Onyx Boox M92 sample has arrived. First imression - I love it!

[Mono]

Originally Posted by Beryll Snyder

It seems to be more rational not to hope that these companies survive, but that a major player enters the field who is capable not just to implement improvements in small steps -
but to overhaul the software completely.

Amazon is not a major player? How does their Kindle DX compare to PB9xx or Onyx M92? Why it is not better than those two, but much worse? For how long do you recomend us to wait for a mature product?

OK, my answer is. Because of some unknown reason, segment of 10" eink readers is not interesting for major players. Probably too small segment or they wait for colour eink or they do not want compete with tablets.

Even if Onyx have choosen Android as main OS for their reader, I do not think that most of Android applications would run well on M92 without some adjustments. Black and white eink is quite different in behaviour from coloured LED display...

[Beryll Snyder]

Originally Posted by Mono

Amazon is not a major player? How does their Kindle DX compare to PB9xx or Onyx M92? Why it is not better than those two, but much worse? For how long do you recomend us to wait for a mature product?

OK, my answer is. Because of some unknown reason, segment of 10" eink readers is not interesting for major players. Probably too small segment or they wait for colour eink or they do not want compete with tablets.

Even if Onyx have choosen Android as main OS for their reader, I do not think that most of Android applications would run well on M92 without some adjustments. Black and white eink is quite different in behaviour from coloured LED display...

Amazon obviously has the resources, they concentrate on smaller readers.
And most people buy "popular" literature, not PDFs.

I don't swallow the argument "I cannot wait any longer" - but this seems to be the main reason for purchasing these readers.
I wonder what people have been doing before.
Why should I shell out 400 $ for experimental products?
And now Ectaco - Hanvon will be here soon - others will follow.

As for Android: who said one should use all the apps?
You need only three or four.
Android is used on Nook classic and the latest Sony reader.

If you are happy with your reader: good for you, but in an academic setting I want to work with a device, not fiddle with it and wait for the next "improvement" ...

[Mono]

Originally Posted by Beryll Snyder

If you are happy with your reader: good for you, but in an academic setting I want to work with a device, not fiddle with it and wait for the next "improvement" ...

Well, then wait for mature product. PB or Onyx do not have mature products yet, but for my needs they are so, so OK. I read scientific papers and need underline some parts and make notes. For that M92 suits quite well.

The rest (organizing papers, web search, ...) I can do on PC, tablet or notebook.

400$ is not that much, it represents less than 1-2 days income and it saves ones eysight. Now I do not have to print the papers and so I also save some money. At the printing cost 10 pages/1$ it is 4000 pages. I read a lot, so for me, money spent for Onyx are back in +-one year. I do not have piles of paper, I can search the documents and so on. It is better than paper and in long run also cheaper.

I know it could have more features and I also know it is not so much work to implement them, so I think, the both PB and Onyx will do it. If it takes a year, no problem for me. Look at the development of PB in the past year.

In few years color e-ink wil become mature and hopefuly also software in e-readers.

[mSSM]

Originally Posted by Mono

Well, then wait for mature product. PB or Onyx do not have mature products yet, but for my needs they are so, so OK. I read scientific papers and need underline some parts and make notes. For that M92 suits quite well.

The rest (organizing papers, web search, ...) I can do on PC, tablet or notebook.

400$ is not that much, it represents less than 1-2 days income and it saves ones eysight. Now I do not have to print the papers and so I also save some money. At the printing cost 10 pages/1$ it is 4000 pages. I read a lot, so for me, money spent for Onyx are back in +-one year. I do not have piles of paper, I can search the documents and so on. It is better than paper and in long run also cheaper.

I know it could have more features and I also know it is not so much work to implement them, so I think, the both PB and Onyx will do it. If it takes a year, no problem for me. Look at the development of PB in the past year.

In few years color e-ink wil become mature and hopefuly also software in e-readers.

Sorry for the OT, but which line of work do you both earn $400 in 1-2 days work AND get to read scientific papers?

[PF4Mobile]

Originally Posted by mSSM

Sorry for the OT, but which line of work do you both earn $400 in 1-2 days work AND get to read scientific papers?

Not sure what seems to be incredible here, is it the 400$ in two days or a scientist earning 400$ in two days?

I happen to read scientific papers although I am not a scientist. I am not saying anything about making the 400$ in two days.

