Help! Mysterious Broken Screen!!

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Certainly I'm not saying that - your own screen failure was covered by warranty, wasn't it? But yours was, I believe, a controller failure? It's rather more difficult to demonstrate how a physical fracture of the screen substrate, which is what we clearly have in this case, could result from anything other than a knock or some other force being applied to the machine.

How difficult something is to demonstrate does not affect the responsibility question. It only affect how easy it is for companies or customers to avoid fulfilling their responsibility.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Screens using a flexible plastic substrate should become available during 2009; these should, one would imagine, significantly reduce screen failures.

That will certainly be a welcome change.

BOb

[dki]

Originally Posted by ErwinOtten

No then GM, Ford or Chrysler................ Let's see which of those you can still buy in a year from now.......

And NO I'm not French myself, and NO I don't own a French car, but I must admit that I used to own an old Peugeot 205 and that one was much more reliable than all the Opels my family ever owned....

I think that unfortunately GM and Chrysler will be with us for a time to come... And, fortunately, they will be servicing their cars. Ford is really not doing that badly. I don't own a US car, either, just to be on the safe side. In addition, I was not even talking about the quality of the product at this point, I was talking of the quality of the customer service. Still no word from Bookeen. I don't even know if they received my $$. They completely ignore their customers. Even f their product was fairly good (which it's not) they would not get any return business with a customer service like that.

[Timboli]

I was considering getting an Ebook Reader, but after reading here, I now think it best to wait a few more years again, until they get realistic about not using fragile glass (certainly while it's container can be flexed in any way or affected by normal dropping or impacts). Like many have said or implied here - Is it portable or not, or do you have to use it in a padded room with no gravity while wearing a padded suit that is attached to something so that you can't accidentally sit on it or lean on it.
I thought we were living in an age of enlightenment, but obviously not ... just greed, stupidity and more greed.
I cannot believe we've had to wait this long for a decent reader, and it's still nowhere near on the horizon ... just a bunch of companies being way too clever.
If they were even half as good as an Ipod (and they have their faults), everyone would want one yesterday ... the uses are numerous to say the least. What decent parent wouldn't want one for each of their kids, if only to save on the back-breaking burden of carrying around all their textbooks ... let alone the search, bookmark and print options, etc. So they have to be sturdy enough for kids ... currently they aren't even a practical solution for adults ... even careful ones ... just one small mistake and bingo you are up for big dollars.

[HarryT]

I have to ask whether or not you've actually USED an eBook reader, and why you are concentrating on the remarks of the tiny number of people who have had problems, rather than the hugely overwhelming majority of people who have not?

[DDHarriman]

I Timboli

My Cybook completed ONE year yesterday, zero problems... how about that?

We all know how fragile the devices are nowadays, we deal with it the best we can, and have got an outstanding return on our investment already!

I advise you to keep the ipod (if you have one) as it’s such a good device (2 times mine you say…), we will keep on using (and enjoying) our (“it brakes if I sneeze in it”) readers.

Best regards,

[Timboli]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I have to ask whether or not you've actually USED an eBook reader, and why you are concentrating on the remarks of the tiny number of people who have had problems, rather than the hugely overwhelming majority of people who have not?

No I haven't ... they are not readily available where I live.
Do we know that for sure?
I wonder how many have come close to disaster?
Still early days at this point.
How many have been tiptoeing around and performing other unnecessary acts to keep them safe (unnecessary to them, but not the reader).

[Timboli]

Originally Posted by DDHarriman

I Timboli

My Cybook completed ONE year yesterday, zero problems... how about that?

We all know how fragile the devices are nowadays, we deal with it the best we can, and have got an outstanding return on our investment already!

I advise you to keep the ipod (if you have one) as it’s such a good device (2 times mine you say…), we will keep on using (and enjoying) our (“it brakes if I sneeze in it”) readers.

Best regards,

Congratulations!
Let me know again next year, and then the year after ......
At this point, many might consider you lucky.
Have you ever asked yourself why so many things we use today need to be so fragile ... especially when you consider how much better we COULD make things.
I'm a long time cynic that for some unknown reason, believes that money is the root of all evil (or greed there of).
I treat both my Ipods with kid gloves, but wish I didn't have to. Lucky I was smart in choosing their protective cases (lucky so far anyway), which was no easy chore ... especially for the classic, which I housed in a nice looking but painful Belkin leather case that needs removing to use my docks. I also house it in another case or padded bag for transporting ... this was a cheap as slim camera bag, that proved to be just perfect ... otherwise I'd still be searching till this day for a suitable one ... just enough room to house a few extras too.

For something as big as the ebook reader, I doubt I'd be so lucky in a decent padded case ... not for all the perils it might have to endure. I've seriously considered using something like an EEPC instead.

What's the biggest advantage (apart from cost), that a normal book has over a reader? It can endure a hell of a lot - sand, dust, most impacts, food, drink, extreme temperatures, flexibility and even a little water or moisture ... not to mention children who might do nearly all at once.

Something as small as an Ipod, can escape a lot because if its size ... it fits in your pocket for one thing.

