I just don’t get it!

[tomsheeley]

Maybe it’s just me, I’m sure I must be missing something.

I’ve been reading e-books for as long as I remember on my PC, and then for many years from my first handheld ( a Handspring Visor ) up to my latest ( a Palm TX ). Love it to death!

Now I have been drawn to the “new” generation of e-reader hardware, the Sony, Kimble, the IRex and the others – hoping to find the “bigger and better” reader from my Palm TX, and I’m stumped!

My TX gives me not only the e-books ( I have over a dozen full books on it currently, not to mention many dozen short stories, but also I can use it to write with a word processor, surf the web, watch Youtube and Google videos, and even (via removable SD cards) watch full movies and/or use the cards to store full audio-books. All in full glorious color – but only on a 320x480 screen. BTW, it also gives me wifi and Bluetooth, and games!

What I don’t get is why, if I can get a TX at BestBuy for just over $300 ( $314.99 at this time via their webpage ) how come I can’t get something that does about the same stuff in a e-reader today. Hell, Palm released the TX in 2005 – THREE YEARS AGO! Has there been no progress?

The best I can find is no color, poor formatting, and bare simple audio playback – all for even MORE then the palm costs. That's a LOT to give up for a bigger screen...

I’m sure I’m just missing something – can someone clue me in?

Thanks!
Tom

[Nate the great]

Two things:

The screen technology is different, and it costs a lot more because it's new.

The Kindle, 505, Cybook, Iliad, etc use the new screens because it extends battery life.

[Alisa]

Yep. Not only do the new e-ink screens extend battery life, many people find them way easier on the eyes than an LCD screen. Many of us find it worth the money to have battery life measured in days and readability similar to paper. Personally, I found reading a little on my HTC6800 was ok when I had a moment to kill, but I did not enjoy reading for hours at a stretch on it. Yes, part of the problem was the size, but mostly it was the eye strain.

There are downsides to these new screens besides the price, of course. There are no color options in production. The screens are slow to redraw which really limits the applications. Someday I'm sure we'll have efficient screens that are this comfortable on the eyes, larger, faster, cheaper and color whether it's electronic ink or some other technology. We're just not there yet. Personally, I'm happy to leave the web browsing, videos, etc., to my computers and my smartphone which do them quite well in exchange for this screen as it is now for books. When this future ultra-portable, all-in-one device appears that is just as good for reading books as it is for watching a video I'll be first in line to get it. For now, I'm happy having more than one device. For the amount I read, $300-$400 is worth it. I think that price point is still high for most people, though. I think readers as they stand are still very much an early-adopter product. I'm sure we'll look back to these years from now and chuckle the same way we do about "mobile" phones the size of bricks or monochrome CRTs.

[moz]

Originally Posted by tomsheeley

The best I can find is no color, poor formatting, and bare simple audio playback – all for even MORE then the palm costs. That's a LOT to give up for a bigger screen...

To give your Palm the same battery life while using all those capabilities would take a battery the size of a laptop. If you also made the screen the same size you'd have one of the new kids-laptop things but with a 5lb battery built in. It's all about the batteries... eink takes very little power and does what it does better than the alternatives right now. I'm sure that over time things will improve, but for now the choice is: fast refresh, high power consumption LCD or slow refresh, very low power consumption eink.

I wonder if we'll see a laptop or tablet with eink on one side and lcd on the other?

[jgray]

Originally Posted by tomsheeley

Maybe it’s just me, I’m sure I must be missing something.

I’ve been reading e-books for as long as I remember on my PC, and then for many years from my first handheld ( a Handspring Visor ) up to my latest ( a Palm TX ). Love it to death!

Now I have been drawn to the “new” generation of e-reader hardware, the Sony, Kimble, the IRex and the others – hoping to find the “bigger and better” reader from my Palm TX, and I’m stumped!

My TX gives me not only the e-books ( I have over a dozen full books on it currently, not to mention many dozen short stories, but also I can use it to write with a word processor, surf the web, watch Youtube and Google videos, and even (via removable SD cards) watch full movies and/or use the cards to store full audio-books. All in full glorious color – but only on a 320x480 screen. BTW, it also gives me wifi and Bluetooth, and games!

What I don’t get is why, if I can get a TX at BestBuy for just over $300 ( $314.99 at this time via their webpage ) how come I can’t get something that does about the same stuff in a e-reader today. Hell, Palm released the TX in 2005 – THREE YEARS AGO! Has there been no progress?

