Good Eink Ebook reader specifications that are possible in the next 1 year!

[jobin007007]

The screen type is mentioned in the title-Eink- I dont know any more about eink. But i know vizplez is something better?
But here goes..

Starting from 1 to infinity, they are--

Exterior, style--
1. Available in a 6 inch and a 9inch screen size.
1a. Eink display Vizplez.
1b. Weight Less than 450gms ( Iliad is 400gms) Maybe even a lot less lighter?
1c. Battery life 10000 screen writes...2 hour recharge time.

Screen Functionality, Button Configuration
2. Touch screen with styllus.
3. Page turning time is very fast..Full screen refresh rate= less than .3 seconds. No flash or very short flash from the book.
4. Ability to jump to a page.
5. Fixed buttons on screen that can be accessed by stylus only but a few buttons that can be accessed by finger? Is this possible?
6. Back light that can be turned off if needed. If backlighting is not possible, front lighting!!
7. Automatic turn off backlight button or frontlighting if undisturbed for 1/2 hour. this would be a feature on off button.
8. Standby mode where no battery power is consumed.
9. Fast boot-up time.
10. Automatic line appears. This is the feature- At the flick of a button, imaginary lines would appear on the ebook reader. This would be really good and make the reader appear as a notebook.
11. Different tip points for the pen...Medium and small. These tips would be stored in the reader or pen and stored in such a way that there is no chance of losing them.
12. Ability to increase font size.
13. Fast processor.
14. Ability to handle large files.
15. Ability to handle zip, rar files.

Readability--
17. Ability to read PDF's in the best possible manner.
18. Ability to read other notable ebook formats--at least the top 2 in the world.
19. Ability to buy content online from an online library.
20. Fairly large library.

Interfaces
21. Expandable up-to 8 gb.
22. USB ports, USB charger
23. Headphone port

Network
24. Wireles networking available--Ability to drag and drop files onto the device.
25. Wired networking.

Bluetooth
26. Bluetooth network.
27. Bluetooth headphones for listening to music and voice reader.

Other Functionality-
28. Voice reader with availability of basic good voices to read content out aloud.---Additional voices available for purchase.
29. Play mp3 files with stereo sound and headphones.
30. Bluetooth for automatic sync of files, that is u would have a folder in your computer which would automatically sync with the device once it is nearby. You would not have to press a button. You just have to activate the device bluetooth or leave it on all the time.
31. Ability to go online to browse( This could be limited but thats OK). The main thing would be to be able to read documents( pdfs, docs, other eebook formats, basic html documents.)...ie if you type a direct link to pdf the reader would open it.
32. Have a online bookmark software. In your pc, in firefox or internet explorer you could add these bookmarks to the reader. These bookmarks would then show up in the ebook reader. This would be similiar in concept to firefox bookmark synchronizer.
33. Ability to take notes as fast as you would be able to do in a book.
34. Hand writing recognition. Ability to recognize images as images, drawings as drawings. Fairly good.
35. Search facility that is fast to search for words in a book.
36. Software that can make completer reader device backups through wireless, wired and blue tooth. Important to have this!!.
37. Notes access, organize software to organize notes, to be able to search for them easily.
38. Print through wireless network, wired network, bluetooth.
39. ((Maybe ability to search for a word by writing it down using the pen instead of using a keyboard). This would be a plus!
40. Keyboard if the above is not possible or keyboard as an option???
41. Basic email reading capability and ability to send attachments through bluetooth, wired and wireless network. This would be a plus!
42. ((Maybe Wireless carrier Internet if possible, Costs extra.)) This would be a plus.
43. SDK to write software and sell it free at a very low price or no price at all.
44. Scheduler. Tasks to do that can be blue-tooth synced with outlook! This occurs automatically. This would be a plus.

PRICE
45. Less than 400$ or 450$ for the 9 inch. Maybe extra software is an option and could cost extra. Common'...theIliad is $699? I see prices going further down..So it could be even less than 400$

PLUS Dyrlobs features
Quote-
46. 16 shades of gray. The iRex can already do this, though apparently it's using custom hardware. I would like to see this become the standard for all eReaders.
47. Folder structure! I mean honestly, my first computer had this capability, so why can't most recent ebook devices? (My Sony Reader has "collections", which, though useful, is still too limited IMO)


What else would you want to add??
Please be brief!!!!!!!
Please number the items as you list it!!!!!

[Dylrob]

6. Back light that can be turned off if needed.

Actually backlighting will never be possible with eInk, since the display is esentially opaque. Now frontlighting is a different story. There are already prototypes that demonstrate eInk being lit in this manor.

Anyways...
1. 16 shades of gray. The iRex can already do this, though apparently it's using custom hardware. I would like to see this become the standard for all eReaders.
2. Folder structure! I mean honestly, my first computer had this capability, so why can't most recent ebook devices? (My Sony Reader has "collections", which, though useful, is still too limited IMO)

[HarryT]

The trouble with sidelighting is that you need some kind of "diffuser" to spread the light across the screen. This, by its very nature, somewhat degrades image quality.

