Astak representative sales pitches

[griffonwing]

I also concur. On several items mentioned.

1) I'd hate to see Robertb go. He was gone for over a week, and what happened? His thread stayed alive. Not just due to him (and what became of him, and his last post #666), but also expectations of more Pocket Pro information.

2) I'd love to see a specific Astak forum. This is a great idea! Not that ALL talk and info is relegated specifcally to that thread, especially when it's newsworthy, but sorting through the Hanlin thread for Astak-only info is a headache. Especially when thread titles don't state the device.

3) Robertb is a salesman. It's in his blood. It's in his demeanor. And more importantly it's in his bloody signature. I have not seen any other signature that states Sony Rep or Amazon Rep, or any other kind of rep. Yet we were told they they 'troll' through the forums.

I think it should be mandatory for any and all representative/employers of any e-device company to publicly acknowledge their affiliation in their signature. This will separate personal ideas and personal choice from professional agendas.

4) News is News, no matter what. Alex, you stated that you totally agree. Well, the Pocket Pro is now available for pre-order and will ship in less than 2 weeks. Is that not newsworthy? It supports more languages, and has a ton more features than the same-priced Sony 300. Is that not newsworthy?

Currently the front page lists

Hanlin v3 Firmware Roundup
FLAG iPhone Companion info
MR Job Posting?
Mobipocket Useless After Firmware Upgrade - BeBook
WSFS Montreal Meetup
MR Week in Review

• E-Book General - News and Commentary
• Sony PRS300/PRS600 available for pre-order
• Sigil moves in to a dedicated forum on MobileRead !
• Sony PRS-300 and PRS-600 press release and gallery
• Mainstream iRex 8.1-inch reader for 400$ (rumor)
• EU consultation on IT (and a bit on copyright and DRM)
  
• E-Book Software - Sigil
• Sigil, the ePub editor
  
• Miscellaneous - Announcements
• Reminder: List of MR Meetups in August

EU Commission
iRex 8.1 inch - $400 (rumor)
PRS 300/600 Press Release
Sigil moves to it's own thread

The MR Week in Review is even a rehash of the same stuff. Nothing new there at all.

It's disheartening to know that that last thing you can find where you promoted anything Astak on the front page was from 2 and a half months ago. Also, the blurb was very short.

"Astak announced today that it will be the new North American distributor of the Hanlin V5 (aka Bebook Mini). The V5 has been rebranded as the Pocket Pro, and has a retail of $199. It should be available in about 2 months.

The Pocket Pro will come with support for Adobe DRMed Epub. Fictionwise eReader is also offered as an option." And there's a pic.

When all other front page posts are in-depth, it like MR didn't care when posting this. I dare say not a week or two goes by without a Sony article or a Kindle article.

As many people know, I'm quite verbose.I'd rather post a long message to ensure I get my point across right, than to be short, blunt, and perceived incorrectly. So forgive the length of this post.

[Alexander Turcic]

griffonwing,

1) I'd hate to see Robertb go.

Good. And so would we. As mentioned several times before.

2) I'd love to see a specific Astak forum.

Good. I said that I would personally favor this choice, too, given enough demand. So we agree again. Wonderful.

3) Robertb is a salesman. It's in his blood.

Again we agree! Isn't that fantastic? Now, before you continue, please take a moment and consider what MobileRead is about. We are not - let me repeat: not - a sales platform! We are a community where likeminded people join to share their experiences (good and bad) about e-book reading. Anybody is invited to join, including a salesman, whatever company he might represent. What we do ask for is very little: it's common sense. I repeat: MobileRead was not made for companies to pitch their sales. Robert is free to represent his company. He can answer questions. He can point out differences. But if it turns into subjective, untruthful, purely sales-motivated speeches, then the point is reached where common sense is no longer applicable.

4) News is News, no matter what. Alex, you stated that you totally agree. Well, the Pocket Pro is now available for pre-order and will ship in less than 2 weeks.

Before it was argued that we don't report about Astak. As it turns out, this isn't true. It was argued that we haven't talked about the Pocket Pro. Again, this isn't true. Then it was argued that the "price cut" had to be reported. Again, whatever price cut there might have been, we reported the price that is still valid today. Now you argue that we should have reported about the pre-order. Do you see the pattern here? No matter what, there will always be something more you personally think we should have reported. I said it before - but I say it again, just for you - there are lots of news in the world of e-books that slip our frontpage every day. We do NOT have a team dedicated to frontpage articles. If you feel so strongly about the frontpage, I invite you to become a writer for us, but only if you can maintain an objective and comprehensive view of the overall e-book industry.

