screen, ...

The interesting thing in my mind is that most of the readers really have little to no differentiation. They have six inch screens with some form of wireless access to a bookstore and more and more are supporting epub as a standard.

Now plastic logic has differentiated around the business market. The skiff has the largest screen, but we don't really know much beyond that. And finally irex has differentiated around the larger screen for a consumer oriented device and an emall concept. We should also note that irex has fit the larger screen into a form factor not much bigger, if at all, than the six inch devices.

If they can manager to get it shipping with a level of usability similar to the other devices they could have a real winner on their hands, however given their track record I'm not overly optimistic.

The Skiff reader is not e-ink but TFT? http://www.skiff.com/skiff-reader_tech-specs.html

The Skiff reader is not e-ink but TFT? I think this just means the thin-film transistors on the stainless-steel substrate form the active matrix backplane that drives the EInk film to produce the display. Substrate -> active matrix backplane - > EInk film -> protective top layer. The usual substrate has been glass up to now. See What makes our electronic paper displays different? (http://i-to-i.irexnet.com/2007/11/09/what-makes-our-electronic-paper-displays-different/) for a relatively clear description from iRex.

I think this just means the thin-film transistors on the stainless-steel substrate form the active matrix backplane that drives the EInk film to produce the display. Substrate -> active matrix backplane - > EInk film -> protective top layer. The usual substrate has been glass up to now. See What makes our electronic paper displays different? (http://i-to-i.irexnet.com/2007/11/09/what-makes-our-electronic-paper-displays-different/) for a relatively clear description from iRex.

I don't think they say eInk anywhere on the Skiff site, they just call it epaper. There are many types of epaper, one of which is eInk. I don't think there is even a 11.5" eInk display being manufactured by anybody. I'm guessing this is something different.

I don't think they say eInk anywhere on the Skiff site, they just call it epaper. There are many types of epaper, one of which is eInk. I don't think there is even a 11.5" eInk display being manufactured by anybody. I'm guessing this is something different. Plastic Logic calls it epaper too, see Plastic Display (http://www.plasticlogic.com/ereader/plastic-display.php), and once again the important point is that the innovation is in the active matrix backplane. At one point Plastic Logic was definitely using EInk Vizplex film. I guess Plastic Logic and/or LG Display (Skiff) could be using a different e-paper film now, but the only reason this would matter is that Vizplex is a known quantity and other epaper technologies are not.

I don't think they say eInk anywhere on the Skiff site, they just call it epaper. There are many types of epaper, one of which is eInk. I don't think there is even a 11.5" eInk display being manufactured by anybody. I'm guessing this is something different.

If you look at some of the skiff press releases, you'll find that the Skiff dev kit uses an e-ink display and the company has made investments into e-ink. I imagine Vizplex imaging film is just something that can be cut to various sizes and the 5", 6", 8.1", and 9.7" Vizplex Displays on the e-ink site are just cookie-cutter components for companies to rapidly get their product started instead of creating their own display from scratch. For example, the Que uses e-ink but is at 10.5".

If you look at some of the skiff press releases, you'll find that the Skiff dev kit uses an e-ink display and the company has made investments into e-ink. I imagine Vizplex imaging film is just something that can be cut to various sizes and the 5", 6", 8.1", and 9.7" Vizplex Displays on the e-ink site are just cookie-cutter components for companies to rapidly get their product started instead of creating their own display from scratch. For example, the Que uses e-ink but is at 10.5".

You're probably right.

Seems IREX has the DR800 available to order on their site.

Seems IREX has the DR800 available to order on their site.

I wonder if the originally quoted $399 is still going to be the price when it's released in the US? Assuming that ever happens of course :). It's $601.44 in the Irex shop.

Irex's latest guess for US delivery is the end of January (no official release date that I've seen though). I guess if I was getting $601.44 for it in Europe and $399 for it in the US, I wouldn't be rushing to sell it over here either.

There's some discussion on pricing here.
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69551&page=7.

Again, IREX reads the market wrong. $601 it aint going to sell.

Again, IREX reads the market wrong. $601 it aint going to sell.

The page states that this is a European release without 3G.
This is a different product than what was announced back in September. Its possible that BestBuy/Barnes Noble are subsidizing the price in U.S. Irex was just at CES last week and did not make any announcements and suddenly the product is released in Europe. Maybe next week
it comes to the U.S.?

