eBook used as a card menu

poypoy · 10-25-2010, 07:23 AM

Hi,

my company would like to use the eBooks as a Menu for the guests (list of food, beverages, etc etc) Do you know any model with a high screen which may do the job well?
Device might support PDF or Doc files and have a SD card connector... Does anyone of you used it for that already? if you do, does it worth it?
Poy

Lady Fitzgerald · 10-25-2010, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poypoy

Hi,

my company would like to use the eBooks as a Menu for the guests (list of food, beverages, etc etc) Do you know any model with a high screen which may do the job well?
Device might support PDF or Doc files and have a SD card connector... Does anyone of you used it for that already? if you do, does it worth it?
Poy

I wouldn't think e-book readers would be very practical as menus. Menus take quite a bit of abuse from rough handling, spills, etc., something E-book readers would not survive well (if at all). You could print and laminate a lot of menus for the cost of one e-book reader. Also, you would have a theft problem if people decided to walk out with your "menu." If you have a menu that changes daily, a better choice would be the kind of menu that uses paper inserts in vinyl (or leather if you want to go high class) booklet that has clear plastic windows so the inserts can be read while being protected. These menus would also be easier to clean.

theusualuser · 10-25-2010, 08:26 AM

I think I have to agree with Lady Fitzgerald. Ereaders would be very cool as menus, no doubt, but they're generally plastic contraptions that are just one drop from the end of their life (the forums attest to their fragile state many times over). If you've got a restaurant or deal with small children at all (who, if they're anything like my 17 month old son, love technology), an ebook reader might not survive the day.

I'd say go with something that looks classy, but an ereader probably just doesn't fit the bill.

hernep · 10-25-2010, 01:58 PM

There is also one thing to consider. Ebook-readers have usually 5 to 6 inch screen. If you design menus in A4/Letter size, text in screen will be considerably smaller. Depending on customer target this is - or is not a problem. Menus tend to be big in size and lettering as well.

I know there is bigger screens available. The price is also bigger then.

Yet another thing. Are you customers tech-savvy enough to use ebook readers? They might be having too much trouble using it, accidentally pushing buttons, powering off/on, etc. Are your waitressess cabable enough to teach customers when having problems with them. they will have to, i guess. It will take them lot more time to breing orders. For a customer, experience with readers might even be a drawback not to visit again.

If you customers are ok with ebook readers and want use them, not stealing them - there are readers which can read PDF/DOC files. But they usually won't come out good without special treatment, which is extra work for someone.

I sure would love to use them as a customer but I'm a nerd =D

SkyDream · 10-25-2010, 02:37 PM

Hmmm...if any i would go for the Sony PRS-650 as they do have a very good responsive touchscreen and a very good screen (pearl display). They may be a little bit too expensive for this purpose. And because this is a very good device you may loose some of them...

poypoy · 10-26-2010, 08:07 AM

Hello everybody and many thanks for your replies and suggestions

We already thinked about all those issues and we would like to try it anyway but with a good product and as a test for the moment. Actually, we use it as paper and it's updated daily and takes a lot of work to print it on the special paper sheet that we have in A5 format. The paper is very special and cost a lot by the way and it isn't very easy to do all the printing stuff for the people concerned. That why the fact of having a template in Word or Adobe Acrobat and just save it and put it in a SD card sound just perfect.

I know that we may have some device disappearing but that's ok. Btw they might be used only as menus, so they shoulnt go so far away. And finally, this is for a very selective kind of customers... in a very specific place (can't say more of it xD)

I saw that the Kindler DX seems to be good, nice and 9 inches. What do you think about it guys?

Thx again for your replies

PoY

fjtorres · 10-26-2010, 08:41 AM

Under those conditions, I think you might want to look at some of the Android tablets, especially the Archos line. Some of the generic asian model will have the virtue of no recognizable branding (if any). There's at least one restaurant I've heard of using iPads for this but you want something less recognizable, I think. It should be about the menu, not the gadget. With Android (or a WinCE-based tablet):

1- They'll be color, larger, and cheaper. Less than US$300, some as big as 10in.
2- you can do animation and audio
3- you could do a streamed menu system via a private web-server instead so the orders go straight to the back room. No need to manually load files or record the order. It shouldn't be hard to find a local website to (relatively) cheaply code you a system. Basically you'd use the tablet as a terminal into your system.

