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Old 01-04-2010, 02:46 PM   #151
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Originally Posted by LDBoblo View Post
I've got many of the same hopes/demands as dmaul1114, and the iRex is just not fast enough or usable enough for me yet. I know that fast enough and usable enough are coming within the next year or two for my personal demands, and if I'm somehow let down, I still have plenty of paper and pens/pencils of excellent quality, along with my computer and prs-505 for a three-piece temporary solution.
Yep. With new technology it's always a balance of not always "waiting for the perfect device" with not spending too much money on a device that doesn't really suit your needs.

For novel reading, I was happy to early adopt as even the K1 fit my needs perfectly, and at $200 for a used one at the K2 launch the price was right.

But for my academic reading, it's just best for me personally to wait a bit for things like price, speed of page turning (I flip through academic documents much more often than I actually read them) and stylus writing (less lag) to be resolved if I'm going to get an e-ink device for that purpose.

And to wait and see what happens with tablets, and LCD solves the speed and writing issues, as well as gives me a device I'd get a lot more use out of--and thus be willing to pay more for--vs. an e-ink device I'd use 5-10 hours a month tops for academic reading.

But that's just me. The DR 1000 is a solid device, and if it fits people's needs and budget they should go for it. Though I would currently say to at least wait a bit currently with details on the Que coming, the Sony Daily edition etc. since there will soon be some more options on the large screen, stylus supported e-ink device. Don't want to wait forever if you want one, but worth waiting a week for the CES announcements, some early reviews/impressions etc. so you can be sure you get the best bang for your book.
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Old 01-05-2010, 12:58 PM   #152
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Here's the thing with tablets, they are potentially too complicated to target most current e-ink eReader users. One of main reasons something like the Kindle is popular is because of how simple it is. You don't even need a computer to get more books. That is one of many advantages of it over a tablet.

eReaders are dedicated devices and for many more years they will probably be the preference for many readers. My mother is 56 years old and she called me up just to ask how to turn the wireless off on her Kindle to conserve battery life and then to boast how she downloaded a book all by herself. She just wants to read books, and I would easily assume that she is a good representative of the demographic these devices target.

Also, I really don't think battery life can be overstated as a major positive of E-Ink over LCD displays. Considering how long people have to spend in airports traveling, 8 hours won't cut it. Especially on a tablet where one is going to want to do more than read. Watching video, listening to music, and surfing the web will all drain the battery faster. Not to mention the size of a tablet compared to an eReader. There's a reason you don't see as many people anymore lugging around laptops. Most people just want to do one type of thing on their device. Some want to read, some want music, some want movies. For the average person something like and iPod Touch or iPhone will suffice.

Tablets have their place of course, and will eventually became the the thing we all have, but it won't be for years, and it won't be with LCD displays. Tablets need the advantage of battery life and a picture that is easy on the eyes. And when we do get that, don't expect it to be affordable for most people.

The best combo for me is an iPod touch and eReader. They are both small and are really better off separated. The media access of the Touch will get my attention for an hour or two, but I'll spend most of my time on the Kindle and not even have to think about anything other than reading.
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Old 01-05-2010, 01:31 PM   #153
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Agree, and that's why people who like dedicated e-ink readers shouldn't be worried about tablets, and why people shouldn't start threads about the death of e-ink.

Tablets and dedicated readers target very different markets.

I bought a Kindle to read novels before sleeping as I hated hassling with paper books I'd only read once. And because I like having the latest tech gadget--honestly compared to most here I probably don't read enough to warrant owning one.

I'm interested in a tablet for reading and marking up academic PDFs, net surfing, video watching etc. I'd probably never read a novel on it.

E-ink is here to stay. Tablets have their own niche to fill. Some will read novels on them just like people read novels on their PCs, laptops, PDAs, smartphones etc. But it's no threat to e-ink, just like those existing alternatives are no threat to e-ink.
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Old 01-05-2010, 01:57 PM   #154
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Probably not

The only way the Apple tablet comes remotely close to being a Kindle killer is if somehow the screen can switch to e-ink mode and the battery lasts as long as a Kindle in reading mode and it is not overpriced.

Even then with the form factor reputed at 10", 11", it might kill the Kindle DX but not the regular Kindle/Nook/Sony.

I can get past having to charge the thing every night or two, but the easy on the eyes e-ink - that's the big distinguisher.

A backlit screen you can read with no light though. Perfect for reading in bed with the spousal unit asleep. You can't do that with a Kindle but a light contraption might work, but it has to be seamless.
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Old 01-05-2010, 02:00 PM   #155
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Originally Posted by dmaul1114 View Post
E-ink is here to stay. Tablets have their own niche to fill. Some will read novels on them just like people read novels on their PCs, laptops, PDAs, smartphones etc. But it's no threat to e-ink, just like those existing alternatives are no threat to e-ink.
Well, e-paper is probably here to stay. E-ink may well get completely replaced.
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Old 01-05-2010, 02:06 PM   #156
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Well, e-paper is probably here to stay. E-ink may well get completely replaced.
True. I more meant to say that dedicated reader devices are here to stay. Regardless of whatever type of paper-like screen tech is used in the future.

There's a sizable niche of people who want devices that are simple to use, have no purpose other than being readers, and thus are completely designed and optimized around reading.
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Old 01-05-2010, 02:23 PM   #157
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True. I more meant to say that dedicated reader devices are here to stay. Regardless of whatever type of paper-like screen tech is used in the future.

