[SensualPoet]

I would really like to like Astak and its products. I keep coming back to this forum, and check out the Astak websites, and the ezread ebook store. Plus, Robert is a honey and don't you just wanna give him a great big group hug?

The reality is in the execution: a product / business evangelist eventually needs to be backed by his team. Sooner is better than later; later may be too late.

I will only speak of Canada. Finally, this winter, Astak is available (in theory, not necessarily on the shelves) at the largest electronic big box store. The problem: the price for the Mentor is $289 vs. $199 for the Sony 300 series and $249 for Sony 600 series and $159 for the Aluratek. Slightly savvy e-reader buyers can cross the mall and buy a Kobo at $149 from Chapters/Indigo, the national book store (think of Borders/Barnes & Nobles as one entity). And Amazon has a strong presence, with its own ".ca" store, and next day delivery of a Kindle2 at $189 + shipping.

The $149 Kobo and the $189ish Kindle 2 are backed by credible bookstores with easy one click type delivery -- the later right to the device. Sony is rather more problematic since they haven't much of a clue about selling e-books and many titles are presented for sale and then, Lucy-with-the-football, removed when you want to buy something. Astak comes in with a -- there is no other word -- ghastly attempt at a bookstore. Yes, I can buy a Rex Stout title at 50¢ less than Amazon ... but it's much, much too little and much, much too late. (Try Agatha Christie: nothing.)

Currently, I am being asked to pay $100 more for the Astak than the Kindle 2 and sacrifice the confidence in a major player like Amazon; lose the impressive Amazon bookstore; and hope Astak will offer some sort of firmware which will keep me happy. If compared to the Kobo, I am being asked to pay $140 more ... hey! with shipping, well over twice the price. The Kobo is not feature-rich, but it's a very nice, handsome looking unit, that delivers ePub and library books simply.

Sony has been selling e-readers in Canada for two or three years; Amazon, with a deep presence in Canada, has been selling Kindles for eight months; Barnes & Noble can't be arsed to ship a Nook north of Buffalo; and Astak, in its marketing wisdom, has positioned itself at close to DOUBLE the price of its (much, much better known) competitors.

Yes, I'd like to like Astak. But there is no value for a Canadian buyer.