What's next?

owly · 05-11-2012, 11:16 AM

Is it me or has reader development grinded to a halt? Apart from added lighting is there any new inovations on the way? Personallt I'd like a screen with higher defintion.

AnemicOak · 05-11-2012, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by owly

Personallt I'd like a screen with higher defintion.

If you mean eInk, there are already 6 inch screens with higher resolution they just aren't used much. The iRiver HD Story used one and IIRC there's a new PocketBook coming out that uses one too.

Then there's LG's flexible eInk which we should see sometime this year.

abookreader · 05-11-2012, 04:30 PM

I think there is a problem with "continuing to innovate" in terms of eReaders and that is do the buyers really want anything else that they are going to be willing to pay higher prices to get it? I guess higher resolution or color, but it is hard for me to get all that excited about either one. It's not like the current screens look terrible in comparison to a printed page.

Better battery life? Better than a month between charges? Whatever.

There could be some software improvements - better organization capabilities, better touch screen performance etc.

My gut says that "what's next" is going to be continued fighting over content and pricing and the cost of the standard devices is going to continue to fall.

Penforhire · 05-11-2012, 06:18 PM

Price reduction is a development. We've seen no slow down there!

But I'd like to see more physically robust screens. LG's flexible might be an answer. I wouldn't say no to a bit more contrast and resolution either.

RainingLemur · 05-11-2012, 06:59 PM

Flexible display with color. That would be great.

VaporPunk · 05-12-2012, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainingLemur

Flexible display with color. That would be great.

^ This, while retaining great battery life.

DrNefario · 05-12-2012, 06:37 AM

I'm not sure I want colour, if it means compromising the b&w quality. I admit to knowing nothing about how colour eInk works, but if it's similar to colour monitors, then you can keep it. 99% of what I want a reader for is monochrome, and I have this iPad for anything else.

odiakkoh · 05-12-2012, 03:17 PM

I just wish there was a better way to organize the books within my kindle. Besides that I'm happy with my k3 and am sad that it'll probably be completely phased out when the new kindle is announced.

BeccaPrice · 05-12-2012, 03:26 PM

It does look like the k3 is completely gone - it's certainly not advertised on the Amazon site any more.

odiakkoh · 05-12-2012, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

It does look like the k3 is completely gone - it's certainly not advertised on the Amazon site any more.

You can still buy it through the Kindle page, it's one of the choices on the top.

Jeff L · 05-12-2012, 07:37 PM

Keep an eye on Pixel Qi. Low, low power screens.

http://www.pixelqi.com/products

SmokeAndMirrors · 05-13-2012, 03:16 AM

There isn't really much else I want.

Lighting sounds nice. Not nice enough for me to upgrade from a perfectly servicable device, but when this one dies, I'll definitely look out for it.

The flexible screens are really what I'm waiting for, though. Mostly just because it addresses probably the biggest problem with ereaders: their fragility.

Other than that? Honestly I can't think of anything I want. I don't want a higher resolution screen. If I am reading something that would do better in high res, chances are I'm reading it on my tablet, not my ereader. Grayscale makes it sort of pointless to keep upping the screen res. What for? Are you really going to look at pictures on it? In black and white with a painful refresh rate?

I'm not even interested in color eink, for the same reason. If I want to appreciate pictures, I'll do it on a device that doesn't have refresh lag, and that actually shows bright colors, rather than washed out approximations.

I like that ereaders are cheap and simple. It's my escape device. I do NOTHING but joy read on it. It's the only device in my life that I never use for any sort of work, and that is in part because of its limitations. I like that.

Nyssa · 05-13-2012, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

It does look like the k3 is completely gone - it's certainly not advertised on the Amazon site any more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by odiakkoh

You can still buy it through the Kindle page, it's one of the choices on the top.

Yep. I was just looking at that yesterday, as I may need to replace my current K3, which has been "sticking" quite a bit lately.
I'm not sure if I want another K3, if I should switch to a KT, or if I should wait and see. I like the idea of the x-ray function on the KT, but I've heard that it is not available for all of the books- making the KT less attractive.

Phogg · 05-13-2012, 11:55 AM

Large flexible bistabile displays will of course come sometime in the next seven or eoght years.

There is a multi billion dollar per year paper, ink, and plotter business to cannibalize in the field of blueprints. A guaranteed payoff waiting to be plucked.

rjmac · 05-13-2012, 12:52 PM

I would rather like a colour screen and I noticed that Amazon has aledgely ordered some coloured e-ink screens (http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets...ndle-20120221/). WIth the obvious implication that they are going to launch a colour Kindle e-book reader.

