Hey, drogo, looks like you're not any better at taking the "patient" route than I am.
I think your first instinct is the correct one on the performance issues: wait until the "official" software/OS is released and see what that does. This is still Beta Days for iRex.
As to the other issues, I if I understood the discussion correctly, they are going to open up their OS, eventually. Some time
after they get it to where they can call it 'final' with a straight face.
As to the remote kill thing, it looks like that's pretty fluid at the moment, and they're already getting lobbied to do some kind of password instead. I think that may fall out differently than they originally expected it to. Another thing to wait and see about if it's of particular concern. Keep in mind that any 'connected' device maker could do the same thing at some future point if they decided to. If you're aware of the
stolen Sidekick drama back in May/June, you know that cell phones can apparently be deactivated remotely, and this hasn't been an issue yet.
Also, keep in mind that iLiad isn't the only e-ink reader, just the only one
currently available. You can always try Sony in a couple of months or HanLin .... whenever they actually release.
Beyond that, I'm sure these are just the
first three options, just as RocketBook was the first e-reader. I expect to see others in the coming days. There are rumors of an Apple e-reader (nothing substantive as far as I know), and the folks over at the Baen webboard are working on setting up their own LLC to design an e-reader (
on this thread -- you have to register to read, though) -- if they pull it off, you can bet
that one will be as open as a Montana sky with the Baen folks' fingers in it. Probably pretty cheap too.
As for iRex's possibly heading down the wrong path, they've proven responsive to customer, um, shall we say 'uproar?' They weren't going to sell to us directly, then they were, but not until September, then before September but only by invitation, then to anyone but they wouldn't talk to us, now they're active in their forum....
I'd say they have demonstrated a
remarkable willingness to be influenced by the needs of their customers. If they were uncommunicative in the beginning, well that was just one of the first things they got influenced on.