Have ereader development peaked?

[elemenoP]

I hope e-ink (or something like it) doesn't get abandoned, I would like to see it get even better. Color would be fun... as long as the b&w contrast and resolution is GREAT. That's the primary thing. It would also be neat to have a backlight that turns on and off, for those times when you really need it (such as reading in bed). And how about a solar panel so you never have to charge it again?

eP

[elcreative]

But if you get backlighting then it's hardly e-ink any more... e-ink is a reflective medium unlike LCD which is transmissive... one of the most attractive points for many people is just that e-ink is reflective, it doesn't shine a light in your eyes directly...

Originally Posted by elemenoP

I hope e-ink (or something like it) doesn't get abandoned, I would like to see it get even better. Color would be fun... as long as the b&w contrast and resolution is GREAT. That's the primary thing. It would also be neat to have a backlight that turns on and off, for those times when you really need it (such as reading in bed). And how about a solar panel so you never have to charge it again?

eP

[AlbertaCowboy]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

enhanced text-to-speech;

As soon as they make a Sean Connery text to speech option, I'll buy a Kindle!
"It wash the besht of timesh, it wash the worsht of timesh".
Pure magic.

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

With the new Nook and Kobo touchscreen readers, I'm concerned that we're going to look back and decide that ereaders peaked in their development with the previous generation.

Are we now in a race to the bottom, where features like physical page turn buttons disappear (as in the Kobo, not yet in the Nook) in favor of a bunch of hoo-hah like finger swiping to turn a page that doesn't even exist?

Will quality of construction suffer in that race to be the cheapest?

I saw this happen with VHS recorders back in the day, where prices went down and so did picture quality until I found myself longing for my old, heavy machine that actually delivered a decent picture.

Maybe I should be stocking up on K3's.

I do think that the technology behind our eink screens will improve as well as the processors in eink readers, I wouldn't be surprised if construction suffered. My Sony PRS-505 is built like a tank, and reminds me of my Sony Betamax, which quite possibly still works (it did the last time I checked, which was admittedly a while ago). My Sony PRS-350 on the other hand (a newer model than my other Sony) is quite solidly built, but doesn't feel as solid as my older model. I don't particularly mind - after all, I am carrying it around in my purse and am happy with the lessened weight of it. I wouldn't want sellers to skimp on features in a race to make their devices cheaper, however. I will happily pay more for what I feel is a better devices (for my purposes).

My first DVD player has been going strong for 10 years (my parents still use it). My second DVD player lasted for around two years before kicking the bucket.

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by AlbertaCowboy

As soon as they made a Sean Connery text to speech option, I'll buy a Kindle!
"It wash the besht of timesh, it wash the worsht of timesh".
Pure magic.

aw man. you made me giggle out loud in the library

[pidgeon92]

I like my ereaders fine just the way they are. I can't imagine that they could add any feature that would improve them greatly, except for perhaps some sort of intelligent library lookup that could translate foreign words? I could have used that when I read The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

[Solicitous]

Ah technology. Through all my years of having a computer they have become quicker, smaller and cheaper. But, what I did on a computer 10 years ago is no different to what I do now, I just need a faster PC to handle the increased size of all the applications.

I look at ereaders and think, what could they possibly change? Ok, they could increase CPU, but looking at the current Kindle (and other pearl screened readers) page turns are all but instant, and ok, it takes 2-3 seconds to open a book, big deal!! How often do you open a new book? Not that often so 2-3 seconds isn't that big a deal. Do ereaders need to do more than offer someone ease of accessing and reading their ebooks? Well any more than that and one starts to cross the line of multi purpose devices.

Unfortunately I think the later ereaders are competing on price, so physically they are made and feel cheaper.

[elemenoP]

Originally Posted by elcreative

But if you get backlighting then it's hardly e-ink any more... e-ink is a reflective medium unlike LCD which is transmissive... one of the most attractive points for many people is just that e-ink is reflective, it doesn't shine a light in your eyes directly...

But theoretically, why couldn't a display be reflective when the light is off, and transmissive when the light is on?

And Pidgeon: Your Sony can look up foreign words now! Just change to the Spanish to English dictionary.

eP

[crich70]

I think we still have some development to do in faster page changing, storage capacity (K3 holds twice as much as K2 now) and the possibility of color (for illustrations and cover images mostly). Of course more storage space will necessitate a more advanced cataloging system than just collections as on the present Kindle (K3).

[pdurrant]

I currently have a bet with 3bayjunkie on this topic. My side of the bet is that we'll see a very low power video capable colour screen product (suitable for use as an ebook reader) shipping before the end of 2022.

I'm very confident of winning that bet. I rather expect to win it well before the end of 2015.

[GlenBarrington]

I think so. . .

I think ebook reading will become part of a multipurpose device to the point where stand alone ebook readers simply don't exist any more. In the meantime, I think we will see a race to the lowest possible price point for stand alones, and I think the narrow margins means MUCH less R&D.

Look for Sony to exit the market in 6 months to a year.

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by elemenoP

But theoretically, why couldn't a display be reflective when the light is off, and transmissive when the light is on?

"A display" could be-- but not one based on eink. It simply isn't possible.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

I think so. . .

I think ebook reading will become part of a multipurpose device to the point where stand alone ebook readers simply don't exist any more. In the meantime, I think we will see a race to the lowest possible price point for stand alones, and I think the narrow margins means MUCH less R&D.

Look for Sony to exit the market in 6 months to a year.

Have calculators disappeared? I see dedicated ebook readers being around for a very long time. The high end will turn into multi-function devices, but I see low-end dedicated devices being with us for many (30+) years.

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Have calculators disappeared? I see dedicated ebook readers being around for a very long time.

A good analogy. "Pocket" calculators used to be bulky, cost hundreds of dollars, and require a 9-volt battery because they had vacuum tubes for a display. Now? College math students might need a fancy calculator costing $50, the typical buyer might buy one that cost $5 or $10-- but almost everyone would have all their needs met by a calculator that costs a buck.

Now, I doubt that we will see $1.00 ebook readers because of the size of the display compared to a pocket calculator-- the bargain ebook readers'll probably set you back a full five bucks.

(BTW, thanks to PRS+, my Sony Reader is now my calculator.)

[elemenoP]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

"A display" could be-- but not one based on eink. It simply isn't possible.

ok, so instead of e-ink I will use someone else's term "bistable" which I take to mean that the image remains after the power is gone, and that's how e-ink gets a good battery life. So, it could be bistable while the backlight is off, and not bistable while the backlight is on (thus reducing battery life if you use the backlight).

I know that Sony experimented with an e-ink screen with a frontlight, and it was not a success (I have not seen one, but I've seen people complain about it, and other people praise it). Even if that particular implementation did not work well, in theory it's a good idea to have both, and shows that Sony is not afraid to innovate and try new things (such as the very successful IR touchscreen!).

eP