MobileRead exclusive : sneak preview of the Bookeen Opus

[kacir]

Originally Posted by hekkel

http://tweakers.net/pricewatch/24214...book-opus.html

(Four shops offering this reader in the Netherlands for prices ranging from 223 to 267 euro.)

Thanks!

[tompe]

Originally Posted by kacir

Aehm ...
Math was not you favourite subject, was it?

Sony (Kindle 1 and 2, cybook, ...) has 6 inch screen with 800x600 pixels
new Opus has 5 inch screen with 800x600 pixels resolution.

let's do a little bit of math here:
5 inch diagonal 800x600 screen makes classical pythagorian triangle 3,4,5
let's check it:
3^2 + 4^2 = 5^2
9 + 16 = 25

OK. we have established that 5 inch screen has dimensions exactly 3 x 4 inches.

Now, bear with me
800 pixels / 4 inches is ...
TADAAAAAA
200 pixels per inch. *Exactly* 200 pixels per inch.

But the screen in not exactly 6 inch. Measuring my screen width I got 91mm which give me 167 pixels per inch.

[doreenjoy]

Having to choose between Mobi PRC or Epub support makes it a no go for me. Nice form factor tho.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

Having to choose between Mobi PRC or Epub support makes it a no go for me. Nice form factor tho.

For me to consider this device it would have to support Adobe and eReader DRM for ePub format files. That would be the only thing I would consider leaving the Amazon/Kindle format.

With eReaders new pricing of $9.99 for new and best sellers and nothing over $13 eReader is looking much better. Of course, eReader has to get their ePub format DRM wrapper going... and I hope it uses the same Name/Credit Card password encryption because that makes it very portable.

I think the only device planed to support both of these at this time is the Astak devices.

BOb

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I think the only device planed to support both of these at this time is the Astak devices.

Yes, although Astak plans to have a relatively wide range of devices with hardware from Jinke and Netronix. I also assume that FictionWise (B&N) will introduce one or more eReader-only EInk devices, but I agree that eReader plus Adobe is a good combination in the short term.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Yes, although Astak plans to have a relatively wide range of devices with hardware from Jinke and Netronix. I also assume that FictionWise (B&N) will introduce one or more eReader-only EInk devices, but I agree that eReader plus Adobe is a good combination in the short term.

Then again, Astak has alot of "plans" also.

BOb

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by tompe

But the screen in not exactly 6 inch. Measuring my screen width I got 91mm which give me 167 pixels per inch.

Correct, 6" E-INK screens have 167 ppi while 5" screens have 200 ppi. The Larger screens tend to have even less all the way down to about 150 ppi although some are as high as 160. Check the wiki for details.

Dale

[llasram]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

yes, it's the same number of pixels as the 6" screens, but since the screen is smaller, the resolution is higher.

Doh! Of course they have higher pixel density then .

[Ankh]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

If people really see this as an advantage then I would expect the 6" devices to move to 1024 x 768 to achieve parity. Of course, until they are delivered the marketplace has not yet determined whether this sort of improvement is worthwhile in practice.

There is a guarded skepticism in the quoted text. DaleDe, would you be so kind to elaborate a bit? I would have guessed that the bigger density/resolution is a good thing that would benefit everybody, isn't it?

Do you expect that switch to 200 DPI to come with a higher price tag? Or are you unsure if the the improvement is to small to be noticeable?

[AprilHare]

An accelerometer allows you to use it in either hand.

How does this work?

[kacir]

Originally Posted by AprilHare

How does this work?

You flip the reader upside down and the accelerometer tells the device to rotate the contents of the display 180 degrees.
It works like with iPhone. You turn the device 90 degrees and the text stays "horizontal".

Do not be afraid, it can be turned off and the display can be rotated 0, 90, 180, 270 degrees manually. You are not the only one person that likes to read in bed ;-)

[zelda_pinwheel]

video action !

see the first one, showing the navigation and the interface (including folders), here. my arm and part of my skirt make a cameo appearance in this film.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Ankh

There is a guarded skepticism in the quoted text. DaleDe, would you be so kind to elaborate a bit? I would have guessed that the bigger density/resolution is a good thing that would benefit everybody, isn't it?

Do you expect that switch to 200 DPI to come with a higher price tag? Or are you unsure if the the improvement is to small to be noticeable?

I am unsure if the improvement will be noticeable. It may be a special case that having a 800x600 screen on both devices is an advantage for PDF files generated for that exact resolution. Some people claim that higher than 166 ppi is absolutely essential but they seem to be a small number. I hear no complaints about the larger screens having smaller ppi (and they all do) so it makes me think this may be a non-issue with the majority. Only time will tell.

Dale

[yvanleterrible]

The accelerometer does it for me. I've always complained about button placement before, this solves it. When is it available? At Bookeen's?

[yvanleterrible]

Zelda, could you do a 'souvenir' comparison of the Opus with let's say a Sony 700, I mean which would you rather have? I'm really really really really really really really really reallyinterested.
I just discovered that they sell the Gen3 in Montréal at Archambault, that would be perfect. Sent them an email, I hope they answer...