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

[igorsk]

There is a forum for Hanlin clones and EZReader can be discussed there. This thread is for discussion of new products coming from Astak.

[Emu]

Originally Posted by emellaich

[...]I am guessing that they will deliver the high contrast greyscale. The question is whether the colors will be vivid. Mary Lou Jepson made some comment about the OLPC having muted colors by design. Does that same design consideration (is it cost? battery life?) come into play here???

From the few facts I know I think its a strange crossover between eInk and lowpower LCD, while the high contrast is delivered by eInk, the colours are deliverd by the new LCD tech from Pixel Qi

"What’s different: unlike the other epaper products where one must wait a second or so to change the screen - we provide video rate refresh. Also, while we have a high resolution paper-white black and white, we also provide, in the same screen fully saturated color fidelity - the same as a standard laptop screen - same color, contrast resolution, field of view etc. Our screens consumer 25%-50% of the power of a regular notebook screen in their power savings modes and will be in available at comparable price points and volumes to standard LCD screens this summer"
http://www.pixelqi.com/blog1/

Robert, what do you think? Any chance for a coop between Astak and Pixel Qi?

[Emu]

Originally Posted by Jellby

Are these ~1600 posts really all on the same topic? Wouldn't it be better if this thread were abandoned and new threads were opened for specific news or subjects?

It really is bad luck to visit this thread the first time after it allready is longer than some books

but it IS a good thread

How about someone writing a short summary, for the thread's frontpage? The first 60 pages are obsolete anyway for most readers, as the EZ is out now...

I don't know if this monst....uh...giant-thread can be splitted or something...it still IS about the upcomming Astak-readers....among others....

[DaleDe]

There are two threads at least here. One is about the Mentor line and this product is still in the future. The second is about the EZ Reader product. This product has been delivered but there are new models coming out. One thing about the combining is that it is open to comparison so long as the reader doesn't get confused.

Dale

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Emu

From the few facts I know I think its a strange crossover between eInk and lowpower LCD, while the high contrast is delivered by eInk, the colours are deliverd by the new LCD tech from Pixel Qi

"What’s different: unlike the other epaper products where one must wait a second or so to change the screen - we provide video rate refresh. Also, while we have a high resolution paper-white black and white, we also provide, in the same screen fully saturated color fidelity - the same as a standard laptop screen - same color, contrast resolution, field of view etc. Our screens consumer 25%-50% of the power of a regular notebook screen in their power savings modes and will be in available at comparable price points and volumes to standard LCD screens this summer"
http://www.pixelqi.com/blog1/

Robert, what do you think? Any chance for a coop between Astak and Pixel Qi?

You definitely have my interest and Astak's interest. Have not had a chance to go to the link, but very open to discussion! JUST this once I am going to list my phone number at Astak for you to use only, please. The number is: 408-452-8788. This could be perfect timing!! Let us talk!!

Robert B

[phenomshel]

Wow, this is exciting and intriguing. No, I'm not being sarcastic, I'm referring to the Pixelqi technology.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Emu

It really is bad luck to visit this thread the first time after it allready is longer than some books

but it IS a good thread

How about someone writing a short summary, for the thread's frontpage? The first 60 pages are obsolete anyway for most readers, as the EZ is out now...

I don't know if this monst....uh...giant-thread can be splitted or something...it still IS about the upcomming Astak-readers....among others....

Dear EMU:

To try to condense everything, Astak announced 7 months or so ago that we were going to sell two lines of eBook Readers: EZ Reader and Mentor. The two lines are built by two different factories. They will be in 5 inch, 6 inch, and 9.7 inch. The first release was the rock-solid EZ Reader Basic in 6 inch. While greatly received at MobileRead Forum on the whole, Astak is not a Sony or a Kindle. People on the forum seem to have really liked the first model and new models in both lines (maybe 5-7) will be coming out in the next 8 months. Think of Astak as David and a certain other eBook Reader manufacturer as Goliath. We are small... but we try to be honest and open... and we think we hold no second-fiddle to anybody as far as having a great eBook Reader. We have always asked the readres of MobileRead to make suggestions and comments and recommendations and they have been many. Some have been adopted and one reader named our new EZ Reader 9.7 inch the "EZ Reader TRUE". We have discussed Touchscreen, resolution, note-taking, 3G versus Wi-Fi and more openly. Now we have a new website being born in two weeks (www.goEZebook.com) and are just showing samples of new custom cases and lighting for the screens. WHEH!!!

That pretty well brings you up to date!

WECOME to the thread, my friend!

Robert B

[arioste]

Ah Ah Ah ! Sorry for "beautiful" !!!!! I was just trying to be friendly ! Won't do it again !!!

[arioste]

Hello Robert b
Please, could you answer my questionabout dictionnary
"Would it be possible to have a dictionnary (anglo-french or else) that we could use in the reader ?..... to translate some words which we do'nt know ?....see what I mean : You are reading....you miss a word...you press a button and you get the translation at once ?...Well...It's only for parisians like me who believe they can understand Your beautiful language !!!!"

