New ebook reader -Simplicit.E.reader

[scveteran]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

It also only has one screen, which is not ideal for books.

Does the Kindle or other major ereader have more than one screen? Am I missing something?

[phenomshel]

I could see me getting one of these for my son - he wants an ereader, but he wants color. However, since the reason he wants color is for comics and manga, a 5" screen might be too small...

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It appears to have a 16:9 aspect ratio screen (for video use, presumably), which is not ideal for books.

Certainly a media player aspect ratio.

How does that compare to the Sony 900?

One of the things I've noticed about some British books is that they also have a narrower width to height, as compared to US books. Which is to say, a different aspect ratio.

[nikkie]

It's an LED screen, not eInk. Not want. :-P

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by scveteran

Does the Kindle or other major ereader have more than one screen? Am I missing something?

Yes, what you are missing is that LDboblo is an incorrigible pbook lover (nothing wrong with that) and anthing else than a 100% pbook like device will never satisfy him.

I personally think having only one screen is an advantage of ereaders over pbooks. There is no need to readjust my position after each page.

[m-reader]

Originally Posted by The-eBook-Reader

Oh yeah! Forgot about the Hanvons. Are they out yet? Or just in China or something?

Chinese Kindle? Done!

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I honestly don't see the point, myself - at least not if we're talking about two screens which just display two pages of the book. You're only going to read one page at a time, and is that worth halving the battery life for?

Magazines... I just bought the DVD collection of National Geographic. I can make an ebook (PDF format) from articles. A double screen would be handy in that case. For average novel reading, I agree, I don't see any added value to a double screen.

Originally Posted by HansTWN

I personally think having only one screen is an advantage of ereaders over pbooks. There is no need to readjust my position after each page.

Easier to hold, only need one hand, you don't have to turn around to read "the other page"... I agree, an advantage of ebook readers is the single page reading... Though, there are times where a double screen can be handy (see above).

Would I buy a double screener? I doubt it, unless the price is low enough...

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Magazines... I just bought the DVD collection of National Geographic. I can make an ebook (PDF format) from articles. A double screen would be handy in that case. For average novel reading, I agree, I don't see any added value to a double screen.

Yes, a magazine reader, in a clamshell design with two A4, full colour, high-resolution screens would be very desirable indeed .

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Yes, what you are missing is that LDboblo is an incorrigible pbook lover (nothing wrong with that) and anthing else than a 100% pbook like device will never satisfy him.

Not really that much of a paper book lover, since I don't swoon over the smell and feel of traditional books really, or blog about how digital can never replace the "soul" or experience of reading paper. I simply was responding to a post that claimed that a 16:9 ratio is not ideal for books. I simply think it is funny that an ebook device promoter/user would claim such a thing.

Yes, I think ebook reader devices at their current levels of sophistication are a really bad corporate joke. That's hardly a secret 'round these parts. Functionality and responsiveness aren't that audacious a set of demands for a 2009-2010 device that does nothing but view low-quality text files.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It appears to have a 16:9 aspect ratio screen (for video use, presumably), which is not ideal for books.

Actually the newest Sony might argue that point. 16:9 is the most economical choice available these days. It is used by all the portable DVD players, netbooks, many digital frames, even GPS devices. This multiple use drives the price down considerably.

I really doubt if it will detract from the reading experience much, just more lines before you have to change the page and probably better integration of text and images due to more room on the page for text to coexist with full width images. Landscape mode could provide multicolumn as Sony does.

However, clearly the big deal will likely be multimedia, images, video, music audio, eBook reading. It all depends on how well the software works.

Dale

[scveteran]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

Not really that much of a paper book lover, since I don't swoon over the smell and feel of traditional books really, or blog about how digital can never replace the "soul" or experience of reading paper. I simply was responding to a post that claimed that a 16:9 ratio is not ideal for books. I simply think it is funny that an ebook device promoter/user would claim such a thing.

Yes, I think ebook reader devices at their current levels of sophistication are a really bad corporate joke. That's hardly a secret 'round these parts. Functionality and responsiveness aren't that audacious a set of demands for a 2009-2010 device that does nothing but view low-quality text files.

If you really think that ereaders are a bad joke, why would you have one?

[scveteran]

If you go to https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43737, you can see where I was looking for a recomendation for an ereader back in March. The idea was that the Veterans Administration would pay for it under their Independent Living program. This is a program that helps severely disabled veterans be able to function better.

Unfortunately, the funds for the program are allocated by a first come first served basis and the VA lost my application again. That puts it past the time that I would be able to get the assistance for at least another year and it would not be certain then.

So I have to either find another grant source of pay for it out of my poscket. Since my only income for my family is my disabilty pay, I have a problem buy the Kindle which most people had recomended. It is just too high a price.

The price that is shown here, seems to be much more in my price range. So I may go with this when it gets here, provided I have the money at the time.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Actually the newest Sony might argue that point. 16:9 is the most economical choice available these days. It is used by all the portable DVD players, netbooks, many digital frames, even GPS devices. This multiple use drives the price down considerably.

I really doubt if it will detract from the reading experience much, just more lines before you have to change the page and probably better integration of text and images due to more room on the page for text to coexist with full width images. Landscape mode could provide multicolumn as Sony does.

I don't find the size of my JE100 (which has a resolution of 800x480) not distracting at all. I actually find it very good to read. As you said, you've more lines per page. Length generally isn't a problem, width is. Too wide doesn't read too well (like reading on a wide-screen laptop monitor).

[rana]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I don't find the size of my JE100 (which has a resolution of 800x480) not distracting at all. I actually find it very good to read. As you said, you've more lines per page. Length generally isn't a problem, width is. Too wide doesn't read too well (like reading on a wide-screen laptop monitor).

I have to second that ! I find the JE100, with its 800x480 resolution - just perfect for reading. The screen is not too big and not too small, and the aspect ratio is just about perfect for me.

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, a magazine reader, in a clamshell design with two A4, full colour, high-resolution screens would be very desirable indeed .

I certainly agree, and add that this would be good for newpapers as well. Essentially, any reading matter that involves making selections would benefit from having one screen devoted to the table of contents, and the other for the selected content.

But two screens would also be handy for other reading, particularly if you could park two different items on the screens. And in all instances, think "touchscreen" and "hyperlink."

Here goes:

Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace, involves the need to constantly refer to the endnotes. I have a pbook copy, and two bookmarks, one for where I am in the novel, and the other for where I am in the endnotes. But with two screens on an ereader, I would be able to keep both my reading spot and the endnotes on screen. With touchscreen & hyperlink, I'd touch the endnote number, and it would appear on the other screen. Without, I'd scroll down on the other screen to the next note.

Same for footnotes.

And for those who like having a dictionary handy, the book on one screen, the dictionary on the other. Touch the word, & the definition shows up on the other screen. Without touch, you could still locate words & definitions.

How about books in foreign languages: original on one screen, parallel translation on the other. Or touch on screen one, & the translation of the word shows up on the other.

Books with pictures, graphs, and other non-text info. Text on one screen, other info on the other - perhaps sized differently where necessary, as with maps.

Cookbooks: ingredients on one page, instructions on the other.

Dictionary, Thesarus: word on the left, definitions &c on the right.

Comic books...uh...I mean, graphic novels: full page layout on the left, specific panel on the right. Reverse for manga.

These just off the top of my head. Imagine what someone who was paid to think about it could come up with!