The Hanlin V5

[Nate the great]

I don't know if this is real or an elaborate hoax, but it's interesting enough that I decided to share it anyway.

As you may know, ebook distributor Endless Ideas has been dropping hints about a new ebook reader on Twitter. They've suggested it will have a 5" screen, and hinted that they will be breaking the the $200 barrier.

Well, one of our forum members found this page. It's in Chinese, so if you need a translation, look at the English language page here. It might nor be the same device, and it might even be a hoax. But it's worth having a look.


The V5 is basically the mini version of the V3. Here are the specs:

Availability: May 2009

Dimensions：Size: 151.2mm (length) × 105mm (width) × 10mm (H)
Main screen: 5-inch electronic paper display (E-Ink technology), 8 gray

Memory: SDRAM: 512MB, built-in 2MB NOR FLASH

Weight: about 160g

Power: built-in Li-ion 1000 mAh

Communications: A. headphones C. SD card slot interface B.USB1.1

Expansion: the largest 16G SD Card

Operating temperature: 0 ℃ ~ 40 ℃

Storage Temperature: -20 ℃ ~ 55 ℃ (non-rechargeable batteries)

Supported formats: txt, pdf, doc, chm, wol, rar, zip, jpg, bmp, tiff, fb2, djvu, gif (static), epub, html, htm, ppt, prc, mbi, pdb, MP3, etc.

CPU：Samsung Arm9 200Mhz CPU: Samsung Arm9 200Mhz

Operating System: Linux OS

Accessories: charger, data cable, SIM card, headphones, lanyard, a battery, 1G SD card

[zelda_pinwheel]

i love machine translations :

V5 Hanlin E-book reader can adjust the brightness to see pictures, you can play MP3, support for features such as direct jump page. Hanlin V5 is the cheapest E-INK-screen e-book reader, is the most suitable for the reader to read the novel. If you are a fan fiction, it is feared that the computer vision reading injured, then Hallim V5 will be your ultimate choice.

hehe.

if bebook does make a 5" for under 200$ i think it will be a huge success ; 5" is still a good-sized screen for reading fiction, nice and portable, and the biggest complaint i've heard from most people is price. i hope this is true and it will be available soon.

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i love machine translations :

hehe.

if bebook does make a 5" for under 200$ i think it will be a huge success ; 5" is still a good-sized screen for reading fiction, nice and portable, and the biggest complaint i've heard from most people is price. i hope this is true and it will be available soon.

It is interesting when this 5" model will be available on US Market.

[zelda_pinwheel]

if bebook does sell this 5" device, i wonder if they will extend their coupon / credit program for the new model ? that could also help a lot more people get devices.

[HarryT]

It has a decent battery, too: 1000mAH compared with the ~700mAH battery found in the Sony, CyBook, etc.

What's the 2MB NOR RAM about, though? What would that be used for?

[slayda]

The only advantage I see is the price.The size is still too big to fit in my shirt pocket & I already have an EZ Reader.

[Faenad]

It seems very interesting, especially if the price drops below the 200$ range.

I guess the 2MB NOR RAM would be to stock the device firmware, or for eventual firmware update.

I'm more intrigued by the 512MB SDRAM, such a quantity would more likely correspond to the storage memory.
On the other end 2MB of actual RAM, if these 2MB are RAM, would be far too low.

My guess is that the datasheet is either incomplete or got some facts wrongs.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Faenad

I guess the 2MB NOR RAM would be to stock the device firmware, or for eventual firmware update.

That's what I thought at first, too, but don't you think that 2MB is way too low to store operating system + firmware? All existing reading have at least 8MB for that purpose.

I'm more intrigued by the 512MB SDRAM, such a quantity would more likely correspond to the storage memory.

Yes, that's certainly storage memory. It's the same as the CyBook has.

[David Munch]

If it hits 199$, I'll probably buy one and OpenInkPot it..

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It has a decent battery, too: 1000mAH compared with the ~700mAH battery found in the Sony, CyBook, etc.

Isn't the Cybook's 1000 mAh? I thought it was, I mean, I seem to remember seeing somewhere that it was.

[MaggieScratch]

*coughs significantly in Robertb's direction*

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Jellby

Isn't the Cybook's 1000 mAh? I thought it was, I mean, I seem to remember seeing somewhere that it was.

You're absolutely right, it is. I must have been thinking of the Sony, which is 700 or 750, IIRC. Thank you for the correction.

[astra]

Native support of HTML is a dream....

[Moe The Cat]

One of the BeBook guys was in China yesterday and he saw the V5 ... he said it was "cute". He didn't see the V9, however ...

[Polyglot27]

On the second page of the Chinese site I found this picture of the Hanlin V5 with a scroll wheel on the right edge. The Chinese text says that this "scroll wheel" is in addition to the original 2 sets of buttons for page turning, making a total of 3 ways to turn pages. See the bottom picture on this link.
http://www.mobread.com/news/exclusive/2009363.html