Skiff reader is largest yet with 11.5" display to debut at CES

[Dulin's Books]

press release says its the Que's size http://www.quereader.com/press/QuePr...ase_101909.pdf so they are contradicting themselves. we'll know for certaing in a couple days if Que still

features the largest touchscreen in the industry

[Daithi]

Pretty looking reader. A little bigger than the Kindle DX and a little lighter too.
Kindle DX:__9.7" diagonal and 18.9 oz.
Skiff:_____11.5" diagonal and 17.6 oz.

[CTH]

I want to know release date and price! But the thing I want the most of all is the reader itself!

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

About the size of the Que's panel here is the summary page form the PL site

I'm not sure where exactly this information came from, but what is on the wiki was definitely from a Plastic Logic source:

Screen Display: 10.7" (6.4 x 8.5") (162,5 x 216 mm)

We don't know what this will be in pixels, but perhaps it will be 1024 by 1200 like the Digital Reader. It would certainly be worth confirming all this at CES.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by nezroy

Only e-ink devices have a chance of reaching a mass audience outside of the geek niche, and luckily it seems that most current device makers realize that. The iSlate may make techheads drool in comparison, but reading on an emissive display will never have a chance against the paper and e-paper experience.

True. But people wouldn't be buying an iSlate to primarily use as a reader.

It, and other lcd tablets, would be multimedia devices. They can be used for reading and could do magazines and other things needing color better--but that won't be the only or main appeal.

They'll be bought to read stuff, surf the net, watch videos, play games, use all kids of apps like the iPhone does etc.

As you say, such tablets appeal to techheads. But by the same token, e-ink appeals to bookworms who read enough to justify buying a dedicated reader. I fall in both categories personally, as I own a Kindle and I'm very interested in a multimedia tablet.

That said, I don't think either are that likely to become huge, mass market successes. Both will just appeal to sizable niches. But they're not going to catch on to everyone like laptops, cell phones etc. IMO.

[Demented]

Anyone able to get a release estimate out of them? I'm not looking for a day but a quarter would be nice.

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by nezroy

Only e-ink devices have a chance of reaching a mass audience outside of the geek niche, and luckily it seems that most current device makers realize that. The iSlate may make techheads drool in comparison, but reading on an emissive display will never have a chance against the paper and e-paper experience.

There is more and better than just e-ink and emissive LCD. They're not all on the market yet, but they're getting there quickly.

As far as an Apple tablet...meh. I'm not that interested. I'm interested in something with a better display than e-ink. Such things will be available soon, regardless of what Apple does.

[soilwork]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

I see they got me...it sounds like a letter sized panel but it's not...d'oh!!

Yeah, I think they intentionally wrote that way to confuse people.

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

press release says its the Que's size http://www.quereader.com/press/QuePr...ase_101909.pdf so they are contradicting themselves. we'll know for certaing in a couple days if Que still "features the largest touchscreen in the industry "

I think it was true when they made the statement. According to Wired article, Que will have screen of size 10.7 inch so it is bigger than Kindle DX (9.7) or Irex Iliad Digital Read (10.2). But now Skiff is coming out, the statement will not be true any more.

Given that Skiff uses also non-glass substrate and bigger screen than Que, Plastic Logic may feel the pressure to lower the price.

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by soilwork

Given that Skiff uses also non-glass substrate and bigger screen than Que, Plastic Logic may feel the pressure to lower the price.

now that's an excellent thought!

[dmaul1114]

Yeah, competition will help for sure. If there's a slew of large screen readers with mark up ability with stylus etc., prices won't be able to stay as high as they have on devices like the iRex DR1000 etc.

[rlparker]

Originally Posted by PhishStyx

Hm, looks spiffy skiffy, wonder what formats it uses.

Fixed that for ya!

But seriously, I wonder what's with the name? Isn't a "skiff" a kind of boat?

[fugazied]

Newspaper reader! Looks pretty solid imo, nice looking hardware.

Also has good res and 3g so it looks like an ideal "Sit on the kitchen counter" newspaper device. If I got one it would never leave home probably, just used for the morning/evening newspaper. Newspaper publishers need to push this kind of device HARD.

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by fugazied

Newspaper reader! Looks pretty solid imo, nice looking hardware.

Also has good res and 3g so it looks like an ideal "Sit on the kitchen counter" newspaper device. If I got one it would never leave home probably, just used for the morning/evening newspaper. Newspaper publishers need to push this kind of device HARD.

I agree...this and the PL Que are the sort of devices I might be convinced to buy if the price is right...I mean which are you going to buy a PRS900 or one of these two devices if they are $400 same as the Sony? I want the 5" reader as my portable device and a large device like this one for other uses at home.

Still I will wait to see what shakes out in the color slate reader device market. I mean if I am using it at home then who cares about battery runtime? Well, battery runtime still matters but is far less of an issue at home. Now, if they take advantage of the new plastic or in the case of this Skiff (wonder how much booze and weed was involved in that name? hehehehe) an foil back-plane they could begin to make these truly environmentally sealed devices. I mean cripes if Pentax can make a $600 DSLR that is weather sealed and sealed from sand, dust and such then no reason a reader with a plastic panel could not be the same as DSLR's are far more complex devices to seal than a reader. But, as usual, I digress...hehehehe...I really do like the things we are seeing as they trickle out before CES.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

It looks good...too bad it's e-ink still...but if adequately powered, it could prove formidable against the Que for news/document reading...

From their site:

Display Technology:

Rugged Metal-Foil e-Paper Display

Silicon thin-film-transistors (TFT) on flexible stainless-steel substrate

Shatter-proof, crack-proof

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

I agree...this and the PL Que are the sort of devices I might be convinced to buy if the price is right...I mean which are you going to buy a PRS900 or one of these two devices if they are $400 same as the Sony? I want the 5" reader as my portable device and a large device like this one for other uses at home.

Still I will wait to see what shakes out in the color slate reader device market. I mean if I am using it at home then who cares about battery runtime? Well, battery runtime still matters but is far less of an issue at home.

I'm exactly the same. Will 100% keep my Kindle as my portable novel reader, but need something with a larger screen, stylus mark up, faster page turns etc. for academic reading.

One of these devices could lure me if they're $300-400 the next couple of years. But I'm also intrigued by color tablet/slate devices that aren't dedicated readers as I'd get a lot more use out of such a device as I'd use it for web surfing, online TV show watching etc. in place of my work laptop (only computer I have at home currently).

Also not that concerned with battery life. Would like around 6 hours as I'd barely ever use such a device any longer than that in any one sitting, and as you say, who really cares if it's mainly being used at home. I mean my work laptop is hardly ever unplugged from power.