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

[6charlong]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

This is good news for me.

Not me. I want eReader. It offers me good features but mostly, it stays out of the way. And since Adobe will apparently let me read ePub PDA files when they come available, that’s the way I want to go.

But I guess mostly I’m tired of big outfits like Amazon trying to force me to buy everything from them. What matters with books is the books. When the reader software becomes a sales gimmick, I just end up feeling scammed.

[moz]

I'm happy - I just want the open one. Anything DRMd is just asking for someone to take my library away. That happens way too often for me to accept an assurance from Amazon that in 150 years time they absolutely guarantee to still support the format.

Hmm... looking at the photos I hope the LEDs can be turned off while I'm reading. Otherwise I'll have to tape over them.

[simond]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Boo... that's too bad. No posiblity of installing the "other" reader on the device seeing how it is a WinCE unit?



Yea... any chance of allowing a one time conversion from one format to another via Fictionwise/eReader since they own the eReader format? With eReader there is no limit to the number of devices right. what happens if a cc number changes with this format?

BOb

Apparently Fictionwise have to effectively pay the publishers again if they want to switch formats:

Originally Posted by Fictionwise Support

We are sorry we cannot change the formats on your previously purchased eBooks. When we change the format of a book after the member has downloaded it, we have to pay the publisher twice for the same purchase. We've asked publishers (who use encryption) to change this policy but so far they will not.

This was in reply to a ticket about The Descent no longer being available in ereader format even for redownload (they did convert it for me to .lit as a good will gesture though, which I appreciated!)

[rainer.betrug]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

And also, I don't know if this has been asked yet, but since WiFi as well as HTML support is listed, does this mean there'll be a functional web browser?

I think, this is really the most important question. For me it is clear that I will only buy a device with an at least rudimentary browser.
It does not have to be very fast in page rendering!
Sometimes I have to read very long websites and I dont want to save it on the pc first and sync to the device.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by moz

I'm happy - I just want the open one. Anything DRMd is just asking for someone to take my library away. That happens way too often for me to accept an assurance from Amazon that in 150 years time they absolutely guarantee to still support the format.

Hmm... looking at the photos I hope the LEDs can be turned off while I'm reading. Otherwise I'll have to tape over them.

eReader, by design, will never take your library away so long as you remember the credit card number you used to authorize the purchase. You only need to locally enter that number to reauthorize a book on a new platform. You don't need the server.

Dale

[aleks]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear Dale:

While I am on the subject of the Astak eBook Readers, we have decided to do two versions of of each size. Amazon/Mobipocket will not allow other formats on their machine. So, we will have a "LiteBook" in MobiPocket and a "Mentor" in Open Format which will be eReader. We are also going to sweeten ALL deals by offering free books included and coupons for savings for other books. We want to have the best overall VALUE and save the end user on BOTH the initial device purchase AND on starting off their library.

Robert B. of Astak

Does that mean that the other formats of pdf, txt and such are out? Or does this mean that ereader is in addition to pdf and such?

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Robertb

I am hereby ASKING MobileRead Forum to contact me so you have the right info for your readers. You have my cell phone, MobileRead. Let's meet at BEA in person!!

Has someone followed up on this? BookExpo America is this week (Thur-Sun) in Los Angeles.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Has someone followed up on this? BookExpo America is this week (Thur-Sun) in Los Angeles.

I still have heard nothing and Wallcraft is correct on the dates for BEA!!

[zelda_pinwheel]

Robert, might i suggest you try pm-ing a mod (or, in fact, Alexander himself) ? possibly they just haven't seen this thread lately...

[Nate the great]

Sorry Robert, I somehow missed your request before.

We're not sending anyone to BEA because we all have work, family and stuff.

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by Robertb

I am hereby ASKING MobileRead Forum to contact me so you have the right info for your readers. You have my cell phone, MobileRead. Let's meet at BEA in person!!

Hi Robert,

Sorry I did not reply earlier; your comment has slipped under my radar, and it was just brought to my attention by one of our members. Zelda is right - the best way to get directly in contact with us is either via private message or via contact form. You can also reach me directly at alexander [at] mobileread [dot] com.

Now, I would love to attend the BEA. Alas, I am located in Switzerland and I cannot justify a trip to L.A. right now. However, I regularly visit the Frankfurt Book Fair, which is, I think, the biggest book fair in the world. If you happen to be in Frankfurt next October, I'd love to meet with you guys there in person.

Cheers,
Alex

[moz]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

eReader, by design, will never take your library away so long as you remember the credit card number you used to authorize the purchase. You only need to locally enter that number to reauthorize a book on a new platform. You don't need the server.

Cool, so I just have to keep a list of all my credit card numbers. And a working windows PC. And by the time the Windows PC is hard to get the encryption will most likely be trivially breakable.

It's not as bad as it could be, but it's still not good.

perhaps count it as my first resort in the unlikely event that I absolutely must have something that's only available from DRM-wankers.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by moz

Cool, so I just have to keep a list of all my credit card numbers.

OR use the same credit card to buy all your eReader books. I also think if you change your credit card at the store you can redownload and they will be reencrypted with your current creditcard.

BOb

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by moz

Cool, so I just have to keep a list of all my credit card numbers. And a working windows PC. And by the time the Windows PC is hard to get the encryption will most likely be trivially breakable.

It's not as bad as it could be, but it's still not good.

perhaps count it as my first resort in the unlikely event that I absolutely must have something that's only available from DRM-wankers.

The eReader is supported on PalmOS, Windows Mobile, Symbian OS, Windows, MacOS X and one optimized for Windows on OXO. Check the wiki for more details.

Dale

[Mindy]

What about availability outside the US (particularly UK from a selfish perspective, and since my birthday is in July)?
Not convinced about black and orange personally, but I'm a girl so I'm pernickity about that sort of thing. Now, the gunmetal blue sounds like a winner.....
LOL
Will await further updates with interest.