So, did companies give up on two page devices?

[theducks]

I could see it as a reference tool.

The technical advantage over 2 devices, is the display is correctly synched on a page turn.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

Everyone LOVES the idea, but everyone wants it at the same price and quality as the others.

And that's the main problem with it.

And that s the problem in a nutshell.

[Apache]

Wouldn't this double the weight of the ereader?
Apache

[medard]

No. You'd need only one processor, only one battery, and so fourth. The Eink screen is obviously the most expensive part of a digital reading deveice (which might be the reason why they are so small), but it's not the part that weights the most.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by medard

No. You'd need only one processor, only one battery, and so fourth. The Eink screen is obviously the most expensive part of a digital reading deveice (which might be the reason why they are so small), but it's not the part that weights the most.

Except you also need more battery to support the second screen.

The Entourage Edge weighed about the same as a small laptop.

[fjtorres]

The devices we see today are what the market has said it wants.
People voting with their wallets have made it clear that for dedicated reading devices cheap and light sells. Multi-screen devices don't sell in volume. So yes, the market has given up on them.

If you like the two-page spread reading environment, dual column landscape is a viable option on both tablet and eink and there are signs of a slight movement to 12in tablets in the very near future. (Second wave of Win8Tabs this fall.) The price will be higher than the smaller tablets but less than the hinged dual screen devices. Those might stick in the market as a viable premium option to the existing, market-tested form factors.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by crich70

I think the idea of a 2 page ereader harkens back to the 1st printed books which had typeface that looked like handwritten text. It's an effort to keep something that is 'the way things used to be done' while exploring new tech.

It's even more ironic that, if you think about it, the e-reader reads more like a scroll than a book.

Apart from it being necessary or useful or not, it cannot be denied that a two-screen 7" e-reader would *really* bring back the hardcover-like reading experience; as far as is possible to do so for an electronic device. However, it'll be twice as heavy as a current 7" device. I estimate that it'd weigh something like 500gr (0.5 kg).

On the one hand, it'd be an awesome device. On the other hand, it'd be as big and heavy as a small(er) hardcover book, and that negates one of the big advantages of the e-reader.

[jineapple]

I like the idea, it has a ton of possibilities. With Fantasy Sagas or other stories that take place across large areas, you could have a map alongside. With more difficult works, you could read a commentary/analysis alongside etc. It could also be a real help with technical books.

There are two distinct disadvantages to it though:

One, it will obviously more expensive, with only a very situational advantage. Not enough people will pay for that to provide an incentive for firms to put those on the market.

Two, for every time other than those where you need both screens, it will be an inconvenience. A foldable device is way more clunky, and it will be a lot heavier too.

The only way I can see it work is if you can disconnect the two screens - That way, you have a normal reader, plus the double paged one when you need it. At the very least, you'd have to be able to rotate the second screen fully (so the two are connected on their backs, to make a thicker, normal reader. This way weight again is a problem though, and the thickness will also be bothering I guess.


What would be amazing is if the screen was bendable - that way you could a borderless large screen, or a normal one at your will. I don't see that happening for quite some time though.


In conclusion, I think right now it won't be feasible. The devices need to get even lighter first, and screen technology preferably should improve as well. I don't see this as a fully realized reader for several years - and by then, there might be other alternatives as well.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by medard

No. You'd need only one processor, only one battery, and so fourth. The Eink screen is obviously the most expensive part of a digital reading deveice (which might be the reason why they are so small), but it's not the part that weights the most.

...but if you evened out the guts, then one would have double the weight.

...one battery to handle two screens? I think the battery would probably drain a lot faster.

....one processor to handle two screens might cause the Reader to redraw with difficulty.



Don

[usuallee]

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

There is no point to having 2 screens, since you can only read one at a time, anyway.

Agree 100%. For most applications, it is pointless. For myself, I would never use it, and I do read nonfiction with maps and charts from time to time. Even if one were available for the same price as a one screen reader, I wouldn't buy it because it would inevitably be bulkier, heavier, and/or more awkward to hold.

If one really really wants/needs that feature, a laptop or tablet will do it. So would, you know, an actual book. I doubt we would ever see a dual screen ereader marketed.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by medard

No. You'd need only one processor, only one battery, and so fourth. The Eink screen is obviously the most expensive part of a digital reading deveice (which might be the reason why they are so small), but it's not the part that weights the most.

The screen is possibly the biggest part with the circuitry to drive it. If you only have one processor and one battery you would need additional circuitry/wiring between the two which would be across the hinged part and susceptible to breakage. No hinge? Then one large screen with a dual page display is what you have got.

Still I am reasonably sure you will get your wish sooner or later. Two devices communicating wirelessly or across one wired connection should not be that hard to implement one would think.

Some enterprising person could probably do it now with existing devices running Linux if they were into a bit of programming pain.

Helen

[Xanthe]

It would be useful to those of us who have to ramp up the font size due to visual problems. We have to flick pages at a much higher rate because there's less content on each page.

I can see this as a really useful tool to return reading ability to elderly folks who might have difficulty adjusting to the style of e-readers. The book shape would be a familiar one to them. It becomes their own large-print book.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

It would be useful to those of us who have to ramp up the font size due to visual problems. We have to flick pages at a much higher rate because there's less content on each page.

I can see this as a really useful tool to return reading ability to elderly folks who might have difficulty adjusting to the style of e-readers. The book shape would be a familiar one to them. It becomes their own large-print book.

Following some advice from parkher I suggested to a vision impaired friend to try landscape mode. This gave him about 6-8 words per line instead of 2-4. The reading continuity was much better for him. And he said it was slightly less page turns.

Helen

[nikkie]

I own a device with two screens that folds: the Entourage Edge pocket edition. It was pretty sweet, but the only reason I could afford it is because the market rejected it at its original price of $499, so I got it off woot for cheaps after the company went under.

It was really awesome to be able to use it in the same way as I would a book, or to be able to set it up on tables with the back folder over since the hinge went both ways.

I'd say the form factor was a total success for me. The price was its major problem.

Edit: Its other problem was some buggy firmware. Not terrible, but I managed to bork mine while upgrading and had to go through some serious hardware shenanigans to get it working again. Which was actually pretty fun.

[auspex]

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

There is no point to having 2 screens, since you can only read one at a time, anyway.

You think? For reference books, it could be invaluable. Especially if you could actually make the two pages scroll independently when you needed to keep one page visible. I don't know that it would find much interest, but it's certainly more than "no point".

As for weight, while you wouldn't need two of everything, the case and the display are the two heaviest items and those would be duplicated, and you'd add a hinge - which is probably heavier than all other items you would need to duplicate together. Battery shouldn't need to be doubled.