Sol Reader - e-Ink reading headset

BionicGecko · 06-13-2023, 09:04 AM

Looks like there's a new e-Ink device coming to the market in the form of a reading headset.

https://solreader.com/

Thoughts?

Sirtel · 06-13-2023, 09:45 AM

Unusable for me. Adjustable only until -6 diopters. My glasses are -11 (yes, I wear them all the time, even when reading).

Needs internet access while reading? Would that mean you can't use it in any environment without internet?

Several devices to carry instead of only one.

In short, pointless.

BionicGecko · 06-13-2023, 09:58 AM

Personally I'm really perplexed by the specs:

256x256 pixels per eye resolution
64 MB (yes, that's an 'M') storage

I guess e-ink can only provide so much resolution so near to the eyes, but 64 MB of storage, really, in 2023...?

305869 · 06-13-2023, 10:01 AM

This looks very silly

mpeg2 · 06-13-2023, 10:04 AM

Resolution looks terrible (maybe even headache inducing)
Needs a remote for navigation
Obscures your view of the world around you
$350

No Thanks

DuskyRose · 06-13-2023, 10:50 AM

Looks silly. I'd have problems, visually. Storage is so low! Not even remotely interested.

Apache · 06-13-2023, 12:51 PM

I would not use them even if someone gifted them to me. I may be oblivious when I read, but I still like to be able to see what's going on, if I need to.
Apache

Quoth · 06-13-2023, 03:40 PM

Eink's advantage is using ambient light. Laser, OLED or LCD is far better than eink for a headset.

If Apple's $3,500 AR/VR is one sort of madness, this is the other extreme of madness. At 256 x256 it is an expensive toy. A $50 headset adapter kit with lenses for a big smart phone would be better, and still stupid.

rcentros · 06-13-2023, 07:34 PM

I don't even like to wear glasses. I'm pretty sure if I wore one of these I would get a stiff neck trying to keep it in place. And, like others mentioned, I wouldn't want to obstruct my vision. I don't see much of a market for these (but I could be wrong).

They tout "deep focus" but that's not a problem I have when reading. Sometimes I get too "deeply focused" as it is.

rowe · 06-14-2023, 08:23 AM

Hmm, I'm interested to try it but it's not that appealing. Suspect I might only prefer it for reading in bed.

Disappointing it looks like it's not grayscale - reading pixel fonts is quite tiring. Also the refreshes seem quite hard, which again is tiring / headache inducing for me.

Cactus Chef · 06-14-2023, 09:01 AM

Could be useful, I suppose. There are days when "sitting comfortably" and "sitting comfortably while reading" are mutually exclusive to my body. So being able to get comfy and not worry about whether I'll be able to maintain holding my book at that position would be nice. I mean I paid a premium price for my Kobo Sage so that I could have physical page-turn buttons and not have to lift my hand every minute to swipe the page.

With that said, this is quite expensive. Plus, I'm not sure how the book would display (there are no in-visor screenshots), but I don't think I'd want the text spanning my entire peripheral vision. It would end up looking like the intro to Star Wars on the front row seat of a movie theater.

JSWolf · 06-14-2023, 09:42 AM

The resolution of the Sol Reader is terrible. The fonts used are awful. It's like reading on an 8-bit game console without color.

Deskisamess · 06-14-2023, 12:17 PM

What a stoopid web site.

BionicGecko · 06-14-2023, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cactus Chef

Plus, I'm not sure how the book would display (there are no in-visor screenshots)

There is an animated view of the display, but it’s a bit hidden - in the “Product Specs” section, there are two buttons, “Reader” (the default), and “Navigation”. The latter brings up the display “demo”.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

What a stoopid web site.

It is

I was trying to find some product description (or any useful information really) in there to paste in the original post, but had to give up.

Sirtel · 06-14-2023, 12:34 PM

The display is indeed awful. I got a headache just from the demo.

06-13-2023, 09:04 AM	#1
BionicGecko Fanatic Posts: 503 Karma: 5555555 Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Czech Republic Device: Voyage, Oasis, Scribe, Colorsoft, Libra Colour	Sol Reader - e-Ink reading headset Looks like there's a new e-Ink device coming to the market in the form of a reading headset. https://solreader.com/ Thoughts?