I actually need something to take to Asia with me in 2 weeks so I'll bite the bullet and buy something if it's available before I leave. I'd in first in line to buy a que reader if it was available now but I may be forced to buy the DR800G if it's available before I leave. But I won't pay a penny over the original disclosed BestBuy pricing for it. Secondly compared to the que reader it's not as good a value if you look at the capacity of the device.

What ??? :blink:

If i'd go to asia i'd rather have a look about what i could get over there !!!

And next: After i figured out a nice and cheap device i'd ask in this forum wether somebody wants me to get him one also. :D

I emailed IREX twice, I asked them why the DR800S was so expensive when they announced a few months ago that it would be $399...I also asked about the white leather cover and note taking feature. Second email was a reply to the first response asking the price of the US version and note taking feature....Here is their answer :

(first email response, received January 14)

Dear Nancy,

Thank you for showing interest in our product.
The device you refer to is the DR800SG, who will be sold only in the USA.

The DR800S, who is now available comes without a leather cover, but can
be bougth separate. (will be added to our store after the weekend)

With the DR800S you cannot take note's, this reader has been designed to
give you the best image for the best reading experience.

I hope this information is sufficient, if there are any questions don't

hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,

iRex Technologies

---------------------------------

(Second email response, received today January 15)

Dear Nancy,

Thank you for showing interest in our product.

The DR800SG whow ill be sold in the US, wont have the abbility to make annotations, he has the same features as the S version, only you can buy books via the 3G module.

The Price for the device is $ 499,=

I hope this information is sufficient, if there are any questions don’t hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,

iRex Technologies
-------------------------------

So the stylus is pretty much useless for now :(

oh well, I went ahead and pre-ordered the Entourage Edge instead.

Just received this from Irex:
The release of the DR800SG has been slightly delayed and will be
available mid February and can be bought at Best Buy USA.

I emailed IREX twice, I asked them why the DR800S was so expensive when they announced a few months ago that it would be $399...I also asked about the white leather cover and note taking feature. Second email was a reply to the first response asking the price of the US version and note taking feature....Here is their answer :

(first email response, received January 14)

Dear Nancy,

Thank you for showing interest in our product.
The device you refer to is the DR800SG, who will be sold only in the USA.

The DR800S, who is now available comes without a leather cover, but can
be bougth separate. (will be added to our store after the weekend)

With the DR800S you cannot take note's, this reader has been designed to
give you the best image for the best reading experience.

I hope this information is sufficient, if there are any questions don't

hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,

iRex Technologies

---------------------------------

(Second email response, received today January 15)

Dear Nancy,

Thank you for showing interest in our product.

The DR800SG whow ill be sold in the US, wont have the abbility to make annotations, he has the same features as the S version, only you can buy books via the 3G module.

The Price for the device is $ 499,=

I hope this information is sufficient, if there are any questions don’t hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,

iRex Technologies
-------------------------------

So the stylus is pretty much useless for now :(

oh well, I went ahead and pre-ordered the Entourage Edge instead.

This could just be related to the initial release which was never intended to have note taking capability. They planned on adding that at a later time. We'll have to wait and see whether they actually follow through on that plan.

Just received this from Irex:
The release of the DR800SG has been slightly delayed and will be
available mid February and can be bought at Best Buy USA.

Slightly delayed from the other slight delay which was again a delay from the original end of October release! :smack: I do believe they could use some serious management and go to market help.

So now the dr800sg is "set" for February and now for $499? That makes sense for the Non-US version to be 499 Euro and the US version at 499 Dollars, if you can ignore the 3G difference (we'll need someone to tear their dr800s open to see if the qualcomm 3g module is still there). And it's likely the white leather cover is sold separately for all markets.

Well, certainly someone thinks making payroll is more important than market share? :)

So now the dr800sg is "set" for February and now for $499? That makes sense for the Non-US version to be 499 Euro and the US version at 499 Dollars, if you can ignore the 3G difference (we'll need someone to tear their dr800s open to see if the qualcomm 3g module is still there). And it's likely the white leather cover is sold separately for all markets.

Well, certainly someone thinks making payroll is more important than market share? :)

I completely missed the price increase. I'm not sure how they consider a price higher than a Kindle DX realistic. I had high hopes for this device, but the news just seems to get worse every day.

At $499 I might consider spending the extra $150 and go with the Que even though I would not get the 3G.

I completely missed the price increase. I'm not sure how they consider a price higher than a Kindle DX realistic. I had high hopes for this device, but the news just seems to get worse every day.

I'm guessing somebody was getting confused with the 499 Euros for the DR800S.

I'm guessing somebody was getting confused with the 499 Euros for the DR800S.

