This thing is a usability nightmare

[maynard]

I have elected to return the device and have just submitted a request for an RMA #.

[maynard]

I still have a couple days left before I run out of time to return the device. Some points I'd like to make:

- It is true that one can better learn how to use the touchscreen to navigate web pages. But it's also true that the touchscreen is often too inaccurate for touch typing.

- The softkeyboard buffering is horrible. Perhaps one of the commercial keyboards would help. Android 2.1 is supposed to have a significantly better keyboard. Hopefully Entourage will deploy 2.1 in the near future.

- Power management is completely broken. It simply doesn't have a real sleep state. At best, it can turn off the LCD backlight- but that's not enough. Entourage really needs to resolve that issue ASAP.

A big problem I have with returning the device is that I'm now actually _using_ it. I have to admit that the web browsing experience outright sucks (especially compared to an iPad). However, having a large LCD screen next to that big eink screen is turns out to be _tremendously_ useful. Here's what I'm doing with it:

I've installed a Chinese language textbook in PDF format into both the ereader and Docs to Go. This way I can read the textbook either on the LCD screen or the eink screen. The textbook uses some color coding for grammar elements, so being able to see color is - at times - really useful. Also, since I've got the textbook displayed on the LCD, I have the eink screen free for notes. This lets me practice character writing without burning through paper! I think I've destroyed whole forests practicing my character writing while going through the language program. With the Edge, no more! And no more carrying heavy notebooks. Instead, I carry a heavy Edge. D'oh!

Next, I installed mp3s of the language audio supplement for the textbook. Now I have the textbook, a notebook, and all the audio supplements in one device. That's *really* useful! My only complaint is that an audio control isn't available in the top menu bar so I could load other programs (like Docs to Go) while simultaneously reading the textook in color. I can read it on the eink screen and control the audio player from the LCD screen though.

Other uses are more mundane... mostly just loading PDFs of various studies and academic reports. That eink screen is simply gorgeous.

I'm leaning toward keeping the Edge now.

[borisb]

A true sleep state is in the works, as is an Android 2.x update. The latter enTourage has said within the next few months.

[maynard]

Do you think that the LCD screen accuracy issues could be helped with updated software? Or would the Edge need an upgrade to a capacitive touchscreen?

[borisb]

The first patch helped with some issues like scroll vs. clicking sensitivity. I haven't seen anything to say enTourage can or cannot do anything about the accuracy. Certainly a stylus is 100% accurate, although some users still experience the screen "jumping" suddenly when they just tap. Not sure if this is a resistive screen issue or not, but certainly my cell phone, which has a resistive screen, doesn't have these jump issues (i.e., it's pretty accurate with just a finger).

[maynard]

That's interesting. One thing I note is that when using the touch keyboard, the screen often recognizes the wrong key even with a clean button press. And when making menu selections, sometimes it recognizes the wrong menu item.

As you point out, however, when used with a stylus the LCD screen is reasonably accurate. Also, many point of sale terminals with resistive touch screens don't have this problem. Perhaps it can be resolved with new software.

What did this latest update do? When I first received the Edge last week I updated. Then I notice last weekend that a new update was available so I installed it. Never saw any release notes though.

[Dellaster]

I have no disagreement with maynard's assessment. I think we just differ somewhat in what's most important to us, individually. For example: the keyboard was never going to be anything but hunt-n-peck for me -- I touch type with the Dvorak layout so an external keyboard is a must, regardless -- so I probably won't even notice if enTourage improves it.

No question, the LCD touch interface needs work. Even with the stylus I can get that screen jump, and that's unacceptable. I would say this is the issue that most bothers me about the eDGe. I'm trusting that enTourage will iron out that problem. I don't think it's due to Android 1.6 or the resistive touchscreen, so the ball is in their court.

On the other hand I'm delighted with the e-ink screen half and I'm not sure I can go back after experiencing the way it can interact with things on the LCD half. Just need to allow landscape mode. Please.

I'm well-enough satisfied with mine, but I completely understand how it might not be satisfactory for someone else.

[borisb]

Maynard - The April 20th patch fixed problems people were having with registering their eDGe.

Dellaster - very well put!

[sonict72]

Originally Posted by maynard

That's interesting. One thing I note is that when using the touch keyboard, the screen often recognizes the wrong key even with a clean button press. And when making menu selections, sometimes it recognizes the wrong menu item.

As you point out, however, when used with a stylus the LCD screen is reasonably accurate. Also, many point of sale terminals with resistive touch screens don't have this problem. Perhaps it can be resolved with new software.

What did this latest update do? When I first received the Edge last week I updated. Then I notice last weekend that a new update was available so I installed it. Never saw any release notes though.

I am glad you are keeping the device. I love mine and you will too. As for the LCD screen, you have to remember that it is a resistive screen. Trying using your finger nail. Once you get used to it, you will find that it is accurate and responsive.

[geekraver]

Maynard, you can use iAnnotatePDF as a PDF reader that supports annotations on iPad.

[sarah11918]

Originally Posted by geekraver

Maynard, you can use iAnnotatePDF as a PDF reader that supports annotations on iPad.

I saw iAnnotate and I wondered whether it would compete with the edge on the main features of the e-ink screen, but it looks like it doesn't (yet) for a few reasons:

- One review mentions that you can basically only use the iPad in close proximity to your computer because of the way the app makes use of its own supporting app using shared folders to get your pdfs. You can't transfer pdfs to the device any other way (file transfer, email, download from web) or else they won't have the proper encoding to be able to use the annotation features. It looks like the next version is going to try to do away with the need to use their specific transfer app, but I still can't exactly figure out whether the pdfs are in fact "downloaded" to the iPad or simply "shared" from your computer. Similarly, you can only transfer back to your shared folder, not email or upload anyway. Kind of defeats the purpose if you can't take the iPad out and about or away from the network your laptop is on.

- the pencil tool (meant to be used with your finger, not a stylus) is reported as bulky and inaccurate. One person on the forum mentions that the only way they can really make handwritten notes is to zoom in a lot, write, then zoom back out and it looks OK. That will be fine for some people, but it doesn't lend itself to using the iPad as a journal

- they are having similar problems with being able to annotate pdfs accurately (especially highlighting) with any consistency just like we've been having on the edge because of the way the pdf is processed. Some work great, some not at all. But, all of the pdfs have to be transfered through the secondary app in order to work at all because it's not just a file transfer program; it also writes/encodes/finds (whatever the right action is) metadata that the annotation app can read. Otherwise, every pdf is just like the ones we struggle to highlight accurately on the edge.

I understand it's a first gen product, and the user manual has notes about the limitations of the first version of the app because it was written without access to an iPad, so I'm sure it will get better.

But, right now the two big things seem to be file transfer/management and handwriting. Though there may be improvements coming with the first, it doesn't sound like creating a real handwriting experience (even without recognition) is even on the radar. So it's definitely not a journal substitute, and if the stylus input is important to someone, it doesn't sound like this app will cut it.