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

[NeweReader]

Hi Robertb,

I will ask this question again, only more simpler this time.

Will the delivery of the Pocket Pro require a signature?

If so, it would be nice to have a notice to this affect on your site during the ordering process. If you miss the delivery, it can be frustrating coordinating the re-delivery.

Knowing ahead of time would be helpful, so I (and others) can plan for it.

Thanks for all the help you provide,
NeweReader

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by NeweReader

Hi Robertb,

I will ask this question again, only more simpler this time.

Will the delivery of the Pocket Pro require a signature?

If so, it would be nice to have a notice to this affect on your site during the ordering process. If you miss the delivery, it can be frustrating coordinating the re-delivery.

Knowing ahead of time would be helpful, so I (and others) can plan for it.

Thanks for all the help you provide,
NeweReader

Dear NeweReader:

This is not easy as you think. Without a signature there is little to show that the unit did ship and you received it.

IF you do not want to have to do a signature, I understand. I hate it also as I work all day. Please send an email to: support@astak.com stating that you wish NOT to have to sign and you will accept responsibility for the delivery being completed properly. We cannot guarantee that if a package is left at your door by UPS or FedEx that somebody will not steal it. As long as you are alright with this... we will NOT require a signature when your device is shipped!!

I KNOW you are honest... but not everybody is. We need to be sure in some way that our shipment terminated successfully.

Is this alright??

[MaggieScratch]

Robert, is there any news on the eReader SDK that you can share? (I was wondering about it today...)

[NeweReader]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear NeweReader:

This is not easy as you think. Without a signature there is little to show that the unit did ship and you received it.

IF you do not want to have to do a signature, I understand. I hate it also as I work all day. Please send an email to: support@astak.com stating that you wish NOT to have to sign and you will accept responsibility for the delivery being completed properly. We cannot guarantee that if a package is left at your door by UPS or FedEx that somebody will not steal it. As long as you are alright with this... we will NOT require a signature when your device is shipped!!

I KNOW you are honest... but not everybody is. We need to be sure in some way that our shipment terminated successfully.

Is this alright??

Robert, Thank you for responding. That is perfectly A-OK! Please know that I was not complaining about the signature. I was just trying to clarify what to expect.

I plan to get a Pocket Pro and now that I know a signature is required, I can try to coordinate the delivery so that I will be home to sign for it. I would be DEVASTATED if someone stole my Pocket Pro from off my porch! I appreciate your concern and efforts to ensure that we get your products. That is a good thing!

Thanks so much!
NeweReader

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by MaggieScratch

Robert, is there any news on the eReader SDK that you can share? (I was wondering about it today...)

Dear Maggie:

Right now the contract is going before Barnes & Noble for final review. Under the terms of the NDA... I cannot say any more than this. Fictionwise and Astak seem fine but that is not enough.

Are we anxious. YES!! We want this as badly as you do!!

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by NeweReader

Robert, Thank you for responding. That is perfectly A-OK! Please know that I was not complaining about the signature. I was just trying to clarify what to expect.

I plan to get a Pocket Pro and now that I know a signature is required, I can try to coordinate the delivery so that I will be home to sign for it. I would be DEVASTATED if someone stole my Pocket Pro from off my porch! I appreciate your concern and efforts to ensure that we get your products. That is a good thing!

Thanks so much!
NeweReader

Dear NeweReader:

Good!! I appreciate it is alright with you. I worry about things like this all the time. It is so easy to irritate people with the wrong wording.

I appreciate your concern and post!!

[Musicman]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear Maggie:

Right now the contract is going before Barnes & Noble for final review. Under the terms of the NDA... I cannot say any more than this. Fictionwise and Astak seem fine but that is not enough.

Are we anxious. YES!! We want this as badly as you do!!

Thanks for the update.

I too am looking forward Ereader and the opening of your Ebook Site.

I have been testing formats on my EZ-reader and I converted a book to FB2 and really liked how it displayed.