I'm hoping you're correct in that. Pricing higher than a Kindle DX in the U.S. just doesn't seem to make sense. I guess we'll find out when it finally releases. I can see them going a little higher than the Sony 900 since it still has a larger display, but I don't think they can get away with going higher than a DX.

I'm hoping you're correct in that. Pricing higher than a Kindle DX in the U.S. just doesn't seem to make sense. I guess we'll find out when it finally releases. I can see them going a little higher than the Sony 900 since it still has a larger display, but I don't think they can get away with going higher than a DX.

I do see a reason why the price can be higher than the DX. It has a touchscreen, which the DX doesn't have. And it looks waaaaaay better too...

Did anyone on this forum order the DR800 and got it? I would be very intersted to see some videos and opinions.

I completely missed the price increase. I'm not sure how they consider a price higher than a Kindle DX realistic. I had high hopes for this device, but the news just seems to get worse every day.

Basically, at this point there is no way I'd buy anything from iRex no matter how good the thing looked or what the price is. This company is just a disaster from beginning to end, and it sounds like they need a complete management overhaul. With all the other problems I've read about with their other products (power management issues, unending delays in promised updates, etc.) and now with this unbelievably mismanaged product launch (a 7th grader could have managed this launch better), I am at the point of having zero confidence in anything produced or promised by iRex.

I do believe at this point I'm going to buy the Skiff reader when it comes out unless it has some kind of horrible contrast ratio. It really seems like it will be the gold standard for e-readers unless you just really want something of a more compact size. I'm impressed by everything I've read about it so far; all of that in a quarter-inch thin device (I was looking over the tech specs for the DR800 the other day and was astonished to see it is more than a half-inch thick - pretty unbelievable in today's electronic world).

Good luck to anyone who forks over their money to iRex when or if this vaporware product of theirs ever actually gets off the ground.

The original EInk Vizplex announcement included four standard screen sizes (which are actually manufactured by PVI): 5", 6", 8", 9.7". We have seen all but the 8" in shipping devices and it is my understanding that the DR800SG is the first product using the "standard" 8" PVI screen. This means that other vendors could use this screen, mating it with the Epson controller (say).

So far the DR800SG's screen looks stunningly white in videos. So there may be some secret sauce in the new Delta controller it is using (or it may be that iRex binned their screens to get good ones for the demo devices).
And now we also have the 7" screen used in the 900. And I would love the screen used in the 900 to replace 6" screens as that would be a good size increase without being too big.

Hi Everyone,
I emailed iRex once more to see if maybe they made a typing error in the price of $499 in the previous emails they sent me. I also asked about the user replaceable battery and future firmware update for note taking...here is their answer :

(Email received Today January 18 2010)

Dear Nancy,

Thank you for showing interest in our product.

1. Will the battery be user replaceable, meaning can we replace the
battery ourselves ?

The battery must be replaced via our service desk who will be situated
in the States, so this might only take a week. We don't excpect that you
must replace the battery, within the first years, so this is not
something to worry about.

2. Will there be a firmware update in the near future to anable note
taking ?
This is not known for the moment.

3. Will the price for the device be $399 US or $499 US ?

The price would be $449,=

4. Will the device be available at Best Buy at the end of January 2010
or February 2010 ?

The release of the DR800SG has been slightly delayed and will be
available mid February and can be bought at Best Buy USA.

I hope this information is sufficient, if there are any questions don't
hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,
iRex Technologies

----------------------------------------

Just wanted to share this informations with you guys...

Cheers

Nancy

And now we also have the 7" screen used in the 900. And I would love the screen used in the 900 to replace 6" screens as that would be a good size increase without being too big.

I agree. It's a real nice screen format to read on. I especially like the longer screen. I don't care too much for wider screens (= longer sentences), but with the longer screen (= more lines per page) you can read a lot of words before you have to change page. But it still isn't good for A4 (or letter) sized documents. Unless you read landscape.

3. Will the price for the device be $399 US or $499 US ?

The price would be $449,=

Good God, they must have a child writing these emails. How many different prices are they going to quote? This incredible inability to even respond coherently and consistently to simple questions from customers simply makes me astonished that this company is still even in business.

I do see a reason why the price can be higher than the DX. It has a touchscreen, which the DX doesn't have. And it looks waaaaaay better too...

I agree on the looks piece and you are correct in touchscreen capability, however there is currently no advantage to the touchscreen since notations are not available at this point. I will likely get this device since my DX is feeling a little too large for normal reading and I just really like the 8" screen size. I just hope they've finally figured out the battery life and suspend features this time around. These two features have been the achilles heal of the irex products compared to their competition.

