Astak Mentor eBook readers with WiFi and Touchscreen (read-only)

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

The eReader is supported on PalmOS, Windows Mobile, Symbian OS, Windows, MacOS X and one optimized for Windows on OXO. Check the wiki for more details.

Dale

Are Mobi and eReader different? Or is just the DRM different? They both seem to support the same OS's and devices and both use a .prc file?

BOb

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Are Mobi and eReader different? Or is just the DRM different? They both seem to support the same OS's and devices and both use a .prc file?

They are very different. The .prc file is just a Palm container, see PDB and PRC in the wiki.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Are Mobi and eReader different? Or is just the DRM different? They both seem to support the same OS's and devices and both use a .prc file?

BOb

As Wallcraft said they are quite different. They do not support the same OS's either. eReader has full support for Mac including content creation. Mobi has support for Blackberry. There is some overlap of course and they both have their roots in Palm as a starting point and they both have PalmDOC support and are fundamentally based on that initial format. eReader uses PML (a special markup language) as their formatting while Mobi uses a subset of HTML. If you get into the details they are significantly different.

Dale

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Boo... that's too bad. No possibility of installing the "other" reader on the device seeing how it is a WinCE unit?

BOb

I really like this idea. It would be nice to have a more universal eBook reader with various downloads available like a PDA but primarily eBook centric. FBReader would be another good choice.

Dale

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

I really like this idea. It would be nice to have a more universal eBook reader with various downloads available like a PDA but primarily eBook centric. FBReader would be another good choice.

Dale

FBReader *is* a good choice. I'd like to see ePub and STAReBOOK .stk support, but it's a solid choice in its present form.

Derek

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

I really like this idea. It would be nice to have a more universal eBook reader with various downloads available like a PDA but primarily eBook centric. FBReader would be another good choice.

Dale

What would be really nice would be a single format supported by all the publishers. This would allow for a "true" choice of device and software.

This eBook thing is getting worse than the cell phone lock-in we have.

Although I won't hold my breath.

BOb

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

What would be really nice would be a single format supported by all the publishers. This would allow for a "true" choice of device and software.

This eBook thing is getting worse than the cell phone lock-in we have.

Although I won't hold my breath.

BOb

Dear Pilot Bob:

Agree totally. For Astak, getting into the eBook format wars for the first time, I was astonished that so much of the market is locked up and consigned to essentailly using one website to buy books. It is dangerous as a quasi-monopoly means device owners are at the mercy of that format. It is a miserable situation.

Yet, for Astak, so MANY want Mobipocket that you have to offer a version in it. It seems to have the kinks worked out... but it like living under an old bridge or something... every day you hope it doesn't come down on you. IDPF, of course, is pushing for ePub, which seems to be good

[6charlong]

Originally Posted by Robertb

For Astak, getting into the eBook format wars for the first time, I was astonished that so much of the market is locked up...

Yet, for Astak, so MANY want Mobipocket that you have to offer a version in it.

I've been trying to be patient but some questions about the Mentor are busting my buttons.

1. My PDA came without eBook software but it let me load, unload and update the book-reader software I wanted. Will it be possible for Mentor owners to delete, load and update the reading software of their choice?

2. eReader on the Clie lets you press one side of the screen to page forward and the other side to page back. This works much better than putting buttons under your fingers. Will the Mentor implement this feature?

3. eReader on my PC has a button to click that takes you to the eReader.com bookstore where you can click off the books you want to buy--sort of like what Amazon just did with the Kindle. Will the WiFi version of eReader do that? How about the MobiPocket version: will it home to Amazon to buy and download books?

4. Will the 5-inch Mentor be available with both touch and WiFi?

I know I'll hear the answers to all this eventually. Just having trouble waiting. The Mentor really IS a book reader for the rest of us.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

I've been trying to be patient but some questions about the Mentor are busting my buttons.

1. My PDA came without eBook software but it let me load, unload and update the book-reader software I wanted. Will it be possible for Mentor owners to delete, load and update the reading software of their choice?

2. eReader on the Clie lets you press one side of the screen to page forward and the other side to page back. This works much better than putting buttons under your fingers. Will the Mentor implement this feature?

3. eReader on my PC has a button to click that takes you to the eReader.com bookstore where you can click off the books you want to buy--sort of like what Amazon just did with the Kindle. Will the WiFi version of eReader do that? How about the MobiPocket version: will it home to Amazon to buy and download books?

