|
View Poll Results: What features are required for a 9.7’’ e-reader ? | |||
Wifi | 378 | 64.40% | |
3G | 121 | 20.61% | |
Touch screen | 334 | 56.90% | |
Stylus | 196 | 33.39% | |
Color screen | 213 | 36.29% | |
125 | 21.29% | ||
Web Browser | 231 | 39.35% | |
Document search | 393 | 66.95% | |
Dictionary | 413 | 70.36% | |
Music player | 84 | 14.31% | |
Video player | 58 | 9.88% | |
OPDS compatibility | 104 | 17.72% | |
Just show me the results | 28 | 4.77% | |
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 587. You may not vote on this poll |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
06-08-2010, 11:31 AM | #61 |
Member
Posts: 11
Karma: 10
Join Date: Aug 2007
Device: none
|
What features are required for a 9.7’’ e-reader ?
There are zillions of ereaders out there now.
Why not make one that will suit the needs of college students? |
06-08-2010, 11:31 AM | #62 |
Digitally confused
Posts: 500
Karma: 1500000
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: London, UK
Device: KPW, K2i, Nexus 7 32gb, Kobo Mini
|
Shouldn't the first question be "what size reader do people want?"
|
Advert | |
|
06-08-2010, 11:43 AM | #63 |
temp. out of service
Posts: 2,794
Karma: 24285242
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Duisburg (DE)
Device: PB 623
|
the voted ones +
|
06-08-2010, 11:45 AM | #64 |
Guru
Posts: 764
Karma: 4837659
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: San Angelo Texas
Device: Samsung Galaxy tab
|
I would have voted for OPDS, I think, if I had known what it was.
|
06-08-2010, 11:52 AM | #65 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,300
Karma: 1121709
Join Date: Feb 2009
Device: Amazon Kindle 1
|
I voted touch screen, stylus, color, internet, webmail, video etc.
In other words, I have no interest in a big screen reader--pointless to me when I can get a tablet and read on it and do everything else since I have no problems reading on LCD. I'd also vote (if they were interested) for a 12" or so screen to finally have something I can read all my letter sized PDFs on and mark them up with a stylus! |
Advert | |
|
06-08-2010, 11:57 AM | #66 |
Literacy = Understanding
Posts: 4,833
Karma: 59674358
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: The World of Books
Device: Nook, Nook Tablet
|
|
06-08-2010, 12:26 PM | #67 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,236
Karma: 3350652
Join Date: Feb 2008
Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12
|
Freeshadow wrote:
>Opentype font extension capabilities (subsets like: ligatures, kerning pairs, >typographic alt, real sub- superscript and numeral subsets (normal, medieval, >fixed etc.) actually used if the font in use offers them. The problem is, .epub doesn't support most of that --- if one wants nice typography, best option is to make a .pdf optimized for the screen size of the viewer. |
06-08-2010, 12:49 PM | #68 |
Maratus speciosus butt
Posts: 3,292
Karma: 1162698
Join Date: Sep 2009
Device: PRS-350
|
Not a single item on the list is something that I would "require." All I care about is the ability to read books on it-- the extra bells and whistles are just that-- extra bells and whistles. How about making a 9.7 inch reader that allows the reading of books in tons of formats, skips everything on that list, and has a bare minimum cost?
|
06-08-2010, 01:31 PM | #69 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,450
Karma: 10484861
Join Date: May 2006
Device: PocketBook 360, before it was Sony Reader, cassiopeia A-20
|
Well, I wanted to vote, but NONE of the features I really care for are listed and it does not let me vote with empty list.
Here is what I consider as important features for an 9.7 inch reader, sorted by importance.
|
06-08-2010, 01:33 PM | #70 |
Curmudgeon
Posts: 3,085
Karma: 722357
Join Date: Feb 2010
Device: PRS-505
|
The problem I see with this is that since the options given are not those useful for ebook readers -- they're features of tablets -- the predetermined result of this survey is going to be "people want tablets". There is no option for "I don't want a tablet, I want a ebook reader."
|
06-08-2010, 01:33 PM | #71 |
Semper Carpe Bufo
Posts: 537
Karma: 21676
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Napa Valley, California
Device: Kindle2 & Kindle3
|
I agree with most of what has been said here with regards to preferring a dedicated reader vs an xPAD.