(I was looking over the tech specs for the DR800 the other day and was astonished to see it is more than a half-inch thick - pretty unbelievable in today's electronic world).

Good luck to anyone who forks over their money to iRex when or if this vaporware product of theirs ever actually gets off the ground.

I was a little surprised at that thickness spec as well since they previously mentioned a thickness less than a half inch. Looking at the videos and pictures floating around it doesn't look that thick and comparing the edge on thickness pictures using the micro-usb as a reference point it doesn't seem much different than the Kindle DX. I guess we'll see once someone gets one in their hands.

Good God, they must have a child writing these emails. How many different prices are they going to quote? This incredible inability to even respond coherently and consistently to simple questions from customers simply makes me astonished that this company is still even in business.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that Nanscy is someone's sockpuppet. "Her" only two posts are the same, "I emailed iRex and got back this idiotic response" kind of thing.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that Nanscy is someone's sockpuppet. "Her" only two posts are the same, "I emailed iRex and got back this idiotic response" kind of thing.

I doubt it - I think Nancy's legit and iRex are the ones who can't get it together.

I doubt it - I think Nancy's legit and iRex are the ones who can't get it together.

So it's YOUR sockpuppet?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that Nanscy is someone's sockpuppet. "Her" only two posts are the same, "I emailed iRex and got back this idiotic response" kind of thing.

I'm nobody's sockpuppet , I emailed iRex and got "idiotic responses" what can I say....Sorry it's not what you wanted to hear but hey, I just wanted to share the information that's all !

I agree on the looks piece and you are correct in touchscreen capability, however there is currently no advantage to the touchscreen since notations are not available at this point. I will likely get this device since my DX is feeling a little too large for normal reading and I just really like the 8" screen size. I just hope they've finally figured out the battery life and suspend features this time around. These two features have been the achilles heal of the irex products compared to their competition.

I don't make annotations, but I do like to bookmark. And a touchscreen would be required for that as well (at least, if you want to do it quickly...) And it's probably a matter of firmware to activate it. While if you bought a DX there's just no way you'll ever get a touchscreen...

1. Discuss Things Politely
...
When things get controversial please disagree with the opinion, not the person.
...
-> MR Posting Guidelines (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/faq.php?faq=vb_faq&langid=1#faq_posting_guidelines)

Please refrain from name-calling as well as from making hasty prejudgments. nanscy is welcome here as well as everyone else.

Michael
(moderator)

iRex is not a big business and it would appear that most of the people there are neither native English speakers, nor particularly used to dealing in dollars since they operate from the EU. This is the reason for some of the inconsistences. The project management of the US relased left something to be desired.

However this device is now on sale in the IRex UK shop for £450 (= 738 USD according to Google). Frankly I feel the price is a bit on the high side and I am concerned about the amount of negative feedback I am reading about iRex here.

Their technology is ground-breaking though, and they are solely focussed on eBook readers -- a niche market and a risky one at that, since eBook readers are not yet mainstream. Obviously their prices will be higher than for example Sony's. They cannot do R&D as cheaply and operate out of Europe instead of low cost areas.

I think they deserve the benefit of the doubt unless you have some very good reason for not trusting them. I am on a budget drive this month, so I will not buy it just now, but I probably will soon enough.

I can't see a release date for the Skiff although I agree it sounds like an interesting product.

iRex is not a big business and it would appear that most of the people there are neither native English speakers, nor particularly used to dealing in dollars since they operate from the EU. This is the reason for some of the inconsistences. The project management of the US relased left something to be desired.

It's not, their basis was the research branch of Philips and they were at the cradle of e-ink. But I do agree, they could work a bit on PR and project management across the globe...

I think they deserve the benefit of the doubt unless you have some very good reason for not trusting them.

We gave them the benefit of the doubt, we bought Iliads which they promised to update -> They stopped supporting the Iliad before those updates.

What makes anyone think they will be any different with the DR800 and their claims that it will be updated before they move on to the next new model - or go bust ?

We gave them the benefit of the doubt, we bought Iliads which they promised to update -> They stopped supporting the Iliad before those updates.

What makes anyone think they will be any different with the DR800 and their claims that it will be updated before they move on to the next new model - or go bust ?

That's why we can all vote with our wallets. I've been an iLiad owner and have certainly been frustrated with Irex as a company, but I think their issues are just a result of being a small company and trying to over commit to please their customers as opposed to malicious intent.

