Build an eink reader.

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by arivero

Check the reading in this photo

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38074672@N00/83278095/

Nice shot, especially when you view it in hi-res:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=83278095&size=o

And also:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=83277787&size=o

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by arivero

Check the reading in this photo

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38074672@N00/83278095/

That ROCKS! No, that BOULDERS!

[lexico]

Originally Posted by arivero

Not so big, 13 centimeters in enough for most coats and jackets. Of course you do not want to wear it inside jeans, screen will bend and break.

Actually the 100CT was 13.2x21x3.5 cm

OK, thanks for clearing that up. Big & deep pockets must be de rigueur for this crowd :-)

[arivero]

Originally Posted by Alexander

Nice shot, especially when you view it in hi-res:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=83278095&size=o

Hey, actually this hi-res photo reveals that the sd-card slot is not in the same place that the memory stick is. Well, it is in the same place but it opens in different direction.

Also, note the seesaw key in this same side, between the PREV and the SIZE keys. In this place in the Librie board there is an empy area for a extra connector, of about 18-20 pins. It seems they have reused this area for a simple switch.

[arivero]

Originally Posted by lexico

OK, thanks for clearing that up. Big & deep pockets must be de rigueur for this crowd :-)

Of course. Bluetooth roles nowadays. The BT phone in a pocket, the GPS in another, the Nokia 770 somewere, and then the e-ink device, all networked

Also I usually wrap the libretto in a plastic bag, partly to avoid the rain, partly to avoid temptations from pickpocketers. In the bag, it looks as an standard book or perhaps a video tape.

[transman]

1. Unlike what seems to be most people here I would prefer an A4 sized screen since I mostly read academic papers which are always formatted in this size. A lot of the academic texts I download also seem to be around this size. Black and white display is more than enough for the moment.
2. Memory storage size of around 200MB.
3. Quick screen refresh time of no more than 1 second.
4. Battery live should be in the region of tens of thousands of page turns. Unless I am using the thing non stop I don't want to have to recharge it more than once a month.
5. No propreitry software. (Sony)
6. USB 2 connection. I don't use any other types.
7. Price of around 200euros. At a stretch I would pay up to 350 but definitely not a cent over that. I don't care about any extra features like touchscreen or mp3 playing. I just want basic functionality. You begin competing with bargain basement laptops at this price level as well.

Somebody please make one of these things!

[drachasor]

I think about 3 different sizes of ereaders would be nice; though perhaps two would be adequate with a rollable screen technology. However, a rollable screen might have problems with inputting data as well as fragility issues. I think, realistically speaking, ereaders are going to have to do more than just display books to be really marketable (at least in the near future at the prices they are going to be at). This is especially true considering the fact the ereader IS a computer and will be capable of more wether or not it has the programs to do more; might as well enable the increased capability.

First a small pda-like device that fits in your pocket would be good for pda-type activities as well as being an ereader. This is about the size of a Sony ereader.

A lot of books are bigger than this however, and for some things the size difference is very important (especially with text and eyestrain). A lot of Dover books (a publisher), for instance, are just about 2" bigger along the diagnal. Since more and more classes at colleges these days seem to be using them, a larger display that is a more natural fit and still very portable would be nice. This is about the same size as the Iliad.

Then a nice large screen for when you don't have too many portability worries , or for when you have time to fish out something from a backpack, etc. Something with say a 12" screen or so (perhaps the size of an A4 or Letter page); still very portable, but not as readily handy as the above two. This can handle larger books and other "print" media in a more natural format.

All of these should have a means of inputing data into the device, preferably a touch screen like the Iliad. Additionally, they should all have wifi and perhaps bluetooth for syncing purposes (with each other and with a computer).

A price around 300 dollars (American) or less would be ideal (for each unit; assuming the differing sizes of screen and miniturization requirements cancel out so the size of the unit doesn't alter the price). This is very affordable for most people, even if it is a bit of an investment.

A memory size of a couple hundred megs is sufficient if they have compact flash readers in them, as flash is getting ever cheaper per meg and their capacity is doubling each year as well.

Ideally, of course, the display technology would be eink-like, but with a much faster refresh rate

As for software, I'd want them to run a linux OS and be open for anyone to develop new software for them. The capability to handle most any sort of "text"/graphics file, though not necessarily with color, would also be essential.

As for DRM, I don't really care for it and I honestly don't think it is necessary. IMHO, the nice compromise between no DRM and stringent DRM is just ecoding the identity of the purchaser into the product they purchase (some companies do this with PDF books). It gets the job done sufficiently and I know no one that doesn't understand the need to financially support the things they like--and studies show that people that "pirate" more also purchase more, so I don't think piracy would be much of an issue in a non-DRM world, so long as people could actually buy what they want in the format they want.

