According to CommanderROR who has been in contact (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=27469&postcount=7) with Mr. Wrobel from German eBook Media (http://www.ebookmedia.de/), who himself apparently knows some guys from iRex has been in close contact with iRex, the delayed launch of the iLiad reader has been caused by some technical glitches involving the web store's shopping basket (http://www.irextechnologies.com/shop/index.htm) feature (and not by a shortage in E Ink material as rumored earlier). Nevertheless iRex remains optimistic that the reader will launch in April.

As an interesting side note, Mr. Wrobel also mentions that he feels bitter about not receiving any information from iRex regarding the proprietary e-book format they are going to use.

Well, this appears to be fantastic news. Fixing the webstore couldn't be more of a hassle than production problems or E-ink material shortages which could have delayed shipping for months.

Let's hope that the glitches are ironed out soon and we can get our hands on one of these babies.

Correction Alexander...

Mr. Wrobel doesn't "know some guys from iRex", he is a "distribution" partner of some kind, so his connections are a bit more official...:-)
You won't be able to order the Iliad from his site for example, but there will be an "affiliate" link of some kind that redirects you to their shop in the future and I guess he gets some kind of "customer aquisition" payment from iRex or something...^^

I'm not too sure what kind of connection he really has, but it seems to be good, because ever since I contacted iRex through him, they answer most of my "direct" emails as well...^^

Wow, technical issues with the website is the sole cause of a delay? That almost seems absurd. Hopefully this will be resolved shortly and this web-shop-bungling isn't indicative of anything else being wrong.

-Drachasor

Wow, technical issues with the website is the sole cause of a delay? That almost seems absurd.
-Drachasor
I absolutely agree with you!

"the delayed launch of the iLiad reader has been caused by some technical glitches involving the web store's shopping basket feature" :D

Don't tell me tales! :deal:


Quoted from http://www.irextechnologies.com/shop/index.htm:
"Although the business focus of iRex Technologies is Business-to-Business solutions, we will also make our product available for individuals, who can order via our iRex Technologies web retail. (April 2006)"

Where are all these "Business-to-Business solutions"??? Web-selling of ILiad is a secondary task and a real headache for for Irex.

If they really have problems with web store's shopping basket, show me a company, who has already bought even if a single sample of this wonders of engineering!