New ebook readers - the forgotten option

[stustaff]

I think it was people using the iphone as an ebook reader that made me realise/think about this.

I was so stuck in my mind with the E-ink readers - Kindle, sony, BEbook etc
or people using their Phones or PDA's - Palm, Iphone etc
or a laptop or tablet PC that I forgot something.

Media players! there are hundres of PMP(personal media players) available, many would work for reading ebooks too.

Lets look at one example

the Cowon Iaudio Q5...

Ebook reading - reads text files, .doc files and html. Ok not a great choice but doable.
Dedicated ereader... no but the viewing software for the above files works and allows to change text size font etc.
Screen size is good a 5inch screen of very high quality, yes its LCD but many people dont mind that, plus it comes with a backlight which lots of people love.

Also the Windows CE interface can be accessed directly to view contents and run programs so there may be a dedicated ereader software available that I dont know about.

Storage 40gb to 160gb so no problems there.

and the bonus is it plays video on the screen or on a tv, plays music etc

all for around £250.. what will the sony reader cost in the UK?

i know Im wondering if I havent missed a trick! but I do love my Sony reader....

what about everyone else?

[athlonkmf]

i think you're going through a reversed evolution...
A lot of people here came from reading ebooks from laptops, lcd-screens, pda's and then found salvation through eink.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by stustaff

the Cowon Iaudio Q5...
...the Windows CE ...

I looked it up. The Q5 has the Alchemy Au1250 as a CPU. After further research, I learned that this is a MIPS chip. There is a version of Mobipocket Reader for this. It might not work, but it's worth a shot.

P.S. Since it runs WinCE, it is basically a PDA with media ability.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by athlonkmf

i think you're going through a reversed evolution...
A lot of people here came from reading ebooks from laptops, lcd-screens, pda's and then found salvation through eink.

I don't think so. I went from LCD (on a PDA) to Eink and back to LCD.

[TheJohnNewton]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I don't think so. I went from LCD (on a PDA) to Eink and back to LCD.

Everyone's going to be different. I went from paper to computer monitor (for one book only) said yuck, back to paper, then to eInk. Really does it matter though? Use what works for you.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by stustaff

I think it was people using the iphone as an ebook reader that made me realise/think about this.

I was so stuck in my mind with the E-ink readers - Kindle, sony, BEbook etc
or people using their Phones or PDA's - Palm, Iphone etc
or a laptop or tablet PC that I forgot something.

Media players! there are hundres of PMP(personal media players) available, many would work for reading ebooks too.

<...>

what about everyone else?

Personally, I read on a Palm OS PDA. I pass on current eInk based devices, because I need color and a device that does more than display ebooks. The smaller backlit screen doesn't bother me, and I'm quite comfortable reading on it.

I see a PMP as an attractive option for ebooks if you already have one and want to add an additional function, or if you plan to get one and don't already have a portable reader. The questions will be what formats are supported, and how you get ebooks onto the device to read.

My PDA is a media player among other functions, so I'm not in the market for one of those, either.

I'd also add handheld gaming platforms to the possibility list, as lots of homebrew firmware exists. You might well be able to read electronic texts on something like a DS Lite, though it probably isn't the best alternative.
______
Dennis

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by athlonkmf

i think you're going through a reversed evolution...
A lot of people here came from reading ebooks from laptops, lcd-screens, pda's and then found salvation through eink.

Sure, but there are still plenty of others who happily read on the other devices, like PDAs and cellphones.

Stustaff, I remember thinking the same thing about the iAudio, as well as the Zune, when I saw them. If you're already using one of those as a media device, I see no reason not to try e-books on them... they're media, right? (And if you try it, please let us know how well it works!)

[amgoforth]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I don't think so. I went from LCD (on a PDA) to Eink and back to LCD.

Is there anything small with an LCD that will display internet archive PDFs and DJVUs?

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by amgoforth

Is there anything small with an LCD that will display internet archive PDFs and DJVUs?

I use a Tapwave Zodiac 2, which is a Palm OS device with a 320x480 screen. I view PDF files using an open source product called PalmPDF. I could view DJVU files using a shareware product called GRXView Pro, but don't. (I have yet to need to display a DJVU file at all...)

Tapwave went belly up in July 2005, but Zodiacs still show up on eBay. Other Palm OS devices do as well.
______
Dennis

[Nate the great]

I'm not sure what programs will display a DJVU, but you have quite a few choices for PDF. Let me suggest a couple:

If FBReader can do DJVU, then you might consider Nokia N800. It has a 4" screen.

If uBook can do DJVU, then you might consider HP Jornada 720. It has a 6" widescreen.

Both are touchscreen and pocketable.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I'm not sure what programs will display a DJVU, but you have quite a few choices for PDF. Let me suggest a couple:

If FBReader can do DJVU, then you might consider Nokia N800. It has a 4" screen.

If uBook can do DJVU, then you might consider HP Jornada 720. It has a 6" widescreen.

Both are touchscreen and pocketable.

I don't believe FBReader or Ubook handle DJVU. A list of DJVU viewers for different platforms is here.
______
Dennis

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

I don't believe FBReader or Ubook handle DJVU. A list of DJVU viewers for different platforms is here.
______
Dennis

Thank you.

I just learned there is a DJVU viewer for the Sony Librie.