Review: Astak 5" Pocket Pro and Sony comparison

[ekaser]

There's an independent review on CNet of the Astak 5" Pocket Pro, and he compares it to the Sony 5" also. It's at:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/mobile-gadgeteer/?p=1961
Lot's of pictures and an 11-minute video is included in the review.

[DrMoze]

Originally Posted by ekaser

There's an independent review on CNet of the Astak 5" Pocket Pro, and he compares it to the Sony 5" also. It's at:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/mobile-gadgeteer/?p=1961
Lot's of pictures and an 11-minute video is included in the review.

The comparison is with the 505 and the 600 (both 6" displays), not the 5" 300 model. (Which would be interesting.) Nice review though. The Astak looks interesting....

[superstitious]

That was a great review. Thanks for the link!

[ekaser]

Originally Posted by DrMoze

The comparison is with the 505 and the 600 (both 6" displays), not the 5" 300 model.

Yep, my mistake. That might account for his perception that the Sony had "higher contrast" (whiter background).

I'd be curious to hear from anyone that has a 6" EZ Reader and also gets the 5" Pocket Pro, whether they perceive any different in the contrast of the displays.

[pilotbob]

That's a very favorable review for the Pocket Pro.

Is the case actually genuine leather... or is it simulated leather?

BOb

[Chiron]

Originally Posted by ekaser

Yep, my mistake. That might account for his perception that the Sony had "higher contrast" (whiter background).

I'd be curious to hear from anyone that has a 6" EZ Reader and also gets the 5" Pocket Pro, whether they perceive any different in the contrast of the displays.

Didnt ALL the eReaders screens come from the same factory? Then how do people find that they have diferent level of "graynes"?

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by Chiron

Didnt ALL the eReaders screens come from the same factory? Then how do people find that they have diferent level of "graynes"?

Manufactured at different times. Newer ones may be made using a refined technique, or just differing amounts of pigments and other materials that effect color. Also possibly different grades of displays being used by different companies.

[ekaser]

Originally Posted by Chiron

Didnt ALL the eReaders screens come from the same factory? Then how do people find that they have diferent level of "graynes"?

I haven't seen them myself, but I CAN believe that the APPEARANCE of a 5" 600x800 display and a 6" 600x800 display might be different. Same number of 'pixels', but different 'density' (a 'pixel' is probably actually made up of quite a number of eInk particles, and that number might be different on a 5" display than on a 6"), possibly different fonts, it's possible Sony and Hanlin (one, the other, or both) put an overlay of some sort on the display that is different. Lots of possibilities. And the human eye/brain is just not very reliable when it comes to accurately detecting relative colors and gray scales. Just Google "optical illusions" for many examples.

That why I asked for someone with both the 6" EZ-Reader and the 5" Pocket Pro to compare the two displays and let us know whether they "appear" to have different 'whiteness' qualities.

[carlobee]

A very nice informative review!

[pking36330]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Is the case actually genuine leather... or is it simulated leather?

BOb

I think its Naugahyde, but there is no mention if its from domestic farm or wild Naugas. The best you can hope for is that it isn't from poached Naugas.

[JSWolf]

The eInk looks fantastic on the Pocket PRO 5 inch device and while the Sony PRS-505 remains the champion in this area, I think many may find the Pocket PRO display to work even better because it doesn’t have the whiter background.

The contrast being worse does not make the Pocket PRO's screen work better. It may feel like it works better because of the Epson controller. But saying that poorer contrast is better is a bunch of nonsense.

[JSWolf]

The only problem with these sorts of reviews (and this goes for all devices) is that they reviewer does not spend enough time with the device to find out about possible bugs in the firmware.

[ekaser]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The contrast being worse does not make the Pocket PRO's screen work better. It may feel like it works better because of the Epson controller. But saying that poorer contrast is better is a bunch of nonsense.

Have YOU examined a 6" Sony and a 5" EZ-Reader side-by-side, Jon? The reviewer DID. He stated his opinion. Calling it a "bunch of nonsense" is utter foolishness when YOU haven't done the side-by-side comparison. Yes, "poorer contrast" CAN be better, because if the background is TOO bright (ala reading on a computer screen) it can cause eye-strain. Most books are printed on paper that have a definite "yellowish cast," the paper is not "bright white.

Quit bashing a product just because you like a different product better. Why not go be constructive about the product you like?

[ekaser]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The only problem with these sorts of reviews (and this goes for all devices) is that they reviewer does not spend enough time with the device to find out about possible bugs in the firmware.

Cheese 'n rice, Jon, have you got a hot rod up your tail-pipe for the Pocket Pro? I'm amazed that you managed to restrain yourself from, once again (for about the 20th time) complaining about the 5" EZ-Reader's inability to follow hyperlinks in ePub and PDF files, but simply alluded to it!

Maybe because a firmware update was just released that added that ability to at least PDF files? Better get your digs in quick before you have nothing more to complain about and have to start complaining about the awful choices of case colors, or that the display is just too dang small.

Comments are fine. But no one likes a harpy.

[ahi]

Correct. While textbooks and other technical and/or reference books tend to use white paper, most books intended for leisure reading use a less bright "crème" colour paper to lessen the likelihood of eye-strain.

- Ahi