A TWENTY BUCK EBOOK READER

neilmarr · 07-22-2010, 05:19 AM

This device has its obvious limitations, but I wonder if it could really make a great impact on third world schools where individual treebooks for pupils are too expensive. An entire class could simultaneously read the same book using this device on a single, cheap TV screen. Maybe not for folks here, but an interesting and potentially valuable development. Cheers. Neil

Story here:http://www.techeye.net/hardware/20-e...eader-revealed

ardeegee · 07-22-2010, 08:00 AM

That's gotta be one of the ugliest case designs I've ever seen.

Logseman · 07-22-2010, 08:30 AM

It could be very useful for teaching basic reading capacities to small kids. Instead of having to buy one book for every child, every child could read in turn from the screen. However, you'd need to tailor the thing very carefully. I see it more as a supplementary for the chalkboard than a really stand-alone device.

kilohertz53 · 07-22-2010, 08:40 AM

Never mind the case -- reading text on a standard-definition television screen is difficult and fatiguing to the eyes. I remember using a word processing processing program on my Commodore 64 about 25 years ago (Shudder!). Of course, it's probably no worse than reading text messages on a lo-res cell phone screen...

neilmarr · 07-22-2010, 08:50 AM

You must admit, though, in spite of the obvious drawbacks, it might well present a chance that didn't exist before in some poor village schools where paper reading books for each member of a class simply ain't an option.

We're fortunate to have choices of treebooks or a range of convenient ebook reading devices. Not everyone's born so lucky. If these gizmos work and turn out to be practical, I for one wouldn't mind putting out a few bucks to supply a school or two. And I betcha I'm not alone here in that thinking.

Cheers. Neil

kilohertz53 · 07-22-2010, 09:33 AM

I agree that it's to easy to be critical and to take our own good fortune for granted.

The problem, as I see it, is that using a television as a display device implies a reliable source of electricity for the school. I think this would be a bigger obstacle that obtaining books. There are already charities out there that supply books to school children in the developing world, such as Room to Read:

http://www.roomtoread.org/Page.aspx?pid=183

Books on paper are still the ultimate portable reading device. Sometimes low-tech is still the best solution.

neilmarr · 07-22-2010, 12:08 PM

Point taken Kilohertz, but I've visited villaged with intermittent and unreliable electricity supply where the entire population sits, mesmerised around their single TV set for a couple of hours each evening. Better than nothing is the attitude. Neil

GlenBarrington · 07-22-2010, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilohertz53

I agree that it's to easy to be critical and to take our own good fortune for granted.

The problem, as I see it, is that using a television as a display device implies a reliable source of electricity for the school. I think this would be a bigger obstacle that obtaining books. There are already charities out there that supply books to school children in the developing world, such as Room to Read:

http://www.roomtoread.org/Page.aspx?pid=183

Books on paper are still the ultimate portable reading device. Sometimes low-tech is still the best solution.

True, this device won't work for many people, but you are ignoring that it WILL work for many others. There is no such thing as 'one size fits all' in the efforts to remediate poverty and ignorance. Even if it helps just a few million people instead of a few billion, I'd say it's worth looking into.

Maggie Leung · 07-22-2010, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilmarr

You must admit, though, in spite of the obvious drawbacks, it might well present a chance that didn't exist before in some poor village schools where paper reading books for each member of a class simply ain't an option.

We're fortunate to have choices of treebooks or a range of convenient ebook reading devices. Not everyone's born so lucky. If these gizmos work and turn out to be practical, I for one wouldn't mind putting out a few bucks to supply a school or two. And I betcha I'm not alone here in that thinking.

Cheers. Neil

Agreed. I'd happily kick in for a few schools if this proves practical.

happy_terd · 07-22-2010, 01:24 PM

I would buy a few of those at 20 bucks. GG

DMcCunney · 07-22-2010, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilohertz53

Never mind the case -- reading text on a standard-definition television screen is difficult and fatiguing to the eyes. I remember using a word processing processing program on my Commodore 64 about 25 years ago (Shudder!). Of course, it's probably no worse than reading text messages on a lo-res cell phone screen...

