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

[kuliand]

i don't want to sound stupid but is there a website for these ebook readers? i have found the astak website but there's not alot info there. Also will these be coming to the uk?

thanks

[AJ Starr]

Robert B, and all others who like audio books,
This site has a good, maybe great, TTS reader, and they offer SDK's.
Do you think we could get it incorporated into one or more of the readers in the future?

http://www.naturalreaders.com

AJ

[Galan-Ithaca]

kuliand....the main site for seeing the EZ Reader is www.mobiebook.com.

Robert....I've seen the user's manual. I understand the bookmarking feature. I don't understand the Index feature. What exactly does that do?

thanks

[Emu]

I think it would be really nice to have a model with a good mic - or even better a good MIC-in. Memos, interviews, collecting samples.. I see a lot of things possible with a good mic at hand. (But it has to be good, nobody needs the average mp3-player trash mic)
Maybe its too expensive...


What do you guys think?

[peaceridge]

Any chance the 4gb limit on the sd card will increase? While I can have a "library" of 4gb books, I'll have to switch them in and out. Is this hard on the electronics? 4gb sounds like a lot, but I have hundreds of ebooks and probably more audio books I'd like to load.

I happen to love the blue one. I have to make my mind up quick as I figure they will all be gone shortly. Or do I want to wait for the Pro and wifi (I don't care about touch screen). Hard to decide.

Lynn

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by peaceridge

Any chance the 4gb limit on the sd card will increase? While I can have a "library" of 4gb books, I'll have to switch them in and out. Is this hard on the electronics? 4gb sounds like a lot, but I have hundreds of ebooks and probably more audio books I'd like to load.

Cards above 4GB (2GB?) are SDHC. A year ago, SDHC support was supposedly added by Hanlin, see latest V3 update.

However, most documentation still says 4GB, and 1GB (or smaller) SD cards are best when you reflash the device. What BeBook (another Hanlin V3 supplier) says here:

For storing books, text and documents, you can use basically any SD card you like. Though we officially support cards up to 4 Gb, larger cards are possible, but might slow down operation of the BeBook.

For updating the firmware a 256mb/512mb/1Gb is advised.

[mobelby]

RobertB,

After reading your comments on touchscreens vs clarity (which I agree with) and the current release schedule you outlined above, can you please confirm that there will be a Hanlin version with wifi but not touchscreen ?

Wifi is very important to me to sync newsfeeds etc (ie digital newspaper) but I don't want a touchscreen if it will affect the clarity of the screen in any way.

Thanks

[jmontyb]

Fry's is now showing the EZ Reader bundle pack as available on their website (previously it was listed as Pre-Order). They have a price of $299 with free shipping. Although the website doesn't provide details, I called their customer service department and the bundle includes the reader and case, a 2GB SD card, an SD card reader, and the charger.

I wish I knew whether or not they'll be offering a lower price later. It's tough to decide whether to buy this unit now or wait for a better deal or wait for the new models. I've been researching for some time now and have pretty much settled on one of the Hanlins; now I'm just trying to decide when to pull the trigger.

Here's a link to Fry's:

http://shop3.frys.com/product/5834633

[ahammer]

why buy it from frys when you could get it from robert for the same price but in color.

edit: saw it does not have the sd card.. but this is the only way you can be rocking the color ones.

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear All:

For anyone who missed it the first time, we still have a few EZ Readers in color. White and Marroon have been popular. Doesn't anyone like my Electric Blue? You can call Walter at 408-452-8788 and tell him Robert B said to wake him up (HA). The price is still just $299. These are brand new and in the box. We just got five each for CES so we had plenty of spares and NONE had to be replaced after the continuous pounding all four days. People who had no prior knowledge were pushing and prodding away... and never so much as a hiccup from any of those on display. The display devices are NOT part of this sale. We sell only brand new and no other way. SO... while I have them I am selling in colors. $299 is with the AC Charger, Crush-resistent leather case, ear buds, USB cable, wrist leash, user manual, and 8 CLASSIC and GOOD (hand-picked by me) eBooks preloaded!

