Hi!

According to what LVD and TaKir say, it should be possible to buy a Hanlin V8 from the Ukraine for 250 Euro + shippung (+possibly import VAT because as far as I know the Ukraine is not part of the EU).
Today, a new (beta) of the adapted Hanlin Sofware arrived and TaKir promised to tell me what's new this evening. Since i'm eager to actually start reading on an eink device and am not sure about the V2 (still waiting to see whether Jinke manages to launch the Samples this week or next (end of june) and whether they'll offer to send me one) I might go ahead and buy one of the V8 if the software seems to be progressing well.

I set this thread up so that interested people can post here and also to make room for questions regarding LVD's V8 and the modalities of the sale.
I don't know how he's going to set up the sales-business, whether trough ebay or an online shop or what.

Maybe he can tell us more about it and maybe also about the device and the modifications that are being made.

Now, that's a price range we can talk about. I am still somewhat confused about the difference between the V2 and the V8. Both are E Ink devices, am I correct? Is the V8 superior to the V2?

I'll try to explain from the facts that I know:

The V8 is a rather weak device when it comes to hardware specs. It was made with only book-usage in mind. It has a proprietary OS and little room for additional software. There is no SDK at the moment, however, informed sources (TaKir and LVD) told me that there might be a SDK for the V8 soon.
The V8 was made for the Chinese market only, thus making it ill-suited for non-chinese countries due to different page-layout, formatting and fonts.
Some Russian (Ukraine?) folks have secured the rights for marketing the V8 in their region with an adapted Software, better suited for cyrillic fonts and also better suited for european layout. This is a work in Progress.

The V2 is a higher-specced device with many of the same features as the V8, but with a faster processor, more RAM, more ROM and a LINUX OS. It is targeted at the European/American market. However, the V2 is still not quite done. The Hardware with some kind of (possibly) unfinished Linux OS is supposed to start shipping to selected Distribution Partners around the world by the end of June (=pretty soon). Jinke says this is "guaranteed". Let's hope so. The local partners will then start to adapt the device for the market it is supposed to sell in. Jinke is apparently also looking into contracts with publishers. The V2 could be a really good device, it's open Linux OS should make it easier for folks to develop software for it and the included SDK should also help a lot there.
The price for the V2 is targeted at 349$, a reasonable price. We don't know however, how much the "distributors" around the world are actually going to charge. Also, the timeframe for the adaptation of the V2 for the different EU and US markets are not really forseeable and the quality of the OS and the SDK are not really guaranteed. LVD has already questioned the capability of the Chinese Linux Programmers.

I can't say more or be more precise.

If the V8 progresses far enough software-wise to display english/german? text without problems, then it'll be enough for people seeking a device that is easy, fast and has lots of battery life.
If you need direct PDF support, Linux Os for your own apps and want to have more "reserve" power, then it might be a good idea to wait for the V2 or the Iliad (depending on how well those two devices work when finished).

btw, the Hanlin V8 can display more than 8000 pages per battery load (says Jinke), uses a Standard-cellphones battery (Nokia 6110 or something) and (according to TaKir) doesn't even haven an off/on switch because it doesn't need one (I'm not sure, but I believe it doesn't need a lot of time to boot either...LVD or TaKir could answer that one).

2 TadW

V2 & V8 are both using eink.

Hardware differences you can see here:
V2 - http://www.jinke.com.cn/compagesql/English/embedpro/prodetail.asp?id=20
V8 - http://www.jinke.com.cn/compagesql/English/embedpro/prodetail.asp?id=15
or here: http://www.mobileread.com/eink/
Looking at these specs, you can say V2 is superior to V8...

But I'm not shure, V2 will work better with 200mHz cpu, more sdram, etc.
Yes, it should support more file formats, have wolf linux, and be more open...

Nothing special-superior, as for me...

V8 is now available, V2 can be available this summer (may be).

(I'm not sure, but I believe it doesn't need a lot of time to boot either...LVD or TaKir could answer that one).

You shouldn't worry about boot time, because you need to boot it only for the first time after you buy it, or when you update software... Or if you suddenly decide to pull out the battery. :D
In any other cases it need not to be booted.
Taking it out of a box, you set up a simcard, battery, sd-card and then it boots for the first time.
Then you use it and need no switching it off and to boot it.
When you are not reading, you close the cover. That is all. Then you open the cover and continue reading. Without any boot. Like a sheet of paper.

It is not a pda or tablet pc to take care of energy ;)

When you are not reading, you close the cover. That is all. Then you open the cover and continue reading. Without any boot. Like a sheet of paper.

It is not a pda or tablet pc to take care of energy ;)

And this, right there, is why I'm waiting eagerly for an e-ink device for my reading, rather than getting a PDA or other inferior solution. Bring on the V2!

what is it with this simcard...it's for copy protection, but do you need it if you don't plan to buy .wol books?

