Screen check in sunlight

rainbowgryphon · 05-09-2010, 06:04 PM

Hello!

I've been following the massively helpful discussions all over these boards for quite some time now and have finally narrowed it down to the Onyx Boox/BeBook Neo. I must have considered nearly all models going for $340 or less and keep coming back to this one.

However, I'm concerned about the screen issue that's been reported on a number different devices, including some of these models. I'm talking about the screen fading in sunlight. I was reading about this here and on the BooxUsers forums. My understanding is that this is not normal and is probably due to some defective screens in certain units.

There's some indication on the BooxUsers forums that Onyx became aware of this and the delayed shipment was due to them checking each unit in the replacement shipment for this problem. (I should mention that I didn't see a specific notation that it was the screen issue, just that they were checking each unit to make sure it didn't have a defect, but it seems the most logical conclusion.)

I know some users who were waiting finally had theirs shipped recently. I'm hoping these new Boox users would be willing to check their new units for this problem and post here to let us potential buyers know if it indeed seems to have been cleared up. $330 is a serious investment for me, so I'm hesitant to order right now until I'm sure this problem has been solved.

People on this forum have been incredibly generous and helpful, and I wanted to express my gratitude to everyone in general for their time and effort in helping us all.

Rainbow

Delta Tango · 05-10-2010, 03:31 AM

I'll make sure to expose it to our dear Sun when it arrives.
Current shipping info is:

Quote:

Class: Priority Mail International Parcels
Service(s): International Parcels
Status: International Dispatch

Your item left the United States from ISC MIAMI FL (USPS) at 11:07 PM on May 8, 2010. Information, if available, is updated periodically throughout the day. Please check again later.

Detailed Results:
International Dispatch, May 08, 2010, 11:07 pm, ISC MIAMI FL (USPS)
Arrival
Electronic Shipping Info Received, May 04, 2010

I'm in Croatia, so it might take another couple of days to get here and who knows how long it will be held up at the customs, but as soon as I have it in my hands and have some time to study it I'll write a full report.

Sweetpea · 05-10-2010, 03:44 AM

I know of what you speak. I've read these reports as well. Yet, my screen has absolutely no fading in direct sunlight (BeBook Mini). Now, naturally we hardly have sun (I'm starting to believe it won't show itself this year at all, or at least, not a lot...), but I have had my device lying in the sun, turned on, without any shade at all. No sign of fading at all.

frozennorth · 05-10-2010, 02:05 PM

I got my tracking number on the 4th of May saying electronic shipping info received. It hasn't been updated since but I heard USPS does a lot of times not update until the package is delivered. And I'm in Canada so who knows how long the holdup in customs will be.

If I should get it this week I will actually have the right weather to check it out.

rainbowgryphon · 05-11-2010, 01:53 PM

Thank you all for replying so far. I'll keep checking this thread.

FYI, Ziphnor in this thread states that he had no issues replacing his girlfriend's Bebook Neo because of the screen problem.

I certainly don't want to be too anal about this, but I was put off by the way Sony seems to be handling defective units. Customers basically have to fight with them to get a replacement, and even then it's generally a refurbished one. It doesn't seem right to me to replace a defective unit with a refurbished unit....

Thanks again!
Rainbow

Chrystel · 05-13-2010, 06:22 AM

Hello,

You will find some information about boox and pb with sunshine here : http://booxusers.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=225&start=70
Bye

bl1none · 05-13-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I know of what you speak. I've read these reports as well. Yet, my screen has absolutely no fading in direct sunlight (BeBook Mini). Now, naturally we hardly have sun (I'm starting to believe it won't show itself this year at all, or at least, not a lot...), but I have had my device lying in the sun, turned on, without any shade at all. No sign of fading at all.

Also no sign of fading at all - which includes about an hour exposed to the SoCal sun yesterday.

pietvo · 05-23-2010, 11:05 PM

My Boox doesn't have any problems in the tropical sunlight.

rainbowgryphon · 05-26-2010, 12:25 PM

I really appreciate people updating this thread with experiences with their Boox/Neo. This really helps those of us who are waiting to see what happens.

This issue is far from resolved, as this thread and the discussion in Chrystel's post shows (thanks for the link, Chrystel).

I'm definitely going to wait to see what happens. Word is that Onyx is going to release a firmware update at the end of the month that attempts to fix this problem, but many are saying it's purely hardware and not fixable through firmware.

It's not like this makes the unit completely unusable, but it's disappointing when there's such a major glitch in these devices. Hopefully some people will update us once the firmware comes out.

Rainbow

neilmarr · 05-27-2010, 07:23 AM

My Sony 505 has one of those screens that tends to fade in direct sunlight. Solved the problem by buying a swish and comfortable leather flip-top cover. Still holding the device in a single hand, the flap of the flip-top provides a perfect shade for the screen. Can't remember the price (not much), but the cover provices many advantages. Best few bucks I've spent in a long time. Cheers. Neil

TimMason · 05-27-2010, 01:02 PM

Neil

The boox doesn't just fade in sunlight: the text disappears, leaving a milky white nothingness. Sometimes the text partially disappears leaving you with the top half of a couple of lines. It's unreadable. It really isn't a minor issue for those whose readers have this bug. I'm not even sure that your flip-top cover would solve the problem: I intend being on the move with mine.

cabs · 05-28-2010, 03:44 AM

Hi - I can confirm the existence of this problem in my Boox. I received it from a European web shop at May, 11th.

When exposed to direct sunlight, it only refreshes partially when I turn a page. The new page is absolutely unreadable. If I take the device back in the shade and refreshes, the page is OK.

