Any Idea How long?

[itdincor]

Since I refuse to buy any product, such as Kindle, which requires proprietary software and formats, and absolutely refuse to buy anything at all from Sony, mine present prospects seem limited.

What I'm looking for is an 8" X 10" screen, color capable, on a device which accepts and displays all "normal" text formats. PDF, .txt, .doc, etc., at what I consider a reasonable price.

This for use in reading books from the Gutenberg Project and similar sources, old out of copyright volumes.

Concerning price, since computers which can be considered at least acceptable can be had for $500, I can see no reason for an EReader of mine desires to cost more that $250.

So: 8x10, color, displays all common formats, and NO PROPRIETARY ANYTHING! And nothing from Sony.

Any guess how long (if ever) this might be in coming?

[carld]

I'm guessing not any time in the near future. Fujitsu's color e-ink devices might come close, maybe. But the price (probably close to $1000) isn't what I'd call reasonable. Also no idea what formats it might support, although given that the device features a Windows button on the front, I'm betting it'll be proprietary as all get out.

[Patricia]

Maybe a tablet PC?

[iterati]

Originally Posted by itdincor

Since I refuse to buy any product, such as Kindle, which requires proprietary software and formats, and absolutely refuse to buy anything at all from Sony, mine present prospects seem limited.

What I'm looking for is an 8" X 10" screen, color capable, on a device which accepts and displays all "normal" text formats. PDF, .txt, .doc, etc., at what I consider a reasonable price.

This for use in reading books from the Gutenberg Project and similar sources, old out of copyright volumes.

Concerning price, since computers which can be considered at least acceptable can be had for $500, I can see no reason for an EReader of mine desires to cost more that $250.

So: 8x10, color, displays all common formats, and NO PROPRIETARY ANYTHING! And nothing from Sony.

Any guess how long (if ever) this might be in coming?

There is the Hanlin/lbook/Bebook/etc V3 that is "open" enough. See http://www.jinke.com.cn/Compagesql/E...tail.asp?id=41

As long as the potential market remains small I don't think there'd be major changes in prices. I still can't understand why we Europians have to pay 50% more, though (well, according to exchange rates) and even providing for VAT I guess that multinational companies are out there to exploit us for good

Question: what good is the colour for reading novels/Gutenberg texts?

[DDHarriman]

What you are asking for is a tabletpc.

For that price:

1 - tabletpc - would say never;
2 - a eBook reader - there are any now, and would say at least 1.5 to 2.5 years, and no way a that price too.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Patricia

Maybe a tablet PC?

I doubt you'll find any computer that does not contain hardware protected by patents. The original poster is insisting on "no proprietory anything". I think he's going to struggle to find any computer which meets those requirements. Is any computer built entirely out of non-proprietory components? It seems like a completely unreasonable requirement to me!

[Patricia]

True. But the context suggests that itdincor wants to avoid proprietary formats and software. That might just be possible, though not at the price he desires.

[HarryT]

Every CPU contains proprietory software at the microcode level; no getting around that .

[Patricia]

Fair point, Harry.

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by itdincor

Since I refuse to buy any product, such as Kindle, which requires proprietary software and formats, and absolutely refuse to buy anything at all from Sony, mine present prospects seem limited.

What I'm looking for is an 8" X 10" screen, color capable, on a device which accepts and displays all "normal" text formats. PDF, .txt, .doc, etc., at what I consider a reasonable price.

This for use in reading books from the Gutenberg Project and similar sources, old out of copyright volumes.

Concerning price, since computers which can be considered at least acceptable can be had for $500, I can see no reason for an EReader of mine desires to cost more that $250.

So: 8x10, color, displays all common formats, and NO PROPRIETARY ANYTHING! And nothing from Sony.

Any guess how long (if ever) this might be in coming?

Get a used HP TC1000 on ebay.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

Get a used HP TC1000 on ebay.

Does it come with Windows? Isn't that proprietary software?

[JSWolf]

The OP doesn't know what he really wants. he wants something without proprietary software/formats and yet wants to be able to read .doc format which is proprietary to Microsoft. Good luck finding what you want. The best best is to give up on electronic formats and go back to paper.

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Does it come with Windows? Isn't that proprietary software?

I "think" that when he refers to "products" that use proprietary formats, he's talking ebook readers ... not any and all computers. It's not possible to operate a computer in any really meaningful manner these days and not use at least some piece of proprietary hardware or software.

But, the HP TC1000 is a good, workhorse type tablet PC that allows reading in portrait or landscape, runs Windows XP, and can read all the formats the poster has mentioned. It is frequently available on eBay for less than $250, has a nice color screen, and the stylus is a very comfortable size for writing and highlighting.

I highly recommend it as a larger form factor ebook reader.

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by RickyMaveety

I "think" that when he refers to "products" that use proprietary formats, he's talking ebook readers ... not any and all computers. It's not possible to operate a computer in any really meaningful manner these days and not use at least some piece of proprietary hardware or software.

That was my reading too, RickyMaveety. But we have some people here who are a little bit on the pedantic side. (But in a good way. Where would we be without accuracy?) I think we have to assume that the original poster is not a total Luddite otherwise he/she would felt have been able to use a computer at all. And I've got some sympathy with them. There is a Babel of formats out there.

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by Patricia

That was my reading too, RickyMaveety. But we have some people here who are a little bit on the pedantic side. (But in a good way. Where would we be without accuracy?) I think we have to assume that the original poster is not a total Luddite otherwise he/she would felt have been able to use a computer at all. And I've got some sympathy with them. There is a Babel of formats out there.

True. There are times that I wish people would be a bit clearer in their posts. If someone rants enough about DRM or proprietary formats, then it's easy to overlook the actual question (if there is an actual question in the post). And, if someone were that much of a Luddite, they wouldn't be too worried about ebook readers at all. Unless they have multiple personality syndrome ... and only one of the personalities is a Luddite (!!) .... say, that would be an interesting base for a short story. Luddite keeps waking up next to pieces of electronic equipment .... hehehe.