How long does the first boot take? How long do the page-turns take?
Thanks for your input...^^

Oh yes, can you give us an estimate on the battery life? How long does it take for the device to drain completely when not in use (you probybly don't know this...) and how long under heavy use (I guess your wife is a heavy user?)

what is it with this simcard...it's for copy protection, but do you need it if you don't plan to buy .wol books?


Yes, it is for using commercial books. But you need it to be always installed.


How long does the first boot take? How long do the page-turns take?
Thanks for your input..^.^^

1) About 21-22 sec. (checked for you :D ))
2) 1 sec

Yes, it is for using commercial books. But you need it to be always installed.

Does it come in the box with the V8?

I assume it does.

TaKir was too tired to test the new software tonight, so we'll have to wait till tomorrow for news about the V8.
He gave me a short info, saying that text-layout was improved but still not perfect.

@TaKir and LVD

can you give us an overview of the new V8 software?
Thanks.

Also, LVD, could you tell us in a few words where the development of the V8 Software is leading, what your goals are and maybe an ETA for a "final-ish" software.

Yes, simcard is in complete set of V8.

About new software:
I will say, what I had time to check and notice...
Improved text layout (justified), especialy in Russian (txt, wolf).
Improved margins - now they are very small (about 3mm around the text)
There is a folder "New books" - it is an analogue to "Favorites" for pc - last books you open you can find there.
BTW, Jinke remembers all books, you open, the last page you was reading, caracter size (zoomed or normal)!
So actually, you don't need bookmarks - just open one book read some pages, open another one, two,three or more books - V8 remembers where you stopped reading and your caracter size. Very good!
But, of course, you can use bookmarks - 3 unique per one book. You can cancel them and make new where you like.
For txt-files now you can see correct total number of pages at the second screen. You can jump to any desired page number by pressing (for example 4-7-8+ok for page #478). It was working only with wolf files before).

About battery life:
I realy don't know how long can V8 stay without use... I think it depends of the battery self-discharge...
But when reading you can turn pages about 9000 times. It was a "crash-test" made by LVD. ;) In real use + battery self-discharge I think it is more real about 6000 page turns... But if you set it aside for a year - I think your battery will be empty with or without V8 :D
As I noticed, using the second screen is more power-capacious, and firmware updates too.

Since the end of May I charged it two times (500mAh). And never switch it off.

Thank you fro providing this info.

can you show us a screenshot of the new text-layout in comparison to before (using the same demonstration text file we saw beforemaybe ....^^

I am prepared to buy one of these devices. If anybody wants to sell me one, contact me at donal100@gmail.com.

@freesmiler

if you really buy it, tell us about your experiences please...^^

Thank yoo.

If I can get a bit more information I think I'm prepared to buy one as well. Right now I'm using a ebookwise device, and while good its not the cats pajamas, not only that upon conversion you loose alot of stuff that html formatting can give ( besides that, my wife wants it and I'm ichin for eink love), I'm willin to put down my hard earned dough if it can do that magic, text and html are all I read so as long as the formatting keeps there I'm golden.

Vash

Hey Vash!

Contact LVD or TaKir by PM if you need more information. They actually have devices in their hands and can answer all questions.

At the moment the Software is still a bit unfinished but formatting for .txt and HTMl is definatley improving as you can see from the shots TaKir took for me.
LVd told me that he'd know more and maybe be able to start selling arond July 10th if I understood him correctly.

Yeah, I've already sent a PM to LVD was hoping one of of em would see this message and respond, might answer some questions for other folk too

Vash

We have begun sales V8 for testing. If problems will be a little we are ready to begin in August sales V8 in the Europe and America.

Any word on how things are comming LVD?

Vash

I read somewhere on this forum that you can't save the notes you make in the V8, is this true?
I always figured that one of the primary uses of the e-reader devices would be note taking (God knows, my copy of the history of the peloponnesian war has at least 200 notes in it), so this seems like a pretty major oversight.
Anyone know if this'll be missing in the V2 as well? (I've actually sent a message to the fine folks at Hanlin asking a similar, albeit much more detailed question, if I get an answer I'll post it.)

Edit:

Dear Andrew,
Thank you for your message.
Now the V2 only has the simple note-taking function. For the function you mentioned will be realized in our future product.
Thank you again for your interest in our product.


Best Regards,

Mei Yan

Well, looks like my dreams of the Hanlin ebook have been dashed.
I think I'll wait and see how the reception for the Iliad is, and if the note taking feature in particular is recieved positively, then I may make that horribly costly investment.

The note taking feature will not be functional in iLiad's until a later software upgrade I believe.

The quickstart guide I received desribes this feature...I'll try to find out tomorrow...but be forewarned...i'll have to load the battery before I can do a lot of testing...^^

We have begun sales V8 for testing. If problems will be a little we are ready to begin in August sales V8 in the Europe and America.

LVD,

How is the testing going? Any chance some of us Mobilereaders could get one of these test models?

Thanks,
-Brian