USA Today reviews the DR... doesn't look good.

[BKeeper]

USA Today has a review of the DR... doesn't look good.

He doesn't like the software interface but you know how reviewers are these days, the expect an "Apple experience".

More relevant are the comments about battery life:

You're meant to charge the reader by connecting it to a computer via USB, but a PC isn't always close by. iRex claims about a two-day battery life, but my prototype didn't quite make it that long.

It doesn't look good.

iRex FAQ:

What is the expected battery life?
A: This depends very much on the usage model of course. For more information on battery life please visit: http://www.irextechnologies.com/batteries With the advanced power management functionalities like stand-by mode and hibernate, battery life will not be an issue.

What improvements were made in regard to the battery life compared to the previous model?
A: We have developed a complete new hardware platform that is able to support a variety of advanced power management functions. In the current software version we shut down all IO devices that are not used for a specific amount of time. In a next software version we will add a stand-by mode and a hibernate mode. In stand-by mode the reader will scale down the frequency and voltage, in hibernate the reader will suspend to FLASH mode.

So they talk about future software updates to improve power management.

Sound familiar?

They did that with the iLiad... and never delivered.


iRex not again...please not again.

[bazzz]

I don't understand why they keep on comparing the 1000 with Kindle, Sony, etc. These are completely different devices.

I could never really make use of a Kindle, because I would like to read business-related A4/Letter PDF documents on such a device (they look terrible with a resolution of 800x600 - even on the PC).

I really need a high-resolution, > 9inch device with bookmarks and a good PDF viewer. The 1000 seems to be the first device that fulfills this.

What bugs me so far (and prevents me from buying one)...

- The overall negative feedback here in the forum regarding IRex and their support (patches, etc.)
- The fact that the device broke when falling on the floor in the blip.tv video (should not happen)
- It seems to be very slow, even if it's quicker than the Iliad, I think it's slow

If the touchscreen version would be 400 Euros, i'd risk it. But not for 599...

I'll wait for some more releases and software patches. We'll see.

[axel77]

Originally Posted by BKeeper

iRex not again...please not again.

"""battery life will not be an issue."""

They never learn to stop making big mouthed statements. Batterylife will always be an issue for some, and if I'm taking my device to a 3 week desert trip without thinking of taking a solar collector. I mean how can you seriously make a statement like this? How about some serious statement like, battery lasts for x hours, y page turns or whatever, but "not an issue"... I mean this is just getting unserious IMHO.

[pilotbob]

You're meant to charge the reader by connecting it to a computer via USB, but a PC isn't always close by. iRex claims about a two-day battery life, but my prototype didn't quite make it that long.

I am pretty sure the iRex FAQ said you could charge with a mains USB charger. I know I have one for my Garmin that I'm sure would work. I think people that write reviews like this don't take their time to get all the facts.

BOb

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by bazzz

I don't understand why they keep on comparing the 1000 with Kindle, Sony, etc.

Mostly because most folks in general are mentally pretty lazy, this trend is just more visible in "Journalists" because they're in the public eye, and we rather expect a bit more out of them.

By mentally lazy I'm referring to the tendency to interpret new things in terms of already familiar things, rather than looking at them for what they are on their own. Hey, at least they're now comparing an e-ink device to another e-ink device, that's closer than an iPod, laptop, cell phone, microwave oven, etc., like they were comparing them to a year ago. That's at least some improvement, right?

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I am pretty sure the iRex FAQ said you could charge with a mains USB charger.

I remember that too, pilotbob, quite clearly, as it happens, because that was one of the details I was specifically taking note of when I read through the info and FAQ.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I am pretty sure the iRex FAQ said you could charge with a mains USB charger. I know I have one for my Garmin that I'm sure would work. I think people that write reviews like this don't take their time to get all the facts.

They're paid to write, not think.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by axel77

Batterylife will always be an issue for some, and if I'm taking my device to a 3 week desert trip without thinking of taking a solar collector.

