Reader with 11 inch screen - Will you bite? - Page 2

HarryT · 10-11-2007, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

The Iliad's size is about 8" which makes it quite portable, I'd like it a little thinner and lighter... and colo(u)r.

The iLiad is lighter than the Sony Reader, even though it's bigger. For me, it's about the ideal size. An iLiad with "instant on" would, I think, be close to my perfect machine.

I'm really not bothered about a colour screen. Few of my books are in colour.

tompe · 10-11-2007, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The iLiad is lighter than the Sony Reader, even though it's bigger. For me, it's about the ideal size. An iLiad with "instant on" would, I think, be close to my perfect machine.

Is the matrix at https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix wrong then? It says Sony 9 oz, iLiad 13.7 oz.

HarryT · 10-11-2007, 06:30 AM

The iLiad feels lighter than the Reader to me. Perhaps it's the weight of the leather cover I have on my Reader. Neither machine is exactly what you'd call "heavy".

kilohertz53 · 10-11-2007, 08:05 AM

An 11" screen is too clunky to be easily portable, and the current 6" screens are too small for technical manuals and pdfs. Perhaps a good compromise would be a double 6" or 8" e-ink screen in a clamshell design. Use it in landscape mode for full-page pdfs and in portrait mode for reading novels. (As a bonus, the double page would more closely mimic reading a paper book).

The extra battery power to operate two screens would be offset by requiring fewer page turns. As to the weight and thickness of such a unit, all I can say is that each new generation of e-readers is getting thinner and lighter. The downside would be the cost of 2 e-ink screens if I'm correctly assuming that the display is the most expensive part of an e-reading device.

HarryT · 10-11-2007, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilohertz53

The downside would be the cost of 2 e-ink screens if I'm correctly assuming that the display is the most expensive part of an e-reading device.

We've estimated previously that the screen probably accounts for about 85% of the cost of the current generation of reading devices. Certainly, if you need to have the screen replaced, the price of the screen + labour charges can not uncommonly be more than the price of buying a replacement machine.

NatCh · 10-11-2007, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilohertz53

An 11" screen is too clunky to be easily portable, and the current 6" screens are too small for technical manuals and pdfs.

To my mind, the A4 device wouldn't be something that I'd want to casually carry about -- that's what the 6" device is for. I see the larger one as more of a professional tool, like for your tech manuals. I'd use it in my office, or carry it in my briefcase, but not really wanting to mess with it for recreational purposes would inherently limit the amount of carrying around I'd want to do.

Tech manuals are a bit different, of course, because they typically get carried to the place where the work is to be done. But even the A4 device would at least be a lot lighter than a stack of paper manuals, so even managing the larger size would be a massive improvement.

But perhaps the rigid A4 would be better for purely office settings (teachers, professors, doctors, lawyers, "business" offices and the like), and some sort of ... resizable device (dual screened like you describe, or rollable or foldable or something totally new we haven't seen yet) will emerge for the more mobile large format need. I don't see why it shouldn't

The displays are currently quite pricey, but that shouldn't stay the case, and professional needs always accept higher prices than personal or hobby needs do. Witness my $20 home multimeter, compared to something like a Fluke that goes for upwards of $300.

yvanleterrible · 10-11-2007, 03:14 PM

If reader manufacturers shrank the bezels around the devices they could put in a bigger screen for the same size.

@HarryT
What is the readability of an A4 PDF on the Iliad? Is it comfy enough?

NatCh · 10-11-2007, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

If reader manufacturers shrank the bezels around the devices they could put in a bigger screen for the same size.

True. I guess I wonder if the extra footprint isn't important from a structural integrity or display protection point of view ....

HarryT · 10-12-2007, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

If reader manufacturers shrank the bezels around the devices they could put in a bigger screen for the same size.

@HarryT
What is the readability of an A4 PDF on the Iliad? Is it comfy enough?

Generally speaking, the iLiad will display A4 PDFs pretty well. If you switch to landscape orientation, set a "crop area" to exclude the margins, and set it to show the document as continuous, rather than as separate pages, it works very well. Cropping is a built-in facility of the iLiad's PDF viewer - no need to "process" the file first as on the Reader.

