Sony PRS-T1 specs!

[Squirsier]

The new Reader Wi-Fi is now on the Canadian Sony Store, with a release date of October but no way of pre-ordering one yet!

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by EatingPie

In terms of the T1, this does bring up the question of "Apps." I know a video here said no Android, but Engadget says it was confirmed to be Android-based.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/31/s...inch-e-reader/

It would be nice to add an app or two if possible, specifically reference-based apps or others which fit the e-Reader motif.

Is it Android or not? The guy in the vid sounds very uncertain when asked what OS it runs on. He does a long Urrrrrrrrrr, audibly turns a piece of paper (presumably he's looking it up), then says Sony Software.

And what is Engadget's source? They don't say.

As such, the jury is definitely out on Android. We shall see...

[Sapphire]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Does the T1 have the annotation capabilities that the 950 has? There are a lot of similarities to the 950, but some things appear different or missing.

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

In the videos that I have seen you can add notes and highlights still. I have also seen them draw on the screen with the stylus. It doesn't look that different to me other than the menu system.

I've been wondering if the message on the T1's font screen will be bad news for those who like to annotate:

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Is it Android or not? The guy in the vid sounds very uncertain when asked what OS it runs on. He does a long Urrrrrrrrrr, audibly turns a piece of paper (presumably he's looking it up), then says Sony Software.

And what is Engadget's source? They don't say.

As such, the jury is definitely out on Android. We shall see...

The problem with the video is that "Sony Software" really tells us nothing about the OS.

The Readers never ran just "Sony Software." They are all Linux-based, even the PRS-500.

And to an Engineer like myself, "Sony Software" strongly implies -- if not outright states -- the application on top of the operating system (otherwise it would be "Sony OS"). So previously it ran "Sony Software" on Linux. Now, it runs "Sony Software" on...?

I'm betting it's Android.

-Pie

[thebestjeter]

Originally Posted by EatingPie

I'm betting it's Android.

-Pie

What I find really, really, really weird is that Sony has never mentioned the word "Android". In no T1 specifications, the Android system is mentioned. So, I wonder, since many people would buy this device only because is Android based and I supposed Sony knows that, why Sony has not announced something so important and buyer-attractive?

That is what makes me think that it's not Android based.

[snarkophilus]

Originally Posted by Sapphire

I've been wondering if the message on the T1's font screen will be bad news for those who like to annotate:

This behaviour is the same as I see with PRS+ on my 350 now. If I change font via the user CSS setting then then I get a funny little squiggle symbol instead of my hand written annotation. If I change back to the font that was active when the annotation was made, the original annotation appears again.

Cheers,
Simon.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by snarkophilus

This behaviour is the same as I see with PRS+ on my 350 now. If I change font via the user CSS setting then then I get a funny little squiggle symbol instead of my hand written annotation. If I change back to the font that was active when the annotation was made, the original annotation appears again.

Cheers,
Simon.

Thanks, Simon. Is it for hand-written annotations only? Like with the stylus? And not keyboard notes?

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by thebestjeter

What I find really, really, really weird is that Sony has never mentioned the word "Android". In no T1 specifications, the Android system is mentioned. So, I wonder, since many people would buy this device only because is Android based and I supposed Sony knows that, why Sony has not announced something so important and buyer-attractive?

That is what makes me think that it's not Android based.

Because of the expectations people would have if it was announced that it was having Android. If it ran Android, but you couldn't have any apps without rooting, people would be upset.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by thebestjeter

What I find really, really, really weird is that Sony has never mentioned the word "Android". In no T1 specifications, the Android system is mentioned. So, I wonder, since many people would buy this device only because is Android based and I supposed Sony knows that, why Sony has not announced something so important and buyer-attractive?

That is what makes me think that it's not Android based.

B&N don't say that the NookColor is Android-based either:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nookco...ures/index.asp
If all you can do on the T1 is run Sony's reading software, why should they tell you what the underlying operating system is?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

B&N don't say that the NookColor is Android-based either:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nookco...ures/index.asp
If all you can do on the T1 is run Sony's reading software, why should they tell you what the underlying operating system is?

Of course they do. For example:

App developers: Our Doors are Open!

When it comes to creating NOOK Apps, the possibilities are as endless as the titles in our bookstores. Our Android-based platform provides the perfect canvas for you to deploy your rich and interactive apps and content. If you have an app that is ready for NOOK Color, sign up for NOOK Developer™ and learn how you can qualify to distribute it to millions of readers.

from here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/nook...pps/379002750/

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Is it Android or not? The guy in the vid sounds very uncertain when asked what OS it runs on. He does a long Urrrrrrrrrr, audibly turns a piece of paper (presumably he's looking it up), then says Sony Software.

And what is Engadget's source? They don't say.

As such, the jury is definitely out on Android. We shall see...

Well to be technical correct, Android is not an operating system. It runs on top of Linux.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Of course they do. For example:

[I]App developers: Our Doors are Open!

Ok, howabout: B&N do not greatly publicize the fact that the NC is Android based, for example on the main web page about it. The fact that it can play Angry Birds is worth mentioning, but they don't seem to expect potential customers to care why it can play Angry Birds.
What you've quoted is aimed at developers, not purchasers.
(I'm not saying they are hiding it, or ashamed of it or anything, just that they don't go out of their way to make a big deal about it, possibly because it would raise expectations about what you would be able to do with the NC, which aren't possible without hacking because of the lockdown.)

[snarkophilus]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

Thanks, Simon. Is it for hand-written annotations only? Like with the stylus? And not keyboard notes?

Yes, that behaviour appears to be for handwritten annotations only. Normal notes (either drawing or keyboard) attached to highlighted words aren't affected by font changes.

Cheers,
Simon.

[log]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Well to be technical correct, Android is not an operating system. It runs on top of Linux.

Sorry, no.

I don't want to split hairs here, but Android is indeed an operating system -- a component of it is a Linux based kernel.

A kernel is not an operating system, it is a core module of an operating system.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by log

Sorry, no.

I don't want to split hairs here, but Android is indeed an operating system -- a component of it is a Linux based kernel.

A kernel is not an operating system, it is a core module of an operating system.

Clearly you DO want to split hairs.

No it's not. It's called a platform. It is not an operating system.

Take a look at the android site.
If take a look here you'll see each release designated as a "Platform"
http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html


Actually at one point they do say O/S:
Android is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications.

but most everywhere they call it a Platform...

You seem to want to exclude the kernel, but it really is the O/S and I'm pretty certain there must be more on top of that kernel that is not part of android.

Android is just a java program that runs in a virtual machine.