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Old 06-15-2010, 11:13 AM   #14
Xenophon
curmudgeon
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Posts: 1,487
Karma: 5748190
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Redwood City, CA USA
Device: Kobo Aura HD, (ex)nook, (ex)PRS-700, (ex)PRS-500
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spiffy View Post
None of the above.

Missing from that list is improved firmware, featuring more solid and logical on-device management of ebook files.

That could be called expensive in terms of development resources, but its cheap in terms of actual effect on the hardware. Keep the hardware cheap, without unnecessary feature clutter. But file maintenance is less of a feature and more of a necessity. It's not like Wifi or 3G, which are total gravy which other companies are trying to persuade consumers are absolutely necessary. They aren't.

Although Wifi may not actually be that expensive to add, come to think of it. The chipset isn't very expensive and there are no ancillary costs like with 3G. The problem is that I bet Wifi would affect battery life... so why bother? If its added make sure its not an "always on" kind of situation and has to be manually turned on.

Larger screen? Great. But maintain the smaller cheaper ones as well on at least one model. Anything over 6 inches isn't NECESSARY, its a luxury, but its certainly more worthwhile than most "features".

Keyboards? Hell no. Why? Just why?

Keep the SD slot. I don't care if the unit could be $10 cheaper without it--you need it.

Sealed in batteries are stupid. I'm not sure how that's a cost issue though. Are sealed in batteries CHEAPER to produce?

Backlighting is an interesting question. I honestly don't know. Don't need one with the current model, but I can conceive of designs where it might be a good thing. Just don't go adding a touch screen, okay? Too little bang for the buck. Ditto for color screens.

[SNIP clock discussion]

So here's what's important:

Absolutely essential:
1.) Reading your books
[fairly large gap]
Fairly essential:
2.) MANAGING your books
[gigantic gap]
Somewhat essential:
3.) wide format support, accessible battery, SD slot
[SNIP lower priority items]

Another thing besides file management not on the poll is a feature similar to the Pocketbook 360's accelerometer page turning feature. It actually sounds more useful (and cheaper to produce) than a touch screen. It's probably not an expensive device if they can add it to cheap video game controllers. I'd rate it like "Wifi"--potentially useful, but only if its implemented correctly and doesn't add much cost.
Quote:
Originally Posted by theducks View Post
Spiffy
spotted one of the most important improvement that could be made, that was not on the list: Library Management

I would settle for Integrating a Catalog of books on the device, that is generated by Calibre, that would allow a direct Jump (hyperlink) from the catalog page, to the book. Most of the (device library) information is already available to Calibre (AFAIK the path to the book is not stored in the present catalog).

Another feature that would be useful, is the ability to have multiple documents active. to allow a quick flip between (no more time than a page turn to a new chapter). Example: The Catalog and 1 or 2 books.
I'd like to follow up on what Spiffy and theducks wrote above. The reading experience is absolutely the top priority. This includes screen quality, physical ergonomics (button placement, etc.), the reading software itself (covering typography, fonts -- both choice and size, speed of page changes, etc.), weight of the device and much more.

Library management is another big issue. Fortunately, there's a pretty simple solution for this one -- OPDS support! OPDS is a standard-in-the-making for presenting catalogs of ebooks. If your device supports OPDS catalogs both remotely (over wi-fi, or by USB, or whatever) and also on-device, your users can easily get books from any provider that supports OPDS. That includes fictionwise, smashwords, your own EZRead web-site (if you did a bit more work). More importantly, it also includes the user's own Calibre server for their own library. Nearest and dearest to my heart, on-device OPDS support lets the user have convenient access to the books on the device, sorted (and sliced and diced) in exactly the way that makes best sense to the user. Calibre plus Calibre2opds combine to provide sensible hierarchic access to even the largest libraries.

Combining official support for on-device OPDS with an SD-card slot (better if SDHC) would be a KILLER FEATURE for anyone with a large library -- and large means only a few hundred books. The only currently-shipping device that provides this combination today is a soft-rooted Nook. Not having to soft-root a device would be a substantial improvement.


I voted for Wi-Fi, but only because I want remote access to my books on my home server -- via OPDS, of course. Web browsing matters only for that access. That said, my server looks to the outside world like a password-protected https-only web-site running on a non-standard port -- so I'd want all of that to work via the wi-fi.

Xenophon
(writing from the "give 'em an inch and they want a mile" department)
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