Orizon News from Bookeen

[mikelvdb]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

I'm quite attached to folders too, collection would be a downgrade from my point of view ...

I used folders with my Cybooks, but you really don't need collections to access your books on the PRS350: selection can be made by author, by date, by last read, by book name and by file name, with an index on the rigth margin. The selection is faster than with folders.
Collections give the possibility to have more criteria to organize your books, without duplication. I only make a small collection with the few books I want to read next.

... and I like my Opus too

[EowynCarter]

I used folders with my Cybooks, but you really don't need collections to access your books on the PRS350: selection can be made by author, by date, by last read, by book name and by file name, with an index on the rigth margin. The selection is faster than with folders.

I hate that system for my mp3. Never works unless you spend hours setting tags right. Same for collections, i want to read, not to bother setting colletions right.

Folders are a big selling point for me, if not a must have.

[mikelvdb]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

I hate that system for my mp3. Never works unless you spend hours setting tags right. Same for collections, i want to read, not to bother setting colletions right.

Folders are a big selling point for me, if not a must have.

The PRS350 doesn't play mp3 (no audio at all). But I use my readers ... only to read ! And I don't want unnecessary noise when I read a book.
I choose the PRS350 only to read books. And with non fiction books I need to take notes...
I found the Kindle ugly with too much buttons. The PRS350 has a minimum, like my Palm TX, with a touch screen too, and all the advantages of an eink screen.

[Godzil]

She didn't say that she listen MP3 on her liseuse, only that she hate this classification system on her MP3 device!

[EowynCarter]

Originally Posted by Godzil

She didn't say that she listen MP3 on her liseuse, only that she hate this classification system on her MP3 device!

Exactly.
I don't like the with my music, i woudn't like it for my books either.

[mikelvdb]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

I hate that system for my mp3. Never works unless you spend hours setting tags right. Same for collections, i want to read, not to bother setting colletions right.

I use folders (based on Authors) on my Cybook GEN 3 and Opus too, because it is the only way to organize it (remember when there was no folder navigation on the GEN 3).

But on the PRS350 you don't need folders to access your books, and you don't need collections either!
Selection can be made by author, by date, by last read, by book name and by file name, with an index on the rigth margin.
And there are no tags to set right.
The reader exploits the meta information in the epub file (in the opf file). You can edit this information if necessary (I made some tests with Sigil).
If the epub file is well formatted you don't have to do anything and you can move the epub file on the device with your favorite explorer (windows, linux, mac...).

In short: with epub files correctly formatted you can move the files to the reader and access the books very easily, without any software from Sony (you don't need Calibre either) and without collections.

[EowynCarter]

Selection can be made by author, by date, by last read, by book name and by file name, with an index on the rigth margin.
And there are no tags to set right.
The reader exploits the meta information in the epub file (in the opf file). You can edit this information if necessary (I made some tests with Sigil).

That would imply metadata are properly set. They sometimes aren't.... Yeah, i can edit them, but i don't want to bother.
And some of my folders makes no sense as far a metadata goes. Collections would be a lesser evil, because I can really set stuff the way I want. But folders are just easier to manage.
Ideally, the reader would propose search by metadata, collection and folders. And everyone can have it their way.

So maybe you don't need folders, but I do. And for now, I see noting on the sony that would make losing folders "worth it".

[jwalck]

Originally Posted by Mange

Sorry jwalck, no notetaking or annotations at all, when I tried it. The software was still in beta though, but Bookeen has never mentioned anything about this being available.

And the Orizon and Boox are very different animals when holding them side by side.

Thanks for the info. Well we have the quote from the current specifications page on bookeen.com that I saw earlier, mentioning both annotation and highlighting. We'll know soon enough, if I'm lucky I'll have the Orizon in my hand in a week.

How are they different, out of curiosity? I looked at the Boox earlier but it's quite a bit more expensive.

[bill_mchale]

Wasn't the Orizon suppose to ship this week? Has anyone received theirs yet? If so, what are the impressions?

