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

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by moz

I don't want more levels of font adjust, I want font override. The ability to have (say) three levels like the 505 does plus a bonus fourth level that is {voice of god}"there shall be only one font size and that size shall be 7.4points" {/voice of god} (user selected number, even if I have to plug it into a computer to change it).

I use Firefox's "minimum font size" feature quite a lot for websites where the designers thought that 4 point text looked cool, and I often run things through Calibre purely to force the font size and pagination to something sensible. Having the reader able to do that for me would be a significant benefit.

But first and foremost, the device should work. I don't want it right now anywhere near as much as I want it to be finished *before* you ship it to me. I delayed buying my Canon 1DIII because of the focus problems, I'd be disappointed if I had to wait while you recalled and reflashed a bunch of liseusen.

Dear Moz:

Some are praying for more font sizes and some have no use for them. I am in the last group and never change the font size from default. BUT, I have a chain store that MUST have at least five font sizes or he will not take it. WHY? I have no idea.

We do know that the Mentor Lite has been sold to the tune of 500,000 in Europe and Asia already under a different name. That is GOOD as the unit has had ample opportunity to prove itself fully before we release it.

Robert B

Trust me>>> all Astak doesn't need is a recall. So, we release when we know the units are right.

[MaggieScratch]

Robert, I have had a Cybook Gen3 for more than a year and I have shown how it works to countless people. One of the things that a lot of people really like and respond to positively is the font size change feature. I use it only occasionally myself, when I'm reading in low light or my eyes are tired, but it's nice to have it when I need it.

I just wanted to give you another perspective. Though I'm happy with my device, I have been following your progress with great interest.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Robertb

... I am in the last group and never change the font size from default. BUT, I have a chain store that MUST have at least five font sizes or he will not take it. WHY? I have no idea.

I only use one font size too.
But there is a catch.
MY preferred font size is different than what YOU consider optimal, and I am pretty sure that if you asked 10 different people here you would get 15 different sizes that are "just right".
and do not get me started on the "serif versus sans-serif" topic ;-)

This is why we need to be able to set the size precisely.

[Sonist]

Give me a bigger screen, or no screen at all....

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by MaggieScratch

Robert, I have had a Cybook Gen3 for more than a year and I have shown how it works to countless people. One of the things that a lot of people really like and respond to positively is the font size change feature. I use it only occasionally myself, when I'm reading in low light or my eyes are tired, but it's nice to have it when I need it.

I just wanted to give you another perspective. Though I'm happy with my device, I have been following your progress with great interest.

Dear Maggie:

No worry! I know I am in the minority of just using the font size default setting. At CES we got thousands of people at our booth and to most of them the font size choices were critical.

I do appreciate the perspective and it is a good one!!

Robert B

[oggelbe2007]

Originally Posted by Robertb

The User Manual I am rewriting for better English...

Robert B

Too bad! I was hoping for the usual great engrish laughs in the manual(s).

"Pressing button and enjoy now of your new reader devices."

I'm easily entertained.

[Xenophon]

Originally Posted by oggelbe2007

Too bad! I was hoping for the usual great engrish laughs in the manual(s).

"Pressing button and enjoy now of your new reader devices."

I'm easily entertained.

Don't forget the ever popular "Please enjoy your nice chinese food with chopsticks, the typical and traditional of glorious chinese history and cultual" (sic).


Xenophon

[moz]

Robert, I guess my point is that with all the font-size-changing wonderfulness that's going in it would be really nice to have a "force font size to X" function, because that's the one I'd really use. I'm hoping that it is not too different from the existing code so it wouldn't be a huge effort to implement.

I realise no-one wants to release a broken device, but as someone on the engineering side of things I also realise the pressure to release things that are nearly ready because some arbitrary deadline is approaching.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Xenophon

Don't forget the ever popular "Please enjoy your nice chinese food with chopsticks, the typical and traditional of glorious chinese history and cultual" (sic).


Xenophon

Dear Xenophon:

Gee, I should save you two the original manual they sent to me. You would have loved it. I always enjoy the "long press" instead of "press and hold" and my factories love to use "magically appear".

Yes, it is a rare thrill to get the instruction "take the crad and insert it". They love to use "crad" instead of SD Card and never say "the card only goes into the slot with one direction, please ensure the label on the card faces toward the front of the device and insert gently". To remove it: "push in and it will jump out". I would love to see a card "jump".

So, sorry to remove the funny English; but we want to make it enjoyable for all to understand. No offense, by the way, to my Asian brothers and sisters... my Mandarin is the height of laughter!!

