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Prince Hal · 01-13-2011, 11:16 AM

I do not have an Astak - I have a Kindle and a Nook Color. But here are some thoughts:

1. It is really sad to see any forum "die" since they are so useful and entertaining. The lifeblood often for a forum is new people asking others about their experience with a product, in preparation for them buying one themselves. So, I searched around and found the Astak website that sells the Pocket Pro. Everything was out of stock. So if I cannot buy the product, why do I want to ask questions about it? Agreed people who have one may want to.

2. Looking at the specs of the Pocket Pro, they are ordinary. The prices appear to have come down, but still higher than a Kindle or Nook. With the out of stock flag on, why buy an obsolete reader, with mediocre specs from a company than possibly may not want to sell them anymore. This leads to no desire to discuss on the forum.

3. Now to Jennifer. Of course she is right. Amazon and B&N, have restricted the proliferation of eReaders. Astak may be another one who will stop selling them because they cannot make profit out of them. The profit comes from the ebook itself. But what are we to do? Ask government to introduce a law forcing companies to sell their Kindle 3 Wifi and equivalents for $250 so that companies like Astak can make a profit since they do not have their own book store? Nope. It's just the way of business. Look at how Amazon has driven down the price of eReaders. My first Kindle was $399. Now, I have a better one for $139 - though wifi only. B&N have come down also (though they may have started the decrease with the Nook), and even mighty Sony have come down in price.

4. So where are Astak to go? Give people something that everyone else does not. Then they can charge a premium. People pay a premium for a metal bodied Sony PRS and because it has a eink touck screen. So be unique Astak and give people a niche model, because you are right you just cannot compete on price with discounted ereaders.

5. But in the end, I cannot see Astak continuing in this market. Amazon, B&N, Sony, various tablet sellers, Apple probably have it all locked down. And just to say something for Amazon and B&N (and soon Sony), they offer ereader apps that are now across many platforms. I can read my Kindle books on my Kindle (for when I want to read and take clippings) and on my jail broken Nook color (when I am studying a book that has many hyperlinks and for which a touch screen is best). And, for a quick reference or to show someone somethig, I pull up the app on my PC. So I am not being restricted to one device.

I am sorry the forum is dead. I am sorry that Astak did not make it. If you've got no product to sell, well I cannot give you my sympathy. If you product cannot differentiate itself from the rest, then why should I buy.

Hal.

01-13-2011, 11:16 AM	#16
Prince Hal Zealot Posts: 149 Karma: 1856 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: California Device: Galaxy Player 4.2; Nexus 3 (wifi only); Nook HD+ (possibly)	Too harsh on Jennifer I do not have an Astak - I have a Kindle and a Nook Color. But here are some thoughts: 1. It is really sad to see any forum "die" since they are so useful and entertaining. The lifeblood often for a forum is new people asking others about their experience with a product, in preparation for them buying one themselves. So, I searched around and found the Astak website that sells the Pocket Pro. Everything was out of stock. So if I cannot buy the product, why do I want to ask questions about it? Agreed people who have one may want to. 2. Looking at the specs of the Pocket Pro, they are ordinary. The prices appear to have come down, but still higher than a Kindle or Nook. With the out of stock flag on, why buy an obsolete reader, with mediocre specs from a company than possibly may not want to sell them anymore. This leads to no desire to discuss on the forum. 3. Now to Jennifer. Of course she is right. Amazon and B&N, have restricted the proliferation of eReaders. Astak may be another one who will stop selling them because they cannot make profit out of them. The profit comes from the ebook itself. But what are we to do? Ask government to introduce a law forcing companies to sell their Kindle 3 Wifi and equivalents for $250 so that companies like Astak can make a profit since they do not have their own book store? Nope. It's just the way of business. Look at how Amazon has driven down the price of eReaders. My first Kindle was $399. Now, I have a better one for $139 - though wifi only. B&N have come down also (though they may have started the decrease with the Nook), and even mighty Sony have come down in price. 4. So where are Astak to go? Give people something that everyone else does not. Then they can charge a premium. People pay a premium for a metal bodied Sony PRS and because it has a eink touck screen. So be unique Astak and give people a niche model, because you are right you just cannot compete on price with discounted ereaders. 5. But in the end, I cannot see Astak continuing in this market. Amazon, B&N, Sony, various tablet sellers, Apple probably have it all locked down. And just to say something for Amazon and B&N (and soon Sony), they offer ereader apps that are now across many platforms. I can read my Kindle books on my Kindle (for when I want to read and take clippings) and on my jail broken Nook color (when I am studying a book that has many hyperlinks and for which a touch screen is best). And, for a quick reference or to show someone somethig, I pull up the app on my PC. So I am not being restricted to one device. I am sorry the forum is dead. I am sorry that Astak did not make it. If you've got no product to sell, well I cannot give you my sympathy. If you product cannot differentiate itself from the rest, then why should I buy. Hal.