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

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Justy

Thanks for the update. Will there still be the ability to read non-DRM Mobi eBooks? Or will all Mobi support be removed?

I am pretty confident, based on conversations and suggestions, that FBReader will still be in the new offering. It will read Mobi.

Dale

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Justy

Thanks for the update. Will there still be the ability to read non-DRM Mobi eBooks? Or will all Mobi support be removed?

Dear Justy:

If you have an EZ Reader with Mobi on it... nothing should change. You should still have both Mobi DRM and non-DRM (subject to Amazon of course). And, of course, Astak will still support you. You will also have the opportunity to switch to Fictionwise eReader and Adobe Digital Editions when all is signed and the SDK is out and ready. You cannot have Mobi and one or both of the others as Mobi is EXCLUSIVE. This can be done by a simple download and I will put it on our website and on MobileRead Forum at that time. It would remove the Mobi and give you one or both of the others. Doing this would give you access to more books from many, many more websites. Just do not worry, Justy. Astak is a good company and we will continue to work with you.

We are also going to switch in the future to a new website: www.EZebook.com as we will now start selling books and trying to make things nicer for those who own EZ Readers. It is not up yet; but will be in as little as two weeks.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by robvarga

I hope they will leave enough panels to other manufacturers...

BR,

Robert

Dear Robvarga:

Actually, I got clarification from Jinke this morning that the Hearst ebook reader will not be 9.7 inch but a whopping 14.1 inch! I believe they will buy from Phillips for the panels. All 9.7 inch will continue to be made by PVI (Astak's partner firm). There will be plenty of panels.

I do not know more than this... but thought it would be interesting to MobileRead Forum users.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Robertb

You cannot have Mobi and one or both of the others as Mobi is EXCLUSIVE. This can be done by a simple download and I will put it on our website and on MobileRead Forum at that time.

Ok, so I just wanted you to clarify this.

Are you saying that with the EZ Reader I can choose if I want to use the Firmware that supports Mobipocket files OR the firmware that supports eReader/ADE? You will be upgrading both firmware lines?

Also, I don't think you answer the question Justy asked.

Will the firmware that supports eReader/ADE DRM also support reading mobipocket ebooks that are nonDRM? If you answered that question I missed it.

BOb

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Ok, so I just wanted you to clarify this.

Are you saying that with the EZ Reader I can choose if I want to use the Firmware that supports Mobipocket files OR the firmware that supports eReader/ADE? You will be upgrading both firmware lines?

Also, I don't think you answer the question Justy asked.

Will the firmware that supports eReader/ADE DRM also support reading mobipocket ebooks that are nonDRM? If you answered that question I missed it.

BOb

To answer your question I have to ask Fictionwise. I do know that they offer books in Mobi as a format. I will try to get an exact anwer on this but am a little shaken right now over Barnes & Noble buying Fictionwise. What will this mean? Amazon buys Mobi and wants to keep it all to itself. What will Barnes & Noble do? Will they wall off fictionwise all to themselves?

I am trying to reach Fictionwise to get some idea.

Robert B

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Robertb

I am trying to reach Fictionwise to get some idea.

Robert B

Thanks, I'd be interested in the answers. Because I am keeping a close eye on that "True". I assume the answers would be the same for it?

My expectation is that B&N isn't going to make any changes at Fictionwise. At least not right away. Heck, they may even inject some capital to get some of the projects there have talked about out the door even faster.

I think B&N wanted to get into ebooks and will take the lead from Fictionwise for the time being.

BOb

[theDwarf]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

BTW, I mention a regular PC because it is going to be a while before you get the display speeds you might want for your area of work. I am sure it would be nice to show your client pictures of a home right then and there...not gonna happen for a while on eink...

Appraisal, not Sales.
Appraisers don't show images to clients, they are hired to be neutral and come up with fair and honest valuations / opinions of value.

[theDwarf]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear JD:

I did send to your email address but I am attaching what I found to this so all can take a look.

Black projection line is incorrect.
Whomever drew it did not even use a proper least squares model as it dips Q1 02 to Q3 03 contrary to the data.

To me it mostly follows more of the stock market type of distribution. If the blips in Q3-Q4 04 and Q3-Q4 06 correspond to new technology releases then I am not surprised given the boom after the Kindle release (and many other e-ink readers) in Q4 07 caused a big blip Q1-Q3 08.