I have sent an e-mail to the shop explaining the problem, but I'm a bit concerned I haven't had any response yet.

And, sadly, this is not the only hardware problem, I have had with my Boox.

05-09-2010, 06:04 PM	#1
rainbowgryphon Reading Over the Rainbow Posts: 11 Karma: 14 Join Date: May 2010 Device: none	Screen check in sunlight Hello! I've been following the massively helpful discussions all over these boards for quite some time now and have finally narrowed it down to the Onyx Boox/BeBook Neo. I must have considered nearly all models going for $340 or less and keep coming back to this one. However, I'm concerned about the screen issue that's been reported on a number different devices, including some of these models. I'm talking about the screen fading in sunlight. I was reading about this here and on the BooxUsers forums. My understanding is that this is not normal and is probably due to some defective screens in certain units. There's some indication on the BooxUsers forums that Onyx became aware of this and the delayed shipment was due to them checking each unit in the replacement shipment for this problem. (I should mention that I didn't see a specific notation that it was the screen issue, just that they were checking each unit to make sure it didn't have a defect, but it seems the most logical conclusion.) I know some users who were waiting finally had theirs shipped recently. I'm hoping these new Boox users would be willing to check their new units for this problem and post here to let us potential buyers know if it indeed seems to have been cleared up. $330 is a serious investment for me, so I'm hesitant to order right now until I'm sure this problem has been solved. People on this forum have been incredibly generous and helpful, and I wanted to express my gratitude to everyone in general for their time and effort in helping us all. Rainbow Last edited by rainbowgryphon; 05-09-2010 at 06:09 PM.

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05-10-2010, 03:44 AM	#3
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I know of what you speak. I've read these reports as well. Yet, my screen has absolutely no fading in direct sunlight (BeBook Mini). Now, naturally we hardly have sun (I'm starting to believe it won't show itself this year at all, or at least, not a lot...), but I have had my device lying in the sun, turned on, without any shade at all. No sign of fading at all.

05-10-2010, 02:05 PM	#4
frozennorth Evangelist Posts: 407 Karma: 18772 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: Onyx Boox RIP, Sony PRS-T1, Kobo Libra	I got my tracking number on the 4th of May saying electronic shipping info received. It hasn't been updated since but I heard USPS does a lot of times not update until the package is delivered. And I'm in Canada so who knows how long the holdup in customs will be. If I should get it this week I will actually have the right weather to check it out.

05-11-2010, 01:53 PM	#5
rainbowgryphon Reading Over the Rainbow Posts: 11 Karma: 14 Join Date: May 2010 Device: none	Thank you all for replying so far. I'll keep checking this thread. FYI, Ziphnor in this thread states that he had no issues replacing his girlfriend's Bebook Neo because of the screen problem. I certainly don't want to be too anal about this, but I was put off by the way Sony seems to be handling defective units. Customers basically have to fight with them to get a replacement, and even then it's generally a refurbished one. It doesn't seem right to me to replace a defective unit with a refurbished unit.... Thanks again! Rainbow

05-13-2010, 06:22 AM	#6
Chrystel Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: France Device: Onyx Boox 60	Hello, You will find some information about boox and pb with sunshine here : http://booxusers.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=225&start=70 Bye

05-23-2010, 11:05 PM	#8
pietvo Reader Posts: 519 Karma: 24612 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Utrecht, NL Device: Kobo Aura 2, iPhone, iPad	My Boox doesn't have any problems in the tropical sunlight.

05-26-2010, 12:25 PM	#9
rainbowgryphon Reading Over the Rainbow Posts: 11 Karma: 14 Join Date: May 2010 Device: none	I really appreciate people updating this thread with experiences with their Boox/Neo. This really helps those of us who are waiting to see what happens. This issue is far from resolved, as this thread and the discussion in Chrystel's post shows (thanks for the link, Chrystel). I'm definitely going to wait to see what happens. Word is that Onyx is going to release a firmware update at the end of the month that attempts to fix this problem, but many are saying it's purely hardware and not fixable through firmware. It's not like this makes the unit completely unusable, but it's disappointing when there's such a major glitch in these devices. Hopefully some people will update us once the firmware comes out. Rainbow

05-27-2010, 07:23 AM	#10
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	My Sony 505 has one of those screens that tends to fade in direct sunlight. Solved the problem by buying a swish and comfortable leather flip-top cover. Still holding the device in a single hand, the flap of the flip-top provides a perfect shade for the screen. Can't remember the price (not much), but the cover provices many advantages. Best few bucks I've spent in a long time. Cheers. Neil

05-27-2010, 01:02 PM	#11
TimMason Big Ears Posts: 191 Karma: 2229 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Pontoise, France Device: Onyx Boox 60, iPad	Neil The boox doesn't just fade in sunlight: the text disappears, leaving a milky white nothingness. Sometimes the text partially disappears leaving you with the top half of a couple of lines. It's unreadable. It really isn't a minor issue for those whose readers have this bug. I'm not even sure that your flip-top cover would solve the problem: I intend being on the move with mine.

05-28-2010, 03:44 AM	#12
cabs Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Onyx Boox 60	Hi - I can confirm the existence of this problem in my Boox. I received it from a European web shop at May, 11th. When exposed to direct sunlight, it only refreshes partially when I turn a page. The new page is absolutely unreadable. If I take the device back in the shade and refreshes, the page is OK. I have sent an e-mail to the shop explaining the problem, but I'm a bit concerned I haven't had any response yet. And, sadly, this is not the only hardware problem, I have had with my Boox.

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