Quote:
Originally Posted by HansTWN
Well, it fits most of my criteria:
1.)Screen size
2.)Touch screen that doesn't affect clarity
3.)Fast operation
4.)WiFi
5.)Epub support
Unexpected positives are full file support and E-Mail.
The unknowns are battery life, how easy it is to hold, ease of operation, actual screen contrast and fonts used (or easy replaceability). Since I am outside the US I don't need the 3G anyway, Wifi is widely available. The price falls into the acceptable range. But I won't say "I have to have this" yet, besides there are also a number of alternatives with 9.7" screens coming up.
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Thanks....and those features make sense for sure. My reasoning when evaluating the same features, since I think we are all looking for pretty much the same features so I'll offer why I am not "sold" on the Que as many others seem to be:
1. The screen size is not bad at all, but the Skiff (granted this is a totally unknown quantity as well) is 1" larger at 11.5" vs. 10.5" plus the Que has a pixel density of just 150 ppi compared to the 174ppi for the Skiff (probably works out to the same overall look though).
2. It uses Wacom...OK, big plus here for sure. Over the past few days I got a sense many devices are moving in the same direction and away from resistive touch (a very good idea for sure). The Que does seem to be the largest device using Wacom. Otherwise the upper limit are 9.7"/10" devices or should I say they promise to use a Wacom touch layer.
3. dunno about speed. Looks on par with other devices.
4. Wifi - a positive but if you want 3G that comes with a $150 premium.
Plus there is the whole Wifi Tx range issue, Rx is usually never an issue, but wifi Tx is often very disappointing on mobile devices. For example my N800 has horrible Tx range compared to my laptop. I would have more trust in the 3G model for wireless connections. Time will tell though. I would prefer a device with both at the same time but optional with the ability to be added at anytime in the future. I can see for your needs and living where there are a lot of open wifi hotspots it would be attractive at the $650 price...for me if that version was, say $450 and the 3G $549 I would bet the Que could win in the short term for sure. Maybe it is the cost of entry per device that has me leery...I still cannot put a finger on why I am not sold as I was before hand.
5. Epub - remains to be seen how well they implement Epub support as many devices have some pretty marginal epub support. I take this support as a Mendoza Line given in any new device today. And that includes DRM epub.
The only conclusion I can come to as to why this device, which is still unfinished after all this time, is they presented it from a business perspective to business USERS not the tech people so much. I am not, however, sold it is any better than other slightly smaller devices...but, we haven't seen it in action and at it's best. I do not for a second think this is vaporware or even a bad device, I just still don't see it as a winner. Maybe it's because it is the only device in it's class and I expected more options of this sort to be announced as ready, willing and able from other companies.
random50: I am not being argumentative here but the Que does not do any of those thing "right now" either. In fact they mention all the advanced features will not be ready until late in Q3 or sometime in Q4 of this year...that makes any assumption it will work worth a darn kinda scary if you are an IT director, or in any way involved with IT recommendations or decision making for your company and are asked if the company should invest in this device on a corporate level.
I just have my business hat on here and in all candor, all I see are some promises, some nice hardware, many things I don't like much yet at the same time some things which could be really nice...if they work and are ever delivered and delivered on time fully functioning.
I would add that the presentation of the Que was done smartly in pointing it toward the business users, but I wonder how many IT folks are just rolling their eyes when considering how and if it will work and how many weekends they will lose so one of the execs who buys one device then expects it to be a plug-n-play setup where it instantly works over their network, at home and in every toilet in the building as well as the taco stand across the street.
Last, while I like the Skiff, it appears to be more of a consumer targeted device with a resistive panel, yet the MgAlloy case which is, well odd for a consumer device...why skimp on the touch layer if they went to the expense of an Mg case? I also expect the Skiff will more than likely have some format limitations as well, as they try and lock the user into content from their providers...it sounds suspiciously like a device based on subscriptions...kinda suspected Hearst would demand this from consumers who like the Skiff. So that makes it sort of a negative for what, with a couple design changes, could be at the head of the class since the demo apparently showed full motion video.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/07/s...dle-watch-out/
But only a select few have actually been allowed to see the Skiff prototype in action.
Something also about the Que which I have not read is how does it handle, or can it even handle, multiple open documents along with an open notepad like app in order to keep notes and link in sections from each open document or other previously open docs from earlier sessions?
Anyway, I do see the point made from your observations and thanks for the feedback but I am still not sold, especially at the price point of $800 for what will be the most desirable version in the 3G version.
Thanks for the feedback as to why you like the device...I am done after rading about these things all week...I hate to imagine what Nate feels like at this point...though more than a few of us did the whole WEEK in LV when COMDEX was still happening...by the 2nd day they could hand out gold bars and I would not have been impressed, thinking only of how heavy it would be to carry around for 12hrs...hehehehe...nite guys!!
