Bookeen and PocketBook in possible legal dispute over 5" model

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by Kris777

Elfwreck, I wish your Clie have a long life but let me ask you what eBook reader you will buy in case if it stops working tomorrow?

My Cliés are dead (all three of them: one dead screen, one battery that won't hold a charge, one that has a corroded connector and has hellish trouble hotsyncing).

My husband bought me a Sony Reader; I'm happy with it, and intend to get a couple more years from it--but expect my next reader to be either a Jetbook or some kind of 5" e-ink reader. I looked at some of the others first; light weight trumped the Bookwise, and battery life trumped the various tiny-screen devices. (Besides, I couldn't get good info about mobile devices as ebook readers; they're all pitched as phone/email devices now, not as small computers.)

Jetbook & the Aztak, which I considered, weren't available in the limited time window I had to choose, and having looked at the options, I wasn't certain they'd be better for me. (Still not. But if they'd been easily available, I'd've put more thought into it.)

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

My Cliés are dead (all three of them: one dead screen, one battery that won't hold a charge, one that has a corroded connector and has hellish trouble hotsyncing).

My husband bought me a Sony Reader; I'm happy with it, and intend to get a couple more years from it--but expect my next reader to be either a Jetbook or some kind of 5" e-ink reader. I looked at some of the others first; light weight trumped the Bookwise, and battery life trumped the various tiny-screen devices. (Besides, I couldn't get good info about mobile devices as ebook readers; they're all pitched as phone/email devices now, not as small computers.)

Jetbook & the Aztak, which I considered, weren't available in the limited time window I had to choose, and having looked at the options, I wasn't certain they'd be better for me. (Still not. But if they'd been easily available, I'd've put more thought into it.)

It will be interesting to see Sony ebook reader with 5" screen available on the market. In case if Netronix, BeBook and others will produce 5" screen units, this size will be more popular (like netbooks with 10" screen) and Sony can consider to make new 5" screen unit. If so I may buy it to compare with my jetBook

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Not for me; if I'd had the option for a PRS with a 5" screen, I'd've jumped at it. I've considered getting a Jetbook, despite the drawbacks (for my particular case), because of the smaller screen.

I *loved* my Cliés, and would've read books on them forever if they hadn't died. (Oh, and if they hadn't kept running out of battery mid-book.) I'd be beyond ecstatic to find e-Ink's battery life and a 4" screen.

I'm aware that I'm a fringe case; not many people will happily give up page size for portability (I really miss a reader that's safe to hold & operate with one hand). But some will, and the number of people willing to watch movies on iPods (!!) show that not everyone is concerned with screen size, and other feature might win out.

First there was/is NOTHING better than that jogwheel on the side of our Clies...if Sony would take some of the design elements of the NX series and add them to their ereaders, they would have a very winning combo. I would also not need eink...MaryLou display's anyone? Even the newer better transrefelctive displays. ANd leave the cell phone crap out too...

I happen to STILL be reading on an nx73v. Of course I scored it for just $15.95 at a charity thrift shop in Goleta, CA....been reading on it ever since. I even bought a new battery and second cradle for a total of $20 more. BTW, the battery takes about 5-mins to replace. You need a set of tiny screwdrivers from the 99-cent store if you don't have them.) I use it daily for everything from shopping lists to ebook reading. And since it works just fine in direct sunlight I was very let down by my K1 since I only need to carry a single device not two.

PS: most of the issues you describe are not that hard to repair if you canibalize parts from one to the other. Or happen to find a real shop manual for your Clie models. The battery is completely trivial.

BTW, it might be blessing in disguise for the Bookeen-PocketBook debacle. We might get an even nicer designed device with what looks to be a very well done UI and system software. I have said it here before...Russia and Ukraine have some of the best programmers in the world. I trust their software to the degree I do not trust software written in India in software sweatshops, where there is a history of poorly written, designed and bug ridden code bases. BTW, it's not the coders who are bad in India, it's the companies they are working for...

I like the look of the Bookeen device as much as the PocketBook device, it will be nice to see some real competition for the two devices in the same class.

[wallcraft]

Its design is practically identical to the BeBook (Hanlin V3), but the BeBook Mini (Hanlin V5) now has a price and a release date (EUR 199 in August). See First video footage of BeBook 2 and BeBook mini, which includes perhaps the first footage of a 5" EInk Reader actually in a pocket.

[bwaldron]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

First there was/is NOTHING better than that jogwheel on the side of our Clies.

Absolutely.

[krischik]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

This device with a 5" screen is a step backwards (IMHO).

I know you always moan about the 5" screen - But I see a pattern here (ok it's now three month later).