[Beryll Snyder]

Originally Posted by Mono

more features and I also know it is not so much work to implement them, so I think, the both PB and Onyx will do it.

In few years color e-ink wil become mature and hopefuly also software in e-readers.

This discussion could go on and on - but wait, where is the logic here?
Easy to implement and not much work: then why is it not there already(?!).

The (basic)feature annotations for PDFs took more than one year.

Color e-ink in several years? No optimism here it seems ...

[Beryll Snyder]

Originally Posted by mSSM

Sorry for the OT, but which line of work do you both earn $400 in 1-2 days work AND get to read scientific papers?

As a scientist, I would say - where is the problem?

[initx]

Beryll Snyder, so finally do you recommend M92 if I all I want to do is reading PDF-s and scribbling in it? (All other activities incl. browsing, emailing, calendar, word processing, video watching etc. are made on my smartphone and laptop - I want only to read and scribble on M92.)

[Mono]

Originally Posted by mSSM

Sorry for the OT, but which line of work do you both earn $400 in 1-2 days work AND get to read scientific papers?

I develop systems for companies that have money. Let's call it applied research. It includes reading scientific papers, data analysis, research, computer programming. Work I do is ussualy charged 100$/hour. I charge much less, as I like the work and 100$/hour seems to me too much....

I can recomend M92 as direct replacement for a paper, e.g. for reading pdf and scribbling in it. It is not so much suitable for annotations, as it is not possible to export them, etc.

[Beryll Snyder]

Originally Posted by initx

Beryll Snyder, so finally do you recommend M92 if I all I want to do is reading PDF-s and scribbling in it? (All other activities incl. browsing, emailing, calendar, word processing, video watching etc. are made on my smartphone and laptop - I want only to read and scribble on M92.)

As I stated many times: yes

[Beryll Snyder]

Originally Posted by Mono

I can recomend M92 as direct replacement for a paper, e.g. for reading pdf and scribbling in it. It is not so much suitable for annotations, as it is not possible to export them, etc.

I agree with you totally.

[initx]

Originally Posted by Beryll Snyder

As I stated many times: yes

Okay, so I have just placed my order five minutes ago, hoping that this is the device which I have been waiting for long ago.

[considering pb]

Originally Posted by Booxtor

I am in contact with Onyx regarding the Stylus alternatives.
After the New Year holidays (Chinese New Year) I will get more information and offer some alternative.

Hi Booxter...is there any update on this? I'm prone to losing things, so I'd like a backup!

Originally Posted by MatthiasR.

Hi,
On the other hand I've found a work around that actually might do it for me: I noticed that the stylus diameter is exactly as large of some ball pens with a larger refill. I just split open the end open of some cheap gift ballpoint pen and then stuck my stylus in there. Since I only wanted to check the feasibility it looks quite ugly, but the stylus actually is fits quite well and stays in place after taping it and putting the end-cap back on. Bottomline: cheap, not beautful, but the "writing" experience is MUCH better. Its just like a real pen (if you ignore the input delay). I'll try some more professional ways if I find the time to do so: The only reason thy the stylus does not fit is because of its thickening at the end. Removing this, you probably would not even have to break the end of the ballpen open and you'd only need to somehow manipulate the front ;-)

Thanks for the idea MatthiasR! I've actually found a pen that will fit the whole stylus so you don't need to break it open and tape it in...just pull out the pen bit and insert the stylus. I actually quite like the effect.

[Booxtor]

Originally Posted by considering pb

Hi Booxter...is there any update on this? I'm prone to losing things, so I'd like a backup!



Thanks for the idea MatthiasR! I've actually found a pen that will fit the whole stylus so you don't need to break it open and tape it in...just pull out the pen bit and insert the stylus. I actually quite like the effect.

We've ordered some M92 compatible styluses from Onyx (a little bit bigger/thicker then originals) and will get/offer them next week. But the price is still quite high . I am still looking for cheaper alternative.

[NightGeometry]

My problem is with the annotations to PDFs. The M92 looks like it pretty much covers what I'd want, but I am very very wary of adding notes to books that I can only read on a given reader. Currently I'm using a PDF app on a tablet that embeds my comments and highlights back on the pdf - which to me is how they should be. Having the annotions elsewhere is just... wrong.

(Though having said that, I am seriously considering getting one - I am in the lucky position of currently being able to write it off against tax, which is a situation that may change pretty soon due to personal circumstance)