And : do you think we will be able to buy your product through the web from here in France ?

[igorsk]

Real life photos of the 5" device:
http://www.the-ebook.org/forum/viewt...=227927#227927

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by emellaich

Who knows what Pixel Qi will actually deliver, but the promise is that they will deliver both color and high contrast greyscale. Actually reading through their comments over time, I am guessing that they will deliver the high contrast greyscale. The question is whether the colors will be vivid. Mary Lou Jepson made some comment about the OLPC having muted colors by design. Does that same design consideration (is it cost? battery life?) come into play here???

Michael

Well, Astak and I are urgently trying to get more info on Pixel Qi technology for our 9.7 eBook Readers. They have an office in San Bruno, California. I drove up there this morning (40 miles each way) and the office there is an "executive one-room suite" with one lady who was anything but happy to see me. She did not give me her business card, had no brochures or handouts, AND would not show the device. She would not even invite me to the office but insisted we talk in front of the elevator.

This was a strange start; but we are in the process of contacting their Taiwan office. So far... we have seen no help or explanation of their technology... but hope things will improve.

Robert B

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by arioste

Hello Robert b
Please, could you answer my questionabout dictionnary
"Would it be possible to have a dictionnary (anglo-french or else) that we could use in the reader ?..... to translate some words which we do'nt know ?....see what I mean : You are reading....you miss a word...you press a button and you get the translation at once ?...Well...It's only for parisians like me who believe they can understand Your beautiful language !!!!"

And : do you think we will be able to buy your product through the web from here in France ?

Dear Arioste:

Bonjour! Commen talle Vois?

Yes, I am remiss on the dictionary. We NEED a good one; and all I could find was a 1913 dictionary.

I will email my friends at Fictionwise NOW and ask them to research this. Jinke had the same 1913 Dictionary and that is lousy. If I can find something decent ALL future EZ Readers and Mentors will have a dictionary,

Thank you,

RobertB

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by Emu

... Our screens consumer 25%-50% of the power of a regular notebook screen in their power savings modes....

...50% off the consumption of a notebook? and this "...in their power savings modes"?

Not sure what "power savings modes" actually means, but it doesn't sound like it has the usual e-ink lasting stamina. Unless it's an iRex product

[phenomshel]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Well, Astak and I are urgently trying to get more info on Pixel Qi technology for our 9.7 eBook Readers. They have an office in San Bruno, California. I drove up there this morning (40 miles each way) and the office there is an "executive one-room suite" with one lady who was anything but happy to see me. She did not give me her business card, had no brochures or handouts, AND would not show the device. She would not even invite me to the office but insisted we talk in front of the elevator.

This was a strange start; but we are in the process of contacting their Taiwan office. So far... we have seen no help or explanation of their technology... but hope things will improve.

Robert B

Robert, you have my sincere sympathy. ONE time on San Jose area freeways was all it took to make me be really thankful I was there visiting, not moving there. 40 miles from San Jose to San Bruno sounds like torture to me. And then it turns out to be complete waste of said torture. Ouch.

p.s. Still loving my EZ Reader!

[Emu]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear EMU:

To try to condense everything, Astak announced 7 months or so ago that we were going to sell two lines of eBook Readers: EZ Reader and Mentor. The two lines are built by two different factories. They will be in 5 inch, 6 inch, and 9.7 inch. The first release was the rock-solid EZ Reader Basic in 6 inch. While greatly received at MobileRead Forum on the whole, Astak is not a Sony or a Kindle. People on the forum seem to have really liked the first model and new models in both lines (maybe 5-7) will be coming out in the next 8 months. Think of Astak as David and a certain other eBook Reader manufacturer as Goliath. We are small... but we try to be honest and open... and we think we hold no second-fiddle to anybody as far as having a great eBook Reader. We have always asked the readres of MobileRead to make suggestions and comments and recommendations and they have been many. Some have been adopted and one reader named our new EZ Reader 9.7 inch the "EZ Reader TRUE". We have discussed Touchscreen, resolution, note-taking, 3G versus Wi-Fi and more openly. Now we have a new website being born in two weeks (www.goEZebook.com) and are just showing samples of new custom cases and lighting for the screens. WHEH!!!

That pretty well brings you up to date!

WECOME to the thread, my friend!

Robert B

Well, thanks for the summary, now we need that on the first page for the newcomers...
btw: I was here almost from the start, mostly reading and only very seldom writing, so it wasn't for me, but for the confused newcomers

Also I have to inform you, that I have no connection with Pixel Qi, I was just wondering, if that wouldn't be a great thing for Astak. Maybe you better remove the phonenumber, befor the web catches it

I think Pixel Qi plans to run over the whole market in Q3 09. It is really hard to get infos about their new technology, but it definitley sounds astonishing....and they seem to be very confident about the impact their technology will have.
I think the new OLPC will have that new display...

"Lots of people ask us if we are working on netbooks or ebooks.

The answer is: both." March 16th on http://www.pixelqi.com/blog1/