I will likely give them another shot since I can always take the device back to Best Buy for a refund if it doesn't live up to it's current intent. I will never buy from a company based on promises of future functionality. There are just too many variables, particularly with smaller companies.

Good God, they must have a child writing these emails. How many different prices are they going to quote? This incredible inability to even respond coherently and consistently to simple questions from customers simply makes me astonished that this company is still even in business.

It's actually consistent with what the price has been all along, other than the 499 being a mistake (I'm assuming somebody at iRex got mixed up with US vs Euros).

The DR800SG MSRP is $399. During the initial launch they plan on having a "special edition" (or whatever they're calling it) version that includes some extra things like a better stylus, etc. That price will be $449, but once the regular version is released it will be $399. That's what it's always been.

The European DR800S is 499 Euros.

I just hope they've finally figured out the battery life and suspend features this time around. These two features have been the achilles heal of the irex products compared to their competition.

Yeah, no kidding. At least this time it has a user replaceable battery, which is a lot better. I bet it won't take long before you can find an "extended" battery being offered by somebody that would increase the battery life. Same way you can find them for cell phones, etc.

I'm nobody's sockpuppet , I emailed iRex and got "idiotic responses" what can I say....Sorry it's not what you wanted to hear but hey, I just wanted to share the information that's all !

Thank you for sharing. Their response actually does make sense if we assume that the first number (499) was just a mistake.

We gave them the benefit of the doubt, we bought Iliads which they promised to update -> They stopped supporting the Iliad before those updates.

There were at least two years worth of updates for the iLiad. I believe the only thing they promised which the were never able to deliver was the power management. That's always been a problem with iRex devices.

I will never buy from a company based on promises of future functionality. There are just too many variables, particularly with smaller companies.

Absolutely. If you need the annotation support, then don't buy a DR800 until they come out with the update. If the current battery life is a big issue (whatever it turns out to be once people start reviewing it), then wait to see if they can improve it.

It's never a good idea to buy a device which doesn't have features you require, and then hope that the company adds them in the future.

Yeah, no kidding. At least this time it has a user replaceable battery, which is a lot better. I bet it won't take long before you can find an "extended" battery being offered by somebody that would increase the battery life. Same way you can find them for cell phones, etc.

Probably true, but hopefully we won't need a bigger one. I'm cautiously optimistic that they've figured it out this time around. They seem to understand, at least from the demo videos, that they are going after a different market segment with this device, with different needs, different usage patterns and different competitors.

If they get it right they could really capture some market share. Just think about this thing sitting on the shelves next to the Sony devices with a similar price to the Daily Reader, but still a bigger and clearer display. The purchasing decision would be pretty clear to the average consumer and it would be in favor of Irex.

Yeah, no kidding. At least this time it has a user replaceable battery, which is a lot better.

Not according to the latest email Nancy received from them, it doesn't. From her post #173 on this thread of yesterday:

"1. Will the battery be user replaceable, meaning can we replace the
battery ourselves ?

The battery must be replaced via our service desk who will be situated
in the States, so this might only take a week. We don't excpect that you
must replace the battery, within the first years, so this is not
something to worry about."

Not according to the latest email Nancy received from them, it doesn't. From her post #173 on this thread of yesterday:


There were multiple things in the emails that she got from iRex which seem like the person she was getting this information from was confused, or maybe a new employee, etc. There have been lots of things from iRex up to this point that said the battery WAS replaceable, so I'm assuming that hasn't changed.

The DR1000S and iLiad don't have replaceable batteries, maybe that's what got them mixed up.

We won't know for sure though until people start getting their hands on it and find out.

Not according to the latest email Nancy received from them, it doesn't. From her post #173 on this thread of yesterday:

"1. Will the battery be user replaceable, meaning can we replace the
battery ourselves ?

The battery must be replaced via our service desk who will be situated
in the States, so this might only take a week. We don't excpect that you
must replace the battery, within the first years, so this is not
something to worry about."

Well, perhaps she's talking about obtaining a replacement battery and not the physical act of swapping out the battery. The actual battery would likely be unique to the dr800 and thus you will need to get a replacement from irex.

Then again, the battery door does have a screw and perhaps they put a void sticker on it to keep you from opening it.

The actual battery would likely be unique to the dr800 and thus you will need to get a replacement from irex.

If that's true, then it would be a change from the iLiad and DR1000, both of which use commodity lithium-ion batteries. You probably can't find them on the shelf at WalMart, but there are websites where you can go and order them.