The MR Week in Review is even a rehash of the same stuff. Nothing new there at all.

The MR Week of Review is exactly what you said - a rehash. Nothing more nothing less, because that's the point of a review. In case you wonder, it is automatically assembled by collecting all the frontpage news that appeared within one week.

It's disheartening to know that that last thing you can find where you promoted anything Astak on the front page was from 2 and a half months ago. Also, the blurb was very short.

Now you are complaining about the length of the news? Do you have any respect at all for those who are spending their free time to support this community?

When all other front page posts are in-depth, it like MR didn't care when posting this.

Now you are insinuating that we don't care about news that we post on our frontpage, the frontpage, which you said yourself, has so much weight. This is getting ridiculous and I hope you are seeing that, too.

So forgive the length of this post.

You are forgiven.

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

You are forgiven.

YAY!!!

[pjssilva]

[QUOTE=Alexander Turcic;549420]griffonwing,

Now you are complaining about the length of the news? Do you have any respect at all for those who are spending their free time to support this community?

Man,

You should take a deep breath and count up to 10 before posting.

[kaas]

@pjssilva

News are entered by members. If a moderator sees something he/ she believes is of interest to the general public, they tag it and it appears on the front page. So mostly frontpage news are the result of all of "those who are spending their free time to support this community"

cheers,

kaas

[dmikov]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

I put in more than 3 comments per day, thank you

But if you notice, many of my comments are simply light banter, mixed with personal thoughts, ideas, and occasionally brilliant commentary.

I don't consider it 'bumping', as most of my posts are in answer to questions or comments. "Bumping" is a blatant post whose only mission is to get the thread back in the top spot. I rarely ever do those, unless it's a question I have asked that has gone to page 5 with no response.

Well let me illustrate how I got so "confused".
Here is the sample of one of your n-hundreds post on the News and Commentary | Astak with Wifi thread

Why you always gotta be hatin' on the griffon? What he done to you?

Barnacle Bob, you are so mean.

I'd drive over there and have a few words with you, but you'd probly just put me to work or something.
__________________
This is a vacuous post, meant only in increasing my post count!

This and other posts about the parrot, clippers etc has very little to do with News or Astak with WiFi.

So you either are interested in bumping thread yourself or don't realise that you are used to be a free clicker.

For people who come to read the news to the News section of the forums, see updated thread, but instead of news about device, see this garbage day by day is very upsetting btw.

If you think "simply light banter" belongs in the news, please reconsider.
It's not news

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by dmikov

Well let me illustrate how I got so "confused".

......

For people who come to read the news to the News section of the forums, see updated thread, but instead of news about device, see this garbage day by day is very upsetting btw.

If you think "simply light banter" belongs in the news, please reconsider.
It's not news

So, I should be 100% professional and everyone should stay 100% on topic, with no joking, no bantering, no light-heartedness at all? Like Pod-People?

I am sorry you feel this way.

You should realize, of course, that it is not going to happen. Not meant to be a hurtful remark, or even a stubborn response, but get real here. It's a forum where expressions are given on all levels, professional and personal. On-topic remarks, slight side-treks, and even off-topic discussions, but we always come back to the main point.

I mean, really, exactly how much new information can one thread contain? I suppose if you took the long Astak thread, over 200 pages of it, and whittled it down to ONLY just the pertinent information, questions and answers, it should shrink drastically, you MIGHT have between 15-20 pages, maybe.

But you would also lose a lot of personal opinions, and personal opinions from respected MRers go very far in helping others decide which reader to choose. This is gleaned from the 'banter' which you say does not belong.

Just my opinion.

[Kostas]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

So, I should be 100% professional and everyone should stay 100% on topic, with no joking, no bantering, no light-heartedness at all? Like Pod-People?

I am sorry you feel this way.

You should realize, of course, that it is not going to happen. Not meant to be a hurtful remark, or even a stubborn response, but get real here. It's a forum where expressions are given on all levels, professional and personal. On-topic remarks, slight side-treks, and even off-topic discussions, but we always come back to the main point.

I mean, really, exactly how much new information can one thread contain? I suppose if you took the long Astak thread, over 200 pages of it, and whittled it down to ONLY just the pertinent information, questions and answers, it should shrink drastically, you MIGHT have between 15-20 pages, maybe.

But you would also lose a lot of personal opinions, and personal opinions from respected MRers go very far in helping others decide which reader to choose. This is gleaned from the 'banter' which you say does not belong.

