Baen ereader reaches the pre-order stage

[Redfoot]

The Bean/NAEB pre-signup form for ordering the ereader is up. As I understand it is a declaration of interest, not the actual order. You should be able to jump on the bandwagon by leaving your email address at http://www.naebllc.com/page3.html. When it is time to actualy put your money down and order they will contact you from the list.

[Redfoot]

The price will be around $320 USD

The device specifications and mechanical design will be exactly the same as the Starebook (thinnest and lightest device).

To summarize:

Hardware :

Size: 4.7" x 7.4" x 0.3" (118 x 188 x 8 mm)

Weight: 6,3 ounces (183 g, battery included)

Screen: Black & White 4 level gray-scale Eink, 6", 600x800 pixels (170 dpi), Daylight readable, Portrait and landscape display capabilities

Sound: standard 3.5mm stereo headphone plug

Controls: buttons "ON/OFF", "Up ", "Down", "Right ", "Left", "Enter ", "Cancel", "Menu", "Music".

Battery: Rechargeable built-in Li-Polymer battery (800mAh) (8000 page flips battery life) rechargeable by USB

Processor: Samsung S3C2410 ARM 200MHz

ROM memory: 16 MB + 64 MB Data Flash

RAM memory: 16 MB

Connectivity: USB Client (v2.0)

Expandability: SD Card slot

Power Supply: USB

Color: white(*)

Logo: Bookeen (*)



Software

Operating system: Linux


On release it will support the following :

Supported format: RTF, HTML, PDF and PRC (No DRM).

Bookeen will be supplying updates as they become available :

- Bookeen will provide patches, updates and upgrades for new format support. These software enhancements will be free as long as Bookeen doesn’t need to pay any royalty to a software publisher. (For example : Macromedia provides Flash player for Bookeen eink device with a USD5 royalty fee then the update will not be free. Bookeen has developed its own support for CHM format then the update will be free)

Please note people.
eReader and Mobipocket have also provided their reader free for other devices, if they chose to do so for the eInk reader then it will be free for you should you chose to use it.
If they don't then it won't.

In addition to the updates Bookeen will provide a one year warranty.

[Leaping Gnome]

Sounds like a good deal as long as you don't mind DRMed books not being available and like the format of the StareBook.

[nekokami]

Mobipocket has a linux-based reader using Java, but don't hold your breath on eReader:

1/5/07
Greetings from eReader.com.

We may eventually support handhelds that will run on Linux systems
however, at this time there are no plans in place to support it. You
can check back with us from time to time for updates.

If you have any additional questions regarding this matter please
contact us and please include all previous correspondence in order to
better assist you.

Thank you for shopping at eReader.com.


Sincerely,

Susan Oh
Customer Support Specialist
eReader.com

[NatCh]

The 'Baen' e-reader specs are up at the NEAB (Not Another E-Book) site:

http://www.naebllc.com/

[Hadrien]

We'll offer a template for this reader on Feedbooks as soon as it's available.

It's nice to see more and more devices based on e-ink, hope we'll have some more news about the iRiver one and the Amazon Kindle too !

[NatCh]

It should be the same template for the STAReReader that CommanderROR has been reviewing. Actually, it should be the same as the one for the Sony Reader, I'm pretty certain the e-ink panels are the same dimensions.

In any case, yes it is good to see more and more choices becoming available.

[Moonraker]

I am interested in this device and have just "signed up".

They promise RTF and HTML which is what I want more than anything.

[delphidb96]

Okay, yes, we *do* have a specifications page up at our website ( http://www.naebllc.com/ ) as well as a pre- pre-order/"are you interested in learning more" page.

Yes, it is being supplied by Bookeen. Yes it will support RTF and HTML for sure. And I believe also PRC (mobipocket) and PDF. I'm pushing for early development of an update for handling the non-DRM ebooks in the PDB (ereader) format and I would like to see an fb2 (FBReader) module.

Why do I say I'm pushing for further development on these as if I would know? Because I'm one of NAEB's officers.

Look, we don't actually *have* any Bookeen evaluation units to look at, so we can't make hard claims, yet. But we should know more in a month - probably with our own reviews and pictures.

What I'm hoping we can accomplish is to have the updates to the software/firmware be installable via SD card or over the USB link from the PC/Mac. We're still a bit vague as to whether we can do that. If it is possible, then one of the features I'd like to see is support for text-to-speech for blind users. Again, all of these upgrades are just what *I* would like to see added in later. Some may not happen.

But one thing we can assure you is that we will never insist upon DRM ebooks.

One thing I'd like to mention is that if we are to buy from Bookeen, we must be able to buy in 200 or more unit purchases, which is why we're asking that you go to our sign-up page and let us know you're interested to learn more. When we know more, we'll send you email notification. This sign-up is *NOT* a commitment to buy, just an indication of interest.

So please sign up.

[sea2stars]

Yeah. I just signed up too.

I broke my promise to myself not to go and look at an eink device anytime soon. *sigh* I was at Borders and ran across the Sony Reader kiosk and played with the unit for a bit; very interested, although no DRM would be nice.

Time will tell I guess.

[NatCh]

Thanks for the updated details, delphidb96 -- such as are currently available.

It's also good to have a bit of insight into some of the directions that are being looked at for the future.

[delphidb96]

Yep. Nice to have some idea of where we're going.

Of course, what would *REALLY* excite me would be to have one of our (planned) units in my hands so I could give it a good run-through - and then tell you all how it went. One more month...

[micro]

I wonder if it would be possible to buy the firmware from Baen and apply that to a STAReBOOK with the eRead software. Considering its the same hardware I'm sure it'll be just a marketing issue not a technical one.

As much as I like the STAReBOOK with its default firmware, the ability to read .txt files would rock,

micro

Well, one good thing is that if you've seen the Sony ereader then you already have a good idea of the display of the proposed Baen model. That's a good part of only one real manufacturer. After that the only real differences would be what it reads and how hand friendly it is.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by micro

I wonder if it would be possible to buy the firmware from Baen and apply that to a STAReBOOK with the eRead software. Considering its the same hardware I'm sure it'll be just a marketing issue not a technical one.

As much as I like the STAReBOOK with its default firmware, the ability to read .txt files would rock,

micro

Wouldn't know. (smirk) After all, NAEB was formed from a group of Baen's Bar participants and is *NOT* part of Baen, the company.

However, since to the best of my knowledge - and I'm saying this as I've not had a chance yet to take the guts out of the case and start checking serial numbers on the Bookeen reader - the Bookeen device is *supposed* to be made by STAReBOOK, this may well be possible. Of course, you'd have to download an updated/improved version of the NAEB software from the NAEB site, once there is update software available.

If, and I say this as a former programmer, the Bookeen device is exactly the same as that of STAReBOOK's at the hardware and OS level - and at this time I believe it is - updating/changing the applications should work the same way. Not having a STAReBOOK to hand, I can't tell you what that entails, although from what I've read on the STAReBOOK site, this should be just a firmware download through either the USB cable or the SD memory card. That's one of the things I want to check out when I get my evaluation unit from Bookeen.

Which brings up yet another point.

If any of you have experience in embedded programming on the Samsung ARM processor under Linux and would like to help in adapting the Bookeen reader to support FBReader and eReader (the non-DRM'd versions you can make using eReader Studio) ebook formats, then by all means let us at NAEB know. This is not an area where I and the others excel.

Again, feel free to drop on by our website and pre-register if you're interested.

http://www.naebllc.com/

Derek