If reading PDFs is important for you, the iLiad is a clear winner over the Reader.

NatCh · 10-12-2007, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

If reading PDFs is important for you, the iLiad is a clear winner over the Reader.

Absolutely. No question.

joblack · 10-12-2007, 11:57 AM

Would be fine to read DIN A4 magazines and books =) ...

Iliad Max

go for it

HarryT · 10-12-2007, 12:01 PM

You pay a hefty price for it, though - over double the price of the Reader.

DrMoze · 10-12-2007, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

What is described is basically an eink tablet computer isn't it?
I could go for that! But more towards a colo(u)r, 1/2pound, Iliad sized eink, full speed processing, flash based computer type. It would be more portable and I think that is where the market will point soon.
I'm not asking for much am I?

Actually, it's not like a tablet computer imo. A computer requires a display that refreshes quickly. It can display animation, etc. E-ink is a *static* display. You won't be seeing scrolling displays, or moving *anything* with an e-ink display. It is best for simply displaying static images, like, for reading. A computer generally uses a dynamic display as I see it.

WRT to the iliad, a screen that size would be great (together with an easy-to-use universal converter) for displaying common pdf files. I agree it provides a good compromise between being big enough but more portable than a full 11" display. A Sony-type Reader with an 8" (or maybe 9") screen would be hard to resist.

OTOH, I have zero interest in an iliad. The lack of an instant-on and horrible battery life make it a non-option. I simply want a device to read books. The Sony fits that bill perfectly for me--it is almost like carrying a paperback around (OK, maybe a huge stack of paperbacks!). But, I open it and flick a switch an d it is on. And recharging is a rare event. It is always available, quickly, like a paper book. Daily charging requirements and slow start-up are deal-killers for me.

drgnbear · 10-12-2007, 12:24 PM

Actually Harry It's more than double. The reader is $299 and the iLiad is $699, but I think the extra functionality and hackabiility more than make up for it. I have a sony reader, just because of the price but, I would love to have an iLiad.

HarryT · 10-12-2007, 12:29 PM

I did say "over double"

Yes, I agree it's expensive, but for me personally it's well worth the price.

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10-11-2007, 06:30 AM	#18
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The iLiad feels lighter than the Reader to me. Perhaps it's the weight of the leather cover I have on my Reader. Neither machine is exactly what you'd call "heavy".

10-11-2007, 08:05 AM	#19
kilohertz53 Zealot Posts: 141 Karma: 671 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Harwichport, MA Device: Sony PRS-500, Sony PRS-350, Augen "The Book"	An 11" screen is too clunky to be easily portable, and the current 6" screens are too small for technical manuals and pdfs. Perhaps a good compromise would be a double 6" or 8" e-ink screen in a clamshell design. Use it in landscape mode for full-page pdfs and in portrait mode for reading novels. (As a bonus, the double page would more closely mimic reading a paper book). The extra battery power to operate two screens would be offset by requiring fewer page turns. As to the weight and thickness of such a unit, all I can say is that each new generation of e-readers is getting thinner and lighter. The downside would be the cost of 2 e-ink screens if I'm correctly assuming that the display is the most expensive part of an e-reading device.

10-11-2007, 03:14 PM	#22
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	If reader manufacturers shrank the bezels around the devices they could put in a bigger screen for the same size. @HarryT What is the readability of an A4 PDF on the Iliad? Is it comfy enough?

10-12-2007, 11:57 AM	#26
joblack Wizard Posts: 1,745 Karma: 4382514 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somewhere on earth Device: Onyx Boox Tab X	Would be fine to read DIN A4 magazines and books =) ... Iliad Max go for it

10-12-2007, 12:01 PM	#27
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	You pay a hefty price for it, though - over double the price of the Reader.

10-12-2007, 12:24 PM	#29
drgnbear Evil alien overlord. Posts: 57 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2007 Device: Kindle	Actually Harry It's more than double. The reader is $299 and the iLiad is $699, but I think the extra functionality and hackabiility more than make up for it. I have a sony reader, just because of the price but, I would love to have an iLiad.

10-12-2007, 12:29 PM	#30
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I did say "over double" Yes, I agree it's expensive, but for me personally it's well worth the price.

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