Robert B

[emellaich]

Originally Posted by jmontyb

Fry's is now showing the EZ Reader bundle pack as ... $299 with free shipping.
[snip]
Here's a link to Fry's:

http://shop3.frys.com/product/5834633

Maybe the price just changed? If I follow your link I have to add it to the cart to see their special price: $269 plus free shipping.

[jmontyb]

Originally Posted by emellaich

Maybe the price just changed? If I follow your link I have to add it to the cart to see their special price: $269 plus free shipping.

Yes, it appears they've lowered the price. It was $299 yesterday. It's true you don't have color options from Fry's, but the addition of the SD card and reader makes this more in line with the $329 package on the mobiebook site. As Robert has said, his prices will be going up next week so as to not take sales from Fry's. I'm sure he'll make much more money with the volume sales Fry's can generate than he would with a limited marketing budget for a single website.

[peaceridge]

Robertb,

If I wanted to get on the waiting list for the 6” EZ Reader with the new Epson Controller (not the touch screen or wifi), what would I do? Are you still thinking it will be available sometime between March and May 2009?

Thanks,

Lynn

[Tectonic]

Originally Posted by Robertb

I don"t want yet to promise Adobe Digital Editions as they want $75,000 a year and we are waiting for clarification. But... at least Fictionwise eReader is definite. Fictionwise can run along with FB Reader also.

I suggest that you check out Foxit Software instead of Adobe. They make a much better PDF reading software than Adobe and they charge a lot less.

These are the links to their software.

http://www.foxitsoftware.com/solutio...m#Manufacturer
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/sdk/embedded/

[msundman]

Originally Posted by Robertb

I don"t want yet to promise Adobe Digital Editions as they want $75,000 a year and we are waiting for clarification.

I suggest you go with one of the free software implementations. Free software is just easier and cheaper for everyone in the long run.

[emellaich]

Here is the deal. I'm all about doing what you can now with what you have now. I understand and support the current e-ink devices. However, as compared to what I truly want, they have just as many shortcomings as LCD, just different issues.

I think that the tech at pixelqi.com sounds like the most promising for the future. Mary Lou Jepson is promising high volume and low prices starting this summer. If I had to guess from what she has said in the press I would guess that she will be higher volume than e-ink out of the gate. She has already produced a generation I device for the OLPC at volumes higher than e-ink.

The evidence suggests that her price point will beat e-ink by a wide margin. The OLPC costs $199. She states that her second gen display will be comparable to standard LCD in both volumes and prices.

Her screen tech beats e-ink on every level except for battery life. In that regard she promises battery life five to ten times standard LCD. In one post she quotes battery life of up to 40 hours. I don't know how fast you turn pages, but for me that would be getting awful close to e-ink's 8,000 pages.

Furthermore, I think that current e-book designs are making a mistake. I understand that "thin is in". It certainly looks sexy. However, I've used quite a few of these devices: Palm devices, ebookman, Windows mobile, Cybook Gen 3. I am struck by the comments earlier in this thread about the rocket book's form factor.

The truth is that none of these tiny devices are really comfortable. Anyone who shells out the bucks for a dedicated reader is probably a high volume reader. I don't know if I am typical, but sitting there for hours holding one of these dinky little devices is not comfortable. You have to keep your hands off the screen and keep your fingers on the page advance buttons. I often find my hands tiring out holding these things by their thin edges. A more comfortable approach would be a big round handle - say the size of the cardboard tube from a toilet paper roll (maybe a little smaller). This makes me think of those who like the rocket book.

Now the truth is that, if I'm going to have these meaty handles on the sides, I might as well fill them with something. Maybe something like batteries? OK, that many batteries might be overkill (it might weigh too much). However, the point is that good ergonomics might suggest more space than the current sexy, but uncomfortable razor-blade form factor.

So, if we marry the PixelQi screen with a rocket book size/shape we might have an interesting combination. It sounds like Mary Lou plans to be in this market by the second half of this year. It might be appropriate for Astak to take a look at its product plan for 2nd half of 2009 and 1st half of 2010 and consider PixelQi.

Michael