Designing a new/unique battery for a device like this would be unusual.

If that's true, then it would be a change from the iLiad and DR1000, both of which use commodity lithium-ion batteries. You probably can't find them on the shelf at WalMart, but there are websites where you can go and order them.

It's possible that the dr800 battery has a custom shell around the battery cells to at least provide a simple contact-only power connector, much like the batteries found on cell phones and laptops.

The iliad and dr1000 are internal batteries and connect with a wired connector, like those found in cordless phones or the 9V connector in an alarm clock. The wired connection is the cheapest way to go but I don't think IREX will design their battery that way. Imagine opening the back cover of the DR800 and have the battery pop out and hang from its wired connector. It is also possible the cover itself is part of the battery casing.

And regardless, a company will usually suggest their own supply of batteries, which they have tested with and will support. I seriously doubt that if I call Sony or Canon regarding a camera battery, they would suggest I check ebay or google a chinese website, even when those alternatives obviously do exist.

And regardless, a company will usually suggest their own supply of batteries, which they have tested with and will support. I seriously doubt that if I call Sony or Canon regarding a camera battery, they would suggest I check ebay or google a chinese website, even when those alternatives obviously do exist.

Depends on what camera you buy as my Canon just wants simple AA's :D

It's possible that the dr800 battery has a custom shell around the battery cells to at least provide a simple contact-only power connector, much like the batteries found on cell phones and laptops.

The iliad and dr1000 are internal batteries and connect with a wired connector, like those found in cordless phones or the 9V connector in an alarm clock. The wired connection is the cheapest way to go but I don't think IREX will design their battery that way. Imagine opening the back cover of the DR800 and have the battery pop out and hang from its wired connector. It is also possible the cover itself is part of the battery casing.

And regardless, a company will usually suggest their own supply of batteries, which they have tested with and will support. I seriously doubt that if I call Sony or Canon regarding a camera battery, they would suggest I check ebay or google a chinese website, even when those alternatives obviously do exist.

Keep in mind that accessories and/or replacements is typically where companies make a rather high profit margin. They will always try to dissuade you from going against their recommendation mainly due to that reason. However, when it comes to batteries there are a lot of knock off and inferior ones on the market selling for really cheap on ebay. You typically get what you pay for with these.

The batteries for the iliad where readily available from other sources, but the internal nature made replacement difficult, although not impossible. I would think that as long as you can access the battery compartment on the 800, then replacement wouldn't be a big issue.

And regardless, a company will usually suggest their own supply of batteries, which they have tested with and will support. I seriously doubt that if I call Sony or Canon regarding a camera battery, they would suggest I check ebay or google a chinese website, even when those alternatives obviously do exist.

I think that's really the root of it. In a response on the iRex forum, they said that the battery is user accessible, but that they do not sell or supply replacement batteries. All "official" battery replacements would be handled as a warranty item.

However, like many other devices, I would assume that a user can "unofficially" replace their own. They just have to find a source for getting it.

IREX Support site (http://support.irexreader.com/Knowledge-base) now has info and downloads for the DR800S and DR800SG. To access the manual, download the device software zip and look in the help folder.

Some interesting stuff I found:

Power switch: slide and hold left to turn off. slide right to lock device buttons.
Under battery door is MicroSD slot and SIM card slot.
Margins can be set to none.
Device will go into standby after 30 minutes of idle.
Open Source licensing includes Webkit, the browser technology for the iphone, android, etc.
Battery connects with a wired connector. Ha!
Stylus is cheaper than the one demoed (looks like the iliad stylus) and still attaches to the leather cover.
FCC ID is: NCMOMO0491‐I (the mother load, filed 01/13/2010 (https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout=500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=559260&fcc_id=%27NCMOMO0491-I%27))
external photos (https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=1226945&native_or_pdf=pdf)
internal photos (https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=1226961&native_or_pdf=pdf)
This warning is in the manual on the FCC site:
Warning / Caution: to comply with FCC RF exposure requirements the Digital Reader must be secured to the cover that is supplied in the box during normal operations as shown in figure 1.0 below this text. The cover must not be removed when using the Digital Reader.
I guess they HAVE to supply the leather cover with the DR800SG.
In DoC Test report: Highest clock frequency is 400MHz (CPU?)
Request for 90 day confidentiality for photos and manual submitted on Oct. 7, 2009.


Can't seem to find info on the capacity of the battery. Given many of these reports and tests were done after Oct 2009, it's possible FCC certification held the device back.