[MaggieScratch]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear Maggie:

Right now the contract is going before Barnes & Noble for final review. Under the terms of the NDA... I cannot say any more than this. Fictionwise and Astak seem fine but that is not enough.

Are we anxious. YES!! We want this as badly as you do!!

Things are progressing--that's good news! One more question, if I may (and if the NDA prevents you from answering, I understand and apologize for putting you in an awkward position): is the software ready to go other than that? Or are you waiting for the final contract clearance to get to work on it?

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by MaggieScratch

Things are progressing--that's good news! One more question, if I may (and if the NDA prevents you from answering, I understand and apologize for putting you in an awkward position): is the software ready to go other than that? Or are you waiting for the final contract clearance to get to work on it?

Dear Maggie:

Fortunately, the SDK for eReader in Linux is either done or just about done. Simultaneously, our factories have been working with the porting of the partials that Fictionwise sent us. There will be some final porting work needs to be done... but it should not be too hard. I think what you mean by software is the porting of eReader into the devices.

We are trying very hard now to get the contracts to where we can sign and B&N will be happy. This seems endless... butwe have faith we are near the end.

[griffonwing]

This is great news indeed. I'm glad to hear that Astak isn't waiting until the all clear to begin. The fact that it's already almost done, just waiting on the signature tells me that the deal is already done, and just waiting to finalize.

Which means, to me, this isn't vapourware.

[MaggieScratch]

Originally Posted by Robertb

I think what you mean by software is the porting of eReader into the devices.

Yes, that's what I meant. Thanks! That's good news. Sounds like things are well in hand (assuming the B&N lawyers are happy).

[Musicman]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

This is great news indeed. I'm glad to hear that Astak isn't waiting until the all clear to begin. The fact that it's already almost done, just waiting on the signature tells me that the deal is already done, and just waiting to finalize.

Which means, to me, this isn't vapourware.

I never believed this was vaporware - I've had faith in Robertb

I know that the Eslick is also to support Ereader DRM, but you never hear anything much from them. I got turned off with them due to thier lack of support for multiple formats.

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by Musicman

I never believed this was vaporware - I've had faith in Robertb

As did I. But I've read some posts here where thoughts are that if something is not yet on the shelf, or available for download, it's considered vapourware until it is.

This is not my line of thinking.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

As did I. But I've read some posts here where thoughts are that if something is not yet on the shelf, or available for download, it's considered vapourware until it is.

This is not my line of thinking.

Right now, everything appears to be exactly on schedule. Allowing U.S. Customs does not delay things, we should be shipping out on August 31.

I agree with Griffonwing. This relatively inane stuff about "vapourware" is really a little weird. Astak has released almost exactly on schedule with all our devices. People who first shout "vapourware" are people who aren't buying or even looking at Astak. Also, YOU (the people saying this) are showing you have no real concept of what it takes to design, gain formats, price, build, and ship eBook Readers. My God, people, have you ever brought anything this complex to market in your lives? The intangibles alone, that you have almost no control over, can delay your entire planning. One setback on one feature can delay shipping by months!

This naivette about how hard it is to get things done on time is just astonishing. There was a Typhoon in Taiwan last week. Some of our employees have family in South Taiwan. They are surrounded by flooding, cannot evacuate, and are sitting on rooftops hoping for a food drop. People have lost families and relatives and friends in this disaster. Yet... you sit here complaining about "vapourware"??? our chief graphics person is hoping for a phone call that her family is alive! The Typhoon also greatly impacted China. They have their own mudslides and deaths to worry about. Despite all of this Astak is on time... much to the desire of our factories to stay on schedule.

This callous disregard for human life makes me ashamed.

[John F]

This callous disregard for human life makes me ashamed.

Robertb, the callous disregard for human life is reprehensible. I suggest that you delay the release of the Pocket Pro for 3 months to allow people to properly cope with this disaster.