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

[Jack B Nimble]

Originally Posted by ddimick

That's not really true. As volumes go up the cost to manufacture goes down. Buying components in bulk is cheaper, and contract manufacturers will bid more aggressively on larger contracts that keep more of their workers employed for longer periods, even if at a reduced profit. Cash flow stability and predictability have real value that suppliers are willing to compete for.

Of course there is a threshold where any additional increase in volume does not net a reciprocal decrease in manufacturing cost.

Too many variables to discuss in a meaningful way. For instance, increasing volume can also increase the per unit cost. If any of the components are already being used as fast as they are produced, as seems to be the case with the eInk screens, increasing production can mean outbidding competitors for those resources, driving up the materials cost.

I could also make arguments in the opposite direction. As I said, we do not know enough about the market for the various components, not to mention their other costs both fixed and variable, to talk about production costs in a meaningful way.

Jack

[Luigino]

Originally Posted by Boreras

The higher the amount of different models, the higher the price. Extra design means extra cost, but marketing, logistics and mostly production all require extra money. In short, the thing would end up being more epxensive, so that in the end, the price point of your low-end model, could end up suprsingly high (and the higher-end model is also more expansive). Only Astak knows the increase of price, of course.
The low and high-end products need not differ much in design, yet it seems likely the design would end up different from a single design.

Depends! because for the same model, one with all whistles and one without, it's only the difference to say: "we have two versions of the same model with all whistles and one without anything so we have different price" and they can say that to all people so it'll be simple and cheap to say and the listeners would be much more because people can choose between those two versions knowing the price which will be different....

The thing of marketing is: don't work hard or double, but work better and with intelligence! Having only one version of the model could be already a great expense for marketing but lower percentage of selling because the price would be higher... with two versions, you have almost the same expense of marketing with an high increase of percentage of selling...

that's what I think and on what I hope Astak will get out a version without any whistles...

[tirsales]

Building a modularized base-system (e.g. one without the whistles and the whistles as easy add-ons) and a single firmware (you dont need to remove wifi from the non-wifi-firmware, just add a wifi-recognizer) shouldnt add too much to the overall cost - and that way only the whistles would get more expensive, not the base-system.
But still - the whistle-version is important for e.g. advertising, B2B-customers, etc

[Rosethorn1403]

hmmmm one question;

with the touchscreen options, while I like the idea, will I be also able to turn the page by pressing a button as well as using the touch option?

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Rosethorn1403

hmmmm one question;

with the touchscreen options, while I like the idea, will I be also able to turn the page by pressing a button as well as using the touch option?

Yes,

Dale

[griffonwing]

Take a look at what is out there today. Audio Books? I use my Creative Zen to listen to all of my mp3 songs, and also any audio books I want to listen to. After all, any book, if it's not mp3, can easily be converted to such. mp3 Players are a dime a dozen in today's market. So, for me, en ebook reader does not need ANY audio output. Call it Personal Preference.

The Iliad caters to the business minded crowd. Allowing editing of pdfs and documents, handwriting software, I believe. Again, not a real necessity in the Average Joe's reading requirements. So that's 2 features that can be removed.

If Astak would concentrate solely on a READER, they would garner a larger audience. An audience that would spend a bit more to get a larger screen size then the Sony 6 incher. They do not need to compete with the Iliad. Releasing a device which is virtually the same as the Iliad, except for the drawing tablet, is not condusive to taking the market from those with whom the Iliad caters to. They need to cater to those that are not enchanted with the Iliad. The simple reader.

Simplicity is beautiful. Siplicity is all that I want, and from what I've read here, all that a lot of you are asking for as well. Allowing it to access the web and download straight to the device, well, I can even do without that as well. I have a computer for all that. Remove that ability and program, and make more room in the memory for books.

I want something that I can read from. That's all. 9.7 inches of book reading. And maybe a small editor that will allow the users to make changes on the fly, as per misspelled words or such. But that's all.

