Not thrilled yet...

Got my eDGe last week, and I have to say that my initial impression was disappointment. It seems clunky to me. I will admit right now that I am a Windows girl and always have been. I do own a Droid phone so I am familiar (somewhat) with the OS and I'm certainly not a luddite. I just can't seem to make my eDGe DO all the stuff you all are talking about enjoying. The keyboard especially is SO frustrating for me. Who wants to type every email with a stylus? And without the stylus, its just not intuitive enough for me. I have found that I can hunt and peck with my index fingernails, but that too seems aggravating and time consuming.

Have I just chosen the wrong device? Or do I need to give it more time? I really wanted this to be my laptop and ereader replacement, but at this point I don't see that happening.

Did you install the latest upgrade?
If not just do so.

success.

I'd be interested to hear also if you've installed the latest upgrade. I'm looking at the idea of a laptop/ereader replacement also, and would be interested to know if you think the new upgrade helps at all.

I'd also be interested to see a more in-depth "review" of what parts you're not sure are up to par.

I am downloading the update now, thank you for that. Will see if it improves things for me, especially with the keyboard. @summatusmentis: I have also found some things particular to my work and school that I've had difficulty with. For instance, my professor posted a video that required Flash, so the eDGe was not able to play it (and perhaps the update will fix that problem as well). I cannot log in to a dos-based server on campus for some job-specific work, though I have a co-worker looking into some work-arounds for that so hopefully that problem can be solved as well. Will let you know as I come across others. I've not been able to get my email set up correctly, though I used the same settings as my Droid phone, and I can't at this point even figure out how to delete that account so that I can attempt a new setup!

As I said, I'm a Windows girl at heart, so maybe its just me needing to give it more time to become accustomed to the Android OS. If I can get to that point and do my basic work and school functions, I will be thrilled with the device.

Thank you borisb - I'm not surprised at all! I knew I had come to the right place. I do have additional questions, if anyone is up to the challenge:
1. How do I delete email accounts? I've tried setting up three different ones and obviously I'm not doing something right, so I'd like to delete them and start over.
2. I followed the instructions for checking for an update, and the device says it has downloaded several times, yet the version does not seem to be updated. It still says its 1.6. I must be missing a step...?

Thanks to everyone that has responded. I do WANT to like my eDGe, I really do!

borisb, you rock! Thanks for your help. Deleted the email accounts (will work on setting those up correctly later) and waiting for the notification bar on the update in order to proceed. Thanks again.

It is possible to download replacements for the keyboard, I'm using one called 'thickbuttons' at the moment.

Mine was never mean't to be a laptop replacement - but I find it quite useful for reading and annotating pdfs.

I use ThickButtons and/or SlideIt. The best thing is you have ready access to apps since you have an Android phone. A lot of edge owners don't have that option.

Hello Tiffany. I am a linux dude at heart and in practice, but I do have some suggestions for you.

Get a "foldable" external keyboard. You can roll them up, but when you unroll them they are not cheap plastic. They feel like rubber keys. Bluetooth ones can be found but you can get a USB one sent to your door for under $10. Check Amazon.

For the sensitivity, its ALL about how to treat the device when you are in set up....you can fix this. If you tap the screen hard when it asks you to follow the dots, the screen will be less sensitive. If you tap as lightly as will trigger it, the device will be more responsive. If its too responsive then go back and do it harder.

This device seems to work best when paired with a computer....can be windows, or even better if you use Linux. Linux Mint is the best for newbies, and Ubuntu is the source for it.

Get a large capacity SDHC card. I got one cheap off ebay for 20 bucks. Make sure your PC has a card reader....some people dont know they have one. Check carefully. Use this card to put apps and books on your device. Download bittorent and find out about all the free programs and books that are available on all the torrent sites. Not all of them are illegal. Many books have expired patents and are public domain. The Pirate Bay is the most popular, but other sites are maybe better and less likely to freeze on you.


Or if you get a micro card, you can use an SD card adapter to plug it into your edge, then share apps between the droid phone and the edge by downloading them with your phone onto the card then putting that card into the adapter and sticking it back into the edge.

the edge got me laid, true story. That is more than an ebook reader for me :P

As a android user on my Motorola Milestone I'm looking forward to keyboard swype application. This might be a more usefull / intuitive input method for you.

Here is a a link: http://androidandme.com/2009/11/appl...droid-in-2010/

Originally Posted by A.Priori

the edge got me laid, true story. That is more than an ebook reader for me :P

ROTFL!!! Wasn't expecting to read that post! All my EE did was to get me some strange or curious looks!

It honestly took me nearly a week before I felt comfortable with it (i.e., I could do all the operations that I wanted without consulting the manual--at the end, it was mostly to lookup what the icons on the eInk annotator did).

I do agree that the eDGe can feel clunky at times. And the UI isn't as intuitive as one might want at times (partly because Android is still a work-in-progress). My advice is to give yourself a week or so of heavy use before deciding to return it (I think that the return policy is 14 days). Once you get the hang of it, I think that you'll really like it. It has a range of functionality that really isn't available in any other device or at least not for just ~$500.

I agree with walt526, give it some time. I have had my eDGe (for about 1 1/2 weeks) and I honestly I am not feeling it either too, yet. I had played with 3 other eDGe's before I bought mine and 1 thing I can say that made me buy it (even though I am not feeling it), is the potential that it has. It has more potential than the iPad, Kindle DX & NOOK combined (I have played with all of them extensively). I recently spoke to Tech Support about an issue and what the guy showed me I didn't even know existed on the eDGe! My suggestion, print out the user manual on the eDGe (not the one on the website, that, as at the time I spoke to tech support, hadn't been updated with info on the recent update to the eDGe). If you don't know how to print out the user manual on the eDGe (you basically turn it into a pdf document and safe it on your sd card), let me know and I will give step by step instructions of what tech support told me. Once you have printed the manual (about 105 pages, but only because of big characters and pictures, it is really not more than 35-40 pages), have it next to your eDGe as you work on it and you will see what a breeze it will be to use and set up the eDGe.

Give it time, you'll end up loving it more than that dude that's been bugging you for a date, :-). (ok, I just made that dude up, :-) ).

Originally Posted by Yellowman1

1 thing I can say that made me buy it (even though I am not feeling it), is the potential that it has. It has more potential than the iPad, Kindle DX & NOOK combined (I have played with all of them extensively).

Give it time, you'll end up loving it more than that dude that's been bugging you for a date, :-). (ok, I just made that dude up, :-) ).

I second this. I got one these for it's potential. The fact that you're not tied in......ie it's not just a portal to a certain CEO's pocket. Simple things like a removable battery and expandable storage.

BTW Yellowman1 I managed to pick an eDGe up from eBay and received it today, so my fun is just beginning but thank you so much for your offer to source one. You're one of the true torch-bearers for this forum and I'm sure you'll help several of my European colleagues out now that European pricing has been hinted at aroud 629Euros.