06-13-2023, 09:58 AM	#3
BionicGecko Fanatic Posts: 503 Karma: 5555555 Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Czech Republic Device: Voyage, Oasis, Scribe, Colorsoft, Libra Colour	Personally I'm really perplexed by the specs: 256x256 pixels per eye resolution 64 MB (yes, that's an 'M') storage I guess e-ink can only provide so much resolution so near to the eyes, but 64 MB of storage, really, in 2023...?

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06-13-2023, 09:45 AM	#2
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,098 Karma: 237627567 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	Unusable for me. Adjustable only until -6 diopters. My glasses are -11 (yes, I wear them all the time, even when reading). Needs internet access while reading? Would that mean you can't use it in any environment without internet? Several devices to carry instead of only one. In short, pointless.

06-13-2023, 10:01 AM	#4
305869 Connoisseur Posts: 95 Karma: 92818 Join Date: Mar 2023 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Boox Leaf 7"	This looks very silly

06-13-2023, 10:04 AM	#5
mpeg2 Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 2687880 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle	Resolution looks terrible (maybe even headache inducing) Needs a remote for navigation Obscures your view of the world around you $350 No Thanks

06-13-2023, 10:50 AM	#6
DuskyRose Guru Posts: 751 Karma: 9209502 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Boox Note Air3, Palma, K-Scribe, Eclipsa 2e, & Libra 2, Ipads	Looks silly. I'd have problems, visually. Storage is so low! Not even remotely interested.

06-13-2023, 12:51 PM	#7
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,253 Karma: 90000484 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	I would not use them even if someone gifted them to me. I may be oblivious when I read, but I still like to be able to see what's going on, if I need to. Apache

06-13-2023, 03:40 PM	#8
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,653 Karma: 103503445 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Eink's advantage is using ambient light. Laser, OLED or LCD is far better than eink for a headset. If Apple's $3,500 AR/VR is one sort of madness, this is the other extreme of madness. At 256 x256 it is an expensive toy. A $50 headset adapter kit with lenses for a big smart phone would be better, and still stupid.

06-13-2023, 07:34 PM	#9
rcentros eReader Wrangler Posts: 7,830 Karma: 51000001 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Boise, ID Device: PB HD3, GL3, Tolino Vision 4, Voyage, Clara HD	I don't even like to wear glasses. I'm pretty sure if I wore one of these I would get a stiff neck trying to keep it in place. And, like others mentioned, I wouldn't want to obstruct my vision. I don't see much of a market for these (but I could be wrong). They tout "deep focus" but that's not a problem I have when reading. Sometimes I get too "deeply focused" as it is.

06-14-2023, 08:23 AM	#10
rowe Zealot Posts: 144 Karma: 4719872 Join Date: Jul 2019 Device: Hibreak Pro, Mira, Paperlike Colour	Hmm, I'm interested to try it but it's not that appealing. Suspect I might only prefer it for reading in bed. Disappointing it looks like it's not grayscale - reading pixel fonts is quite tiring. Also the refreshes seem quite hard, which again is tiring / headache inducing for me.

06-14-2023, 09:01 AM	#11
Cactus Chef Evangelist Posts: 491 Karma: 6655750 Join Date: Apr 2019 Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Clara HD, Galaxy Tab S5e, Kindle 4th Gen	Could be useful, I suppose. There are days when "sitting comfortably" and "sitting comfortably while reading" are mutually exclusive to my body. So being able to get comfy and not worry about whether I'll be able to maintain holding my book at that position would be nice. I mean I paid a premium price for my Kobo Sage so that I could have physical page-turn buttons and not have to lift my hand every minute to swipe the page. With that said, this is quite expensive. Plus, I'm not sure how the book would display (there are no in-visor screenshots), but I don't think I'd want the text spanning my entire peripheral vision. It would end up looking like the intro to Star Wars on the front row seat of a movie theater.

06-14-2023, 09:42 AM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 78,986 Karma: 144284074 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The resolution of the Sol Reader is terrible. The fonts used are awful. It's like reading on an 8-bit game console without color.

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06-14-2023, 12:17 PM	#13
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,742 Karma: 45300001 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 13 Pro, iPad mini, iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8", Scribe 2022	What a stoopid web site.

06-14-2023, 12:34 PM	#15
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,098 Karma: 237627567 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	The display is indeed awful. I got a headache just from the demo.