There's a sizable niche of people who want devices that are simple to use, have no purpose other than being readers, and thus are completely designed and optimized around reading.
And since companies have demonstrated that crippled, slow devices can still sell and appeal strongly to certain audiences (especially with lingo like "optimized for reading", that's marketing gold right there), they will likely continue putting out low-end hardware tied with e-paper screens for quite some time. That's not a terrible terrible thing, it may spawn a real rediscovery of popular reading and put more pressure on evolution and improvement of the ebook industry. One of the reasons it hasn't is because the devices are obscenely expensive. Perhaps one day, they'll be business promotional gifts like calculators are today.
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Old 01-05-2010, 03:00 PM   #158
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I don't share your ire for the screens. I thin they're fantastic for reading novels, which is all I use my Kindle for.

I want a different type of screen that's faster, can do color and video etc. in some larger screen tablet device ideally.

But for my novel reading, I like having a portable device with an e-ink (or some future e-paper) technology as it's easy on the eyes, leads to great battery life etc., which are key features in novel reader which needs to emulate the experience of reading a paper novel as closely as possible IMO.
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Old 01-05-2010, 04:00 PM   #159
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Why not "death of non-E-ink" display?

So far as I am aware, e-ink is the only refreshable display that doesn't require constant refreshing. Give it color and a faster refresh-rate, and it will replace current display technology is most mobile devices. Acceptable color display + much longer battery-life = Win. (e-Ink probably won't be used in portable gaming devices, but I believe those will remain separate from smartphones, anyway.)
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Old 01-05-2010, 04:02 PM   #160
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Those probably couldn't do video though. Which is a big thing on smart phones, netbooks, laptops etc.

Again, nothing needs to die. There's plenty of room for all kinds of devices with various types of screens, so everyone can find the device(s) that suit their needs.

I want e-ink (or something similar) in my portable novel reader, but want LCD (or something similar) on my phones, tablets, laptops etc. as I spend a lot of time with video (movies, sports, TV) and video games.
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Old 01-05-2010, 11:12 PM   #161
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So far as I am aware, e-ink is the only refreshable display that doesn't require constant refreshing. Give it color and a faster refresh-rate, and it will replace current display technology is most mobile devices. Acceptable color display + much longer battery-life = Win. (e-Ink probably won't be used in portable gaming devices, but I believe those will remain separate from smartphones, anyway.)
Several competing technologies are also bistable and much faster than e-ink, and some have color. Hopefully we'll see more of them at CES.
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Old 01-06-2010, 10:52 AM   #162
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eInk certainly needs a lot of work still, but standard LCD screens (LED-lit or not) aren't the answer.
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Can we give this mythical Apple Tablet a rest?
Can we give the myth of e-ink displays being better for ereaders a rest?

LED backlit LCDs are excellent displays for reading and produce no flicker and thus none of the 'eyestrain' so frequently mentioned in this forum. LED backlit LCDs would produce less eyestrain than e-ink readers because they produce their own uniform, optimized (and adjustable) lighting level where e-ink readers rely on on uneven external lighting or force reading in sub-optimum lighting conditions.

LED backlit LCDs (like the iPod Touch, iPhone, Blackberry Storm, etc.) still do not have the battery endurance of an e-ink display and that should be the primary discriminator when evaluating which technology will meet a consumer's needs as an ereader. But of course saying anything less than 'e-ink is as precious as gold' is frowned upon in this forum, so no doubt my plea to let consumers make an informed decision will be flamed because it doesn't pay homage to the investment e-ink device owners demand.

All this said, I'm seriously looking at the Sony PRS-300 to supplement my iPod Touch, but I'm waiting until after the Apple news conference because depending on the configuration of the Apple tablet to be announced, I may choose it over a new laptop and PRS-300 purchase. Different consumers have different needs and desires. Evlauate the options based on facts, not myths, and more power to you when you find the devices that meet YOUR needs.

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Old 01-06-2010, 11:11 AM   #163
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The ereader market simply isn't big enough to be worth Apple's while.

And while Apple may release a tablet, I'll be real surprised if reading ebooks is even mentioned by Apple as something you would do with it.
I'll take that bet! I think soon ebooks will become just one more tab in iTunes, like Music, Podcasts, Movies, TV Shows, Audiobooks, and UTunes.
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Old 01-06-2010, 11:14 AM   #164
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Such as what for example? What can a simple eInk reader not do that other reading devices - let's take a paper book as an example - can do? Many can actually do more than a book - eg search for a word or phrase, or change the text size, or the font.
It cannot pretend to be wholly ignorant about the myriad limitations of eInk hardware and prevalent eBook formats that have been discussed around it and with it ad nauseum. It takes a person who owns an eBook reading device to do that.

Being able to use a dictionary on a device with poor contrast, poor refresh rate, and degenerate formatting capabilities ... well ... it doesn't render the poor contrast, poo refresh rate, and degenerate formatting capabilities non-existent.

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Old 01-06-2010, 11:18 AM   #165
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I'll take that bet! I think soon ebooks will become just one more tab in iTunes, like Music, Podcasts, Movies, TV Shows, Audiobooks, and UTunes.
Didn't Mr. Jobs publicly state somewhere recently that nobody reads books these days, and therefore Apple had no interest in eBooks?
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