Mainstream iRex 8.1-inch reader for 400$ (rumor)

[ahi]

Originally Posted by ProDigit

I find the resolution on my PRS-505 already pretty awesome!
It's like finer than a laptop's resolution.

A higher resolution usually means slower page turning, lower battery life, and often an increase in quality that is hardly perceivable.

I find that on a 5" screen, I tend to put it closer to my face, because everything looks so small. On an 8" screen, I'd probably put that further away from my face, because it's bigger,and thus easier to read.
When you put your device further away from you, resolution matters less.

Why would you compare to a laptop?

The PRS-505's resolution is barely more than half of what it needs to be (300 dpi) for it to match the quality of a printed page (obviously a feat not only depending on resolution, but also on other factors).

People have a tendency (presumably on account of the crazy amount of money they spent on the device) to rationalize away its shortcomings. If 166 dpi text was acceptable in books, or if the difference was not noticeable (whether consciously, or just in the sense of people intuitively noticing that "one of these books looks better than the other one"), they wouldn't be universally printed at twice the resolution or higher.

The universal eBook device of the future needs to have a "crème" coloured white (not full white, as that is unnecessarily harsh on the eyes for leisure reading) for its page background, 300 dpi resolution, and 8" or 9" screen. (Folding in half [at least when not in use] would also be good.)

Such a device could be made to work for just about any kind of material--given publishers' willingness to actually format it specifically for the device--whether it's a novel, a textbook with tables and illustrations galore, or a newspaper or magazine with highly complex layout.

- Ahi

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

The Kindle DX ($489) has set the bar for what large screen "consumer" ebook readers can cost. In the past iRex has been able to charge a premium because they were after a slightly different market, and they were not producing in the volumes required to get good prices for components. I don't see how they could introduce a new 8.1" device that was more expensive than the 9.7" Kindle DX. However, a $400 8.1" from iRex would seem to require a price cut on the DR1000S as well.

As you said, they're in different markets. I could see a consumer market 8.1" device at $400 and a business market 10.2" device at $850 co-existing.

[EowynCarter]

Originally Posted by kleykenb

Don't be an early adapter on iRex stuff and certainly don't buy it in a hurry "because you want it for Xmass". The build quality is absolutely never up to par with what Sony , Bookeen, World + Dog , tends to do. Inside they look like mid 90's technology, made out of mid 70's plastics. Seriously. Don't rush, some other players are bound to come out with big readers in the next couple of quarters too, not just iRex.

What's your problem with iRex ?

[Abecedary]

Originally Posted by ahi

People have a tendency (presumably on account of the crazy amount of money they spent on the device) to rationalize away its shortcomings. If 166 dpi text was acceptable in books, or if the difference was not noticeable (whether consciously, or just in the sense of people intuitively noticing that "one of these books looks better than the other one"), they wouldn't be universally printed at twice the resolution or higher.

And let's not forget that the majority of text is printed using lithographic offset presses, which don't even deal with "resolution" since the black is solid and continuous (giving it an effectively infinite resolution). Resolution only comes into play for screened images/text. Of course, the quality of the printed text largely depends on the porosity of the paper it's printed on...

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by davidspitzer

I have said it before, so I apologize for repeating but I believe that IREX has priced themselves out of the mainstream market. I have doubts if they can survive on specialty revenue alone.

They were never in the mainstream market. This is the first time they are releasing a product (still based on rumors) in the mainstream market.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

If iRex switches to mobile ADE then they loose the dictionary support along with the MOBI support.

That's still speculation at this point. If they switch to ADE they will lose MOBI DRM. That doesn't necessarily mean they will lose MOBI entirely. They can keep non-DRM MOBI and retain the dictionary support.

[ahi]

Originally Posted by Abecedary

And let's not forget that the majority of text is printed using lithographic offset presses, which don't even deal with "resolution" since the black is solid and continuous (giving it an effectively infinite resolution). Resolution only comes into play for screened images/text. Of course, the quality of the printed text largely depends on the porosity of the paper it's printed on...

Good point. Although the use of digital printing techniques is becoming more widespread.

More and more back-title books even from large and established publishers are printed digitally.

- Ahi

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by kleykenb

Inside they look like mid 90's technology

You're right, they definitely remind me of all the eInk readers I saw back in the 90's.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

If they switch to ADE they will lose MOBI DRM. That doesn't necessarily mean they will lose MOBI entirely. They can keep non-DRM MOBI and retain the dictionary support.

All the significant commercial MOBI dictionaries have DRM. Also, the only software that currently supports MOBI dictionaries are MobiPocket's own Readers, which are precisely what can't be installed on the device if they have other DRM support. Perhaps iRex can find a loophole, but Bookeen has (optionally) switched from MOBI to ePub and has lost dictionary support, and indeed all MOBI support, in the process.

[Tuna]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

All the significant commercial MOBI dictionaries have DRM. Also, the only software that currently supports MOBI dictionaries are MobiPocket's own Readers, which are precisely what can't be installed on the device if they have other DRM support. Perhaps iRex can find a loophole, but Bookeen has (optionally) switched from MOBI to ePub and has lost dictionary support, and indeed all MOBI support, in the process.

It might not be the technology that has led Bookeen to drop dictionary support. The licensing costs might simply not be worth the few extra readers who would only buy a reader if it has a dictionary.

The dictionary itself doesn't need to have DRM if it's embedded in the firmware.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Tuna

IThe dictionary itself doesn't need to have DRM if it's embedded in the firmware.

I agree. This is probably the approach taken by Sony on the PRS-600.

The dictionary also does not then have to be in MOBI format, and there are several Linux dictionary apps (and dictionary formats) that could be made to work on the DR1000S and (presumably) the new 8.1" device. On the other hand, MobiPocket does have a well supported dictionary capability and it is already well integrated into the DR1000S's API. For the US market, it might even be better for iRex to keep MOBI rather than switching to mobile ADE.

[ahi]

Originally Posted by Tuna

The dictionary itself doesn't need to have DRM if it's embedded in the firmware.

Albeit if it is embedded and unchangeable, it's the worst kind of dictionary support imaginable (for me).

An English-only dictionary (which, I believe, is what they include) is the one thing I am altogether uninterested in. I'd be utterly thrilled at being able to have something like German-English, French-English, et al though.

- Ahi

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Also, the only software that currently supports MOBI dictionaries are MobiPocket's own Readers, which are precisely what can't be installed on the device if they have other DRM support.

iRex is not running the Mobipocket Reader. They are using a Mobipocket API library and writing their own application with it. It should be pretty straight forward for them to implement the dictionary functions in the Mobi library without implementing the DRM functions, if they chose to.

As far as what can and can't be installed on the device according to the Mobipocket license, I don't think anybody really knows that. As far as I'm aware nobody other than a device manufacturer has ever seen that license, and the manufacturers are not allowed to talk about it. Does the exclusive license apply to the use of any Mobipocket software, or just to the Mobipocket DRM scheme? I'm pretty sure I'd read that it's possible to support the MOBI format without supporting MOBI DRM (don't other devices do that?).

You do have a point about the dictionaries themselves being DRM'd. You'd have to use one that isn't.

At this point though, I think we're all just guessing. However, I would be very surprised if they removed dictionary support when they implemented Adobe DRM. That would be a significant feature loss. I would assume they have some plan for keeping that functionality in place.

[Who are you?]

According to Irex this model (DR800) will not be available in Europe, so multi-language/translating dictionaries seem unlikely to me.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by Who are you?

According to Irex this model (DR800) will not be available in Europe, so multi-language/translating dictionaries seem unlikely to me.

Where have you seen iRex say anything about the new model?