Any new models yet? What about Mirasol?

[joepie]

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering if Pocketbook will be announcing or launching new models any time soon.

I just returned a 10" Android tablet to the store, I did like the tablet but not as much as my trusty ereader. The colors are nice though, so you can read magazines. Made me wonder though, where are the ereaders with Mirasol or Color E-ink screens?

A year ago I read a lot of rumours about these screens. Anyways, it seems a bit quiet around innovation lately.

[Dulin's Books]

Mirasol was having yield problems which will be solved with the completion of the new 2 billion dollar manufacturing plant http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/20/q...r-client-alre/

[joepie]

Hi Dulin's Books,

That report is almost a year old! I'm not sure how long it takes to build a new plant, but I haven't heard much since. Then again, I'm not an insider.

But I'm very curious and I'm kinda in the market for the next gen. Do you know of any news? What are we to expect in the next coming months?

With the tablets marching up so strongly, are the ereaders at stand still ? I sure hope not.

[Dulin's Books]

the new Mirasol plant is expected to be in full production in the first half of 2012.

actually ebook reader ownership in the US has grown more in the last 6 months than than tablet ownership. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-200...acing-tablets/

[joepie]

I think that's a good thing to happen, that ereaders should outsell tablets.

But these figures might change because new tablets are being introduced all the time. Android just launched version 3.1 and the next version is coming up.

I'm not heavily into tablets, as I just returned mine. But I can see that there might be a shift in the statistics if there little innovation for ereaders. I haven't seen much happen lately and am wondering what's coming up .

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by joepie

I think that's a good thing to happen, that ereaders should outsell tablets.

But these figures might change because new tablets are being introduced all the time. Android just launched version 3.1 and the next version is coming up.

I'm not heavily into tablets, as I just returned mine. But I can see that there might be a shift in the statistics if there little innovation for ereaders. I haven't seen much happen lately and am wondering what's coming up .

New tablets are introduced daily.
Doesn't mean they're selling.
Don't confuse churn with progress; the reason you see so much activity in the Android market is because the OS is still half-baked and the tablets just aren't meeting expectations, as your own experience seems to bear out.
If you don't see much happen lately in ebook readers (other than new Nooks and Kobos) it is because the market is still assimilating the last batch of improved tech.
Also, don't assume tablet sales *must* come at ebook expense; they are really aimed at different markets.

[joepie]

Tablets are the cause of my question, I'm not going to the discussion ereaders vs tablet. Though I agree that they are different types of beasts and can be used for different activities. People will read on either.

I'm wondering what's down the line for ereaders, a couple of months from now, and 'nothing new' is as good an answer as any. I'd just rather hear about something new , if there's anything to be expected.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by joepie

Tablets are the cause of my question, I'm not going to the discussion ereaders vs tablet. Though I agree that they are different types of beasts and can be used for different activities. People will read on either.

I'm wondering what's down the line for ereaders, a couple of months from now, and 'nothing new' is as good an answer as any. I'd just rather hear about something new , if there's anything to be expected.

Barring "expected" surprises from Amazon and Sony, what you see is what you get. SiPix hype fading, eink slowly ramping up Pearl beyond the high-volume Four, generic LCD readers all over.
There are hints of generic eink android readers (Asus was looking into it, Panasonic just announced one) and higher-res 6in screens (iRiver HD) but nothing earth-shattering.

The thing is, the current tech is more than adequate for the core recreational reading market so it makes more sense (money-wise) for vendors to ride the price curve down to higher volumes, and we will sooner see a US$99 list price on a Sony than anything in volume with color eink. Any real tech improvement will have to wait on epub3 to see if it can jumpstart the potential for academic readers, and that is more a 2013-15 thing anyway.

At most we might see a Kindle price drop to $99 or a Sony 655 with XGA Pearl at $299 being announced in Aug-sept. Maybe a pearl refresh on the Pocketbook line next spring. Nothing to get excited over, really.

[joepie]

I think you're right. The current ereaders are probably good enough for the masses as it is.

I can't help but think that the big Four will surely want to stay on top and will somehow have to compete with innovation. New tech or improved software.

For me It's ok to use my current ereader for another year, but still I can't wait to find out more about color eink.Guess I'll have to wait bit.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by joepie

I'm wondering if Pocketbook will be announcing or launching new models any time soon.

They haven't started to sell here in Europe the new model PocketBook 360 PLUS that they launched quite a long time ago. We have seen video of PB360+ running DOOM in march 2011. So far they only sell it in Russia, Ukraine and USA

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by joepie

I can't help but think that the big Four will surely want to stay on top and will somehow have to compete with innovation. New tech or improved software.

Bear in mind that three of the big four are more interested in selling books than gadgets, which means reaching more customers is more important than pilling on the features. The fourth has been pinning its hopes on hardware innovation only to go from industry leader to a distant third.

Ebook readers is looking very much like a business that follows Adam Osbourne's maxim:
"Adequacy is sufficient".

Adding features costs money, and in a market headed towards a "race to the bottom" cost reduction and software optimization is more likely than breakneck innovation. Considering the recent history of the Pocketbook line, I think you'll find more people interested in firmware stability and bug erradication than innovation.

[jshzh]

who are the big four?

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by jshzh

who are the big four?

The four eink reader vendors that get all the mainstream and tech media coverage as industry leaders and are generally understood to be selling a million-plus readers a year.
- Kindle
- B&N
- Sony
- Kobo
What makes them "big" isn't just sales, as Pocketbook and a couple of chinese brands are probably running neck and neck with Sony & Kobo, but visibility. Most mainstream reader buyers are barely aware other brands exist, much less that they might have a superior value proposition. The bulk of reader sales today are no longer going to hobbyists or techies, but to "normal" people.

Stroll by the "what to get" forum and you'll see thread after thread cross-shopping the big four. Brands that were prominent just a year ago (Astak, iRex, BeBook, Bookeen, etc) are gone or afterthoughts. Pocketbook mantains worldwide relevance because of the PB360 and 9xx models, otherwise they might be just another regional player in the shadow of the big guys.

It's somewhat Dickensian; the best of times for the industry, the worst of times for many vendors. In the last two years industry sales have gone from 2 million or so a year to 20 million-plus. But almost all that growth has gone to North American brands; Kindle is running as high as a million a month, Nook despite its self-imposed regional limits is doing something like half of that, and Kobo in 1 year went from non-existent to matching/bettering Sony in sales and features. Consider that the likes of Samsung, ACER, and ASUS have all tried to get in the game and achieved essentially nothing. Next up, Panasonic tries their hand. And keep an eye on post-bankruptcy Borders, USA.

Right now, Sony is widely expected to announce new hardware as the current models are effectively gone. It'll be interesting to see what they come up with. If they come up with anything for the world market. I wouldn't be shocked to see them pull back to asia-only models.

It's early in the ebook game, but right now it looks like it is the ebookstores that sell readers, not tech or features.

[Yar-PocketBooker]

Nothing new from PocketBook so far, only PB360PLUS, which is the good ole' Mighty Mouse with increased memory capacity and wi-fi connectivity. And 20 bucks added to the price

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Yar-PocketBooker

Nothing new from PocketBook so far, only PB360PLUS, which is the good ole' Mighty Mouse with increased memory capacity and wi-fi connectivity. And 20 bucks added to the price

Do you have any idea why it isn't sold in Europe?