06-13-2006, 07:46 AM | #1 |
eink fanatic
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Germany
Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2
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Create your eink dream-machine!
Hi!
Just to pass the time... "build" your own eink reader, describe hard and software. Make it possible or impossible...whatever you like...^^ Here is mine: Construct the casing using carbon fibre and give it a tight-fitting but removable and exchangable "skin" for grip and surface protection. Pad the device interior to prevent shock damage. Make the device as watertight as possible, provide easy "plugs" for unused slots like headphone and USB/Power. Make the card slot (SD would be enough for me) watertight too, especially when a card is slotted in. Do not include a speaker. Screen size somewhere between 6 and 8 in. would be ok for me. For input, use a few keys for basics and an Iliad style Wacom penabled touchscreen for annotatioans, calender, notes and scribbles (we're talking paper here after all). Optionally I could live with a low-cost solution that uses the Hanlin style slave display. Whatever display you use, make it depressed slightly to protect it from carelessness and "fall-down" damage and give it a good hardcover screen protector for transport (carbon fibre of course, coated with silicon). Slap in a standard LiPoly battery and maybe an additional "battery pack" that takes normal AA batteries (like some walkman style MD devices use) for emergency. Sotware should be some form of linux. Important: Provide an SDK and a "device simulator" so that anybody (even those who do not have a device) can develop software for it. The OS should be as reduced as possible, containing only a comfortable user interface and good energy conservation subroutines (e.g. processor goes all the way down to shutoff when not needed. Create a good compromise between speed (especially page turning/preloading) and low energy consumption. Provide readers for Mobipocket, DRM PDF, .txt and HTML out of the box. Make the device usable as "mobile harddrive" in windows explorer. That's just about it...I could go into more detail, but I think the most important factors are all there. |
06-13-2006, 08:29 AM | #2 |
iLiad Maniac
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Germany
Device: Bookeen Opus (i love that thing) and iPad (what an irony)
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incredible long battery life. (what about the new capacitor batteries that reload in seconds)
I would dig a rollable display, that "hardens" when its rolled out. And you shoud be able to roll out A5 for reading books and further to A4 for magazines and newspapers. would definatley need a touchscreen, but that in rollable will probably be in the far future. textrecognition for handwriting. Dictionary support (touch a word and it shows a translation) color display awesome bookmark handling |
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06-13-2006, 09:35 AM | #3 |
Addict
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Device: SHARP Zaurus C1000
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A 5" display would be good enough for me, but please ... no thick bezels ... I really have disdain for it. :P
Actually a device slightly bigger than a Zaurus would be ideal. A C1000 can fit a 4" screen into its LCD top ... so making it just slightly wider would give it a 5" screen and better keys! ... Maybe a hybrid dual-mode display like the one that Palm patented and that the $100 laptop is using would be ideal! |
06-13-2006, 09:51 AM | #4 |
Jah Blessed
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: The Netherlands
Device: iPod Touch
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Tough casing with rubber(ized) edges for a solid grip. Built-in screen protector. Detachable flip cover. Size about the same as the Sony reader. SD card slot. WiFi for internet access. Bluetooth for exchanging files. Freely available SDK for developing and running your own software.
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06-13-2006, 01:26 PM | #5 |
Addict
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Northern Virginia
Device: Nook Glowlight Plus
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available now
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06-13-2006, 05:08 PM | #6 |
Gizmologist
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN
Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3
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I still want the words "Don't Panic" on the front, in large, friendly letters, of course.