--
Bill

[Polyglot27]

Like Mikelvdb I have a Cybook Gen3 and my partner has the Opus so we can be said to be Bookeen fans. However, a week ago I went past the SonyStyle showroom and dropped in just to see if they had the new PRS-350 and 650.
Well, they did, and I was so impressed with the embedded dictionaries that I bought a PRS-650 on the spot. I have never made an impulse purchase so quickly.
Now, after a week of use. I must say I am very satisfied with the Sony reader. The implementation of the dictionaries is very good, and they are not any old dictionaries but the Oxford and Collins ones. I read mainly in English and French, but I also read German, Italian and Spanish though less well. Now, with the dictionaries, I can enjoy reading these too.
The lack of a folder system on the Sony was a bit disturbing at first but after reading Mikelvdb's comment on how the "collections" function can be even more efficient in finding books, it did not worry me anymore. It is really a question of habit here.
I had been waiting for the Orizon for months, but they missed so many self announced launch dates (first it was June, then September, October and now it is November). Fortunately for me, the Sony came out first. I would be kicking myself if I had bought an Orizon and found out later about the Sony. Who knows, maybe the Orizon will have better dictionaries and I would be kicking myself next week, month or year for getting the Sony.

[EowynCarter]

Originally Posted by Polyglot27

Like Mikelvdb I have a Cybook Gen3 and my partner has the Opus so we can be said to be Bookeen fans. However, a week ago I went past the SonyStyle showroom and dropped in just to see if they had the new PRS-350 and 650.
Well, they did, and I was so impressed with the embedded dictionaries that I bought a PRS-650 on the spot. I have never made an impulse purchase so quickly.
Now, after a week of use. I must say I am very satisfied with the Sony reader. The implementation of the dictionaries is very good, and they are not any old dictionaries but the Oxford and Collins ones. I read mainly in English and French, but I also read German, Italian and Spanish though less well. Now, with the dictionaries, I can enjoy reading these too.
The lack of a folder system on the Sony was a bit disturbing at first but after reading Mikelvdb's comment on how the "collections" function can be even more efficient in finding books, it did not worry me anymore. It is really a question of habit here.
I had been waiting for the Orizon for months, but they missed so many self announced launch dates (first it was June, then September, October and now it is November). Fortunately for me, the Sony came out first. I would be kicking myself if I had bought an Orizon and found out later about the Sony. Who knows, maybe the Orizon will have better dictionaries and I would be kicking myself next week, month or year for getting the Sony.

That's why i decided to wait before buying one or the other. But I will most likely buy neither, and keep my opus.

[jwalck]

So, I got my Orizon today!

Not that much time to play with it yet, but so far it looks very good. Connect, rsync, plenty of pdfs in good order. :)

What's not so encouraging is the state of publishing houses and digital media, unrelated to the Orizon itself but still a situation worse than I imagined. Bought a book (epub), but it requires me to have windows to install anything on the device, or even download the file that I payed for. I also need an account on adobe.com. I don't have to sign up to an international book register when I go to the book store. :/

No sign of notes or annotations as stated on bookeens website, which is sad if it has to remain like that. I like the screen, I like the interface, the touch works quickly and well enough not to annoy. I can answer more of peoples question when I've gotten used to the device. :)

[Geppetto]

Originally Posted by jwalck

Not that much time to play with it yet, but so far it looks very good.

How about that horrible greyish display background?

[Godzil]

Originally Posted by jwalck

So, I got my Orizon today!

Not that much time to play with it yet, but so far it looks very good. Connect, rsync, plenty of pdfs in good order.

What's not so encouraging is the state of publishing houses and digital media, unrelated to the Orizon itself but still a situation worse than I imagined. Bought a book (epub), but it requires me to have windows to install anything on the device, or even download the file that I payed for. I also need an account on adobe.com. I don't have to sign up to an international book register when I go to the book store. :/

No sign of notes or annotations as stated on bookeens website, which is sad if it has to remain like that. I like the screen, I like the interface, the touch works quickly and well enough not to annoy. I can answer more of peoples question when I've gotten used to the device.

You need a PC to create an AdobeID (even I'm not sure about this on the Orizon) but the activation and the book download can be done directly on the Orizon in the webbrowser.

[jwalck]

Originally Posted by Geppetto

How about that horrible greyish display background?

I find it very nice to read from. Have no other e-reader for side by side comparison but this will release plenty of strain from my eyes compared to the LCD I otherwise would have. And give the printer time to cool off.