The £8 ereader

[Quoth]

Of course it was fantasy, because the company that proposed it was going to make money from a subscription. Like a "free" iPhone – a mobile operator practice that should be illegal because it increases waste, limits diverse supply and puts up the cost of Mobile data and contracts.

https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/05/wha...heap-ereaders/

Interesting article, though Android isn't needed, especially for something as limited in scope as an ereader. Most ereaders don't use Android. Sony switched to Android for T1, T2 and short-lived T3, with no advantage to them or the users. The T2 is no better to use than PRSx50 range and the T1 was worse.

Eink Corp and Amazon variously bought up alternates to Eink's eink and buried them.

It's true about the cheap Chinese models; they do all seem to be obsolete. Mostly Pearl screens (rather than any version of Carta), no touch and no front light.

It's not amazing there is no really cheap eink based reader, it's amazing there are any at any price. They are very cheap compared to Apple phones or tablets, but expensive compared to cheaper brands (which are not always lower spec than Apple, Apple has a massive profit margin).

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Of course it was fantasy, because the company that proposed it was going to make money from a subscription. Like a "free" iPhone – a mobile operator practice that should be illegal because it increases waste, limits diverse supply and puts up the cost of Mobile data and contracts.

https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2025/05/wha...heap-ereaders/

Interesting article, though Android isn't needed, especially for something as limited in scope as an ereader. Most ereaders don't use Android. Sony switched to Android for T1, T2 and short-lived T3, with no advantage to them or the users. The T2 is no better to use than PRSx50 range and the T1 was worse.

Eink Corp and Amazon variously bought up alternates to Eink's eink and buried them.

It's true about the cheap Chinese models; they do all seem to be obsolete. Mostly Pearl screens (rather than any version of Carta), no touch and no front light.

It's not amazing there is no really cheap eink based reader, it's amazing there are any at any price. They are very cheap compared to Apple phones or tablets, but expensive compared to cheaper brands (which are not always lower spec than Apple, Apple has a massive profit margin).

Actually, the T1 was easily better then the x50 range. That's because it was Android and because it was Android, someone was able to modify the reading app and allow it to have a clock and to allow you to choose your own fonts. Sure there was PRS+, for the x50 line, but it was terrible. I tried it and it did a job on the battery.

[Renate]

An interesting read.
Since fortunately I have low taste and only require a 6" B&W device and since I'm willing to pay up to $200 every few years for the right device I guess that I'm set.
Saving $80/year is in the noise floor compared with all the other junk that creeps in.
I have always spent more for ereaders than phones.
That's just the way it is.

[Cactus Chef]

One question from this article:

As I understand it, Google requires Android devices to have colour screens and, so I've read, won't certify eInk eReaders for newer versions of Android.

How are B&N Nook's getting certified, then?

[kandwo]

Originally Posted by Cactus Chef

One question from this article:



How are B&N Nook's getting certified, then?

The Hibreak Pro (eink phone) by Bigme is on Android 14 and is certified.

It could be that they're using some sort of workaround.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Cactus Chef

One question from this article:



How are B&N Nook's getting certified, then?

He could be wrong.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Actually, the T1 was easily better then the x50 range. That's because it was Android and because it was Android, someone was able to modify the reading app and allow it to have a clock and to allow you to choose your own fonts. Sure there was PRS+, for the x50 line, but it was terrible. I tried it and it did a job on the battery.

No, the T1 is buggy and prone to freeze on dictionary look up.

Being able to modify the reading app or add apps is nothing to do with Android as such. Kindle and Kobo don't run Android and can be modified (Kindle needs jailbreak).

I took my T1 back. The T2 is nice, but really no better than x50 for most people.

There is little point to an ereader running Android unless it easily runs compatible Android apps and ideally has the Playstore. I have a Likebook Mars Android eink and it has Playstore option. For ordinary users of the Sony T1 or T2 there is nothing to suggest it runs Andriod.

Very many Android apps don't work properly on eink, or don't work at all.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Quoth

No, the T1 is buggy and prone to freeze on dictionary look up.

Being able to modify the reading app or add apps is nothing to do with Android as such. Kindle and Kobo don't run Android and can be modified (Kindle needs jailbreak).

I took my T1 back. The T2 is nice, but really no better than x50 for most people.

There is little point to an ereader running Android unless it easily runs compatible Android apps and ideally has the Playstore. I have a Likebook Mars Android eink and it has Playstore option. For ordinary users of the Sony T1 or T2 there is nothing to suggest it runs Andriod.

Very many Android apps don't work properly on eink, or don't work at all.

I never had a problem with the T1. Neither did my mother. She would have been moved over to a Kobo Aura H2O if she had not died when she did.

The T1 never locked up. Not even on dictionary lookup. Maybe the fact that I never upgrade them to the latest firmware because I didn't want to risk losing the use of the modified reading app.

Back then, there wasn't the modding of the Kobo. That didn't happen until we got the patches. And It was sometime after the first two Kobo's where no longer being sold.

[DrNefario]

It feels to me like Android is a really bad fit for an eInk reader. It's never seemed to do a great job looking after the battery on my phones or tablets.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

It feels to me like Android is a really bad fit for an eInk reader. It's never seemed to do a great job looking after the battery on my phones or tablets.

The Sony T1's battery seemed to last long enough. So did the nook STR. I cannot say of other Readers with Android.

I've seen some help guides on stopping things that run on start tha are not needed for a Reader.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Quoth

...Interesting article, though Android isn't needed, especially for something as limited in scope as an ereader. Most ereaders don't use Android. Sony switched to Android for T1, T2 and short-lived T3, with no advantage to them or the users. The T2 is no better to use than PRSx50 range and the T1 was worse.

I remember when the txtr beagle was announced, but I never saw one in the "plastic."

As for the T series vs. the 50 series, I didn't see a lot of difference in the firmware, but the T series definitely had better hardware. My 6" T3 is about the same size as my 5" PRS-350.

That said, I'm not a big fan of Android, Kobo and Kindle seems to do pretty well without it.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I remember when the txtr beagle was announced, but I never saw one in the "plastic."

As for the T series vs. the 50 series, I didn't see a lot of difference in the firmware, but the T series definitely had better hardware. My 6" T3 is about the same size as my 5" PRS-350.

That said, I'm not a big fan of Android, Kobo and Kindle seems to do pretty well without it.

The T3 had the then hi-res screen which was 768x1024 and a newer version of RMSDK that had hyphenation.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The Sony T1's battery seemed to last long enough. So did the nook STR. I cannot say of other Readers with Android.

I've seen some help guides on stopping things that run on start tha are not needed for a Reader.

The battery on the Sony T1's is outstanding. I upgraded to the Kobo Aura and the battery sucks compared to Sony.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The T3 had the then hi-res screen which was 768x1024 and a newer version of RMSDK that had hyphenation.

Yep. But there's no reason why that couldn't have been with Linux instead of Android. PocketBook uses a newer version of RMDSK on Linux.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

The battery on the Sony T1's is outstanding. I upgraded to the Kobo Aura and the battery sucks compared to Sony.

The only thing I can guess on why battery life is so long on Sonys is that they used better quality batteries (and Sonys turned completely off on their own after so many hours — I think 16 —JSWolf can correct me on this if I'm wrong).