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

[shezzy]

Thanks for the helpful replies. Astak certainly has their work cut out for them. Till I see the final release of the new readers I'll just pray all these knuckle headed format developers don't sabotage this great effort. If Astak comes thru with the pre-mentioned features and pricing perhaps it will be the new ipod for books. Best wishes to the crew at Astak/Robertb

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Robertb

The LiteBook in 5, 6, and 9.7 inch will have Mobipocket format and that is all that is allowed on it.

Both the Iliad and the Cybook have support for DRM-ridden MOBI, but they also support other formats providing they are DRM-free - so the LiteBook presumably could too. PDF is confusing because there are Adobe ebooks (always DRMed, and if these are really PDFs they are a very special kind of PDF), which clearly can't be supported on the LiteBook. What is usually meant by PDF, though, is standard unencrypted PDF documents that are widely used for technical books and scientific papers etcetera. The Cybook and iLiad both provide support for this kind of PDF.

The desktop version of Adobe Digital Editions supports Adobe Secure ebooks (sometimes called PDFs) and also Secure and DRM-free ePub ebooks. I'm not sure what level of support it has for standard PDFs. An unknown at present is what support the E-Ink version of Adobe DE will have for various file formats (and standard PDFs in particular). In any case, Adobe DE would make the Mentor a much more interesting device. It would complicate the "same software on both" approach, because if Adobe DE provides the standard PDF support on the Mentor this won't be available on the LiteBook.

The Kindle is essentially a single format device, so this approach is viable. Making the LiteBook MOBI-only, and the Mentor multi-format, makes a lot of sense to me. However, any software that is exclusively for DRM-free formats on the Mentor could be included on the LiteBook too.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Mindy

Brilliant!
Any estimate on the launch of the 6" given the revised launch date on the 5"? Are you still aiming for August?
Thanks for keeping us informed!

Dear Mindy:

We MAY still make August for the 6 inch. It might be late August. The 6 inch is what I want to buy and I believe the first models will have WiFi and TouchScreen. There is SO much to learn aside from just designing and manufacturing. I am dealing with Publishers that I never thought I would meet and calling them by first names. We just did a charity event that Costco loves (American Housing is a great organization and helps so many people). Costco wants our Mentor/LightBook but there is so much to work out. So, things do slide a bit on timelines (and I hate that) but I also respect the need.

Do not forget: the first place that will sell our eBook Readers is: www.astakshop.com (no matter what the size it will have them first).

Thank you for the nice comments!!

Robertb

[Lorion]

Hi!

I am waiting for your 9.7" Reader, are there any Informations when this one will arrive?
I am already thinking about buying two devices, one for books on the trip and the big 9.7 for the university...

[Indigo Ink]

Originally Posted by Lorion

Hi!

I am waiting for your 9.7" Reader, are there any Informations when this one will arrive?
I am already thinking about buying two devices, one for books on the trip and the big 9.7 for the university...

If you read from the beginning of the thread you would find that the expected date for 9.7 is October. Also that is the date on the astak website. (So I would take that as till Christmas definitely .)

[nekokami]

Robertb, any word on the possibility of Linux models? I have a real aversion to any flavor of Windows if I can help it. I can understand that they wouldn't be your first releases, I was just wondering if this is still under consideration.

[slov]

First post ever!

I would like to know if you guys are planning to ship overseas. Most of the devices are only sold in the US and I live in Japan

Another thing: perhaps you might consider to lend/give a couple units for people to make reviews of the devices, such as this forum, engadget etc.

Cheers,
Diogo

[M.H.]

Originally Posted by slov

First post ever!

I would like to know if you guys are planning to ship overseas. Most of the devices are only sold in the US and I live in Japan

The answer is two pages back.

Originally Posted by Robertb

I can tell you that we do now have permission to sell via website worldwide. We are developing the new website now and it may take 6 weeks... but when it is done you will be able to purchase the Mentor/LiteBook and books for them from that new website.

robertb

[granz]

There was a question a few pages back regarding the ability to take notes and possibly save to USB. I didn't see an answer.

The ability to take notes via stylus is a huge advantage.