The best I can find is no color, poor formatting, and bare simple audio playback – all for even MORE then the palm costs. That's a LOT to give up for a bigger screen...

I’m sure I’m just missing something – can someone clue me in?

Thanks!
Tom

Sounds like you ought to look at one of the Nokia's. I have owned a few PDAs, but as the years wore on, I found it more difficult to read on those small screens. My N800 is much easier to read on and is still somewhat pocketable. It still lacks a bit as a PDA, but the WiFi and browser are very handy. I mostly use it for reading, however.

I imagine at some point, I will buy a dedicated ebook reader. I would like a color display (some things do require color), and one that is able to read at least half-a-page of a PDF without too much effort. Although, if some money fell out of the sky today, I would probably buy a CyBook for now.

Edit: I'd go for an Iliad with the larger screen and touchscreen, but not at those prices.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by tomsheeley

Now I have been drawn to the “new” generation of e-reader hardware, the Sony, Kimble, the IRex and the others – hoping to find the “bigger and better” reader from my Palm TX, and I’m stumped!

If you are happy with your Palm and want something with an LCD screen, WiFi more of a 'jack of all trades' device you may want to look at the Nokia N800... you can get it for $219 on Tiger Direct.

BOb

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by moz

I wonder if we'll see a laptop or tablet with eink on one side and lcd on the other?

I doubt it. It doesn't seem like there would be much demand for such a device, especially since two screens would presumably make the device rather expensive. Now on the other hand I'm willing to predict when video-capable color eInk hits the market, it won't be too long before someone tries to substitute the LCD entirely on either a laptop or tablet PC device.

[TallMomof2]

I made the switch from the TX to the Kindle for reading. I still use my TX for the calender, contacts and remote web surfing but since I read so many books, the Kindle is much easier on my eyes. I tried out a tablet PC that gives me all the functionality of the TX but battery life is lousy (2 hours), it's heavy, hot and louder than a TX or a Kindle.

[Sparrow]

I love my TX; but it's impossible to read comfortably sitting out in the sunshine cos of the reflectivity.
Being able to read outside was the major spur for me to get an e-ink device.

[TallMomof2]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I love my TX; but it's impossible to read comfortably sitting out in the sunshine cos of the reflectivity.
Being able to read outside was the major spur for me to get an e-ink device.

Forgot to add that about reading outside. Last summer at the pool with the kidlets I couldn't read on the TX at all. Reading outside with the Kindle is a pleasure.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by moz

I wonder if we'll see a laptop or tablet with eink on one side and lcd on the other?

We already have ... sorta:

Intel Metro Notebook: a new use for e-ink
Hands-on with the E Ink-equipped Intel Metro Notebook
Intel Metro notebook video clip

[=X=]

Originally Posted by tomsheeley

I’ve been reading e-books for as long as I remember on my PC

Same here!

Originally Posted by tomsheeley

( a Palm TX ). Love it to death!

Dito, I have the Samsung730 (Mobile phone/WM5)

The main difference is in the screen technology. There is a huge difference, and until you read the device in broad daylight. You'll have a hard time understanding the full advantage the E-Ink technology has over LCD.

What you lose in color you gain in being able to read under ANY light condition as well as an extended battery life. With the SONY Reader you can finish several books before you even have to think about recharging the device. I can't tell you how many times I've had to put away my phone because the battery juice was running out.

I can tell you I have no regrets, while my reader doesn't handle music or have wireless features, it excels at what it's suppose to and thats being a viable alternative to lugging around paper books.
Hope this helps
=X=

[NatCh]

Just a note, =X=, the Sony Reader will play music for you, it's just that most of us think it's kinda pointless and it runs the battery down quickly.

[RWood]

Color was never a big thing for me when reading books, even the best color screens were often black print on a white background. I have a Palm equipped cell phone and have read many books on it over the years. I also received a larger Palm from a close friend some time ago. I found both experiences far less enjoyable and pleasurable than reading on the Sony Reader.

The e-ink screen is without a doubt the best reading experience of any electronic device I have ever used. (Note: I am using the older technology and the current model is even better.)

[JSWolf]

When I pull up an eBook on my computer, most books do not have color images and what I mostly get is a white background with black text. That said, why would I need color?