Just my opinion.

Thanks Griffon!
We don't want just another boring exclusively technical forum.
After all, we're talking about books and food for thought.

[dmikov]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

So, I should be 100% professional and everyone should stay 100% on topic, with no joking, no bantering, no light-heartedness at all? Like Pod-People?

Sorry you misunderstood me, I meant "light banter" is not the news, not that it doesn't belong in the posts.

On topic, yes that would be nice. Joking, light-heartedness, bantering - who said I don't like it? Why you want to put up a stawman to validate yourself?

See the commentary in News and Commentary means commentary on news NOT on your personal life, health and current mood. I for example couldn't care less, if I did I would've emailed you asking "how your day was". Again no disrespect, just facts. How would you like me updating every forum member on my current pains and aches [ref. to stool deleted] in every thread on Astak?

But you would also lose a lot of personal opinions, and personal opinions from respected MRers go very far in helping others decide which reader to choose. This is gleaned from the 'banter' which you say does not belong.

Just my opinion.

Again personal opinions on the topic of the thread is extemely valuable. About wether and boats - not so much. You see it even have a subject so nobody get confused. Again I don't open Astak reader thread to read about Griffon. What kind of purchaising decision I can make from the post I quoted to you?

It's internet you pretty much can ignore me, but logically it would make more sense to open your own - "Griffon and his banter" thread or something. If you feel your "banter" is that valuable. I might even click on it when I have finished perusing news and pertinent info.

It's not black and white it really depends how much, one or two or even a dozen off topic is fine. When it's quickly getting to a hundred, that borders on forum spamming and Internet is full of spam as it is.

Sorry for getting off topic. Back to topic - so you are not paid by Astak thread bumper - got it .

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by dmikov

Back to topic - so you are not paid by Astak thread bumper - got it .

Nope. Not a paid thread-bumper.

Or, if I am, I never signed the paperwork, and they are sending the dividends to the wrong bank account.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by UncleDuke

Moved from this thread

ok, there are over 3,100 posts in this thread and i have had a hard time seperatng the shuck and jive, it seems, and correct me if i'm wrong, that the astak is a rebranded hamlin with a bunch of funky colors

what makes it unique from the bebook and all of the other hanlin clones?
can i use the other hanlin clones with the astak firmware?
can i use the bebook firmware on the astak?

Since the Astak EZ Reader is a Hanlin clone, it can indeed use the firmware made for the Hanlin, BeBook, and other clones.

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by kaas

@pjssilva

News are entered by members. If a moderator sees something he/ she believes is of interest to the general public, they tag it and it appears on the front page. So mostly frontpage news are the result of all of "those who are spending their free time to support this community"

cheers,

kaas

Just to add to kaas's helpful comment: at the very bottom of this page there is a "Contact Us" button. You can use it to report a thread which you believe is worth front-page news coverage.

[Hellmark]

Am I one of the only ones who find that mobileread to be fairly unbiased?

I like robertb, he seems pretty cool, and while he is enthusiastic about what he does, he's up front about it. Plus, there are others like him that are fans of the other brands.

As far as getting pissy over the offtopic banter, well, I like how everyone has fun here. Also, in my experience, things don't go too far off topic here. Most places, it gets really bad.

[TadW]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Am I one of the only ones who find that mobileread to be fairly unbiased?

I have been a member for a long time and in my experience, the interest of the community comes and goes in waves... when iRex announced the iLiad, it was all about the iLiad. Then came Sony and the discussion shifted to the Reader. And then there was the Cybook, again, a shift in focus. If there has ever been a bias then it's always been a very short-lived one.

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Am I one of the only ones who find that mobileread to be fairly unbiased?

I like robertb, he seems pretty cool, and while he is enthusiastic about what he does, he's up front about it. Plus, there are others like him that are fans of the other brands.

As far as getting pissy over the offtopic banter, well, I like how everyone has fun here. Also, in my experience, things don't go too far off topic here. Most places, it gets really bad.

I concur. Whereas I don't think, yet, that I've come across anyonje who has been 'pissy', per se. I have, on the other hand, seen many posts who are very, how can I put it delecately...up front and straight-forward with perceived notions of various opinions, be it from banter, advertisement, regulations of many sorts.

However, everyone has opinions, and even if opinions and beliefs are polar opposite, there is still a modicum or respect. I do not recall seeing any blatant name-calling or lineage-bashing, and that goes to show what kind of adult and mature members this forum has.