New Kobo: Nia

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Nightflyer

Yea, more like book/stealing enthusiasts, maybe can sell them on the other side of town. Or use them to start the fire.

I’m new here and haven’t seen much humor so not sure if attempts at humor are appropriate.

Try some of the smilies under "advanced".

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by 93terp

WalMart's customer base isn't what I'd call book/reading enthusiasts.

You'd be surprised.
It's not a class warfare thing, though.
WalMart mostly deals in essentials and day to day stuff.
Not luxury goods or premium versions for disposable income.
Gaming consoles are about as far as they go in that direction.

For example, they move a lot of VIZIO TVs but it's almost exclusively the low end V-series of LCDs. The higher end Quantum P-series and OLED models won't be there because they're slower moving. Computers you'll more likely find a Stream Laptop for kids than an Alienware rig.

It's about volume and speed.
Floorspace costs money and just like B&N added pricey toys and "lifestyle" merchandise to boost the bottom line, Wallmart ads higher priced stuff from time to time: house brand gaming PCs for example.

But their key metric is always money per square foot per day.
And books are at the low end, today.
Over half the market is online and digital and the total market has been flat all decade.

Books are just not a good fit for B&M anymore.
It can be made to work as a specialty and regional draw, like Powell's, but selling "everywhere books" is not a rainmaker.

[Pajamaman]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

That is lesson everybody has learned.
Germany, for one, is starting up a native electronics industry (from design to chip fabbing) because they realize the techno!ogy base of a country determines the degree to which it controls its future.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/techn...st/ar-BB15fiOK

The US has always known *that* but it allowed too much *production*, especially of medical feedstocks, to move out of the country. There is now an effort to activate the production capacity most recently shut down, in Puerto Rico, because it can be quickly restored.

https://nypost.com/2020/03/07/corona...n-puerto-rico/

The pandemic has shown that border control and local sourcing of at least a minimum of essential supplies is critical to the well-being of a nation, putting an end to the hoary old "distributed competitive advantage" underpining globalization.

Come crisis time, even friendly nations put local needs first.
To say nothing of hostile ones.

There's a new normal coming to global trade.
It won't be just union heads screaming for "build local to sell local".

Do you think this change will really be actioned by governments, or will it be forgotten as the crisis lessens and hopefully passes?

[AZBronco]

Originally Posted by 93terp

WalMart's customer base isn't what I'd call book/reading enthusiasts.

Walmart demographics aren't necessarily what the stereotypes lead everyone to believe; a surprising number of people with incomes over 6 figures that primarily shop there. Walmart is also the strongest B&M among shoppers under 25 or over 60 (college kids and retirees)--people that tend to read a lot. And despite all the talk about Amazon ruling the world and people preferring to shop online, B&M still pulls in 84% of shopping dollars in the US.

Regardless, Walmart's business model has always been "stack it deep and sell it cheap." It's about velocity and revenue per square foot/day. Books no longer achieve that except for the latest best sellers. Ereaders have a strong niche following, but they're durable with low innovation--not something people replace every year or even two so they aren't a good fit with Walmart's business model.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by AZBronco

Walmart demographics aren't necessarily what the stereotypes lead everyone to believe; a surprising number of people with incomes over 6 figures that primarily shop there. Walmart is also the strongest B&M among shoppers under 25 or over 60 (college kids and retirees)--people that tend to read a lot...

I mean, the thing is, I hear reports like that and I'm not going to argue the facts. But then, I've also occasionally gone to my local Walmart.

Now, I live in a high-end suburb of Houston. Teslas, Mercedes and so on are common and so are multi-million dollar homes.

But I know that if I want to see a guy in a sweat-strained tank top and dirty pink camouflaged pants, Walmart will still manage to come through for me

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

Do you think this change will really be actioned by governments, or will it be forgotten as the crisis lessens and hopefully passes?

Depends on tbe country.
Some things being floated around aren't going to happen (Australia nationalizing Chinese owned property, Trillion dollar lawsuits in US courts) but the manufacturing and IP stuff was already on the table in the US.

I believe the Germans, too. Their plan makes sense. So does expanding it.

Reports out of France over medical gear are credible. Franceis to big to rely on the kindness of strangers on life or death matters.

Italy, less so. A lot of countries are in deep debt to China.

