Epson and 400MHz with ADE and TTS:$229

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

As one of those who called the Pocket Pro “vaporware” I feel badly that RobertB was hurt by the use of the term; that was never my purpose. However, as a member of the Mobileread Forum, I feel it is incumbent on all members to be truthful. I’m posting to restate the assertion that the Pocket Pro is still vaporware, just like the Sony PRS300, Opus, BeBook Mini, and all the other promised but not yet available devices—they are ALL vaporware.

Actually, the Opus exists and some people have it now and others have it in transit.

And I do see where you are coming from. We get announcements of all these new technology/devices and then never see a thing after that. I do think the 400/600 from Sony will be a reality later on in August (I hope August). As for the others you've listed, I can't say much about them.

[Musicman]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Actually, the Opus exists and some people have it now and others have it in transit.

And I do see where you are coming from. We get announcements of all these new technology/devices and then never see a thing after that. I do think the 400/600 from Sony will be a reality later on in August (I hope August). As for the others you've listed, I can't say much about them.

I agree about the large amount of vaporware out there.

However, the Pocket Pro/Hanlin V5 has been available directly from Jinke for those willing to buy direct from the manufacturer.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

AI’m posting to restate the assertion that the Pocket Pro is still vaporware, just like the Sony PRS300, Opus, BeBook Mini, and all the other promised but not yet available devices—they are ALL vaporware.

I think on that definition, the CyBook Opus is no longer Vapourware - HarryT has his right now.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by 6charlong

Vaporwear means promised, usually under development, hardware and software. It remains vaporwear until it is released.

The Pocket Pro isn't vaporware, you can buy a Hanlin V5 directly from Jinke today and there are photos of the Hanlin V5 in the wild (admittedly in the hands of a reseller) actually displaying ebook content.

I agree that the eReader SDK is vaporware, although I don't doubt that FictionWise (B&N) is working on it. I do have some doubt that it will appear on Astak devices, because B&N bought FictionWise. My guess is that B&N are working on their own EInk devices and the eReader SDK won't get released to 3rd parties until after their devices are in the stores (or perhaps never, if B&N wants to emulate Amazon and tie its format exclusively to its own dedicated reading devices). I'm sure Astak is acting in good faith, but B&N are an unknown quantity in the ebook world.

[rixte]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

The Pocket Pro isn't vaporware, you can buy a Hanlin V5 directly from Jinke today and there are photos of the Hanlin V5 in the wild (admittedly in the hands of a reseller) actually displaying ebook content.

I agree that the eReader SDK is vaporware, although I don't doubt that FictionWise (B&N) is working on it. I do have some doubt that it will appear on Astak devices, because B&N bought FictionWise. My guess is that B&N are working on their own EInk devices and the eReader SDK won't get released to 3rd parties until after their devices are in the stores (or perhaps never, if B&N wants to emulate Amazon and tie its format exclusively to its own dedicated reading devices). I'm sure Astak is acting in good faith, but B&N are an unknown quantity in the ebook world.

I'd say in that case that the Hanlin V5 is not vaporware, but the Pocket Pro still is - hopefully for not much longer, but still currently.

[MaggieScratch]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

I agree that the eReader SDK is vaporware, although I don't doubt that FictionWise (B&N) is working on it. I do have some doubt that it will appear on Astak devices, because B&N bought FictionWise. My guess is that B&N are working on their own EInk devices and the eReader SDK won't get released to 3rd parties until after their devices are in the stores (or perhaps never, if B&N wants to emulate Amazon and tie its format exclusively to its own dedicated reading devices). I'm sure Astak is acting in good faith, but B&N are an unknown quantity in the ebook world.

Actually, Fictionwise/eReader and B&N have both indicated they want to be device-agnostic. Steve Pendergrast (hope I spelled that right) responded to a comment I made at TeleRead saying they want eReader to be supported on every device that wants it. (I was asking about the Palm Pre, and they are already working on an eReader app.)

A friend who works for B&N told me that they (the B&N workers) were told that the new free-wifi policy was enacted to encourage customers to purchase and download ebooks while in the store. That can be done on any device that supports wifi, including laptops and many smartphones. They already have an iPhone app. Might not be the greatest app, but they have it. Several articles have indicated that B&N also wants to get their app onto every device they can. They might sell the Plastic Logic device (talking about vaporware), but that will be one device of many.

Also, since Fictionwise/eReader built Astak an ebook retailing storefront, it would be very weird indeed if they didn't use it to sell eReader format ebooks.

Logically, all this adds up (to me) to eReader support on the Astak devices as soon as possible.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by rixte

I'd say in that case that the Hanlin V5 is not vaporware, but the Pocket Pro still is - hopefully for not much longer, but still currently.

The first Pocket PROs will ship before the end of this month WITH Adobe Digital Editions on them?? How can anyone say the Pocket PRO is vaporware for God's sake.

