I read the review, but find it too focused on what's NOT there rather than describing what IS. In particular there's very little discussion of the points where the device really shines and stands out: interaction of two screens, working with PDFs, portable office/classroom use. (See my own comparison of pros/cons compared to Kindle DX, iPad, and tablet PC
http://u.nu/8snk7)
Here's a more balanced view of the criticisms stated in the article:
1. Device size/weight - obviously this is heavier/bigger than a Kindle DX, but since it has twice the screen real estate and much more functionality than any other ereader out there I think it's a bit of an unfair comparison. Clearly this is not meant for handholding it for extended period of time.
2. Slow stylus annotation/writing - not sure the reviewer had the auto- smoothing and background lines turned off, early reports suggest this greatly improves the e-ink speed. The fact that stylus works on the E-ink side is pretty amazing to begin with, and most reports I've seen have praised this function as working really well.
3. Poor battery life - maybe the spec 6 hrs (LCD + e-ink) to 16 hours (e-ink) is actually lower, but I haven't seen much evidence of that so far. If the specs are true, then I'd consider that pretty good battery life, enabling a full day of classes / office use with charging overnight. The battery life is comparable to netbooks and better than a laptop, which I think is quite good for a two-screen device. For those super-long days, it might be worth investing in a second battery.
4. Inadequate bookstore - yes, the Entourage bookstore doesn't offer the widest selection, but you can buy books elsewhere (Adobe Digital Editions) too. More importantly, the device seems targeted to students and office professionals who deal with a lot of PDFs. There is obviously no way for a startup to compete with Amazon or B&N on content, so their efforts in this area (including some newly announced
periodicals deals) should be applauded, but will never be a core strength of the device.
5. Frustrating touchscreen experience - can't really comment on this, since my device hasn't arrived yet, but it might largely be a matter of getting used to. Remember when you got your iPhone how you could barely type a word on that virtual keyboard? What I do know is that the absence of touch on my Kindle DX really is annoying, and that tiny "real" keyboard at the bottom is a joke. Just about anything is better than that.
6. Non-functioning hardware - Ok, it's definitely odd to get a unit with bluetooth, camera and flash lite support promised via software update in the unspecified future. But Entourage -- a startup -- should get lots of credit for actually shipping a device while huge companies can only manage
vaporware videos ([cough] MS Courier [cough]). We've heard about Plastic Logic's QUE reader for years now - now the ship date has been pushed back
AGAIN.
7. Lack of Android apps - okay, lack of Android Marketplace (coming soon, from what I understand) is a bummer for now, although apps CAN be downloaded from developer sites (which the review does not mention). Even more of a bummer is the fact that there just aren't a huge number of Android apps (compared to windows or iphone) and those that are out there are generally not programmed to take advantage of the eDGe's screen size. I'm hopeful, though, that as Android tablets gain in popularity, people will develop apps for it.
Overall, as a cutting-edge device (no pun intended) the device has a number of kinks to work out and may not be right for everyone, but I'm sure glad it's out there since it looks to be exactly the type of thing I've been looking for to use as a lawyer who works with a lot of PDFs.