Why such scanty memory?

thibaulthalpern · 03-05-2009, 04:53 PM

Being new to the world of eBooks, I'm wondering why the digital reader devices are generally so scanty with built-in memory. Memory chip these days are quite inexpensive. One can easily buy a 8GB SD memory card for $20, yet the built-in memory of most of these devices are around 512MB or 256MB.

Why?

pdurrant · 03-05-2009, 05:06 PM

512MB is over 500 normal sized ebooks

The current crop of ebook readers just aren't very good at handling even a few hundred ebooks (in terms of accessing easily), let along the ten thousand that would fit in 8GB.

I have a 2GB card in my CyBook, with over 2,000 ebooks on it and it's not full yet. I'm really hoping that the next firmware update improves the navigation in the library, because if I did want to read that 2,000th book, it would take me five minutes to page to it.

eBooks don't take up much space compared to music or video.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thibaulthalpern

Being new to the world of eBooks, I'm wondering why the digital reader devices are generally so scanty with built-in memory. Memory chip these days are quite inexpensive. One can easily buy a 8GB SD memory card for $20, yet the built-in memory of most of these devices are around 512MB or 256MB.

Why?

grooks · 03-05-2009, 05:21 PM

I think once they properly develop library management in the device software we will see an expansion of available on-device memory.

DixieGal · 03-05-2009, 05:23 PM

I keep very few books on my 505 because it seems to do page turns and things slower when it is loaded.

tompe · 03-05-2009, 06:47 PM

But it would be convenient to be able to use the reader for data storage (like an USB stick). I find it much easier to always have my book with me than always having a USB stick with me.

thibaulthalpern · 03-05-2009, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

eBooks don't take up much space compared to music or video.

That's true with the exception of some PDF files, no?

pdurrant · 03-06-2009, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thibaulthalpern

That's true with the exception of some PDF files, no?

Only if the PDF files are essentially scanned images.

But PDFs are really for output to a fixed page size at a fixed font size. Quite the opposite of what's needed for a good ebook format, which should work with multiple page sizes, and multiple base font sizes.

HarryT · 03-07-2009, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

But it would be convenient to be able to use the reader for data storage (like an USB stick). I find it much easier to always have my book with me than always having a USB stick with me.

I keep my USB stick on my keyring, so it always is with me.

03-05-2009, 04:53 PM	#1
thibaulthalpern Evangelist Posts: 478 Karma: 451808 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: California, USA Device: my two eyes, KLiiK, Sony PRS-700	Why such scanty memory? Being new to the world of eBooks, I'm wondering why the digital reader devices are generally so scanty with built-in memory. Memory chip these days are quite inexpensive. One can easily buy a 8GB SD memory card for $20, yet the built-in memory of most of these devices are around 512MB or 256MB. Why?

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03-05-2009, 05:21 PM	#3
grooks Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 30250 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Fort Myers, FL Device: Pocketbook Era, Kobo Forma	I think once they properly develop library management in the device software we will see an expansion of available on-device memory.

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DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I keep very few books on my 505 because it seems to do page turns and things slower when it is loaded.

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tompe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,452 Karma: 7185064 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Linköpng, Sweden Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW	But it would be convenient to be able to use the reader for data storage (like an USB stick). I find it much easier to always have my book with me than always having a USB stick with me.

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