Most announced devices are either 9 .. 10" - for better A4 PDF display or 5" for better portability. Both tents have there merits and if I have to hassart a guess then 6" has the slimmest change of survival.

Martin

[JSWolf]

I think 6" will still be here. The K2 is 6" and the 505/700 are 6". I do see a move to bigger screens. But I really see a 5" screen as a fad.

[krischik]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I think 6" will still be here. The K2 is 6" and the 505/700 are 6". I do see a move to bigger screens. But I really see a 5" screen as a fad.

I have got myself a Sony now - and I still have to disagree.

Not that I don't like the Sony but 6" is definably not enough for PDF. Even PDFs which are smaller then A4 are impossible to read. I got a C6 manual and I can't read it without re flow. But re flow is a marketing gimmick on limited value.

On the other hand I have read (MOBI) trivia on a 2.8" mobile phone display. So I can image that trivia can be read on 5" just as well.

And that leaves the question what 6" is good for. You need a handbag to carry it but it still can't display PDF.

Martin

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by krischik

I have got myself a Sony now - and I still have to disagree.

Not that I don't like the Sony but 6" is definably not enough for PDF. Even PDFs which are smaller then A4 are impossible to read. I got a C6 manual and I can't read it without re flow. But re flow is a marketing gimmick on limited value.

On the other hand I have read (MOBI) trivia on a 2.8" mobile phone display. So I can image that trivia can be read on 5" just as well.

And that leaves the question what 6" is good for. You need a handbag to carry it but it still can't display PDF.

Martin

I think that is an excellent way of addressing the issue. the 6" display is nice, but the cases needed to keep it from cracking make the device to large, though the Sony is a pretty minimal case. For me, since 99% of my reading is novels, a 5" display will seem HUGE compared to my Clie and Nokia N800. I never use the Kindle for other reasons, mostly because I do no like reading on it under most lighting.

And the 6" display is not near large enough for many of us wanting to view reference manuals, tech books, and even newspapers or magazines.

So, I have to agree there will likely be a 5" market and a 9.7"+ market when it all shakes out over the coming year. The 6" market will always be there but a lot of folks might simply prefer the smaller reader size.

[Mrraow]

... and I reckon folks are confusing pixels with size. PDFs don't display well on small screens at the moment, because the pixel density is too low, and the images are unreadable as a result. With a larger number of pixels, the images could be crisp and clear on even a 5" screen. For those of us who are myopic, at least

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by igorsk

On March 14th Ukrainian company PocketBook showed prototype of their new 5" model (developed by Netronix with PocketBook's input) at a meeting with ebook enthusiasts in Kiev.
http://www.the-ebook.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10561
On March 19th the site the-ebook.org posted a news entry about it:
http://www.the-ebook.org/rus/?p=1142
On March 20th "Michael Dahan" added this comment:

PocketBook claims they have signed an exclusive contract for worldwide distribution of the new device with Netronix, but apparently Bookeen thinks they have worldwide rights as well. Then there's the matter of the "mentor" label on the prototype, which is the name of the new model series by Astak...

I hope the situation can be settled without litigation. The new device looks very promising.

Dear All:

We have zero plans at this time to carry the Netronix 5 inch. Netronix is a wonderful factory. We carry their 6 inch as the Mentor Lite. But, I have heard nothing that would lead me to believe we have any interest in the 5 inch.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

I think that is an excellent way of addressing the issue. the 6" display is nice, but the cases needed to keep it from cracking make the device to large, though the Sony is a pretty minimal case. For me, since 99% of my reading is novels, a 5" display will seem HUGE compared to my Clie and Nokia N800. I never use the Kindle for other reasons, mostly because I do no like reading on it under most lighting.

And the 6" display is not near large enough for many of us wanting to view reference manuals, tech books, and even newspapers or magazines.

So, I have to agree there will likely be a 5" market and a 9.7"+ market when it all shakes out over the coming year. The 6" market will always be there but a lot of folks might simply prefer the smaller reader size.

Dear All:

Brecklundin is dead on with his opinion.

The large near 10 inch will be great to view newspapers and magazines but difficult to carry around and take on trips. Imagine being on an airliner. Where in hell do you put it when they serve drinks? It will not fit in the pocket in front of you I will bet. You don't want to risk it under the seat in front. There is clearly a market there though.

The 5 inch can be a gem!! You get a 5 inch E-Ink with an Epson Controller, 400MHz processor, Adobe Digital Editions, MP3, Text-to-Speech, 12 formats, and your choice of colors for around $200 (yes, I know of one coming real quick)... and you have instantenous page turns, higher resolution, and it fits in your jeans pocket! That is the perfect travel companion. There is clearly a market there.

The 6 inch... a very good in-between and kinda considered the "normal" size. It will not go away as newcomers to eBook Reading will want that.