Last edited by NatCh; 06-13-2006 at 05:14 PM. |
06-13-2006, 05:42 PM | #7 | |
Member
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Join Date: May 2006
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Quote:
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10-27-2006, 06:34 PM | #8 |
Technologist
Posts: 488
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: I'm between Cities
Device: SONY Reader PRS-500
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Here's mine:
Battery is nanograss (something goofy a Russian thought up, mentioned in Wired) Same Dimensions as the Penguin Paperback version of _On the Road_ I carried around for 6 years, though .375 in thinner Rubberised body that is infused with smell of old paper, Flexible colour e-ink screen, Bluetooth and wifi, with ad2p to stream to headphones 8 GB Memory built in, Oh! It should only cost $34.95. ;-) |
07-17-2009, 04:49 PM | #9 |
Junior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: London
Device: none
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And... has anyone made one? E-ink or not irrelevant.
Juxta |
07-18-2009, 10:39 AM | #10 |
Member
Posts: 18
Karma: 10
Join Date: Jul 2009
Device: Kindle DX
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Computer + E-Ink. Tha's it.
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07-18-2009, 12:26 PM | #11 |
Addict
Posts: 277
Karma: 1004969
Join Date: Mar 2007
Device: Sony Reader
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07-18-2009, 12:41 PM | #13 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,698
Karma: 4748723
Join Date: Dec 2007
Device: Kindle Paperwhite
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Kindle DX with a better web browser, better PDF support, official Overdrive library support, and wi-fi would match what I want very well. It wouldn't hurt if it was a bit faster and used a less-fragile plastic e-ink screen either.
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07-20-2009, 01:22 AM | #14 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,385
Karma: 16056
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Asia
Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Sony PRS-505
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My dream is well-beyond the current technology, but here's what my limited imagination can muster:
A) Hinged (highly flexible, backwards-foldable) dual-screen in the Plastic Logic vein for flexibility and requiring minimal border casing (less than 1cm around the edges--almost all screen, nearly no border at hinge seam). B) Greater contrast and high resolution (600ppi+) with touch screen functions and simple hardware buttons. A smaller size with a 5-6 inch screen for semi-pocketable paperback feel, and a larger one approaching the size of an A4 notebook for school or office. C) High resolution can combine with user-defined fonts, opentype compatibility, and customizable anti-aliasing settings for high-quality typesetting. D) Faster refresh to allow rapid page flipping, done by a double tap and swipe. Single page turn similar to the PRS-700. Double-tap and a vertical drag along the edge allows one panel to switch to annotation mode, which allows high-refresh, high-resolution note-taking with a stylus (adjustable line width) on that panel. UI will have options of blank sheet or writing over the text with transparency. There would also be an independent "notebook" program with guide gridding for handwriting. The resolution would be high enough that handwriting would be manageable and legible. E) Overall program minimalism...Apart from reading and note-taking, perhaps only the most minimum of options like a calculator program and calendar/clock or, on the more extreme side, installable dictionaries. I too am one of those folks who likes the specialized "book" concept...not a full-fledged PDA or netbook that has reader functions. As far as menu structure, my imagination isn't too worried, though I suspect it would have to consider the possibilities of a dual-panel layout. Of course, the technology is not there...it's just a pitiful dream for folks like me who really want to get a more complete paper-substitution experience. As an addendum: I figure 600ppi is unrealistic since even LCDs don't go there. However, it'd be nice to have over 300ppi, with better contrast and a good anti-aliasing setup to produce more attractive fonts with fine serifs and the like. Try viewing a 9-10pt Garamond on a standard e-ink screen and it's pretty tragic. Last edited by LDBoblo; 07-20-2009 at 02:14 AM. |
07-22-2009, 12:27 PM | #15 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,300
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Device: Amazon Kindle 1
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Mine probably wouldn't be e-ink (unless tech improves).
I want a screen as easy on the eyes that can also do full color, movies etc. as good or better than LCD. It needs to be an awesome touch/stylus screen so I can write notes legibly on documents. Screen should be large enough to handle pretty much any scholarly PDF with no problems. So I guess I'm more describing a handheld tablet device. I'd love something I could use not just for reading novels, but also reading and taking notes on scholarly journal articles, grading papers, surfing the net, checking e-mail, watching videos etc. etc. |
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