UPDATE: mgmueller's unboxing (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=750259&postcount=9) shows that the battery is 2800mAh. I believe the latest version of the similar iliad has two 1100mAh batteries, so the battery capacity for the DR800x is better by 600mAh. I think the DR1000s has a 1400mAh battery. Hey, if you can't fix the power management, then just throw more money into the hardware to compensate. :)

Let's see. They finally have their FCC ID. They have a new support site and have a new support phone number for the Unites States, as well as for about 7 other countries. Maybe they were being honest this time when they said Mid-February. Time will tell, but I am still waiting for a review and the annotation feature to be completed. Although if notes can be added to bookmarks with an on-screen keyboard, that will be sufficient for me as long as the dictionary works. ;)

Etienne66

Battery connects with a wired connector. Ha!


So do Palm pilots, but they're easy to change as well. Just means you need to connect the cable instead of just snapping it in, but that's not a big deal. I'm glad it's not soldered though, like the iLiad. That would have made it more difficult.

I think the only reason iRex says user's cannot replace them is because they don't sell batteries and don't want to officially support third party ones. In reality though, it sounds like replacing your own battery should be pretty simple.

So do Palm pilots, but they're easy to change as well. Just means you need to connect the cable instead of just snapping it in, but that's not a big deal. I'm glad it's not soldered though, like the iLiad. That would have made it more difficult.

All the Palm Pilots I had used AAA batteries. The Palm V had an internal rechargeable battery which I assume needs dismantling to replace. Were there newer Palms with a battery door and a battery connected with a wire? That would be interesting since I've never seen anything but model-specific battery cases in many of the Windows Mobile devices I've used. I don't think any company would say a battery is *user*-replaceable if accessing the battery requires a set of uncommon screwdrivers and levers to be purchased (just ask Apple with respect to the ipod and iphone).

All the Palm Pilots I had used AAA batteries. The Palm V had an internal rechargeable battery which I assume needs dismantling to replace. Were there newer Palms with a battery door and a battery connected with a wire? That would be interesting since I've never seen anything but model-specific battery cases in many of the Windows Mobile devices I've used. I don't think any company would say a battery is *user*-replaceable if accessing the battery requires a set of uncommon screwdrivers and levers to be purchased (just ask Apple with respect to the ipod and iphone).

I've replaced the internal battery on my wifes Palm pilot. I don't remember if it was the Palm Tungsten E2 or the Palm TX. Whichever one it was used a battery with a wire that you had to disconnect from the board. It was pretty simple though. Replacement batteries were easy to find on Ebay.

Sounds like the same sort of thing, except that the DR800 gives you a door to make getting to the battery a lot easier.

With the iPad at $499 irex had better reevaluate its pricing structure or they will be irrelevant very quickily

With the iPad at $499 irex had better reevaluate its pricing structure or they will be irrelevant very quickily

Only if the Irex DR800SG has a 10 hour battery life like the iPad. The iPad doesn't impress me, but I'm sure the Apple fanbois are all over it.

Etienne66

The iPad doesn't impress me, but I'm sure the Apple fanbois are all over it.

I saw one blog where a fanboy was saying that he had already decided to buy the, as yet unannounced, new Apple product. He didn't even care what it was or what it did, he just knew he wanted one.

Apple fanboys crack me up. :rofl:

I'm sure there will be lines of people sleeping outside for one. The no multitasking kills the iPad for me, its a bit silly to only be able to run one application at a time. Its really just a big ipod touch which doesn't cut it for me. It'll still be very rough to get a eReader device sold for more than this one is priced at for non hardcore readers which is a big portion of the market.

Its really just a big ipod touch which doesn't cut it for me.

Yeah, that's exactly what it is. It's a 10" ipod touch.

It'll still be very rough to get a eReader device sold for more than this one is priced at for non hardcore readers which is a big portion of the market.

Most people in the eInk market are already getting eInk because they don't want to use an LCD notebook/tablet for reading. The iPad is an LCD notebook/tablet. Non hardcore readers will be a big portion of the iPad market, but hardcore readers pretty much IS the eReader market.

What amused me were all the people who were claiming it was the best device ever. They didn't even know anything about it at the time (neither what it did or what it was), they just knew that it was the best device ever. Now that they know what it does, they think it'll kill every other device that does anything even remotely similar. Gotta love Apple marketing. :rolleyes2:

Hopefully, the iPad will help bring device prices down, since choosing a $400-$450 DR800SG knowing that the jesus-tablet :) is at $500 does make one wonder if one is overpaying. If Amazon lowers their Kindle DX price, then IREX may feel some pressure to lower theirs. Certainly the $800 Que with wifi + 3G seems a little overpriced with the iPad wifi + 3G at $629. But frankly, can device-only makers like IREX compete price-wise with companies like Apple or Amazon who can sustain their lower margins with multiple sources of income? I hate this, but it looks like I have to wait for the industry to settle down a bit before I can purchase a reader.

