MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - what's the big deal about formats? -- a little calculation

sic · 11-24-2006, 08:08 PM

Hi

please bear with me a little bit

screen: 800 x 600
"colors": 4

since we can represent the 4 colors with 2 bits we need

800x600x2 bits to describe a page.

800x600x2 = 960,000 bit = 120,000 byte = 120 kilobyte

the Sony Reader comes with 64Mb memory so it can store...
64,000 / 120 = 533 pages as bitmaps.
If it had a 1Gb memory card it could store
1,000,000 / 120 = 8333 pages as bitmaps

I don't know about you but 8333 pages sure gives me enough reading for a while...

I know they have the SIZE button and they can reflow text with increased font size... but wait a minute!

First of all, I don't buy books from the Connect store, even if I wanted to I couldn't, because I don't live in the US so they locked me out...
I read mostly PDFs where the SIZE button... well it doesn't help much.

Furthermore... I could decide at the time when I upload content to the reader what font size I want. If it's readable I bet you I won't change it while reading.

On the other hand if they used bitmaps then we wouldn't have this mess with all the different formats.

Besides... they don't have full text search functionality, so they don't actually treat the pages as text, do they?

So the only requirement for any format to put on the reader would be to be able to export it as 800x600 bitmap.

My point is that all the "eBook format war" would happen on the computer, where it's much easier to install more software whereas the eBook reader device would be neutral to formats.
Until they make smarter devices where I can take notes, do full text search etc. wouldn't this be better?

am I making any sense?

Sic.

11-24-2006, 08:08 PM	#1
sic Addict Posts: 202 Karma: 692 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: SONY reader	what's the big deal about formats? -- a little calculation Hi please bear with me a little bit screen: 800 x 600 "colors": 4 since we can represent the 4 colors with 2 bits we need 800x600x2 bits to describe a page. 800x600x2 = 960,000 bit = 120,000 byte = 120 kilobyte the Sony Reader comes with 64Mb memory so it can store... 64,000 / 120 = 533 pages as bitmaps. If it had a 1Gb memory card it could store 1,000,000 / 120 = 8333 pages as bitmaps I don't know about you but 8333 pages sure gives me enough reading for a while... I know they have the SIZE button and they can reflow text with increased font size... but wait a minute! First of all, I don't buy books from the Connect store, even if I wanted to I couldn't, because I don't live in the US so they locked me out... I read mostly PDFs where the SIZE button... well it doesn't help much. Furthermore... I could decide at the time when I upload content to the reader what font size I want. If it's readable I bet you I won't change it while reading. On the other hand if they used bitmaps then we wouldn't have this mess with all the different formats. Besides... they don't have full text search functionality, so they don't actually treat the pages as text, do they? So the only requirement for any format to put on the reader would be to be able to export it as 800x600 bitmap. My point is that all the "eBook format war" would happen on the computer, where it's much easier to install more software whereas the eBook reader device would be neutral to formats. Until they make smarter devices where I can take notes, do full text search etc. wouldn't this be better? am I making any sense? Sic.