iriver e-book prototype device at CES 2008

montsnmags · 01-13-2008, 03:05 AM

There's not much here and Engadget is as intrigued as you might be, but it's nice to see something specifically e-book-related (possibly) at CES 2008:

Quote:

The product appears to be an e-book of sorts, but with handwriting recognition and potentially a color display. Obviously, there's no more info at the moment to go on, iriver has been feeling a little protype-ish of late, and we never got much of a product out of iriver's last e-book, but hopefully we'll be hearing more about this one soon.

Read

Note, although not e-book-related, iriver may have "stolen the show" this year with some other interesting prototypes. Personally, I'd love the UMPC and the P20-for-photographers.

Cheers,
Marc

Oh, Why Not? · 01-13-2008, 12:18 PM

It would seem that with all the prototypes that have appeared on the forum in the last six months or so, that actual color e-paper devices are not far off. I'm holding my breath

HarryT · 01-13-2008, 12:37 PM

The colour eInk prototypes which have been demonstrated so far have very poor contrast. The colours would look very "murky" on them.

allen.gotwald · 01-13-2008, 12:51 PM

Not sure if this is an ebook? One thing the color capability provides that I've thought about is the ability for download magazine subscriptions (like Newsweek or PopSci) via USB. Not sure if any of the major pubs provide the capability but the color e-ink adds the necessary dimension to be able to end magazine deliveries and provide for on-line subscriptions that can be loaded to a device. There's a whole new market out there!

Hadrien · 01-13-2008, 02:13 PM

Still a touch screen, but a single screen instead of two...

I just love iRiver, they usually create fantastic products, I really hope that they will release an e-book reader in 2008.

Nate the great · 01-13-2008, 02:20 PM

Can anyone read Korean? I'd love to know what the website says.

Oh, Why Not? · 01-13-2008, 02:30 PM

From iriver.com's plus page:

"Read new books every day
If you want to read books regardless of place, use the one supporting iriver¡¯s e-book. iriverplus3 e-book feature enables sending ¡°txt¡± extension files to the product. You will have another joy in your daily life by reading a book with the portable iriver product in a narrow space on your way to work. The iriverplus3 e-book feature only supports txt extensions,"

soilwork · 01-13-2008, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Can anyone read Korean? I'd love to know what the website says.

If you mean the link given in Engadget article,
http://www.iriver.co.kr/event/2008/c...nt.asp?mode=13
it does not say anything remotely related to the product shown. The author describes how it is like to work for iriver. Apparently, she is quite satisfied with working over there.

sonnyred · 01-13-2008, 08:01 PM

That looks exactly like the 'prototype' they unveiled last year but with one screen chopped off. http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/08/i...e-book-reader/
Must admit a dual screen ereader like their earlier prototype would be ideal, and it was the earlier prototype that got me hooked on ereaders and wanted me to find out more.

yvanleterrible · 01-14-2008, 12:57 PM

The image we see here would denote the qualities of an LCD screen. iRiver makes pretty good devices with them already.

A new type of computer? I'd like that.

CTH · 01-14-2008, 06:02 PM

I wonder why they have changed the name, the other prototype was called Book2 (or something like that, implicating the next generation of books). It might be so that they have more than one reader in development or that the name will be used by some other company, perhaps a yet to be revield ebookreader? Or that they just changed thier mind, but that is a boring theory

yvanleterrible · 01-14-2008, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CTH

I wonder why they have changed the name, the other prototype was called Book2 (or something like that, implicating the next generation of books). It might be so that they have more than one reader in development or that the name will be used by some other company, perhaps a yet to be revield ebookreader? Or that they just changed thier mind, but that is a boring theory

Wasn't the other one an eink prototype?
This one's definitely LCD, much too sharp to be eink.

CTH · 01-15-2008, 04:36 AM

Yes, tha other one was e-ink. I don't really understand why iRiver would do a LCD reader but you are probobly right that it is LCD.

yvanleterrible · 01-15-2008, 09:33 AM

Well, maybe they don't want to wait after PVI for screens, Sony, Cybook and Kindle are stuck in line and they must be pushing for all that comes out of production.

LCD is quite mature, it makes sense to use it. If only they were less "energyvorous". I like the physical aspects of this device.

HarryT · 01-15-2008, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Well, maybe they don't want to wait after PVI for screens, Sony, Cybook and Kindle are stuck in line and they must be pushing for all that comes out of production.

LCD is quite mature, it makes sense to use it. If only they were less "energyvorous". I like the physical aspects of this device.

