Propose an explanation: What's the "Q" on the Sony Reader?!

Bob Russell · 09-28-2006, 02:20 PM

Has anyone noticed that the Sony Reader has a funny "Q-like" symbol on it at the bottom, and on the cover? Nobody seems to have mentioned it yet, probably because it's subtle in pictures. But it's actually pretty obvious in person.

It could simply be an odd "E" for eReader. It could be a Q for something like "Quality Reader". Or maybe it's a reference to Q, the technology guru in James Bond movies?!

Let's have a little fun with this. Here's my question... can anyone make up a great story for what the Q "should" mean?

(If you don't know what I mean, take a look at the bottom of this picture, for example... Picture with the "Q".)

Slava · 09-28-2006, 02:33 PM

Bob,

I think it's stylish E - "E" Reader. It also looks like Greek "α" (Alpha). Sony released this year Alpha DSLR. The third possibility - it is "Q" - the leftover from Qualia products

Alexander Turcic · 09-28-2006, 02:44 PM

I starred at it for two minutes and couldn't decide. Is it a Q? Doesn't make much sense, does it? It could be an E, but it's not really an E either. Perhaps an E and an S intertwined, as in Sony E Reader. Well, I am clueless!

PS: I love your avatar, Slava. Did you draw it yourself?

diabloNL · 09-28-2006, 02:48 PM

LOL I have thought many times to myself..what a strange "e". My idea:

In electric engineering "Q" stands for electric charge. The Sony Reader uses e-ink technology that works with negative and positive electric charges (black & white). So Q-Reader stands for: Electric charge reader.

So what do you think?

ElaHuguet · 09-28-2006, 02:50 PM

I think it looks like the e from IE, making some sort of reference to electronics and internet all in one, hehe.

Slava · 09-28-2006, 02:51 PM

Thank you

I wish I could draw like that.

The Reader image "screen captured" from the Manual (Page 19). Then I just painted it. I'm attaching both - template and avatar to this message.

scotty1024 · 09-28-2006, 03:03 PM

Bob,

From what you have playing there I have to ask: Are you a John Ringo fan?

My story, its the brand logo for Sony's DRM'd ebooks. This ebook can be read on any device displaying this logo <insert eReader logo here>

Bob Russell · 09-28-2006, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotty1024

From what you have playing there I have to ask: Are you a John Ringo fan?

Hmm, don't know what you mean, so must be a coincidence. I've never read him, but his name does keep coming up and being recommended to me, so I really should try one of his books! I'll have to find a good one to start with.

igorsk · 09-28-2006, 03:23 PM

Here's a bigger pic

NatCh · 09-28-2006, 03:49 PM

I saw a trademark notice in the manual somewhere (sorry, don't remember precisely) about an "AE" trademark. Is that what this is supposed to be?

Bob, I'd recommend There Will Be Dragons, as good starting place.

paulkbiba · 09-28-2006, 03:55 PM

On the 4th of September, 2003, Aarlsbaad Sligfast, the new President of the Sony Ebook Division, was taking a short walk after lunch. As he strolled along the Fenback Heath (the Fenback Heath near Morrissey, not the other one by Ostramm) he was approached by a stranger dressed in a black suit with orange accents.

The stranger accosted Aarlsbaad and lifted his hand in a gesture that was either threatening or meant to ward off an attack by vultures. Aarlsbaad found this equivocal behavior to be most interesting - especially since the nearby birds were all goshawks, not vultures. Now why, thought Aarlsbaad would someone attempt to ward off vultures if none were present and further, if the stranger was not warding off vultures, why was the stranger threatening him?

Impelled by an overwhelming desire to have an answer to this question Aarlsbaad addressed the stranger thusly: Why, O Stranger, do you engage in equivocal warding/threatening behavior in the absence of vultures and the presence of goshawks?

The stranger replied at great length. Unfortunately because of his orange accents Aarlsbaad was unable to understand a word he said, except he could make out an utterance that sounded like "Q".

Later that year Aarlsbaad needed to name his new ebook reader. As there were no vultures around at the time the machine was to be named (and not even any goshawks) and as nobody was threatening him at the time the machine was to be named, he decided to add the stranger"s "Q" utterance to the beginning of the product name - so that whenever he looked at the machine he would be reminded of both the lack of vultures and threat at the time of its naming.

Such is the true explanation of the "Q" symbol affixed to the product.

scotty1024 · 09-28-2006, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

I really should try one of his books! I'll have to find a good one to start with.

"March of Cambreadth" is a song he's effectively worked into three of his Universes so far. The first books of each are: "There Will Be Dragons", "A Hymn Before Battle", and "Ghost".

A common theme to all three universes is a single soldier, or small group of soldiers, facing asymmetrical combat situations and racking up incredible body counts to achieve victory. He also seems to have a fascination with "Toroidal Effects" in thermo-nuclear detonations and how these effects might allow one to survive at ground zero.

NatCh · 09-28-2006, 06:07 PM

Ah, I see why you thought that Bob had been reading Ringo, scotty1024! That's one of my pix that Bob linked to, and one of the test files I took to SD with me.

scotty1024 · 09-28-2006, 06:12 PM

That'll teach Bob to link your photos.

