8" eReader device?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by nana77

Sorry, I was to mean the Kobo Desktop App isn't.

I too have never used the Kobo Desktop app. You don't actually need it. calibre will do very well to help manage your Kobo.

[kandwo]

Sadly, 8" doesn't seem to be a priority on the Western market. Most models are old and use Carta 1000.

It's odd that Onyx Boox seems to release better products on the Chinese market. And they also recently released Boox Kon-tiki 5 (an 8" reader with Carta 1300 - basically the Nova series without the wacom layer) on the Russian market. As far as I know, the Kon-tiki is very popular over there. As is the Kant - a cheaper version of the Palma, which is what many people have asked for here. But for whatever reason Onyx Boox doesn't seem to want to offer that kind of products themselves.

[nana77]

@Sirtel, @Quoth, @JSWolf: thanks, I was given for granted it was required, sorry. Also discovered that I can just download a book from the Kobo Store (before I searched for sideloading and it seemed to me that wasn't all that clean and clear as process, also discovered that the Kobo Desktop App ins't for newest devices and now it isn't available in Europe, too). So pardon again.

Ps: I guess we might see on CES 2026 what news there will come for e-inks.

[JSWolf]

I've neat read a single thing on eInk Readers from CES 2026.

[DNSB]

Just as an item of interest, one friend of my son built himself a Linux based 8" ereader. It involves an 8" Gallery 3 display, an eInk driver board and a Raspberry Pi 5. The total cost was kind of high but it works quite well. It is still definitely a work in progress since the touch input and light control are glitchy but it does work to display text/images.

[cfrizz]

I think the popularity of color ereaders is simply because we see in color! So, it stands to reason we also want to read in color.

Therefore, more people are reading on phones, tablets, computers etc. I do the majority of my reading on my phone, when I'm home if my back is feeling good, I will read on my pc.

As for 8 inch readers, I think that would really be awkward to hold. Most people like 6 -7-inch readers plus the bigger they get the heavier they get.

I think that there will always be a market for e-ink readers but it will be a niche market.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

I think the popularity of color ereaders is simply because we see in color! So, it stands to reason we also want to read in color.

Therefore, more people are reading on phones, tablets, computers etc. I do the majority of my reading on my phone, when I'm home if my back is feeling good, I will read on my pc.

As for 8 inch readers, I think that would really be awkward to hold. Most people like 6 -7-inch readers plus the bigger they get the heavier they get.

I think that there will always be a market for e-ink readers but it will be a niche market.

The text I read is black. So why do I need a color eInk screen?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

As for 8 inch readers, I think that would really be awkward to hold.

Depends. I find my Sage quite comfortable to hold and not awkward at all. YMMV, of course.

[Starker]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The text I read is black. So why do I need a color eInk screen?

I think it depends on what books you have and read. For me, there would be limited use of colour for book covers and illustrations. The only fiction books I have with illustrations are light novels, but recently I saw a very nice illustrated edition of Le Guin's Earthsea series, so it's not like it's extremely uncommon either, at least in genre literature.

That said, though, for books where the illustrations really matter, currently I think I would still prefer a dead tree version instead.

[ArizonaGuy]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

As for 8 inch readers, I think that would really be awkward to hold. Most people like 6 -7-inch readers plus the bigger they get the heavier they get.

I ended up buying the ViWoods 8.2 inch Mini and I have to say that it is as easier to use with one hand as my Kindle Paperwhite, and easier than my old Kindle Oasis.

Although the deice is a bit larger than the Paperwhite it is almost as light, at 230 grams compared to about 210 grams and it fits naturally in my right hand making it easy to turn pages with my thumb. So far I am very happy with the device,

[ArizonaGuy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The text I read is black. So why do I need a color eInk screen?

Exactly.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Starker

I think it depends on what books you have and read. For me, there would be limited use of colour for book covers and illustrations. The only fiction books I have with illustrations are light novels, but recently I saw a very nice illustrated edition of Le Guin's Earthsea series, so it's not like it's extremely uncommon either, at least in genre literature.

That said, though, for books where the illustrations really matter, currently I think I would still prefer a dead tree version instead.

I know there are eBooks with color images. But most of what I read either have no images (other then the cover, title page, and some misc images like an author picture) or BW images. I have only a very small amount of eBooks with color images that if I wanted to see the color images, I'd read them on my iPad.

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The text I read is black. So why do I need a color eInk screen?

Because on a colour e-reader you can also read black text, as well as view colour content, which is not the case the other way around. That is why some consider it a plus (something you get in addition to black and white). Others, however, consider it a step backwards because they focus exclusively on the quality of black text. Depending on where you stand, you will consider it an advantage or a disadvantage. But if the display quality were the same, black and white e-readers would quickly disappear from the market. I have no doubt about that. Monochromaticism is not an end in itself. It is more of a limitation. Starting from that limitation, it is easier to understand all the current positions, both those who prefer monochrome readers for their text display quality over colour e-readers, and those who do not mind sacrificing some of that quality in exchange for a colour that will never be present in a monochrome e-reader.

On the other hand, starting from an "apology for monochromaticism" to defend current monochromatic e-readers as products of a finalised design seems too weak to me. As has been rightly pointed out, colour is overwhelmingly present in human experience, and I find it difficult to understand and accept the idea of e-readers as a "monochromatic oasis" outside that reality, which clashes quite sharply with what has happened in other visual areas of technological evolution. Sooner or later, the monochrome e-reader will disappear (and it will be no great loss), and the main text will continue to be displayed in black.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by cellaris

Because on a colour e-reader you can also read black text, as well as view colour content, which is not the case the other way around. That is why some consider it a plus (something you get in addition to black and white). Others, however, consider it a step backwards because they focus exclusively on the quality of black text. Depending on where you stand, you will consider it an advantage or a disadvantage. But if the display quality were the same, black and white e-readers would quickly disappear from the market. I have no doubt about that. Monochromaticism is not an end in itself. It is more of a limitation. Starting from that limitation, it is easier to understand all the current positions, both those who prefer monochrome readers for their text display quality over colour e-readers, and those who do not mind sacrificing some of that quality in exchange for a colour that will never be present in a monochrome e-reader.

On the other hand, starting from an "apology for monochromaticism" to defend current monochromatic e-readers as products of a finalised design seems too weak to me. As has been rightly pointed out, colour is overwhelmingly present in human experience, and I find it difficult to understand and accept the idea of e-readers as a "monochromatic oasis" outside that reality, which clashes quite sharply with what has happened in other visual areas of technological evolution. Sooner or later, the monochrome e-reader will disappear (and it will be no great loss), and the main text will continue to be displayed in black.

No one would mind colored eink if the quality of the screen were the same as that of current black and white devices. It's not, though, and understandably this annoys a lot of eink users.

[nana77]

@cellaris, @Sirtel: I guess that many new ereader users, that would buy them first device nowaday, would not even compare to black and white ones, just as like so many buy them first device branded on Amazon.
The compromise at the moment is that the whites in colour devices is very grey thought, I wish that hopefully that wouldn't become "an accepted standard", imho.
Personally I still would like to see how a colour device looks within inverted screen (as white text and black background): that, at the moment, would be the only chanche to think I would likely buy one (eventually).