I'm just curious. Do you know of any battery powered computer devices that can go 3 weeks without being recharged?

I agree that iRex needs to be smarter in what they say, but on the other hand sometimes user's expectations get a little silly too. I remember seeing one person who said they were really upset that the eInk DR1000 didn't include color and video capability.

[veeraganesh]

One can purchase USB power adaptor directly from them. UK retailer is selling one for 17£ ish.

http://www.iliadreader.co.uk/product...Adaptor_UK.htm

[bbusybookworm]

Originally Posted by bazzz

I don't understand why they keep on comparing the 1000 with Kindle, Sony, etc. These are completely different devices.

I have to agree that it is quiet irritating. I saw a similar post on the mobile Gadgteer about this which basicly said the same thing, not like the kindle, yada yada ya.... you get the picture.

Normally I Enjoy his writings, but the complete lack of even a little bit of basic research such as looking at the link that probably came with the press release is a bit disheartening at times.

And Nate while I have to agree that people tend to try to relate it to somthing that they know, I would think that people in the Tech industry would at least think of the possibilities before dismissing them out of hand.

And while I agree that the price is high, name a product that was cheap / reasonably priced right out of the door. And e-ink is stilll very new, comparatively speaking.

[henrikb]

I see them pretty much as substitutes (few will buy both) but with somewhat different customer segment appeal - like the difference between a blackberry and an ordinary mobile.

However, this is a very narrow segment with only a very few products available so I would also compare the products side-by-side - but also noting screen differences etc. With regard to software maturity and interface they should be equals.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by bbusybookworm

And Nate while I have to agree that people tend to try to relate it to somthing that they know, I would think that people in the Tech industry would at least think of the possibilities before dismissing them out of hand.

I wasn't defending the practice -- quite the contrary, that's why I chose a loaded term like "laziness." No I was just explaining what I thought the motivator for the action was.

I find that Tech Industry folks are often worse about such things, you have the mental laziness added to a nice dose of "not our idea" and you get even less imagination bubbling out.

At the same time, I also agree that it shouldn't be this way, "tech" folks and "journalists" really ought to be amongst the more critical thinkers on such matters, it's just that they usually aren't

[bbusybookworm]

Originally Posted by NatCh

I wasn't defending the practice -- quite the contrary, that's why I chose a loaded term like "laziness." No I was just explaining what I thought the motivator for the action was.

I find that Tech Industry folks are often worse about such things, you have the mental laziness added to a nice dose of "not our idea" and you get even less imagination bubbling out.

At the same time, I also agree that it shouldn't be this way, "tech" folks and "journalists" really ought to be amongst the more critical thinkers on such matters, it's just that they usually aren't

I wasn't trying to suggest that you were, but now that I reread my comment it does sound like that a little. so oops, and sorry.

It was more like I was bemoaning the fact. I was abit ticked off with Matt Millers post, and kind of took from there.

The irritating part is that most of these reporters will spend days trying to track down a single rumour about one of the big players like Apple, Nokia, etc but give them a little something outside their usual scope they appear to switch off their thinking.

[NatCh]

I'm not sure I'd concede that rumor tracking like that requires thinking to be switched on.

[bob_ninja]

The review is rubbish and useless. The author is lazy.

Regarding the bugs and batt life, I will simply wait until the stand by ad hibernate modes are added/updated in a future revision. Either they deliver or not. Once these modes are present was can better evaluate batt life.

So I wouldn't loose too much sleep over batt life in the initial devices.

[NatCh]

Tell us what you really think about the review, bob_ninja, no need to beat around the bush like that.


I'd be more inclined to patience on the battery life with regard to stand-by and hibernate if iRex had a better track record in keeping promises along those lines ... well, those actual promises, as it happens.

As it is, if the battery life isn't acceptable for what I need to do, I just won't buy the thing until/unless it is.

However, since the battery life in the iLiad is already more or less sufficient for what I'd be looking to do with such a device, as long as they can match that, it wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me.