As you say, the problem with LCD is its power consumption. I have an original CyBook, which has an LCD screen. It drains its battery in about 4h of usage. Even the very best Tablet PCs only seem to manage 6-8h on a charge. That's not ideal for a book reader.

01-13-2008, 12:37 PM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 24,773 Karma: 43285 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Gen3, Opus, DR1000S, iPod Touch, Pocketbook 360, PRS-600, Kindle 2	The colour eInk prototypes which have been demonstrated so far have very poor contrast. The colours would look very "murky" on them. __________________ Harry

01-13-2008, 02:13 PM	#5
Hadrien Feedbooks.com Co-Founder Posts: 2,258 Karma: 6515 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Paris, France Device: Sony PRS-300/500/505/600/700, iPhone, Cybook Gen 3, iLiad	Still a touch screen, but a single screen instead of two... I just love iRiver, they usually create fantastic products, I really hope that they will release an e-book reader in 2008. __________________ FeedBooks: Public Domain Books, original books and RSS feeds for mobile devices (Mobile Edition) Kindle owners: Find out the easiest way to get public domain books on your device

01-13-2008, 02:20 PM	#6
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 8,208 Karma: 58191 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Airpanel 100, Jornada 720, Kindle, Smart Q7, Zelda has Sony 600 & 700	Can anyone read Korean? I'd love to know what the website says. __________________ Nate's Ebook News - www.natesebooknews.com

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01-13-2008, 12:18 PM	#2
Oh, Why Not? Zealot Posts: 144 Karma: 203 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Palm Centro; Sony NX73; Sony Readers 500 / 600	It would seem that with all the prototypes that have appeared on the forum in the last six months or so, that actual color e-paper devices are not far off. I'm holding my breath

01-13-2008, 12:51 PM	#4
allen.gotwald Advocate Posts: 29 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: ohio Device: SONY PRS-505	Not sure if this is an ebook? One thing the color capability provides that I've thought about is the ability for download magazine subscriptions (like Newsweek or PopSci) via USB. Not sure if any of the major pubs provide the capability but the color e-ink adds the necessary dimension to be able to end magazine deliveries and provide for on-line subscriptions that can be loaded to a device. There's a whole new market out there!

01-13-2008, 02:30 PM	#7
Oh, Why Not? Zealot Posts: 144 Karma: 203 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Palm Centro; Sony NX73; Sony Readers 500 / 600	From iriver.com's plus page: "Read new books every day If you want to read books regardless of place, use the one supporting iriver¡¯s e-book. iriverplus3 e-book feature enables sending ¡°txt¡± extension files to the product. You will have another joy in your daily life by reading a book with the portable iriver product in a narrow space on your way to work. The iriverplus3 e-book feature only supports txt extensions,"

01-13-2008, 08:01 PM	#9
sonnyred Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: laptop	That looks exactly like the 'prototype' they unveiled last year but with one screen chopped off. http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/08/i...e-book-reader/ Must admit a dual screen ereader like their earlier prototype would be ideal, and it was the earlier prototype that got me hooked on ereaders and wanted me to find out more.

01-14-2008, 12:57 PM	#10
yvanleterrible Treeding Posts: 5,738 Karma: 36584 Join Date: May 2006 Device: Soon, soon an iPad!	The image we see here would denote the qualities of an LCD screen. iRiver makes pretty good devices with them already. A new type of computer? I'd like that.

01-14-2008, 06:02 PM	#11
CTH Zealot Posts: 102 Karma: 153 Join Date: Jan 2007	I wonder why they have changed the name, the other prototype was called Book2 (or something like that, implicating the next generation of books). It might be so that they have more than one reader in development or that the name will be used by some other company, perhaps a yet to be revield ebookreader? Or that they just changed thier mind, but that is a boring theory

01-15-2008, 04:36 AM	#13
CTH Zealot Posts: 102 Karma: 153 Join Date: Jan 2007	Yes, tha other one was e-ink. I don't really understand why iRiver would do a LCD reader but you are probobly right that it is LCD.

01-15-2008, 09:33 AM	#14
yvanleterrible Treeding Posts: 5,738 Karma: 36584 Join Date: May 2006 Device: Soon, soon an iPad!	Well, maybe they don't want to wait after PVI for screens, Sony, Cybook and Kindle are stuck in line and they must be pushing for all that comes out of production. LCD is quite mature, it makes sense to use it. If only they were less "energyvorous". I like the physical aspects of this device.