You can do the same with some ebook readers but they'll likely cost more and still be b&w. Battery life will be lower than an eink device but it shoud be enough for an evening of fine dining.

Check the forums around here for suitable webpad/tablet candiates.

poypoy · 10-26-2010, 11:44 AM

Thanks for your suggestion. I'll check this model hoping that's isn't too complicate to load the file through android via a SD card. The easier, the better

In our case, there is no possibility of streaming but thanks for the suggestion, sounds cool!

Dulin's Books · 10-26-2010, 10:57 PM

We have just today started the pre-order for the PocketBook 902. Its a 9.7" eink display, which is the same size as Kindle DX and at $299 is considerably cheaper. PocketBook software is phenomenal for PDF and of course the device supports SD cards. I havent even finished adding all the detail to the page yet. Ill have that done in a couple hours.

More information about PocketBook and the various devices can be found in the PocketBook forum here on MobileRead.

If you decide to order more than 1 we could offer an additional discount for quantities of 10 or more.

varelov · 10-27-2010, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poypoy

Hello everybody and many thanks for your replies and suggestions

We already thinked about all those issues and we would like to try it anyway but with a good product and as a test for the moment. Actually, we use it as paper and it's updated daily and takes a lot of work to print it on the special paper sheet that we have in A5 format.

Thought baby, you thought!

Ebook as a menu?! Cringe... What's wrong with boards?

Sweetpea · 10-27-2010, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varelov

Thought baby, you thought!

Ebook as a menu?! Cringe... What's wrong with boards?

Boards!?!?!? As a menu!?!?!? A board is something you put outside the restaurant to lure people in, and maybe a blackboard inside for today's hot menu.

I really like the idea of an e-ink device as menu! Once (or if) the plastic substrates come out, they'd be perfect for the job, I'd say.

fjtorres · 10-27-2010, 08:24 AM

Somebody could probably launch a nice business providing a turnkey electronic menu system for upscale restaurants that allows customers to fully browse, in color and video, the various items on the menu and to compose an order that gets instantly zapped to the back room. Plus provide a discrete way to order refills and call-in the server and the bill.
The technology exists and the economics work out fine; my sister's in the business and she was looking to do this kind of thing 5 years ago but the tech wasn't quite there. Today it is.
Get ready folks; it's coming to fine dining restaurants near you soon enough.

10-25-2010, 07:23 AM	#1
poypoy Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: none	eBook used as a card menu Hi, my company would like to use the eBooks as a Menu for the guests (list of food, beverages, etc etc) Do you know any model with a high screen which may do the job well? Device might support PDF or Doc files and have a SD card connector... Does anyone of you used it for that already? if you do, does it worth it? Poy

10-26-2010, 08:41 AM	#7
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Under those conditions, I think you might want to look at some of the Android tablets, especially the Archos line. Some of the generic asian model will have the virtue of no recognizable branding (if any). There's at least one restaurant I've heard of using iPads for this but you want something less recognizable, I think. It should be about the menu, not the gadget. With Android (or a WinCE-based tablet): 1- They'll be color, larger, and cheaper. Less than US$300, some as big as 10in. 2- you can do animation and audio 3- you could do a streamed menu system via a private web-server instead so the orders go straight to the back room. No need to manually load files or record the order. It shouldn't be hard to find a local website to (relatively) cheaply code you a system. Basically you'd use the tablet as a terminal into your system. You can do the same with some ebook readers but they'll likely cost more and still be b&w. Battery life will be lower than an eink device but it shoud be enough for an evening of fine dining. Check the forums around here for suitable webpad/tablet candiates. Last edited by fjtorres; 10-26-2010 at 08:44 AM.