I am under the impression that colour e-ink results in a rather washed out / poor quality pictures and are very slow. So I am wondering whether any one has actually seen a colour e-ink screen and what they are really like?

05-11-2012, 11:16 AM	#1
owly Guru Posts: 729 Karma: 3822612 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sweden Device: Paperwhite 2, Kobo Aura H2O	What's next? Is it me or has reader development grinded to a halt? Apart from added lighting is there any new inovations on the way? Personallt I'd like a screen with higher defintion.

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05-11-2012, 04:30 PM	#3
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	I think there is a problem with "continuing to innovate" in terms of eReaders and that is do the buyers really want anything else that they are going to be willing to pay higher prices to get it? I guess higher resolution or color, but it is hard for me to get all that excited about either one. It's not like the current screens look terrible in comparison to a printed page. Better battery life? Better than a month between charges? Whatever. There could be some software improvements - better organization capabilities, better touch screen performance etc. My gut says that "what's next" is going to be continued fighting over content and pricing and the cost of the standard devices is going to continue to fall.

05-11-2012, 06:18 PM	#4
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Price reduction is a development. We've seen no slow down there! But I'd like to see more physically robust screens. LG's flexible might be an answer. I wouldn't say no to a bit more contrast and resolution either.

05-11-2012, 06:59 PM	#5
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	Flexible display with color. That would be great.

05-12-2012, 06:37 AM	#7
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,227 Karma: 12029046 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	I'm not sure I want colour, if it means compromising the b&w quality. I admit to knowing nothing about how colour eInk works, but if it's similar to colour monitors, then you can keep it. 99% of what I want a reader for is monochrome, and I have this iPad for anything else.

05-12-2012, 03:17 PM	#8
odiakkoh Guru Posts: 823 Karma: 1818344 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: iPhone 5s	I just wish there was a better way to organize the books within my kindle. Besides that I'm happy with my k3 and am sad that it'll probably be completely phased out when the new kindle is announced.

05-12-2012, 03:26 PM	#9
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,146 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	It does look like the k3 is completely gone - it's certainly not advertised on the Amazon site any more.

05-12-2012, 07:37 PM	#11
Jeff L Zealot Posts: 117 Karma: 584308 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: San Francisco Device: Kindle	Keep an eye on Pixel Qi. Low, low power screens. http://www.pixelqi.com/products

05-13-2012, 03:16 AM	#12
SmokeAndMirrors Addict Posts: 280 Karma: 2064388 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: MN, US Device: Kobo Touch, Asus Eee Pad Slider	There isn't really much else I want. Lighting sounds nice. Not nice enough for me to upgrade from a perfectly servicable device, but when this one dies, I'll definitely look out for it. The flexible screens are really what I'm waiting for, though. Mostly just because it addresses probably the biggest problem with ereaders: their fragility. Other than that? Honestly I can't think of anything I want. I don't want a higher resolution screen. If I am reading something that would do better in high res, chances are I'm reading it on my tablet, not my ereader. Grayscale makes it sort of pointless to keep upping the screen res. What for? Are you really going to look at pictures on it? In black and white with a painful refresh rate? I'm not even interested in color eink, for the same reason. If I want to appreciate pictures, I'll do it on a device that doesn't have refresh lag, and that actually shows bright colors, rather than washed out approximations. I like that ereaders are cheap and simple. It's my escape device. I do NOTHING but joy read on it. It's the only device in my life that I never use for any sort of work, and that is in part because of its limitations. I like that.

05-13-2012, 11:55 AM	#14
Phogg PHD in Horribleness Posts: 2,320 Karma: 23599604 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In the ironbound section, near avenue L Device: Just a whole bunch. I guess I am a collector now.	Large flexible bistabile displays will of course come sometime in the next seven or eoght years. There is a multi billion dollar per year paper, ink, and plotter business to cannibalize in the field of blueprints. A guaranteed payoff waiting to be plucked.

05-13-2012, 12:52 PM	#15
rjmac Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 574506 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: Kobo Touch	I would rather like a colour screen and I noticed that Amazon has aledgely ordered some coloured e-ink screens (http://www.geek.com/articles/gadgets...ndle-20120221/). WIth the obvious implication that they are going to launch a colour Kindle e-book reader. I am under the impression that colour e-ink results in a rather washed out / poor quality pictures and are very slow. So I am wondering whether any one has actually seen a colour e-ink screen and what they are really like?

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