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

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Thank you, Sara. We are waiting for our graphics department now to do the following:

1. Make specs (we call it a brochure).

2. Have professional pictures taken of the Pocket PRO.

We are in addition waiting to get more Pocket PROs in so we can change them out of the standard black body and have professional pictures of them taken in all 6 colors.

The box will have, I am told, the same as the EZ Reader Basic. It still comes with a real leather crush-resistant case and the ear buds. It still has both the A/C charger and the USB cable. Ditto for the wrist leash and small battery-door screwdriver and a good user manual in English.

Dear All:

We received enough (4) EZ Reader Pocket PRO to be able to do the color photo shoot. This was not so simple. The Pocket PRO came in the door in black and one white and we have to take apart all the black ones, get the guts, and put them into the colored plastic halves. Now we have all six colors and we can send out to the professional photographer. I hope to have good pictures by end of the week.

[Stensie4JC]

Originally Posted by SaraD

Hold the horses! A few pages back when the ability to order a Pocket Pro slipped out early Robert B said that a formal announement was already planned for this next week around Wednesday after the ability for everybody anywhere to order was working. Give him a chance to make that formal announcement when the website is ready? And it will likely have a list of everything that will be in the box and all the details anybody could want. Maybe that will make the front page will everything nice and consise?

Yes! We need to remember that this product is not even officially in the pre-order stage, WE jumped the gun and discovered the web page was live. Robert had originally said the intended release date was Wednesday the 5th. It's not unreasonable for the moderators to at least wait for a press release!

[Musicman]

Originally Posted by Stensie4JC

Yes! We need to remember that this product is not even officially in the pre-order stage, WE jumped the gun and discovered the web page was live. Robert had originally said the intended release date was Wednesday the 5th. It's not unreasonable for the moderators to at least wait for a press release!

This is true and I would agree with letting Robert announce it Officially before posting it on the front page. However, this is NOT what the moderator said. They said that since Robertb posts on the site and that there are no Sony reps posting OFFICIALLY that they felt it not necessary. To me this shows reverse favoritism. Sony has the same opportunity as Astak to have a rep post here, and I am sure all Sony owners would welcome the direct dialogue.

Below is what was said:

Regarding requests for an announcement of the Astak devices, Astak has previously been featured on the MobileRead frontpage. The MobileRead team has not so far seen the need for any additional announcements, because Robertb has been very active on MobileRead as an official representative of the Astak brand, which is a unique situation. Given his high activity here, we consider that it is superfluous to create an additional thread to duplicate his announcements which are already quite well publicised. MobileRead is an independent site, and we have to be careful to avoid showing favoritism to one company over the others. There are no Sony reps posting officially in Sony's name on MobileRead, that is why we do the reporting ourselves. We must think about a balance in the news here and Astak has already quite a high profile due to Robertb's presence. It's important we not neglect other brands which are not as actively represented here but which are important to our readers.

[griffonwing]

I also agree. Sony, Amazon, Cool-er, I am certain all three of these companies troll these boards, picking up hints about their hardware, reading up on the enemies plan. However, only Astak has a 'man in the field', and he is always under fire on the frontlines.

Just because these other 3 choose NOT to have a voice, does not mean that we can neglect the Astak devices. Think about all of the thousands of visitors that never even come to the forums. The ones who only troll the front page for the big news, and click-link to that specific thread.

We are keeping THEM from the knowledge. Is that fair? I say "front page rights" go to them that has the news, and Astak's devices certainly are very newsworthy with their price/offering comparability.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

I also agree. Sony, Amazon, Cool-er, I am certain all three of these companies troll these boards, picking up hints about their hardware, reading up on the enemies plan. However, only Astak has a 'man in the field', and he is always under fire on the frontlines.

Just because these other 3 choose NOT to have a voice, does not mean that we can neglect the Astak devices. Think about all of the thousands of visitors that never even come to the forums. The ones who only troll the front page for the big news, and click-link to that specific thread.

We are keeping THEM from the knowledge. Is that fair? I say "front page rights" go to them that has the news, and Astak's devices certainly are very newsworthy with their price/offering comparability.

Dear all:

I have kinda stayed out of this so far and appreciate all of the great comments made on this subject. I agree that just because Astak has a presence here should not mean it loses out on being newsworthy.

Griffonwing, as normal, brings up a point here that is really strong: What About the Thousands of Visitors that Never Come to the Forums? This thread is the longest in MobileRead Forum History and just recently topped the 200 page mark!! Should long threads die off?? I think NOT. IF this is the show thread for MobileRead Forum... it should be news!