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10-25-2010, 08:26 AM	#3
theusualuser Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 102 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: none	I think I have to agree with Lady Fitzgerald. Ereaders would be very cool as menus, no doubt, but they're generally plastic contraptions that are just one drop from the end of their life (the forums attest to their fragile state many times over). If you've got a restaurant or deal with small children at all (who, if they're anything like my 17 month old son, love technology), an ebook reader might not survive the day. I'd say go with something that looks classy, but an ereader probably just doesn't fit the bill.

10-25-2010, 01:58 PM	#4
hernep Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 42 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Finland Device: iRiver Story, iPad 2	There is also one thing to consider. Ebook-readers have usually 5 to 6 inch screen. If you design menus in A4/Letter size, text in screen will be considerably smaller. Depending on customer target this is - or is not a problem. Menus tend to be big in size and lettering as well. I know there is bigger screens available. The price is also bigger then. Yet another thing. Are you customers tech-savvy enough to use ebook readers? They might be having too much trouble using it, accidentally pushing buttons, powering off/on, etc. Are your waitressess cabable enough to teach customers when having problems with them. they will have to, i guess. It will take them lot more time to breing orders. For a customer, experience with readers might even be a drawback not to visit again. If you customers are ok with ebook readers and want use them, not stealing them - there are readers which can read PDF/DOC files. But they usually won't come out good without special treatment, which is extra work for someone. I sure would love to use them as a customer but I'm a nerd =D

10-25-2010, 02:37 PM	#5
SkyDream Wizard Posts: 1,377 Karma: 9400 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Europe Device: PRS-650, iPod touch 4G, iPad 3	Hmmm...if any i would go for the Sony PRS-650 as they do have a very good responsive touchscreen and a very good screen (pearl display). They may be a little bit too expensive for this purpose. And because this is a very good device you may loose some of them...

10-26-2010, 08:07 AM	#6
poypoy Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: none	Hello everybody and many thanks for your replies and suggestions We already thinked about all those issues and we would like to try it anyway but with a good product and as a test for the moment. Actually, we use it as paper and it's updated daily and takes a lot of work to print it on the special paper sheet that we have in A5 format. The paper is very special and cost a lot by the way and it isn't very easy to do all the printing stuff for the people concerned. That why the fact of having a template in Word or Adobe Acrobat and just save it and put it in a SD card sound just perfect. I know that we may have some device disappearing but that's ok. Btw they might be used only as menus, so they shoulnt go so far away. And finally, this is for a very selective kind of customers... in a very specific place (can't say more of it xD) I saw that the Kindler DX seems to be good, nice and 9 inches. What do you think about it guys? Thx again for your replies PoY

10-26-2010, 11:44 AM	#8
poypoy Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: none	Thanks for your suggestion. I'll check this model hoping that's isn't too complicate to load the file through android via a SD card. The easier, the better In our case, there is no possibility of streaming but thanks for the suggestion, sounds cool!

10-26-2010, 10:57 PM	#9
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	We have just today started the pre-order for the PocketBook 902. Its a 9.7" eink display, which is the same size as Kindle DX and at $299 is considerably cheaper. PocketBook software is phenomenal for PDF and of course the device supports SD cards. I havent even finished adding all the detail to the page yet. Ill have that done in a couple hours. More information about PocketBook and the various devices can be found in the PocketBook forum here on MobileRead. If you decide to order more than 1 we could offer an additional discount for quantities of 10 or more.

10-27-2010, 08:24 AM	#12
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Somebody could probably launch a nice business providing a turnkey electronic menu system for upscale restaurants that allows customers to fully browse, in color and video, the various items on the menu and to compose an order that gets instantly zapped to the back room. Plus provide a discrete way to order refills and call-in the server and the bill. The technology exists and the economics work out fine; my sister's in the business and she was looking to do this kind of thing 5 years ago but the tech wasn't quite there. Today it is. Get ready folks; it's coming to fine dining restaurants near you soon enough.

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