My math intution shows a different line, but who am I to say

[arioste]

[QUOTE=Robertb;372063]Dear Mobelby:
> Hello Mister Robertb sir
>
> I still read all those msg here in Paris Fr. And it's very interessing
> Keeping in mind that I have only one experience here is my modest
> opinion about the B.readers.
> - Coming first : The "absolute objective" of a book, numeric or not, is
> to be read.
> And there is a monumental difference between the people who listen to
> music, those who look to images and those who read.
> The category one and category two can listen, look and make something
> else (like danse or sing ) in the same time.
> The third category WANT and CAN ONLY READ and nothing else.
>
> Starting from this point of view what do we need ?
>
> 1 - Pages as close as possible of "real books"
> Well, this, I think we have...At least with the one I use.
> BUT ....the first upgrading would concern the typography or the
> disposition of the text in the page. Mainly when you change the size of
> caracters (A of book's lover has not always good eyes)
> See the following msg (Which I did not understant completly but seems to
> accept my point of view) ....
> Quote
> "Considering the state of hyphenation on the current crop of readers,
> the majority of them should've been defaulted to left justification. And
> yet *TeX (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TeX)* solved the problem of full
> justification on electronic devices back in 1989, a freely available
> library of code to handle sophisticated hyphenation, smart hyphenation
> paragraph by paragraph rather than line by line, and micro-adjustments
> of both word and character spacing, creating readable paragraphs that
> rivaled classic typesetting."
> 2 - A screen a little wider (15 MM maybe)
> 3- A direct access to all books.....and here, in Europe, it means
> "WI-Fi : Is that the case with the Amazon's device ?
>
> And many thanks for your mail
>
> JD

[snipenekkid]

Originally Posted by Robertb

To answer your question I have to ask Fictionwise. I do know that they offer books in Mobi as a format. I will try to get an exact anwer on this but am a little shaken right now over Barnes & Noble buying Fictionwise. What will this mean? Amazon buys Mobi and wants to keep it all to itself. What will Barnes & Noble do? Will they wall off fictionwise all to themselves?

I am trying to reach Fictionwise to get some idea.

Robert B

If this turns to be true. I will be out of the ebook reading market. I am too busy and frugal to buy a device for each book source. I really mean that and I do not have the time or desire to be bothered with needing to convert books from one format to another as many who come here seem to have. It stops a book from being a recreation and takes away from the enjoyment of reading. I only want a transparent reading experience.

[DG25]

So, the new EZ Readers will look exactly like BeBook 2? I understood it's the same maker.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Thanks, I'd be interested in the answers. Because I am keeping a close eye on that "True". I assume the answers would be the same for it?

My expectation is that B&N isn't going to make any changes at Fictionwise. At least not right away. Heck, they may even inject some capital to get some of the projects there have talked about out the door even faster.

I think B&N wanted to get into ebooks and will take the lead from Fictionwise for the time being.

BOb

Dear PilotBob:

Yes, all is fine with Barnes & Noble and Fictionwise and Astak. We have an NDA in place so I cannot say much... but after talking with both this morning all is actually better. B&N makes Fictionwise even stronger and Fictionwise gets to strengthen eReader and epub with far more content. It is a win-win-win all around.

I am still working on that answer for you and Justy and will not forget.

Robert B

[Robertb]

Dear All:

I do NOT run FRY's deals or pricing BUT they have done the unbelievable!!

Right now they are selling the EZ Reader Bundle Pack at $249!! This cannot last very long. Anybody that was kicking about high prices on eBook Readers... here is an unreal deal I just found out about by accident. Yes, it has the 200 free classics and 2GB SD card and SD reader/writer and everything else.

This deal is ONLY through www.frys.com and not the stores.

Robert B

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Ok, so I just wanted you to clarify this.

Are you saying that with the EZ Reader I can choose if I want to use the Firmware that supports Mobipocket files OR the firmware that supports eReader/ADE? You will be upgrading both firmware lines?

Also, I don't think you answer the question Justy asked.

Will the firmware that supports eReader/ADE DRM also support reading mobipocket ebooks that are nonDRM? If you answered that question I missed it.

BOb

Dear PilotBob and Justy:

The firmware that supports eReader/ADE DRM will support reading mobipocket ebooks that are non-DRM on the EZ Reader. Got this straight from the head tech who admonished me for not knowing. I figure I would rather be completely sure.

Robert B

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear PilotBob and Justy:

The firmware that supports eReader/ADE DRM will support reading mobipocket ebooks that are non-DRM on the EZ Reader. Got this straight from the head tech who admonished me for not knowing. I figure I would rather be completely sure.

Robert B

Thanks Robert. That's good news. I hope the eReader DRM will be wrapped around ePub files and not around the current antiquated eReader .pdb format.

BOb