I suppose 3 sizes might seem a little crazy, but I honestly think I would buy 3 different sizes of ereader; starting with the middle or larger and going down probably. There is definitely a niche for each one.

[pdam]

A really interesting thread, I have a couple of thoughts to add:

If you read a lot - you probably carry around a paperback - you don't really expect to put this in your jeans (unless you have weird shaped jeans) - so an 8-9in device is OK (but no bigger) as long as it's light and sturdy.

I read novels, business books and academic papers, I know I should be better organised, but I always end up writing in the margins or highlighting stuff (even tearing pages out of magazines and newspapers - interaction is a really useful feature in any reader, it's (at least my) human nature.

Wireless is only OK - if - it's simple (ala the iLiad) and it does what I want (not like the iLiad) I don't need to interact with the Internet when reading stuff - but it is good to "clip" stuff to deal with later without having to shuffle keyfobs - maybe I want to mail later or maybe I want to ask author for usage etc.

What else?
Colour? Overrated unless you really need it - more of a vertical requirement.

Battery life? Essential. A real 4 hours a day for a week - the only device I have that does this is my Psion5 ... which is no good for really reading.

Formats?
pdf, doc, txt, oeb, rtf ... maybe Mobipocket. What would also be useful is for my device manufacturer to offer an oline conversion utility to convert my ppt's, xls's openoffice docs etc into a suitable optimised format.
Formats - HTML? nah ... If I want to read something online I'd either convert it or print it out on treeware - If I don't interact with the HTML - I'd be transfering it somehow - so again a simple "one press" conversion/transfer process would work for me.

Storage/Connectivity? 256MB, USB expansion/connection, wireless "my briefcase" like function to sync with my online folder. probably bluetooth so I can send stuff from my mobile to my reader when travelling.

Cost? £230/$410 max, in reality this is for early adopters/vertical markets - what I'd really pay for a mass marlet product would be @£170 max.

That's it! This device should be available pretty much now and should hit a mass market price point in 2007/8 ...

[beastin]

Charles Gray nailed my base requirements on the first try. All I want is to be able to read text from a convenient screen. The advantages of the other features are not worth their costs (monetary and otherwise) to me.

As with another poster here, I also read a lot of scientific papers. If there were a bare bones model in paperback size and one that had one dimension as long as a sheet of paper is wide, I'd buy both.

[kacir]

my requirements for a reader

1. 6" e-ink screen
2. LOW price
3. LOW price
4. LOW price
5. LOW price
6. LOW price
7. LOW price
8. price under $99
9. standard AAA bateries, so you can always have spare in your pocket
and you will be able to replace them once they wear out.

[RWood]

While I have no problem with the Sony Reader size -- great for reading on the go etc -- my dream reader would be 7" x 10" (think of "National Geographic" size.) All formats would be nice but unexpected. Side or top light as I like the reflective nature of eink. Also, a remote control for turning the pages.

For my friends with major sight problems, a program on the reader that will read the text to them.

[nekokami]

I actually like my eBw 1150 pretty well for reading, but it would be even better if it ran linux and could display non-proprietary files without conversion (which it would probably be able to do by now if it were a linux device). The battery lasts a long time, easily 20+ hours at the setting I leave the backlight at. I like the note-taking feature, but it needs a better way to export the notes (or be able to search them, at least). And the price was right ($114 including shipping). So most of the improvements I want are software, not hardware. For a reader. I'm still not giving up on wishing for an Info Pad, but that's another story.

[UncleDuke]

A reader that reads to me. I like it!

[Calimero]

Originally Posted by transman

1. Unlike what seems to be most people here I would prefer an A4 sized screen since I mostly read academic papers which are always formatted in this size. A lot of the academic texts I download also seem to be around this size. Black and white display is more than enough for the moment.
etc.

Last post last year? Is this not a hot topic anymore? :-)
I'm with transman on this one, A4 display for reviewing documents on a plane. Nothing extra fancy, full featured PDF would be enough (everything else can be made into PDF )
Memory cards go up very high these days, so I wouldn't even worry about putting in more space than what's needed for the system itself to boot...
... oh, and charging and sync'ing with USB.
(dear santa? )

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Calimero

Last post last year? Is this not a hot topic anymore? :-)
I'm with transman on this one, A4 display for reviewing documents on a plane. Nothing extra fancy, full featured PDF would be enough (everything else can be made into PDF )
Memory cards go up very high these days, so I wouldn't even worry about putting in more space than what's needed for the system itself to boot...
... oh, and charging and sync'ing with USB.
(dear santa? )

An A4 sized eInk display does not exist and is unlikely to exist anytime soon, perhaps never. Even the latest 9.7" screen is pushing it and it is nowhere near A4. The largest commercially successful display is the iLiad 8". All early manifestations of large displays have failed in the market place. Hopefully a 9.7" will survive but I am not holding my breath. That is the reality since 1998 when the first eBook devices were built.

Dale