I logged time on C64s. The biggest issue was dealing with the standard 40 character rows. You could get software that would create an 80 column screen, but legibility suffered and it wasn't compatible with everything.

I wonder if this can be plugged into something that isn't a TV, like a standard monitor.

I'm also curious about the 8 bit technology used for cost savings. Offhand, I'd guess something like a Zilog Z80 as the CPU, which makes me wonder what the OS is.
______
Dennis

loveangel · 07-22-2010, 03:50 PM

i would buy one

fishface · 07-22-2010, 04:50 PM

Fools, obviously it would be hooked up to a 42" widescreen LCD TV, everyone has one of those.

07-22-2010, 05:19 AM	#1
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	A TWENTY BUCK EBOOK READER This device has its obvious limitations, but I wonder if it could really make a great impact on third world schools where individual treebooks for pupils are too expensive. An entire class could simultaneously read the same book using this device on a single, cheap TV screen. Maybe not for folks here, but an interesting and potentially valuable development. Cheers. Neil Story here:http://www.techeye.net/hardware/20-e...eader-revealed

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07-22-2010, 08:00 AM	#2
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	That's gotta be one of the ugliest case designs I've ever seen.

07-22-2010, 08:30 AM	#3
Logseman Orisa Posts: 2,001 Karma: 1035571 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ireland Device: Onyx Poke 5	It could be very useful for teaching basic reading capacities to small kids. Instead of having to buy one book for every child, every child could read in turn from the screen. However, you'd need to tailor the thing very carefully. I see it more as a supplementary for the chalkboard than a really stand-alone device.

07-22-2010, 08:40 AM	#4
kilohertz53 Zealot Posts: 141 Karma: 671 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Harwichport, MA Device: Sony PRS-500, Sony PRS-350, Augen "The Book"	Never mind the case -- reading text on a standard-definition television screen is difficult and fatiguing to the eyes. I remember using a word processing processing program on my Commodore 64 about 25 years ago (Shudder!). Of course, it's probably no worse than reading text messages on a lo-res cell phone screen...

07-22-2010, 08:50 AM	#5
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	You must admit, though, in spite of the obvious drawbacks, it might well present a chance that didn't exist before in some poor village schools where paper reading books for each member of a class simply ain't an option. We're fortunate to have choices of treebooks or a range of convenient ebook reading devices. Not everyone's born so lucky. If these gizmos work and turn out to be practical, I for one wouldn't mind putting out a few bucks to supply a school or two. And I betcha I'm not alone here in that thinking. Cheers. Neil

07-22-2010, 09:33 AM	#6
kilohertz53 Zealot Posts: 141 Karma: 671 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Harwichport, MA Device: Sony PRS-500, Sony PRS-350, Augen "The Book"	I agree that it's to easy to be critical and to take our own good fortune for granted. The problem, as I see it, is that using a television as a display device implies a reliable source of electricity for the school. I think this would be a bigger obstacle that obtaining books. There are already charities out there that supply books to school children in the developing world, such as Room to Read: http://www.roomtoread.org/Page.aspx?pid=183 Books on paper are still the ultimate portable reading device. Sometimes low-tech is still the best solution.

07-22-2010, 12:08 PM	#7
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Point taken Kilohertz, but I've visited villaged with intermittent and unreliable electricity supply where the entire population sits, mesmerised around their single TV set for a couple of hours each evening. Better than nothing is the attitude. Neil

07-22-2010, 01:24 PM	#10
happy_terd Banned Posts: 13,045 Karma: 10105011 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Finally made it to Walmart. Device: PRS 420	I would buy a few of those at 20 bucks. GG

07-22-2010, 03:50 PM	#12
loveangel Banned Posts: 137 Karma: 30 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: kindle	i would buy one

07-22-2010, 04:50 PM	#13
fishface Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 56 Join Date: May 2010 Device: none	Fools, obviously it would be hooked up to a 42" widescreen LCD TV, everyone has one of those.