Where are the E-Ink tablets?

[JDK1962]

Originally Posted by bobcdy

I fully agree with you. I've been waiting, and waiting, and waiting... for a 9-10" e-ink reader with which pdf files with many images, graphs, etc. can be read. My 7" Sony 950 does ok with text when cropped with Briss, but even then the text is pretty small; a 7" size will not serve for most document pdfs. And I suspect that to read really large high res. image pdfs, the amount of ram and processor speed must be much larger than is common on current android tablets.

I agree as well, but after 1.5 years I got tired of waiting and gave into a sale at my local Costco. I bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 a few weeks ago, specifically for reading PDFs, and for that purpose, I love it. The form factor is great, as is having color.

I love my Kindle 3, and it's still my first choice reader, but I feel like my PDFs are finally liberated.

I would definitely not try reading a book on default (full) brightness.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by JDK1962

I agree as well, but after 1.5 years I got tired of waiting and gave into a sale at my local Costco. I bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 a few weeks ago, specifically for reading PDFs, and for that purpose, I love it. The form factor is great, as is having color.

I love my Kindle 3, and it's still my first choice reader, but I feel like my PDFs are finally liberated.

I would definitely not try reading a book on default (full) brightness.

This is exactly what I do, my winning combo: Kindle 3 + iPad 2.

For non fiction books, Kindle Fire. But because I mainly read computer books, prefer the 10 inches format for that, specially on PDFs.

Still sad I had to sell my Kindle DXG but the fast page turn and editing capabilities with GoodReader worth the change, no regrets.

[zinj]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Glad to hear you like it. Didn't appear to be the case from your previous comments. But why shouldn't it be a LCD replacement ? And I think you are the one who mentioned you always have to keep the backlight on? I found that most disappointing of all .

You misread my previous comments. I never complained about the mirasol display technology. I'm still not happy with the hardware bugs and locked-down os. And, I wasn't the one that said I have to keep the backlight on. As a matter of fact, I prefer to use it with just whatever light is around me. Incidentally, it's a frontlight, not a backlight.

[cadmus]

Originally Posted by jocampo

A little bit off topic, and amateur photographer here, with a Canon t2i.

The reasons why some devices use something different than AA batteries is also because power consumption. You'll need a bunch of AA batteries so you can provide the same amount of "juice" the camera needs.

You're also assuming people can get rechargeable batteries anywhere, but that's not the case. If I travel to Colombia and I'm in a remote city or beach, chances are I won't find a place that sell AA rechargeable batteries, only regular ones. And the main difference between proprietary batteries and rechargeable AA (besides the power they can or cannot deliver) is basically the form factor, because still you need to recharge those no matter what. Proprietary batteries are usually smaller and lighter which gives more comfort when holding a device.

I still have my Canon S2 with me, which uses AA, but that does not alter the fact that I need to recharge them no matter what. At some point I was carrying 8 batteries with me all the time (4 on camera, 4 inside my pocket) which was very annoying, not to mention it takes longer to replace when they are dead, making you more likely to miss a good shoot during that replacement process.

And more a personal preference than anything else, but I prefer Canon or Nikon over Pentax, always

I have shot canikons and some i have liked some (the very high end ones) but most the time i feel if buying canikon you have to spend 2 or 3 times the cash to get the same quality as a pentax. the canikon features seem to be heavily studio oriented and rarely for adventurers (weather proofing, metal frames, AA, etc). I do like the micro-prisms more on the higher end nikons but that is normaly customized when one buys a camera. But this is for a different forum and camera people always have brand loyalty that clouds judgment, likely because of the mounts on their glass.

I am NOT referring to rechargeable batteries only.
I can get 250-500 shots out of 4 alkaline non-rechargeable low end AA batteries available at any gas station in central or south America. That is with a 6 year old Pentax getting about 11 megpixls as fast as ~ 4 shots per second. I get well more than that if using energizer ultimate 800-1200 or rechargeable 600-800. It can be the old cheapo alkaline AA. The volts are the same, the amp hours are less. Again, power consumption should be part of the design and it isn't in newer models of tablets or cameras. Not only conserving power but using a powersource that is common. Yeah some of the pentax slrs need more "juice" so they use 6AAs. And more and more they are going to proprietary, sniffle sniffle. The volts on all canons nikons olympuses and pentax are comparable, some draw more amps per phtos but nothing AAs can not handle. I don't believe proprietary shapes are more space efficient. Often proprietorial have that same dead space between cells. The high end rechargable AAs use the exact same redox reactions and may even use the exact same cells made by the same children in sweatshops. I believe it is another way to control planned obsolescence and retain sales within the company. I also hate having a pile of used disposable AAs when i am done with a trip (for environmental reasons) but I would rather have to pack that out of a wilderness area knowing i never ran out of juice then be limited in my photo taking because i only have a couple proprietary $80 batteries. There is less environmental guilt when i use rechargeables. But there would be no more or less mass with proprietary verse AA rechargeables. When my research requires photos to test results I can not stop to recharge proprietary batteries or hold back on shots. I will admit ereaders are too thin to fit a AA but rarely does a large product NEED proprietary batteries.

