Quote:
Originally Posted by emellaich
Price: Although no longer a deal, the new Astak price seems inline with other companies. However, the real issue here is the rise of the netbook. Its hard to compare the price/features of an ebook when you can get a laptop with an eight to ten inch screen for $300 to $500. The ipod touch at $229 is at a nice price point also. It may not be possible to put the ebooks together much cheaper, but they are getting a lot of price pressure from similar products.
Durability: As so many others have noted, cracked screens are a problem. I had a Cybook, but don't plan to replace it until a flexible screen is available.
Speed: Eink and the software to date is pathetic. It takes forever to page through my 450 book library. I need folders, and faster page changes. Its also a pain trying to find a page in a book. Since my Cybook busted, I bought a used palm tungsten. The LCD screen is so much more interactive resulting in a much snappier response. I can quickly page through my library, and I can use the touch screen and the progress bar to quickly skip back and forward.
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Speed on eBook Readers is determined by the NAND Flash used in the device ( single level cell versus multi level cell) and much more important... the controller. Almost ALL ebooks presently on the market use a controller developed very well by PVI 3-4 years ago.This is because so FEW eBook Readers were on the market that no controller manufacturer wanted to bother. PVI did a very commendable job but eBooks Readers have matured and become more abundant. EPSON, a REAL controller company, has finally built a controller that gets the most out of the NAND Flash. It has great speed. Slowly, most eBook Manufacturers aremaking the switch. I can tell you that Jinke (makers of our EZ Reader) and Netronix (makers of our future Mentor line) are doing the needful. The new EZ Reader Plus amd EZ Reader Pro will have the Epson controller. The new Mentor Line will have the Epson controller.
The EZ Reader uses an interface where if you push the page turn button once it turns one page. If you hold it down it jumps TEN pages at a time. You can get from first to last selection quickly and easily no matter how many ebooks you have. That is a nice feature.
Robert B