4. Will the 5-inch Mentor be available with both touch and WiFi?

I know I'll hear the answers to all this eventually. Just having trouble waiting. The Mentor really IS a book reader for the rest of us.

I, for one, do NOT want to be 'homed in on' just one source whenever I connect my ebook reader. I like being able to buy my ebooks via my PC and then transfer them across to the SD card or the Cybook Gen3.

However, much of your desires mirror mine.

I will note that at this time, installing a reader application on a Cybook or EB-100 is a matter of porting the software over and then running a firmware update. In the case of the EB-100, it has been demonstrated that, while identical in hardware and OS to the Cybook, installing each other's reader app across is a NON-trivial task. (Yes, one can install the reader software from the EB-100 on the Cybook, but why *would* one, as it leaves much to be desired. )

I think the basic idea of having OpenInkpot running (in a form of dual-boot mode) off an SD card with a reader of one's choice would be the best approach. Then, one could buy any such reader and leave the firmware contents alone - switching over to, say, FBReader via the use of OI and FBReader on a 2GB SD card for those books which aren't available in the device's native reader format.

Derek

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

I've been trying to be patient but some questions about the Mentor are busting my buttons.

1. My PDA came without eBook software but it let me load, unload and update the book-reader software I wanted. Will it be possible for Mentor owners to delete, load and update the reading software of their choice?

2. eReader on the Clie lets you press one side of the screen to page forward and the other side to page back. This works much better than putting buttons under your fingers. Will the Mentor implement this feature?

3. eReader on my PC has a button to click that takes you to the eReader.com bookstore where you can click off the books you want to buy--sort of like what Amazon just did with the Kindle. Will the WiFi version of eReader do that? How about the MobiPocket version: will it home to Amazon to buy and download books?

4. Will the 5-inch Mentor be available with both touch and WiFi?

I know I'll hear the answers to all this eventually. Just having trouble waiting. The Mentor really IS a book reader for the rest of us.

Dear 6Charlong:

Wow, you ask good questions.

The 5 inch Mentor will not have TouchScreen or WiFi as it is intended to be low priced and get new eBook readers into the fold. The 6 inch will have TouchScreen, WiFi, and Bluetooth as options. All comes standard on the 9.7 inch.

The Mobipocket version will not "home" to Amazon. You will have your choice of any eBook site that sells in Mobipocket format.

The TouchScreen on the Mentor will make it a breeze to turn pages right on the screen. Non-Touchscreen models require a button to be pushed.

Your first question I am going to have to go to the factory to get you an answer. I really do not know. So... we will both learn!!

Robertb

[Dylrob]

Robert,
I hate to sound pushy, but I was really hoping you could answer at least the latter of the two questions I put forth a few pages back:

Originally Posted by Dylrob

First, just out of curiousity, will this device using the same touch input technology that PVI announced a little while back, or is it a Wacom or something else? And also, I don't know if this has been asked yet, but since WiFi as well as HTML support is listed, does this mean there'll be a functional web browser?

Thanks,
~Dylan.

[Blackguard]

I just wanted to chime in with how excited I am about an affordable eink device that will be able to display A4 pdfs. I read a ton of medical articles and technical reference books in electronic pdfs. This will be a huge boon for the folks in the medical community. I'll be placing an order for the 9.7" one for sure and maybe even a 5" too! Here's hoping for a successful launch!

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

Robert, might i suggest you try pm-ing a mod (or, in fact, Alexander himself) ? possibly they just haven't seen this thread lately...

Thank you, Zelda. I have made cotact with Alexander himself.

Robertb

[zelda_pinwheel]

glad to help thank you, for being so communicative here about astak's devices.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

Robert,
I hate to sound pushy, but I was really hoping you could answer at least the latter of the two questions I put forth a few pages back:



Thanks,
~Dylan.

Dear Dylan:

First, let me apologize. I have been on the road for weeks trying to talk with publishers and format makers.

What gets you a web browser is the operating system. We are linux-based with the Mentor/Litebook at present. We have had discussions with Microsoft that are still ongoing to improve this. Microsoft has not said "no" but they have not said "yes" either. We have visited them and will again.

Possibility exists that Microsoft wants to someday launch an eBook Reader of their own ( only my personal thought... NOT a founded rumor). So... no web browser is possible now. Still hoping.

robertb