But it was not totally off topic. The tech industry assumes we are all living a domestic life, that we will always sleep next to a USB plug, we will always have a wifi connection and that electricity is everywhere. The new features are rarely battery life. but this is what I need more than color or videos.

Heck. my new sony t1 will not even give you access to replace the battery. the old ones did. I think the same is true with the kindle. wearout schedule.

[lorenzoens]

I do not think e-ink screen will ever be fast enough for what you ask.

Mirasol is way more advanced in that direction.

[Dulin's Books]

fast enough to do what again?

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

fast enough to do what again?

To use on a regular Android tablet, not just an e-reader. Meaning for browsing, video, gaming, whatever. A full fledged LCD substitute.

I guess that is what he means.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by zinj

You misread my previous comments. I never complained about the mirasol display technology. I'm still not happy with the hardware bugs and locked-down os. And, I wasn't the one that said I have to keep the backlight on. As a matter of fact, I prefer to use it with just whatever light is around me. Incidentally, it's a frontlight, not a backlight.

Well Zinj, so how would you compare the text reading experience on the Kyobo to your Irex?

Did you try to read any magazines on the Kyobo? Obviously the screen is much too small, but I was wondering how the colors compare to a print magazine.

[zinj]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Well Zinj, so how would you compare the text reading experience on the Kyobo to your Irex?

Did you try to read any magazines on the Kyobo? Obviously the screen is much too small, but I was wondering how the colors compare to a print magazine.

The Irex eink is still easier on the eyes.

I haven't yet tried much color content reading on the Kyobo, but I'm getting a good idea of its potential with web browsing and reviewing photos in my gallery. I would have to say that the colors are muted as compared to an actual print magazine or even a traditional lcd screen and the overall look does not mimic paper as it is too iridescent. However, it is easier on the eyes than a backlit lcd and without using the frontlight I can read for days.

I think we're still years away from a paper-like full color, full motion display technology, but I think Mirasol comes closer than any of the current competition (Triton, lcd). I'm still glad I bought it. Normally I would wait for a North American marketed product with local support before purchasing, but I think mass production issues with Qualcomm's new plant may delay wide-spread adoption for at least a couple of years. I think the Kyobo will become a collector's item as it represents the very first adoption of a radically different display technology.

The only thing I'm not happy with is the locked-down OS and I don't trust myself to root it. I'm looking for someone local to give it a try. I can't wait to have a full function mini android tablet that I can read anywhere anytime (it even fits in my pocket!).

[HansTWN]

Thanks for your detailed assessment!

[BruceMcF]

Originally Posted by zinj

... I think we're still years away from a paper-like full color, full motion display technology, but I think Mirasol comes closer than any of the current competition (Triton, lcd). I'm still glad I bought it. Normally I would wait for a North American marketed product with local support before purchasing, but I think mass production issues with Qualcomm's new plant may delay wide-spread adoption for at least a couple of years. I think the Kyobo will become a collector's item as it represents the very first adoption of a radically different display technology.

The most recent Mirasol displays shown at trade shows are supposed to have less washed out colors than the Kyobo, as well as faster refresh rate.

Cost is a problem, as expected with an entirely new technology. But for a ereader+, its seem a likelier line of advance than eInk.

[zinj]

Originally Posted by BruceMcF

The most recent Mirasol displays shown at trade shows are supposed to have less washed out colors than the Kyobo, as well as faster refresh rate.

I'm pretty sure that's exactly the same generation display as in the Kyobo. All 4 readers came out within weeks of each other.

[BruceMcF]

Originally Posted by zinj

I'm pretty sure that's exactly the same generation display as in the Kyobo. All 4 readers came out within weeks of each other.

I didn't bookmark the article where I read it and can't find it again, but I believe the reference was to demo Mirasol displays, which Slashgear noted in December had better color saturation the display seen on the Kyobo, especially in the reds. It seems likely that there is a cost factor involved in that ~ for example, the blue end of the spectrum may be easier for MEMS displays and the red end of the spectrum harder.

Qualcomm evidently knows that since they have color eInk beaten on refresh, they are in a color saturation race, as they've been filing patents on improved color saturation.

[zinj]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Did you try to read any magazines on the Kyobo?

I just loaded a couple of large, very graphical, very colorful magazines and I'm extremely impressed. It is every bit as enjoyable as reading them on my 10.1" Asus Transformer. Very smooth, no lag, vibrant colors, and pinch to zoom works flawlessly. I love it!

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by zinj

I just loaded a couple of large, very graphical, very colorful magazines and I'm extremely impressed. It is every bit as enjoyable as reading them on my 10.1" Asus Transformer. Very smooth, no lag, vibrant colors, and pinch to zoom works flawlessly. I love it!

So it does look like there is hope for us. I will be waiting for bigger screen devices, 12" would be ideal.