Uptake of readers has not been real big just yet, so the jury is out on how well they will survive ... I personally don't think they will last too well with the average reader, who up till now has generally treated their regular books quite roughly. I on the other hand, treat my books very well ... many of the paperbacks don't even look or feel like they have been read. I still quake at the thought of how fragile the readers truly are ... at least in my mind anyway ... in absence of a real one to test (that's not to say I haven't always wanted one ... the notion has appealed to me for years).

Like I said before, if producers can get their act together, they'll sell like hotcakes.

[Pulp]

The more durable devices are on the way, there already are prototypes of readers around that do not use glass, but it will take some time until they are out for real.

Until then you should try to get a look at a real reader to find out if what you get outweighs what you don't get.

If you are looking for a reader that you can throw into a bag with a bunch of other stuff not worrying about a protective cover you are not going to be happy - but then considering the hassle you go through to protect a simple iPod I doubt you would do that.

What you get is an excellent device that makes your reading life a lot easier, and all it requires is a protective cover and some care.

You can always wait for a newer and more durable version of a device to come but the chance is you miss the whole experience of reading on an ebook reader.

Threat it like your iPods and it will live a long time

[dki]

Also, there a readers out there that don't use eink technology. I have RCA 1100 that is close to 9 years old, was stored improperly in a damp basement, banged around, sat on, dropped onto hardwood and tile floors, munched on by a hamster, does not have ANY protective case, and never had one, so is carried in my bag as is, with whatever else I have in my bag and is still working fine. Formatting books for it & making fonts available for it is another matter, and it is because of that I wanted Cybook.

BTW, the supposedly new Cybook that I received is hanging up every time it's charged - and it needs to be connected to the computer, disconnected, reset, needs to have it's battery taken out etc., it differs each time, the only thing that remains the same is a hanged-up device. Luckily, somebody else is enjoying that whole circus now, but I tried to get Cybook to send a repair ticket for this for a month now - no response whatsoever. Despite all I hope they went out of business - I might be out of $$, but the world be a much better place without Bookeen.

[Justy]

Originally Posted by DDHarriman

My Cybook completed ONE year yesterday, zero problems... how about that?

Hi Timboli,

I have 2 Cybooks both in great working order. The first arrived just before Christmas 2007 and the second arrived Mid October 2008. I have carried them in my purse and my husband has carried his in a pocket of his briefcase. We have both left them sitting on end tables and occasionally dropped them from low heights onto carpet floors. All this time they were in the covers designed for them and nothing else. So far no indications of issues. I did have to reset my Cybook after it landed on lino floor hard enough to pop out the SD card. In my mind this means that with common sense, a good protective case, keeping it away from anything that will allow flex, and away from pressure on a single point, all is good.

I think I treat my Cybook a bit more care and respect than my iPod, but not much. It goes with me *Everywhere,* I love reading on it and would hate to be without a book to read during an unexpected wait time. Thus I make sure it is in a nice 'flat' location in my purse where it isn't likely to be knocked or poked, and go about my day as normal.

I really feel bad for those who have had screen breakages which seem to happen out of no where and as easily as sneezing on them. I just haven't had that experience with my Cybook.

[darex]

I was all set to get a CYBook but this thread has seriously put me off. There are 2 issues as far as I can see - one is the inherent fragility of the screen and the other is what sounds like woeful customer service from bookeen.
I would love to hear from more users who have had good experiences with the Cybook. I.e. normal useage carrying it around in a bag as you would a mobile phone and it not breaking.
Also is there any reason not to get a sony? (aside from a bit more expensive). I realise that sony screens may be somewhat fragile but they have sold several hundred thousand of these and if the problem was as bad as with CYBook this site would be covered in head to toe with sony screen break issues.

And please no French bashing!!!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by darex

I would love to hear from more users who have had good experiences with the Cybook. I.e. normal useage carrying it around in a bag as you would a mobile phone and it not breaking.

That would be 99.9% of us. People who have problems moan about them. People who don't, stay silent. Personally I've carried two different Gen3's around with me pretty much everywhere I go for a year and a half. Zero problems.

Also is there any reason not to get a sony? (aside from a bit more expensive). I realise that sony screens may be somewhat fragile but they have sold several hundred thousand of these and if the problem was as bad as with CYBook this site would be covered in head to toe with sony screen break issues.

There have been plenty of reports of broken screens in the Sony forum. Given that the two machines use an identical screen, it's just as likely to break as a CyBook's screen if you do something silly like sit on it.

Do you want a Sony or do you want a CyBook? It's like asking "should I buy an apple or an orange?". They are different machines with different capabilities. The Sony is undoubtedly better engineered; the CyBook is equally undoubtedly (IMHO) streets ahead when it comes to software, with Mobi support, dictionary lookup, the ability to load any font you wish onto the machine, and also in some hardware features, such as having a user-replaceable battery.

Both machines are good - but different. What features are you looking for in an eBook reader?

[JSWolf]

Any of the eink devices today that use a 6" eink screen have the very same screen as the Gen3. This includes Sony, Amazon, Jinke, Bookeen, etc.

I've had my Sony 505 since October 2007 and it's not had a single screen problem.

[HarryT]

Do you mean "October 2007", Jon? It's more than 5 months old, isn't it? Or did you buy another one?