I go through a full notepad per month taking notes during brainstorming sessions and meetings. To try to find something that I wrote down a couple of months ago can be quite tedious with all the page flipping and visually scanning quickly scribbled notes. If I could take notes digitally this headache would be eliminated.

This would truly help turn this product from a nice to have recreational toy to a must have business tool.

As a recreational toy I would want it, and possibly hope for it as a christmas present. As a business tool I wouldn't hesitate to purchase it on day one without question.

[Mindy]

Originally Posted by granz

There was a question a few pages back regarding the ability to take notes and possibly save to USB. I didn't see an answer.

The ability to take notes via stylus is a huge advantage.

Per Robert's earlier post....

Originally Posted by Robertb

We MAY still make August for the 6 inch. It might be late August. The 6 inch is what I want to buy and I believe the first models will have WiFi and TouchScreen.

Robertb

...I believe a note-taking function is strongly implied by probable inclusion of the Touchscreen. Doubt there will be USB port, since it's generally considered clumsy and unnecessary, but I don't think anything is guaranteed quite yet - we should hopefully have a better idea in the next few weeks and/or they've survived the launch of the 5"!!!

[zelda_pinwheel]

USB port is considered clumsy and unnecessary ?? how will you transfer files to / from your computer ??

i too will be quite interested in how / whether notes will be implemented. i have a touchscreen with note-taking capabilities on my eb1150, however as far as i can see there is no way to get the notes off the device for archiving or reference purposes, and even less handwriting recognition function. so they are only useful in some specific ways.

[tirsales]

WiFi
So I guess a USB-port (or similar) should be present too (and I guess it is) - I really dont want to start an ad-hoc-network every time I want to load some notes from the reader to my notebook.
Apart from that WiFi is not allows in all areas - e.g. at work we are not allowed to use any kind of WiFi, thus an alternative is needed.

AFAIK the iLiad makes it possible to just "overlay" the PDF (or whatever text-format) with the notes and/or store the notes in a grafic and/or apply handwrite-recognition.
Could you add an "on-screen-keyboard"?

[Mindy]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

USB port is considered clumsy and unnecessary ?? how will you transfer files to / from your computer ??

I mean a port for a USB port on the ereader that you can use for a USB memory stick (sorry, should maybe have been clearer); i.e. a stick...errrr....sticking out of your device while you use it. And, I would imagine, that although the cable has a USB 'end', the other 'end' normally isn't like with iPods and digital cameras?
Going to stick the word 'stick' in here again, just coz I felt like it. Stick.

[tirsales]

Originally Posted by Mindy

And, I would imagine, that although the cable has a USB 'end', the other 'end' normally isn't like with iPods and digital cameras?

You dont implie they should be using a non-standard usb-port, do you?
oh please no! I have enough different usb-cables as it is, I dont want another one

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by tirsales

AFAIK the iLiad makes it possible to just "overlay" the PDF (or whatever text-format) with the notes and/or store the notes in a grafic and/or apply handwrite-recognition.
Could you add an "on-screen-keyboard"?

no, the eb1150 is rather primitive in this sense and while there is an on screen keyboard which can be used for the search function it does not allow you to take notes this way, only using the stylus to write on the screen. which is already pretty good, let's be honest, especially since you can write or even highlight directly on the text you are reading, or insert a blank page anywhere in the text for further notes. but precisely because it has these capabilities, i really don't understand why there is no way to recover these notes to a pc. since it is considered obsolete technology i don't think anyone is interested in trying to port / write any apps to it, even if this would be possible with the os (i have no idea).

Originally Posted by Mindy

I mean a port for a USB port on the ereader that you can use for a USB memory stick (sorry, should maybe have been clearer); i.e. a stick...errrr....sticking out of your device while you use it. And, I would imagine, that although the cable has a USB 'end', the other 'end' normally isn't like with iPods and digital cameras?
Going to stick the word 'stick' in here again, just coz I felt like it. Stick.

oh sorry i misunderstood you. that makes sense (i know what you mean by 'stick'). i was thinking of a port for a usb cable, to communicate with a pc ; i couldn't imagine how we could possibly get around having one of those (and i wouldn't want to have to).