My wants are predicated on what my Kindle has taught me. WiFi in addition to 3G would be great, hooking up the USB cable to transfer downloaded ebooks is a pain. The ability to connect wireless to my home network would be great. For the most part I find the Kindle to be ergonomically excellent and see no reason to change much. The ability to change meta data would be cool since many of the ebooks I have have poorly constructed meta data. The ability organize ebooks via many criteria is critical whether organized by meta data or by folders. The ability to read many different ebook formats is also critical and the ability to access public libraries would be nice. I've found that internet access from the Kindle was not of much value to me so far. (three times in the last year other than demonstrating the ability to folks) |
06-08-2010, 01:48 PM | #72 | |
Wizard
Posts: 2,300
Karma: 1121709
Join Date: Feb 2009
Device: Amazon Kindle 1
|
Quote:
The majority of book readers seem to want smaller 5-6" screens that are easier to take everywhere with them. I'm not saying no one wants them, as some do be it for vision problems or just preferring larger pages etc. But they're clearly a niche device relative to portable readers. So I see portable dedicated readers being a permanent fixture and not going anywhere regardless of how popular tablets become. But I think large screen dedicated readers like the Kindle DX will probably get killed off by tablets. I just don't see enough of a market for people who want a big screen device that does nothing but display e-books. But maybe I'm wrong. *shrugs* |
|
06-08-2010, 02:23 PM | #73 |
Plan B Is Now In Force
Posts: 1,894
Karma: 8086979
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Surebleak
Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2
|
Interesting question, about what I would want. I had to stop and think - do I want it primarily as an e-reader or as more of an all-purpose device? Realizing of course that the more features I added, the higher the cost would be. I decided I wanted the device's focus to be on reading and associated research, not a broad media device. I've got my laptop for that, not to mention a smart phone.
I think that I would prefer the device to be affordable, so I skipped the items like touch screen and video player. I was going to skip color screen too, but then I thought, hmm 9+" screen is good for viewing "coffee table" books and art books, and it would be nice to see those images in color. Also, charts in color would be nice. But I can live with grey-scale, as long as there are a lot of levels. Wifi capability and a browser would be useful - to look up things on Wiki or to download books directly. 3G - meh; I wouldn't use it. Ditto for email - not necessary. Touch screen - no. I'd rather have well-placed buttons so that I can hold the reader and turn the pages all with one hand. Also, at least two methods of turning pages for ease of right-handed and left-handed use. I don't need to have another screen to clean and touch screens seem to smudge easily. Besides, unless a good touch screen is installed, they tend to reduce the sharpness of the image. People seem to like having a dictionary. I'd like a music player just so audiobooks could be added to the reader. As others have mentioned, text-to-speech capability would be nice. I looked up what OPDS means and that looks useful. Support for a wide variety of formats is a must. As is a good PDF reader, one with reflow capability. Meta data access would be nice. I would also like a digital clock in one of the corners. I'm often reading while waiting for one thing or another, and I'd like to be able to check the time. Ease of creating folders and subfolders is essential, as is quick access to the files. SD card capability is a must. The device should charge while connected to both the computer and to a wall outlet. Provide all the essential doodads with the initial purchase: USB cable, AC adapter, earbuds, carrying case. Devote some thought to the ergonomic aspects of the device: make it easy to hold and operate with either hand, make the controls responsive, allow some space for clipping on a reading light. Frame colors should be unobtrusive. Give the back a bit of texture for easy gripping. Minimize the weight of the reader as much as possible, but build it strong; remember that devices like an ereader fascinate little kids and they want to hold them; they also tend to drop them often. Allow for great flexibility in zoom rates; that is an essential feature for many of us. Also, allow more font choices than just a serif one and a sans-serif one; we should be able to load our own choice of fonts. Include an auto page turn feature. Allow landscape and portrait modes. Have a precise battery meter. An encryption capability would be useful in some circumstances. Last edited by Xanthe; 06-08-2010 at 02:34 PM. |
06-08-2010, 02:32 PM | #74 | |
Wizard
Posts: 1,289
Karma: 4525055
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: rural Illinois, USA
Device: Sony PRS-700 (traded in), Sony PRS-650
|
Quote:
|
|
06-08-2010, 02:44 PM | #75 |
Curmudgeon
Posts: 3,085
Karma: 722357
Join Date: Feb 2010
Device: PRS-505
|
Am I paranoid because I'm thinking that this survey has been devised to justify building a tablet? "See, we surveyed the hardest of hardcore ebook readers, and all the features they checked off are tablet features, so you should give us the go-ahead to make this tablet we want to build." I can't think of any other reason why the majority of the features listed are those that would be found on a tablet, while the ones we want on our ebook readers, as the comments above demonstrate, are glaringly conspicuous by their absence.
I've got nothing against tablets, and no doubt I'll replace my netbook with a tablet one of these days, but I'll never mistake it for an ebook reader. I don't want an iPad to read my books on; I want the PRS-510 that Sony will, sadly, never build. I also want a Foonly. |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
PRS-650 Device features (videos) | SchalaZeal | Sony Reader | 13 | 09-17-2010 12:35 PM |
Please help me identify manufacturer/device! | rgeorg | More E-Book Readers | 3 | 03-16-2010 01:46 PM |
New Features on Inkmesh: Result Filtering by Device & More Subjects | anurag | News | 6 | 10-07-2009 10:55 PM |
Welche Features wünscht Ihr euch für den "perfekten Reader"? | Josch91 | Lounge | 9 | 08-03-2009 02:22 PM |
Question - Does iLiab have the "search" & "annotation, highlighting" features? | HiSoC8Y | iRex | 5 | 07-01-2009 04:37 PM |