Only if the Irex DR800SG has a 10 hour battery life like the iPad. The iPad doesn't impress me, but I'm sure the Apple fanbois are all over it.

Etienne66

Do you really think the DR800 will have that much battery life?

Do you really think the DR800 will have that much battery life?

Initial reports from people who have a DR800S show that it's already well past that and still going.

I hate this, but it looks like I have to wait for the industry to settle down a bit before I can purchase a reader.

It's a never ending cycle though. If you wait until this generation settles down... guess what... the next generation is right around the corner, so you might as well wait until that one settles down. rinse. repeat.

It's a never ending cycle though. If you wait until this generation settles down... guess what... the next generation is right around the corner, so you might as well wait until that one settles down. rinse. repeat.

Very true. The pace of change is getting every faster. At some point you just need to jump in after assessing whether a device meets your needs. It's a given that a better (faster, smaller, bigger, better battery, etc.) device will be available within 3 months of any purchase.

Looking at the iPad, it's pretty much exactly what I was expecting and at the same time, rather underwhelming from my perspective. I'm sure they're going to sell a ton of them, but it seems like the competition is more of the netbook market. It will certainly be interesting to see how things shake out.

It's a never ending cycle though. If you wait until this generation settles down... guess what... the next generation is right around the corner, so you might as well wait until that one settles down. rinse. repeat.

I'm more concerned with the current high prices than anything else. The available readers are rather expensive given the rather old technology within them (barebone OS, low resolution e-paper displays, weak hardware, low storage). Seeing the shiny new ipad come at a shockingly okay price (it's cheaper than an unsubsidized iphone), I think prices can come down much more.

Imagine swapping the display of the ipad with e-ink... that 1GHz cpu and likely 512MB-1GB of ram will tear through the most complex vector-filled PDFs that would stall the current crop of 400MHz freescale 64-128MB e-ink readers.

Hopefully, the iPad will help bring device prices down, since choosing a $400-$450 DR800SG knowing that the jesus-tablet :) is at $500 does make one wonder if one is overpaying. If Amazon lowers their Kindle DX price, then IREX may feel some pressure to lower theirs. Certainly the $800 Que with wifi + 3G seems a little overpriced with the iPad wifi + 3G at $629. But frankly, can device-only makers like IREX compete price-wise with companies like Apple or Amazon who can sustain their lower margins with multiple sources of income? I hate this, but it looks like I have to wait for the industry to settle down a bit before I can purchase a reader.

Shouldn't it be the Moses-Tablet? :rolleyes: It is amazing that Steve Jobs didn't have Charleston Heston walk out in robes presenting the world with the iPad!
:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Jesus Phone and Moses Tablet... I like the sound of that. :rofl:

That would be truly impressive indeed given that he's dead already.

Shouldn't it be the Moses-Tablet? :rolleyes: It is amazing that Steve Jobs didn't have Charleston Heston walk out in robes presenting the world with the iPad!
:rofl::rofl::rofl:

That would be truly impressive indeed given that he's dead already.
:smack:
I am so used to his NRA junk that I thought he was still around.
:thanks:

If he was around I definately would not have put it past Steve Jobs.

Charleston Heston rest in peace.:thumbsup:

Over on the Irex Forum (http://forum.irexnet.com/viewtopic.php?t=5260) someone pointed out that the Irex is showing on Best Buy's website (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/IREX+-+Digital+Reader+-+Bronze/9556278.p?id=1218124206221&skuId=9556278&st=irex&cp=1&lp=1) again. :thumbsup:

But it is "Sold Out Online."

Etienne66

Over on the Irex Forum (http://forum.irexnet.com/viewtopic.php?t=5260) someone pointed out that the Irex is showing on Best Buy's website (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/IREX+-+Digital+Reader+-+Bronze/9556278.p;jsessionid=AA85FB8B776EEE95A5A44E6C1AAD2 131.bbolsp-app04-30?id=1218124206221&skuId=9556278&st=irex&cp=1&lp=1) again. :thumbsup:

But it is "Sold Out Online."


Price is $399. Head implodes from trying to make sense in the sudden rationality.

But we'll see. Irex can tease more than deliver.