[Ervserver]

if they add all this the prices will have to rise substantially

[pilotbob]

Since you didn't specify screen type or batter life or weight you basically described a slate format tablet PC. Heres one you can get for $300...

http://www.gainsaver.com/gainsaver/A...12&version=112

Probably doesn't fit these on your wish list:

Originally Posted by jobin007007

Exterior, style--
1. Available in a 6 inch and a 9inch screen size.

6. Back light that can be turned off if needed.

8. Standby mode where no battery power is consumed.

22. USB ports, USB charger

Other Functionality-
28. Voice reader with availability of basic good voices to read content out aloud.---Additional voices available for purchase.

[jobin007007]

The first post was edited.

[Tectonic]

So basically what you want is a PDA with an eInk screen. PDAs already offer every item on your list and the current top models are $350-400. All the technology is definitely there, it's just a matter of using a bigger screen with the latest eInk technology.

Maybe we could write to HP and ask them to make an Ipaq 210 with a 9" eInk screen. Heck why not ask I-mate to make the Ultimate 9502 available with an eInk screen. Those would be awesome.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Tectonic

Maybe we could write to HP and ask them to make an Ipaq 210 with a 9" eInk screen. Heck why not ask I-mate to make the Ultimate 9502 available with an eInk screen. Those would be awesome.

Besides the price of the think going up 50% it just isn't practical. eInk screens are just to slow for the interactive type us a PDA gets. Also, an eInk screen is monchrome. So many of the applications would have to be rewritten to ensure that they worked with the monochrome screen.

Actyally, I think the Nokia N810 has a transreflexive screen... I'm not sure if you can turn the back light off. However, I also think the screen is only around 4inch since.

BOb

[jobin007007]

I dont think its fair to slot it as a PDA...I would still call it a ebook reader--that is its main purpose..Note making is a basic function of any book!....and schedule and task lists are available in every device..Its ok if schedule and task lists are not there..it would be a plus.

Isnt the iliad really a tablet pc with reduced functionailty and an eink screen

[Alisa]

Most of those features are software-related and already in varying stages of maturity. To put those in an e-ink (or equivalent) tablet mostly hinges on improving the screen. I say equivalent because, to me, the most important thing about e-ink is its characteristic readability and low power consumption. I'm not married to e-ink. There are a few different technologies in development at the moment that may end up filling this niche.

[jobin007007]

Originally Posted by Alisa

Most of those features are software-related and already in varying stages of maturity. To put those in an e-ink (or equivalent) tablet mostly hinges on improving the screen. I say equivalent because, to me, the most important thing about e-ink is its characteristic readability and low power consumption. I'm not married to e-ink. There are a few different technologies in development at the moment that may end up filling this niche.

To the end customer--someone like me..It wouldnt matter if the feature is software related or hard-ware releated. They would just like to see these features all in one ebook reader.
I hope that they can make the advancements in hardware that are required to do this in under a year. I am positive they will be able to come up with it in under a year.

Can you guys add to any other features that would be possible?
I don't think adding color and mantaining all the features would be possible in under a year?

[Tectonic]

All of this is already doable. The challenge is to do it at an affordable price. The hardware technology is already here: http://www.eink.com/kits/AM_kits_comparison.html

Once the economics of large scale production kick in then we'll start seeing some devices that use eInk and have all the above features.

[jobin007007]

It would be a real challenge to have all these features in one ebook in time + maintain a healthy price, and probably there are plenty of other important features that other people want that i didnt think of.

I am gonna buy the one that comes out in october, either hanlin or mentor or eb 3009 inch based on which is better.

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The trouble with sidelighting is that you need some kind of "diffuser" to spread the light across the screen. This, by its very nature, somewhat degrades image quality.

That is a good point. Though I suspect this will nonetheless be considered an acceptable compromise to appease a growing market for ebook readers.

Originally Posted by Alisa

Most of those features are software-related and already in varying stages of maturity. To put those in an e-ink (or equivalent) tablet mostly hinges on improving the screen. I say equivalent because, to me, the most important thing about e-ink is its characteristic readability and low power consumption. I'm not married to e-ink. There are a few different technologies in development at the moment that may end up filling this niche.

It also remains to be seen how much eInk technology improves in the next few years. We know color and faster refreshing is on the way, along with flexiblity and improved durablity. In the long term other technologies may not offer any significant advantages over it.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Tectonic

All of this is already doable. The challenge is to do it at an affordable price. The hardware technology is already here: http://www.eink.com/kits/AM_kits_comparison.html

Once the economics of large scale production kick in then we'll start seeing some devices that use eInk and have all the above features.

Yeah... Right... Tell you what, you kick in the $3,000 for the Broadsheet development kit and I'll buy one, right now.



Derek.