They could have saved a lot of money on research and developent costs if they'd have just tried to stay simple and given the readers what they want, instead of trying to put everything in that a few might possibly use.

[Lorion]

"....except for the drawing tablet...."

What does this mean? Is the Mentor touchscreen not able to be used for drawing and writing?
I would be shocked, because a touchscreen for quick notes and adding comments to filed is for me a must have feature!
You see how different the people are. If Astak just had made a bigger Sony i would never think about concidering it to buy

Bye

[Walk Broad]

Originally Posted by Lorion

"....except for the drawing tablet...."

What does this mean? Is the Mentor touchscreen not able to be used for drawing and writing?
I would be shocked, because a touchscreen for quick notes and adding comments to filed is for me a must have feature!
You see how different the people are. If Astak just had made a bigger Sony i would never think about concidering it to buy

Bye

They have a device that does that, it's called the iRex iLiad.

If it's such an important feature, please get that one. Or wait to see what Astak actually does before razing on them.

But for some people, an affordable device that is used to say, read books, is all they are looking for. Me included.

I don't read technical manuals or work PDFs. I don't need to mark up, take notes or draw on anything.

All I want is a device I can afford that allows me to read good books comfortably.

With all other readers over $300 USD (except for the Sony that saves me a whole penny and the eBookwise being the absolute cheapest), it's about time someone introduced a line that makes the devices more affordable.

[Lorion]

First:
the iliad is 600$!
and 8.1 is smaller than 9.7!

why shouldnt astak compete with the iliad? why do they have toproduce ONLY a cheap device?
I dont see the point for a 9.7 device which can only show books. its oversized i think.

oh, and astak has ts as optional feeature, so ithink their way is very good.for you and for me

edit: sorry for my typing, damn inet cafe keyboard

[Luigino]

I am sure iRex will have to cut down the price of their iLiad to gain more market of people otherwise they would get beated from others companies like Astak because it will come out in the market always more products that are cheaper and it will arrive the moment all products will be affordable for all people and there will have only to choose between the products for the one that they like more as esthetic...
Saying what I just said, it would mean Astak, maintaining the prediction of costs down, would be the first company that will make the explosion of the market of eBook Readers and starting the real diffusion of these machines just giving to people products that are just good with an affordable price. In this way that's a good reason Astak will make more business than iRex...

[Mindy]

Never mind all the debating!
It's practically July already!
Give Update! And updated Astak site! And reliable recent information!
And cookies!

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Mindy

Never mind all the debating!
It's practically July already!
Give Update! And updated Astak site! And reliable recent information!
And cookies!

"Patience is a virtue" huh ?

actually i'd like to know what is the latest news as well... hopefully robertb is not so overloaded with work that we will never hear from him again...

[Mindy]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

"Patience is a virtue" huh ?

It absolutely is, however I never claimed to have any
(patience OR virtue)

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Mindy

It absolutely is, however I never claimed to have any
(patience OR virtue)

well, i'm certainly not going to start throwing stones at you, with all this glass around me...

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by Luigino

I am sure iRex will have to cut down the price of their iLiad to gain more market of people otherwise they would get beated from others companies like Astak because it will come out in the market always more products that are cheaper and it will arrive the moment all products will be affordable for all people and there will have only to choose between the products for the one that they like more as esthetic...

Even IF Astak came out with a 9.7 inch reader only, iRex would still have to reduce their prices to stay competitive. My reasoning?

Currently iRex holds the only large form-factor screen on the market. They can charge 700 for that benefit alone. It's a bit over twice the price of a Sony, but 35% larger screen, 16 shades grayscale, and can be used with handwriting.

Once astak 9.7 comes out, even if it were only a reader, it would best the iliad in size, and those who were going to purchase the iliad for it's screen size alone would jump over to the astak. iRex would have to drop the price in order for the extra bells and whistles to be worth the little bit of extra money.

A book reader doesnt need 16 shades of gray, nor the mp3 ability, nor the handwriting feature.