NatCh · 09-28-2006, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotty1024

That'll teach Bob to link your photos.

Bob is welcome to link my photos, and so is anyone else who'd like to. The idea is to share this stuff not keep it to myself, after all.

09-28-2006, 02:20 PM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Propose an explanation: What's the "Q" on the Sony Reader?! Has anyone noticed that the Sony Reader has a funny "Q-like" symbol on it at the bottom, and on the cover? Nobody seems to have mentioned it yet, probably because it's subtle in pictures. But it's actually pretty obvious in person. It could simply be an odd "E" for eReader. It could be a Q for something like "Quality Reader". Or maybe it's a reference to Q, the technology guru in James Bond movies?! Let's have a little fun with this. Here's my question... can anyone make up a great story for what the Q "should" mean? (If you don't know what I mean, take a look at the bottom of this picture, for example... Picture with the "Q".)

09-28-2006, 02:48 PM	#4
diabloNL Gadget Force® Posts: 705 Karma: 2733 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The Netherlands Device: Sony PRS-300 + Cybook with funny screen :P	LOL I have thought many times to myself..what a strange "e". My idea: In electric engineering "Q" stands for electric charge. The Sony Reader uses e-ink technology that works with negative and positive electric charges (black & white). So Q-Reader stands for: Electric charge reader. So what do you think? Last edited by diabloNL; 09-28-2006 at 02:50 PM.

09-28-2006, 03:23 PM	#9
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Here's a bigger pic Attached Thumbnails

09-28-2006, 03:55 PM	#11
paulkbiba Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 45 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: United States Device: Nokia e61i, iPhone	On the 4th of September, 2003, Aarlsbaad Sligfast, the new President of the Sony Ebook Division, was taking a short walk after lunch. As he strolled along the Fenback Heath (the Fenback Heath near Morrissey, not the other one by Ostramm) he was approached by a stranger dressed in a black suit with orange accents. The stranger accosted Aarlsbaad and lifted his hand in a gesture that was either threatening or meant to ward off an attack by vultures. Aarlsbaad found this equivocal behavior to be most interesting - especially since the nearby birds were all goshawks, not vultures. Now why, thought Aarlsbaad would someone attempt to ward off vultures if none were present and further, if the stranger was not warding off vultures, why was the stranger threatening him? Impelled by an overwhelming desire to have an answer to this question Aarlsbaad addressed the stranger thusly: Why, O Stranger, do you engage in equivocal warding/threatening behavior in the absence of vultures and the presence of goshawks? The stranger replied at great length. Unfortunately because of his orange accents Aarlsbaad was unable to understand a word he said, except he could make out an utterance that sounded like "Q". Later that year Aarlsbaad needed to name his new ebook reader. As there were no vultures around at the time the machine was to be named (and not even any goshawks) and as nobody was threatening him at the time the machine was to be named, he decided to add the stranger"s "Q" utterance to the beginning of the product name - so that whenever he looked at the machine he would be reminded of both the lack of vultures and threat at the time of its naming. Such is the true explanation of the "Q" symbol affixed to the product. Last edited by paulkbiba; 09-28-2006 at 04:18 PM.

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09-28-2006, 02:33 PM	#2
Slava Addict Posts: 285 Karma: 129 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New England Device: PRS-500 · iPad · K3	Bob, I think it's stylish E - "E" Reader. It also looks like Greek "α" (Alpha). Sony released this year Alpha DSLR. The third possibility - it is "Q" - the leftover from Qualia products

09-28-2006, 02:44 PM	#3
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,171 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	I starred at it for two minutes and couldn't decide. Is it a Q? Doesn't make much sense, does it? It could be an E, but it's not really an E either. Perhaps an E and an S intertwined, as in Sony E Reader. Well, I am clueless! PS: I love your avatar, Slava. Did you draw it yourself?

09-28-2006, 02:50 PM	#5
ElaHuguet iLiad freak Posts: 339 Karma: 243 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Mallorca, Spain Device: iRex iLiad	I think it looks like the e from IE, making some sort of reference to electronics and internet all in one, hehe.

09-28-2006, 03:03 PM	#7
scotty1024 Banned Posts: 1,300 Karma: 1479 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peoples Republic of Washington Device: Reader / iPhone / Librie / Kindle	Bob, From what you have playing there I have to ask: Are you a John Ringo fan? My story, its the brand logo for Sony's DRM'd ebooks. This ebook can be read on any device displaying this logo <insert eReader logo here>

09-28-2006, 03:49 PM	#10
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I saw a trademark notice in the manual somewhere (sorry, don't remember precisely) about an "AE" trademark. Is that what this is supposed to be? Bob, I'd recommend There Will Be Dragons, as good starting place.

09-28-2006, 06:07 PM	#13
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Ah, I see why you thought that Bob had been reading Ringo, scotty1024! That's one of my pix that Bob linked to, and one of the test files I took to SD with me.

09-28-2006, 06:12 PM	#14
scotty1024 Banned Posts: 1,300 Karma: 1479 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peoples Republic of Washington Device: Reader / iPhone / Librie / Kindle	That'll teach Bob to link your photos.

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