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

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear Griffonwing:

Fully agree. The plain target for the large 8 by 10 Plastic Logic device is going to be textbooks, magazines and newspapers.

The target audience for the 5 inch P.P. is all about instantaneous response and convenience. The P.P. will play the music while people read eBooks or they go into TTS and listen to the books while reading a newspaper. When they are done, they pop it into their pants pocket or purse and go off for adventure.

NOW... let me deal with a certain video that people are talking about! At last year's CES I MENTIONED that MY blue EZ Reader had been dropped off of tables by customers while playing with it. I did NOT say "I recommend taking the EZ Reader and dropping it off a table". I did not say "dropping it off a table is a great idea". I did not say "it will always survive being dropped off a table". I certainly did not say "try running your car over the crush-resistant case".

Some weasles have been returning easy-to-see abused product back claiming RobertB says it will take the pounding of dropping it!!

READ THE USER MANUAL!! It says: "treat your EZ Reader like any fine electronic instrument". It says "be careful and treat it like you want it to last". For God's sakes, people, USE your heads (all two of them in some cases). It is a very well built machine that HAS stood up to a drop. That does NOT mean I advise dropping it. It certainly does not mean "stands up to any abuse and keeps on ticking". It means FOR A SIMILAR MOBILE BOOK READER THIS ONE OFTEN FORGIVES SOME SANE AMOUNT OF ABUSE...BUT NO GUARANTEE!!

Jesus, I treat all of you as intelligent and learned people who know how to treat an electronic device. Don't come back saying "RobertB suggests dropping it off a cliff and it will be good for it". This is unfathomable to me that people would take a video to mean "it is impervious to dropping"!!

O.K.: DO NOT DROP YOUR EZ READER!!! IT MAY VOID YOUR WARRANTY IF WE SEE OBVIOUS CARELESSNESS OR PURPOSEFUL NEGLECT!!

My GOD... this is amazing!!!

Bugger it! There go my weekend plans!

[Stensie4JC]

I don't look in for ONE day and Robert reappears! I just wanted to say, welcome back! Your time and investment in customer service are very much appreciated. Don't worry about your NDA, I'm sure I speak for everyone in saying that we don't want you to jeopardize your job, or the release of the device, for that matter. Thanks again for keeping us updated, as far as you can!

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by Stensie4JC

I don't look in for ONE day and Robert reappears! I just wanted to say, welcome back! Your time and investment in customer service are very much appreciated. Don't worry about your NDA, I'm sure I speak for everyone in saying that we don't want you to jeopardize your job, or the release of the device, for that matter. Thanks again for keeping us updated, as far as you can!

HA! You can speak for everyone, but unfortunately Bob's NDA keep him from it.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Robertb

It is a very well built machine that HAS stood up to a drop. That does NOT mean I advise dropping it. It certainly does not mean "stands up to any abuse and keeps on ticking". It means FOR A SIMILAR MOBILE BOOK READER THIS ONE OFTEN FORGIVES SOME SANE AMOUNT OF ABUSE...BUT NO GUARANTEE!!

What! And here I always test out the sturdiness of any device by dropping it to a tiled floor, from about 1m high. Even my PDA survived it


(the one time I didn't have it in its case, I accidentaly pushed it off a closet, about 1m high, on a tiled floor... Luckily, only the SD card was dislocated...)

[Musicman]

Originally Posted by Robertb

NOW... let me deal with a certain video that people are talking about! At last year's CES I MENTIONED that MY blue EZ Reader had been dropped off of tables by customers while playing with it. I did NOT say "I recommend taking the EZ Reader and dropping it off a table". I did not say "dropping it off a table is a great idea". I did not say "it will always survive being dropped off a table". I certainly did not say "try running your car over the crush-resistant case".

Some weasles have been returning easy-to-see abused product back claiming RobertB says it will take the pounding of dropping it!!

READ THE USER MANUAL!! It says: "treat your EZ Reader like any fine electronic instrument". It says "be careful and treat it like you want it to last".

There will always be those that look to shift responsibility for their carelessness onto others. You should just send them a note that the damage is not covered with the cost of repair. If they want it repaired they can charge it to their credit card.

Don't sweat the small stuff - customers like those you do not need.

[HarryT]

Robert did famously say that it was "hard as nails", which was perhaps not the wisest thing to claim in public .

[snowgoose]

Robert,
Any news yet on the 9.7" plastic screen readers. Have the screens yet been delivered to your Chinese factory?

When can I pre-order my deep slate blue 9.7" prf reader, that of course deletes read books, and permits reloading with lots from a PC? (Tongue firmly in cheek!)

Keep up the good work, within your NDA limitations. Thanks

[Stensie4JC]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

HA! You can speak for everyone, but unfortunately Bob's NDA keep him from it.

Keeps him from speaking for everyone? Wait, what? Confused now.

[griffonwing]

I make a funny, hence the -->

[phenomshel]

Welcome back, Robert. I suppose you saw I had to attest to your reality while you were gone.

[lamaz]

Thank you all for your answers. I have finished my article, it will be soon aviable on http://www.ebouquin.fr

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Stensie4JC

I don't look in for ONE day and Robert reappears! I just wanted to say, welcome back! Your time and investment in customer service are very much appreciated. Don't worry about your NDA, I'm sure I speak for everyone in saying that we don't want you to jeopardize your job, or the release of the device, for that matter. Thanks again for keeping us updated, as far as you can!

Dear Stensie:

It is very wonderful to be back. I missed the ability to provide good customer service and help people to learn about our products and get more from enjoyment from them.

So far, people seem to understand that the NDA curtails me only a bit. It just means that we will NOT discuss products until the factory gives release. This is fair, as otherwise we are allwing the competition to know what they are working on and what they are planning.

This is a particularly competitive industry and it is important that the factory feels they can tell us what is coming without letting the information out. Otherwise they can lose their advantage PLUS disappoint customers. They have a huge point: even though features are planned for a device... some features cannot be added in time or are going to take longer. They want to be SURE that they release product that they know matches any publicity.

Thank you for helping me!!

[Gladtobemom]

OK, I tried one for a day. My husband bough one and he traded with me (mine's a Cybook).

Nice, faster than my Gen 3 (not the newest, not the oldest).

Clear, easy to use, easy to read, no complaints whatsoever. Also, it will fit in the same compact zip folio as my cybook.

This is a very sweet unit.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Robert did famously say that it was "hard as nails", which was perhaps not the wisest thing to claim in public .

Dear Harry:

Sometimes, my unbridled enthusiasm does cause me to use phrases that are ill advised. It is a very stable and rugged unit compared to many others that are out there. I am very proud of my EZ Reader as it takes far too much abuse. This does not mean I want to abuse it or advise others to do that. It means "I have abused it by accident and it has taken it so far". I hoped others would deduct from that if they do not abuse it it should last a good long time.

Timex watches used to do that. They would put a waterproof watch on a boat propeller and show the watch took it. This did NOT cause me to go out and put my watch on a boat propeller... I deducted they were making a good watch and that was all.

Yes, in the future, I will have to add the phrase: "I was lucky! You may NOT be if you drop your device. Part of my job is to treat my device a little harshly so that YOU do not have to worry as much. Do NOT try this with your device!"

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by lamaz

Thank you all for your answers. I have finished my article, it will be soon aviable on http://www.ebouquin.fr

I am glad that I could help, mon ami!!