MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - I've got my hands on the elusive Panasonic Words Gear!

Pirivan · 11-28-2007, 12:44 AM

Let me first preface my post by saying that I hope this is the proper thread; there seem to be many that relate to what my quandary is, so I thought that it would be better to add to this thread rather than make a new one.

So, based on reading this thread, I think I may have found it. The Words Gear might be the exact device I'm looking for. But before I make such an expensive decision (assuming I could even purchase a device that is only in Japan and that Dynamism seems to be out of stock of) I would like to know if it really IS what I am looking for. First I'll explain my criteria and then why I have issues with my other options so you can judge if the Words Gear is truly the perfect device I have been looking for. So, my criteria is:

Primary usage is to view American Comics, CBR or CBZ files (which can be translated into JPEG images as need be)
Less than $500. If I am spending more than this I might as well get a nice multifunction UMPC/laptop/tablet that can do other things
Has a screen large enough to do comics justice in a readable fashion
Any other device functions are pretty much of little concern to me, if the device can view comics REALLY well I will get my value out of it

I tried to use my Nintendo DS Lite to view comics but the problem was it was too hard to read and it necessitated a lot of zooming and scrolling making the experience tedious. In a similar vein I thought about getting a PSP or GP2X but I think I would run into the same issue.

I've looked SERIOUSLY at a Nokia n800 or n810 but based on what I have read on the web I am nervous that though the screen runs at a high resolution, in the end it is simply going to be too small. I really would love to believe that it would work for reading comic books but somehow I bet the screen is just too small; a shame because it looks like a wonderful DRM free Linux device. I felt the same way about the iPod Touch; looks like a wonderful device but with a tiny screen and worse resolution than the Nokia for viewing comics.

Everything else I have seen thus far that would do the job has 1 of 2 problems. The first being the device is too large to sit somewhere or lay in bed and read. I don't want to read comics on a laptop, I need a flat device like a book (if the eee PC was a tablet it might work). The second issue being that the devices I feel really meet all my visual qualifications are too darn expensive. I don't want to spend $1000 and buy a Fujitsu Lifebook Tablet PC JUST to read comics, or $800 on some UMPC just to read comics (especially when my opinion of UMPC's is pretty low beyond the fact that they have nice, large color screens).

So, is the Words Gear the device I am looking for? Is it going to be a killer comic book reader? Is it easy to get CBR/CBZ/JPEG files loaded onto the device? Is it worth paying a bundle to try import it from Japan sight unseen (sounds like Dynamism really charges a premium to import it)? Or should I give up and wait two more years for some kind of color e-ink device to appear?

I appreciate any thoughts and I ESPECIALLY appreciate all the information you have given about this device in all your posts Azayzel. In terms of real information about this wonderful sounding device you are pretty much it; all your posts have been highly informative.

11-28-2007, 12:44 AM	#30
Pirivan Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: asd	Let me first preface my post by saying that I hope this is the proper thread; there seem to be many that relate to what my quandary is, so I thought that it would be better to add to this thread rather than make a new one. So, based on reading this thread, I think I may have found it. The Words Gear might be the exact device I'm looking for. But before I make such an expensive decision (assuming I could even purchase a device that is only in Japan and that Dynamism seems to be out of stock of) I would like to know if it really IS what I am looking for. First I'll explain my criteria and then why I have issues with my other options so you can judge if the Words Gear is truly the perfect device I have been looking for. So, my criteria is: Primary usage is to view American Comics, CBR or CBZ files (which can be translated into JPEG images as need be) Less than $500. If I am spending more than this I might as well get a nice multifunction UMPC/laptop/tablet that can do other things Has a screen large enough to do comics justice in a readable fashion Any other device functions are pretty much of little concern to me, if the device can view comics REALLY well I will get my value out of it I tried to use my Nintendo DS Lite to view comics but the problem was it was too hard to read and it necessitated a lot of zooming and scrolling making the experience tedious. In a similar vein I thought about getting a PSP or GP2X but I think I would run into the same issue. I've looked SERIOUSLY at a Nokia n800 or n810 but based on what I have read on the web I am nervous that though the screen runs at a high resolution, in the end it is simply going to be too small. I really would love to believe that it would work for reading comic books but somehow I bet the screen is just too small; a shame because it looks like a wonderful DRM free Linux device. I felt the same way about the iPod Touch; looks like a wonderful device but with a tiny screen and worse resolution than the Nokia for viewing comics. Everything else I have seen thus far that would do the job has 1 of 2 problems. The first being the device is too large to sit somewhere or lay in bed and read. I don't want to read comics on a laptop, I need a flat device like a book (if the eee PC was a tablet it might work). The second issue being that the devices I feel really meet all my visual qualifications are too darn expensive. I don't want to spend $1000 and buy a Fujitsu Lifebook Tablet PC JUST to read comics, or $800 on some UMPC just to read comics (especially when my opinion of UMPC's is pretty low beyond the fact that they have nice, large color screens). So, is the Words Gear the device I am looking for? Is it going to be a killer comic book reader? Is it easy to get CBR/CBZ/JPEG files loaded onto the device? Is it worth paying a bundle to try import it from Japan sight unseen (sounds like Dynamism really charges a premium to import it)? Or should I give up and wait two more years for some kind of color e-ink device to appear? I appreciate any thoughts and I ESPECIALLY appreciate all the information you have given about this device in all your posts Azayzel. In terms of real information about this wonderful sounding device you are pretty much it; all your posts have been highly informative.