Do we need more or less features in ebook readers?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Tacty

what did you think? should we all slow down a bit and get devices which wont be freezing daily because we are asking to much?

There's enough different devices out there to satisfy most everyone. From bare-bones to whistles-and-bells. I think buying whatever happens to appeal to you personally is probably the way to go here... as always. I've owned two devices in my ereading career: one very old and bare-bones, and one very recent with whistles and bells. Both have performed as well as I'd hoped they would. I've not run into the "bugs, disappointment and daily freezes" yet. *shrugs*

[rogue_librarian]

Originally Posted by Tacty

dictionaries, notes, annotations, chapters

All useful features for a book (!). Most vendors provide those already, one way or another.

browser, chess, games,

Browser, perhaps, but not really necessary. Games? If I wanted to play I would've used a tablet.

i want 1500 fonts

Nah, just let me provide my own.

[spindlegirl]

Simple with book organizing features and good dictionary. I like my T2 a lot for this. I can put a larger library on a microsd card and put books in any 'shelf' I like. I side load almost every thing, and don't use it for internet features. So for me, pretty much "bare bones" with reading related features as opposed to "recommendation" features. I also like the books' searchability (find a phrase or word anywhere in the book) and the library searchability so i can find a book on my shelf from anywhere.

[rah68]

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." A Einstien

[Tacty]

i do understand wish for more feautures, but like ive said, it is sometimes in contrast with simple reliability. i dont want to start operating systems flame war, but it s like android or such...endless list of features at the expense of reliability with daily rebooting, apps freezing, and countless bugs...the same with the ereaders. yes, we do have some advanced features but many of them are too cumbersome to use, or painfuly slow to use, or not working properly etc...for example today i have tried to check some word into dictionary. you know, it is almost laughably primitive and painful to work with. it s the experience i wouldnt like to repeat more than once a year on eink reader screen. what s the point with such feature if it s working like on some prehistoric devices...? that s the point i want to brought up...

[rogue_librarian]

Sounds like you're using the wrong device.

[rah68]

On my Kindle Paperwhite, i simply touch and hold the word and the definition appears.
Nothing could be simpler

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Tacty

well...it seems to me that people are setting expectations too high regarding features in ebook readers (ebr). or some of them are just spoiled brats.

*I* am one of those spoiled brats.
My requests are simple:

- Page margins that can be set by user. Kindle, for example has three settings: Wide, Extremely Wide and Ridiculously Wide. Why can't I use the entire width of that expensive e-ink to display text?

- Font size that can be set by user. Why is it problem to present more than a small handful of sizes? Why can't I just enter font size by number or tweak it with a step of one point?

- Justification that can be set by user. Wide margins, combined with the relatively small width of the screen and lack of hyphenation create very uneven spaces between words. I personally find that distracting. Some people like full justification and some prefer left justified text. Why can't we choose?

- Hyphenation. Yes, there *are* e-ink readers that lack hyphenation. For example Kindle. Go and google up pictures of Gutenberg's bible. Even Mr. Gutenberg was able to typeset The Book with hyphenation, So why can't Amazon do that with their Kindle PW five hundred years later?

- Directories. Why do I have to organize my books in a flat list, or in a non-hierarchical collections?

If you want to hear a *really* wild request, listen to this:
- I want support for real typography. Contemporary devices have computing power comparable with serious desktop computers used 10-15 years ago. So why can't we have text rendered by an engine like LaTeX, or Adobe InDesign.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by rah68

On my Kindle Paperwhite, i simply touch and hold the word and the definition appears.
Nothing could be simpler

Yes. The dictionary implementation on the Kindle is excellent - as are the dictionaries themselves.

[HYPE]

I don't think they should add more features. Instead, I would rather see the current features be considerably improved.

[SteveEisenberg]

The feature I want is Gorilla glass for eInk. Amazon would have saved money on this, as all my warranty returns have been for cracked screens. Or is there a technical incompatibility between eInk, and gorilla glass (including competing products)?

Originally Posted by kacir

Page margins that can be set by user. Kindle, for example has three settings: Wide, Extremely Wide and Ridiculously Wide. Why can't I use the entire width of that expensive e-ink to display text?

See: Kindle - How to Change Margin

[charmian]

Depends on what you mean by features.
As for software, the Kindle mostly meets my needs (the only think I'd like is a slider button (either real or virtual) to flip quickly through books).

As for hardware, there are a lot of things I'd like, but I can't request features that don't exist. (Like radically higher contrast for e-ink: looks like they've stalled there and can't get it better?)

[QuantumIguana]

If you don't use a feature, it's a lot easier to not see the value in it. Someone else might find that feature highly useful. No one is a "spoiled brat" for wanting features. They are customers. If enough customers demand features, these features will be included. If not enough customers want these features, they won't be included. Customers are free to demand whatever features they wish. Of course, manufacturers are free not to provide these features, but customers may well take their business elsewhere. If there's a market for a bare-bones reader, someone will supply it.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm extremely satisfied with the Kindle. Extremely stable (it's never crashed). Does exactly what I want. Excellent dictionaries. Great bookstore. When I'm reading I don't want to be distracted with e-mail, web browsing, etc. If I want that, I'll use my iPad.

Agreed. I primarily use my K2 and Kindle Fire. Does everything I want/need.

[cromag]

I've got everything I need right now. Any enhancements I'd be interested in would be to make existing features faster or better.

I don't need wi-fi -- I like the SD card. I'd like a choice of a couple of fonts with one being user supplied. I'd like the reader to be little smaller -- about the size of a mass market paperback. I'd like it to be faster when I call up a menu and after I make a selection.

But mostly I'm very happy with what I have.