Robert B

[emellaich]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear Griffonwing:

Here is a little more on the Mentor LITE:

Linux 2.6 OS
400MHz CPU
Epson 5X Speed Controller
6 inch E-Ink 4 grey levels
8,000 pages to a charge
8 levels of font adjust
switch from horizontal to verticle at the touch of a button
support for dictionary
supports all major languages
uses a curser to make selections off of menu (no touchscreen)
mp3 with 3.5mm headphone jack
rechargeable/replaceable battery
weighs 6 ounces, thickness of a pencil (thinner than EZ Reader)
note-taking

I have attached a photo. I am waiting for more detail and color pictures and selling price.

This is the first release of the Astak Mentor Line. Additional Sizes and more full-featured 6 inch models will be forthcoming relatively soon.

Stats above are believed accurate; but am waiting for factory to verify.

Robert B

So its the next generation of hardware that I purchased for my Cybook? I know the software is different, but I'm not that excited. I know others love their Cybooks, and I'm sure [???] your software will solve all of our problems, but ...

It can take several button presses to change the page. Turning it on takes too much start up time (+1 minute for 450 books, compared to 10 seconds for my Kindle 2). There is only one page turn button, and it is on the bottom right. This means you have to grip the thing by pinching it with the bottom corner -- tiring, and its not easy to switch hands. The screen on mine broke after six months -- does the new one have a flexible screen?

And I'm glad the new one has the Epson controller, but the old one took forever to page through the library listing or even to skim through book pages (reading speed was fine). I hope your software supports some type of folders or other organization features for the library.

Michael

[JicMic]

So the Mentor Lite which is coming out soon will have a touchscreen and the ability to write notes on it?

[pkovak]

Originally Posted by JicMic

So the Mentor Lite which is coming out soon will have a touchscreen and the ability to write notes on it?

No, according to what RobertB said, it does not have touchscreen. It has a soft keyboard, but you choose letters with cursor, don't ask me why, ask the manual.
Note taking... RobertB said he is waiting for confirmation that it really will be there, I think that because it has keyboard, you can take notes, but wait for confirmation.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Robertb

... my Mandarin is ...

If you think your Mandarin is REALLY bad see this:
http://boingboing.net/2008/07/15/chi...taurant-c.html

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by JicMic

So the Mentor Lite which is coming out soon will have a touchscreen and the ability to write notes on it?

Dear JicMic:

I have posted on my blog today my first run-thru of the Mentor Lite. I hope you can imagine that when a Taiwan factory sends over a so-called User Manual in English it is about as helpful as a blindfold would be. I dislike trying to build up expectations in advance without facts so I am spending three days trying the little Mentor Lite and putting it through its paces. I am also purposefully trying to get it to hang up and expose glitches. I have not found anything yet that hangs it up... so it seems to pass my own "test" of the new device. For me... the first order of business is reliability. I grew up in Missouri and they say there "You Gotta Show Me". My feelings on any new device is along those lines>>> "PROVE to ME that you are worthwhile to sell".

Nobody is more of a skeptic than I am when I see a new device. If I can tear apart the Kindle 2 for shortcomings... I had better be ever harder on our own new releases. So, I initally almost HATE a new device until it shows me that I should change my perspective on it. So far... I am pleased with the Mentor Lite and have deemed it worthwhile to really find the features and see how they work and rewrite the User Manual as such.

I have seen info in the sparse User Manual about Note-Taking but have not found it yet. I won't bring it up again until I know what it can do.

Touchscreen is coming on the Mentor Intrique due within months. HOWEVER, many people are shying away from Touchscreen now as it decreases the resolution some (Touchscreen works by putting a second layer of plastic on top of the screen). It also costs Astak $80 or so to put it on the device and that raises the MSRP. Add to this that the Sony Touchscreen has not been a success in sales. There are new Touch technologies that may help the situation but they are not ready or proven yet. We will have Touch but need to make this acceptable too.

Robert B

[moz]

Originally Posted by moz

with all the font-size-changing wonderfulness that's going in

It occurred to me that the reason I don't want 27 different font sizes is that on the Sony it takes a few seconds to repaginate a 1000 page novel every time I switch size, and there's only one button so you have to cycle through all of the sizes to go one size smaller. Which is bearable with three sizes, but with 10 that's going to take a minute or so.

I'm sure that with smarter software this could be done much faster, but without said smarts I think fewer is better. Right now liseuse software seems to be very much at the "at last, it works!" stage rather than the "here's another point release with 27 minor fixes and enhancements" stage. Which is no time to be competing on silly reviewer bullet points.