And a lot of the chinese owned contract manufacturers were already moving parts of their operations to Vietnam, India, Brazil, and the US. China's role as lowest cost manufacturing site was already fading before the crisis. So a lot of business can diversify while retaining tbeir contractors. The key thing is insuring against the next pandemic. And the one after that. Because they will come.

So it won't be hard for Kobo or other companies to diversify their supply lines.

Microsoft is launching a new gaming console this fall despite the crisis. Their factories and heavily automated, the new boxes were designed for robot assembly, and they are already being built in China *and* Malaysia. They were ready. (In fact, 40 years ago, Bill Gates insisted the company always have enough cash reserves to operate a full year with zero income. Zero layoffs. And with telecommuting and video conferencing they've barely missed a beat.)

Others will follow suit.
Those that don't will be gone soon enough.

If anything, tbe outbreak speaks even more to the need for full automation and since robits are not only outbreak-proof but also more productive, factory geography will matter a lot less.

Again, before the crisis a lot of companies were bringing production back to tbe US because between cheap energy, automation, and transportation costs, local manufacturing makes more sense.

In fact, expect to see more like this:

https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/14/ts...nment-support/

eReaders and all sorts of electronics depend on foundries like these to provide the core chipsets. They are the modern equivalents to steel mills or refineries.

The US has dozens, Europe a handful. Japan and Taiwan a lot.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List...ication_plants

So yes, believe the Germans.

Running your communications on gear made by a company owned by tbe CCP and PLA is not a good idea for privacy or security.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I mean, the thing is, I hear reports like that and I'm not going to argue the facts. But then, I've also occasionally gone to my local Walmart.

Now, I live in a high-end suburb of Houston. Teslas, Mercedes and so on are common and so are multi-million dollar homes.

But I know that if I want to see a guy in a sweat-strained tank top and dirty pink camouflaged pants, Walmart will still manage to come through for me

They're not proud.
They'll take anybody's money.

And even people with six figure salaries appreciate cheap TP.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

They're not proud.
They'll take anybody's money.

And even people with six figure salaries appreciate cheap TP.

I want good quality TP. Cheap TP is disgusting.

[silverraven]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I want good quality TP. Cheap TP is disgusting.

Actually, the Great Value red package TP is the best I've ever used. As good as Charmin Red. I buy it all the time. And honestly, I go to Walmart all the time, and Target. I see the same types of people at Target as I do Walmart, from poor to rich. Like professional football players and their wives rich. Pretty sure Lays potato chips are the same at Target, Harris Teeter, Smith's, Krogers, and Walmart. Heck, the Goodwill parking lot where I live constantly has Jaguars, Beemers and Mercedes in the parking lot.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

...even people with six figure salaries appreciate cheap TP.

It's true. But even with all those six-figure earning customers, Walmart doesn't regularly stock caviar. Or high end computers. They don't seem like a natural fit with Walmart's brand.

And neither do ereaders, to go back to the point made in post #104.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

It's true. But even with all those six-figure earning customers, Walmart doesn't regularly stock caviar. Or high end computers. They don't seem like a natural fit with Walmart's brand.

And neither do ereaders, to go back to the point made in post #104.

Plus they're slow movers.
It's not price but sales volume.
Tbey need big, fast sales for the leverage to get big discounts.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Plus they're slow movers.
It's not price but sales volume.
Tbey need big, fast sales for the leverage to get big discounts.

Not sure where this is going...

[Geared]

Kobo Nia 6"" EPD w/Carta Display 1024x758
https://store.exertis.co.uk/products...u-bk-k-ep.aspx

[Nightflyer]

Wow, looks like a website placeholder (not yet open) for a 6”.

Same size as Clara but maybe lower specs including screen. And heavier, 260g, at same size?

Kobo Clara HD 6” EReader specs
Screen: 6” Carta E-Ink touchscreen, 300 ppi, print quality
Display Resolution: 1448 x 1072 pixels
Weight: 166g

[mirage]

Originally Posted by Nightflyer

Wow, looks like a website placeholder (not yet open) for a 6”.

Same size as Clara but maybe lower specs including screen. And heavier, 260g, at same size?

Kobo Clara HD 6” EReader specs
Screen: 6” Carta E-Ink touchscreen, 300 ppi, print quality
Display Resolution: 1448 x 1072 pixels
Weight: 166g

Maybe that 260 g figure is for the packaged Nia, not just for the device alone.