Fictionwise has just about finished the SDK in Linux for the EZ Reader. The problem is that B&N bought Fictionwise and new contracts with a ton of pages are being discussed. A lot of the agreement we had with Fictuionwise is changed and we now have to look at major documents with a lot of new costs involved. Would any of you sign a 30 page legaleeze document without getting everything straight? Particularly if it changed from what had already been agreed to?

This is NOT so simple, people. The eReader firmware upgrade will come.

In the meantime, the ADE is already on the Pocket PRO at a cost of $75,000 so please tell me how a device is vaporware if it is coming with the ADE and has everything I said it would have... within 4 weeks!

This sort of thing is WHY manufacturers do not stay online direct. They do not need this. We try hard to keep you up to date and tip you in advance... and you leap to brand a device vaporware because eaveryone cannot match YOUR timeline. And, you do it on my news post?

[Faenad]

The first Pocket PROs will ship before the end of this month WITH Adobe Digital Editions on them?? How can anyone say the Pocket PRO is vaporware for God's sake.

Then the pocket pro is still vaporware, and will be till it get released.

If you already have the device, could you post some photo of the different colors with their cover? (no Photoshop rendering but real photo)

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Robertb

The first Pocket PROs will ship before the end of this month WITH Adobe Digital Editions on them?? How can anyone say the Pocket PRO is vaporware for God's sake.

Welcome to the internet, RobertB, where steel skin is mandatory.
It generally helps to know when to tune out the unreasonables.
Just don't judge everybody by the few, okay?

Interesting bit of info on the nuts-n-bolts of dealing with clueless corporate types. (Because, of course, B&N knows so much about software licensing they can overide the eReader guys, right? )

On the ADE front I am not a fan of ADE in any shape or form but I do see the short-term business need for your readers to sport it. I would respectfully suggest keeping eReader in the pipeline as an option; it may be necessary for survival. And even then, your guys should keep the toes in the water with other alternatives. (I'm sorry, but what I've seen mobile ADE do to some innocent rtf files shouldn't happen to a hash file...)

Anyway, counting to ten and going for a walk generally helps keep my blood pressure down.

[JSWolf]

Even the Sony 300 & 600 are vaporware until they can actually be in the hands of users.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Faenad

Then the pocket pro is still vaporware, and will be till it get released.

If you already have the device, could you post some photo of the different colors with their cover? (no Photoshop rendering but real photo)

Changing the meaning of vaporware? Vapor does not exist but the units mentioned here do exist but are not yet available. This is a different thing. The hardware has already been released by Jinke. It does exist. There are photos already shown.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Even the Sony 300 & 600 are vaporware until they can actually be in the hands of users.

That is not the meaning of vaporware. If they exist on a dealers shelf then they exist. They do not have to be in the hands of users.

Dale

[ahammer]

from wikipeda

Vaporware is a term used to describe a product, usually software, that has been announced by a developer during or before its development and, therefore, may never actually be released.[1] The term is usually applied to products which fail to emerge after having well-exceeded the period of development time that was initially claimed or would normally be expected for the development cycle of a similar product

this is not vaporware. vaporware would meen that it has taken longer then normal to get to market. Ppro seems about right for hardware dev time.


may meet the

well-exceeded the period of development time that was initially claimed

im not sure if robertb clamed a time frame.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Welcome to the internet, RobertB, where steel skin is mandatory.
It generally helps to know when to tune out the unreasonables.
Just don't judge everybody by the few, okay?

Interesting bit of info on the nuts-n-bolts of dealing with clueless corporate types. (Because, of course, B&N knows so much about software licensing they can overide the eReader guys, right? )

On the ADE front I am not a fan of ADE in any shape or form but I do see the short-term business need for your readers to sport it. I would respectfully suggest keeping eReader in the pipeline as an option; it may be necessary for survival. And even then, your guys should keep the toes in the water with other alternatives. (I'm sorry, but what I've seen mobile ADE do to some innocent rtf files shouldn't happen to a hash file...)

Anyway, counting to ten and going for a walk generally helps keep my blood pressure down.

Dear fjtorres:

I know and agree. It is just really too much to see one of my devices called vaporware. To me, vaporware is something that is NOT real and the Pocket PRO certainly is real.

In hindsight, I should have never given out information at all on the device until it was ready to ship. But, that is the entire idea of being on here... talking with people, getting their feedback and telling them what we are doing and what is planned. People just somehow seem to think that they are OWED a device on exactly the date that I say it will be coming with complete disregard that there are always problems that pop up and must be dealt with.

AND... I am under NDA with Fictionwise and the factories. That means I cannot post the problems that come with trying to get a format. People assume that you somehow magically get it. Reality is THEY have to make an SDK and it has to be ported in by our factory. That has very little to do with me. Fictionwise will finish it when they get it done. We will then port it IF we can reach agreement on the contract. I concur that a LOT of people, including me, want eReader... and we fully intend to have it.

[ahammer]

I also like to add things are not normaly called vaporware unless they are very unlikly to come out.. this is why robertb got a bit mad im sure.

for the king of all vaporware look at duke nukem forever.