The EZ Reader Pocket PRO IS a LANDMARK device. It is the smallest, lightest, most interesting featured device to come along in quite a while!! It is more full featured than any similar five inch... fast, powerful, has Text-To-Speech and Epson with 400MHz processor, displays more formats and languages than ANY other competitor, comes far more complete, and comes in six colors that were hand-picked by MobileRead Forum members!! I am sure that is an absolute FIRST... and shows the power of this FORUM!!

Maybe tooting the horn now and again is a good thing!!

[rixte]

Originally Posted by Robertb

This thread is the longest in MobileRead Forum History and just recently topped the 200 page mark!! Should long threads die off?? I think NOT.

Threads die off when there's no longer any interest in 'em, it's nothing to do with being featured. I am pretty sure as long as you're frequenting the board, the thread won't die off

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by rixte

Threads die off when there's no longer any interest in 'em, it's nothing to do with being featured. I am pretty sure as long as you're frequenting the board, the thread won't die off

He was gone for 2 weeks, and this thread stayed. It's not specifically Robertb that makes this thread, it's the device he brings.

Not speaking out against him. Just saying he is a part of a whole.

[Stensie4JC]

Originally Posted by Musicman

This is true and I would agree with letting Robert announce it Officially before posting it on the front page. However, this is NOT what the moderator said. They said that since Robertb posts on the site and that there are no Sony reps posting OFFICIALLY that they felt it not necessary. To me this shows reverse favoritism. Sony has the same opportunity as Astak to have a rep post here, and I am sure all Sony owners would welcome the direct dialogue.

I agree that Robert's presence doesn't negate the right to top billing. All I was saying is we should wait until it's official. I think the moderator was saying that there doesn't seem to be a point in announcing the device itself, since it's been well covered. But the pre-order is news and I don't think it would be undue favoritism for it to be on the front page.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

He was gone for 2 weeks, and this thread stayed. It's not specifically Robertb that makes this thread, it's the device he brings.

Not speaking out against him. Just saying he is a part of a whole.

I fully agree that what makes this thread is the device and not as much me. I can introduce new fodder to discuss (as can anybody else) but the thread remains independent of me. Many of the best discussions included me late. Several times Griffonwing banished me for a week when I was bad (actually his parrot did the banishing).

[Robertb]

Yes, Astak cannot formally sell thru retail stores in Europe.

There is a European distributor of basically the same device. However, they do not offer colors and we do.

ALL European and International customers can buy any EZ Reader product from www.astak.com. That uses PayPal and will be able to get your unit shipped pronto. The site is up and working and many have already done their pre-sale on it.

Again, North American customers please use: www.theEZreader.com
International Customers please use: www.astak.com

[Musicman]

Originally Posted by Robertb

I fully agree that what makes this thread is the device and not as much me. I can introduce new fodder to discuss (as can anybody else) but the thread remains independent of me. Many of the best discussions included me late. Several times Griffonwing banished me for a week when I was bad (actually his parrot did the banishing).

I'm glad you understand it wasn't your mug shot that makes this thread

[AJ Starr]

Poor Robert is starting to repeat himself now.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Musicman

I'm glad you understand it wasn't your mug shot that makes this thread

Geez, is there no end to the abuse??? What do I have to do, change my picture so it is taken from the back and naked??

I just get no respect.
Why the other day I went to see my doctor.
I told him: "I've got water on the knee".
He gave me a sponge and raised his fee!!!

[ekaser]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

Just because these other 3 choose NOT to have a voice, does not mean that we can neglect the Astak devices. Think about all of the thousands of visitors that never even come to the forums. The ones who only troll the front page for the big news, and click-link to that specific thread.

We are keeping THEM from the knowledge. Is that fair? I say "front page rights" go to them that has the news, and Astak's devices certainly are very newsworthy with their price/offering comparability.

I agree VERY much so, as I was ONE of those "front page only" visitors until about a month ago. I didn't have an ebook reader (other than my desktop computer) and had no immediate plans to get one, but wanted to keep in touch with the state of the technology, because I knew that I WOULD want to get one when things advanced to a certain point. They have so-advanced now, for me, and I've ordered one. But had I not been following the forums this past month, I'd still be waiting...

Everett

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by AJ Starr

Poor Robert is starting to repeat himself now.

Dear AJ:

Not quite repeating. There was a spelling error in the first one. Can you find it?

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