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

[soilwork]

First of all, thanks for the information on attractive machines. If you can sell 9.7in machine at the stated price, I will pick up one in a heartbeat if PDF support is reasonable.

Originally Posted by Robertb

it will support English, Spanish, German, French, Chinese (Big 5), and Japanese.

BTW, could you consider supporting Korean as well? If you can support Chinese and Japanese, I guess it will not be hard to implement Korean as well. With minimal effort, you may be able to increase your potential market size.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

if you *don't* post photos, you know we're all going to show up at your house to see it for ourselves. and the drinks are on you.

Alrighty then! BTW, drinks are limited to non-alcoholic (I'm LDS) and someone has to spring for the wood chips, Jack Daniels (for soaking the wood chips) the pork butts & ribs and the beef briskets! I'll go tune up the barbecue!

Derek

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

Well, it still hasn't been answered whether this is the same as the Netronix EB-100.

I agree that this is likely to be from Netronix, but it is probably the EB-200, i.e. with WinCE rather than Linux. For example, the EB-210 will have WiFi and a touchscreen and it runs WinCE. Is there also an EB-110 with Linux? The EB-100 and EB-200 hardware seems to be the same though.

[nekokami]

Not crazy about WinCE, but the price point sounds good.

Is LIT considered a dead format? MS Reader would seem obvious on a WinCE machine, wouldn't it? And that would give them another major DRM format. (Not that I care about DRM support, but commercial ebook readers probably need them to make it in the market.)

I'd be interested in knowing if the "optional" touch screen is pressure-sensitive. It was my understanding that the less expensive touch screens are too opaque for reflective-only e-ink screens, which is why the iLiad uses a more expensive pressure-sensitive Wacom screen (despite the fact that the software STILL doesn't support pressure sensitivity).

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by nekokami

I'd be interested in knowing if the "optional" touch screen is pressure-sensitive. It was my understanding that the less expensive touch screens are too opaque for reflective-only e-ink screens, which is why the iLiad uses a more expensive pressure-sensitive Wacom screen (despite the fact that the software STILL doesn't support pressure sensitivity).

The Netronix EB-300 will have stylus and finger touch capability, which I think rules out Wacom.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by nekokami

Not crazy about WinCE, but the price point sounds good.

Is LIT considered a dead format? MS Reader would seem obvious on a WinCE machine, wouldn't it? And that would give them another major DRM format. (Not that I care about DRM support, but commercial ebook readers probably need them to make it in the market.)

I'd be interested in knowing if the "optional" touch screen is pressure-sensitive. It was my understanding that the less expensive touch screens are too opaque for reflective-only e-ink screens, which is why the iLiad uses a more expensive pressure-sensitive Wacom screen (despite the fact that the software STILL doesn't support pressure sensitivity).

I do not think MS Reader ever ran on WinCE, It needs PPC (Windows Mobile) features to run.

Dale

[electristan]

this sounds great might be everyones Christmas gift this year if they turn out well. toll on May 14th

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by electristan

this sounds great might be everyones Christmas gift this year if they turn out well. toll on May 14th

oh, that's so thoughtful ! now i feel bad, i wasn't planning to get you anything.

[jgray]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

I do not think MS Reader ever ran on WinCE, It needs PPC (Windows Mobile) features to run.

Dale

It's confusing, but Windows CE has sort of been the generic name for the OEM version of Windows Mobile (which is what MS is calling the platform this week) since the Dark Ages. I would imagine that a new product like this ebook reader will be using a current OEM version of Windows Mobile. As to what features will be included (including the ability to run MS Reader), that is up to the OEM. They can pick and choose which parts of the OS they want to use. It is all modular. They could even decide to write their own LIT reader, as the SDK and some DLLs are available.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by jgray

It's confusing, but Windows CE has sort of been the generic name for the OEM version of Windows Mobile (which is what MS is calling the platform this week) since the Dark Ages. I would imagine that a new product like this ebook reader will be using a current OEM version of Windows Mobile. As to what features will be included (including the ability to run MS Reader), that is up to the OEM. They can pick and choose which parts of the OS they want to use. It is all modular. They could even decide to write their own LIT reader, as the SDK and some DLLs are available.

It can be confusing. WinCE is the underlying OS of all Windows based PDAs while PPC aka Windows Mobile since 2003 is a specific set of tools and support on top of WinCE. Note that Windows Mobile platforms requires certification by Microsoft which a charge a lot of money for while WinCE does not. WinCE is certainly the OEM version but it is in no way the same as Windows Mobile. Windows Mobile is also an OEM version that includes the Windows Mobile UI and certification as well as a suite of applications. WinCE can be purchased ala carte with basic features or add ons but the suite of addons is different from a Windows Mobile device. Note that is not a third OS for smartphones which is basically Window Mobile for devices without touch screen.

Dale

[Gester]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Pictures are not so easy as changes are still being made. It is an awesome gloss black front bezel with orange sides and back... very attractive. I am afraid to put up pictures as they may change between now and release.

Bob

That sounds a lot like the Netronix EB-300, not that there is anything wrong with that. Judging by the image on the Netronix page (well, the non-dog image on the PDF that's linked from that page), you can see a hint of orange around the sides. I'm assuming you're dealing with similar suppliers.

(I don't want to scare Robertb away as I hope to be buying an e-ink reader from somebody soon, and the more details the better! A guy's gotta budget for these things, you know.)

I have yet to buy a dedicated reader of any kind. This current crop just might do it for me, although I can't decide between a simple 6" model that just reads docs of various types or a more robust 9.7" device that also has wifi access. (If I could add a USB keyboard for creating text documents, I'm in heaven...basically, I dream of a low-powered PADD/ word processor.)

PS: Longtime reader, first time poster.

[lawizard50]

I look forward to seeing this out soon!

[CTH]

It seems like a great product! I am about to buy myself a sony reader when I go to NY this summer. I just might wait and pick one of these up instead. The 9inch screen would be really really great!

Is the releasedate of august a optimistic guess or almost a fact?

[pilotbob]

How will these devices be distributed? Retail stores like Walmart and Target in addition to book stores like B&N and Boorders would be ideal. Of course being able to get them online from Amazon and ebooks stores like Fictionwise, BooksOnBoard and eReader would be nice too.

BTW: Seems to me if you are going to choose between eReader support and MobiPocket support that Mobi is more popular than eReader. Or is that not true?

BOb

[NatCh]

Trouble is, Amazon wants MobiPocket format only, or no MobiPocket format at all. They don't want to share the sandbox.

So it's not a question of eReader or MobiPocket, it's a question of just MobiPocket or anything else.