Quote:
Originally Posted by brecklundin
Then again there is this beast...the Archos 9...WOW...now that is the sort of device I would love to see with a 3Qi display:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/12/v...een-impresses/
And it's not that much more expensive than the A5A...
Think I learned, insomnia is sometimes fun???, but the Archos 5 Android (A5A) is a mixed bag, some folks really are unhappy and others are just fine with it...but after reading I am going to keep an eye on the A7 with Win7...it does support a SIM card slot (user accessible), but only about 3-4hrs battery life at the time of the video, might be better now...but that is a NICE LARGE DISPLAY in the KDx range, well about 1" smaller...but you should be able to run ANY reader software as it's a Win7 device. I know Android is really promising but it's lagging like many new things. Win7 and a 1.2GHz Atom CPU is pretty compelling for under $500.
I would use it for reference books, crossword puzzles of course, maybe recreational reading as well but I feel I want a 5" Pocketbook 360 for that...and I would want the Sim-card to get 3G and use Skype (is there even a Skype version for Win7 Starter Edition [whatever the heck THAT might be!!), you could get at your Gmail though there is the Windows Live mail client as well...but that is really the exact idea of a portable device I have been wanting. I want a real computer...battery life though if it's not able to reach the levels of the other Archos models is pretty much a non-starter, no way I would be willing to live with 3-4hrs battery life...
Kind of a shame that Archos seems to have a fairly negative image from long term users. And after my experience with the N800 from Nokia, I am just not willing to buy into a new device, but at least this device has an OS with a much more stable future, heck, it actually HAS a future unlike the Nokia OS2008.
Worth watching as a family of devices that can do more than read books for those who want more all the time or want the flexibility to have more capability on the go. And given the recent Kindle Reader for Windows, it can read Amazon books as well. And ADE DRM EPUB should likewise never be an issue...
I begin to wonder if the real problem in the ereader device world is not the devices but rather the boutique OS's...sure many run some sort of Linux, but like all -ix OS's each of the 1000s of variants have their own quirks. If these MFG went with a more consistent OS things might move forward quicker and probably in a more stable/dependable/predictable and certainly compatible fashion. Then again they all read books like they should, sort of anyway. |
The Archos 9 is the one I've been drooling over for months now. Barring seriously bad reviews when a few people get their hands on it for extended testing, I have plans to get one after the first of the year.
That's partly why I didn't get a Nook - I can't justify both, when the Archos does so much more.
LCD vs e-ink doesn't bother me, I can read on anything, and battery life isn't much of a concern either. One cord doesn't bother me either (every place to sit or lie down in this house is near to an outlet strip, LOL), I just don't want to be tied to my desk chair (to always have to read on my PC). And I"m with you on the whole Windows 7 functionality thing when it comes to ebooks, and now with the Kindle for PC app...yeah.