Another CES... a report from Astak - Page 2

Robertb · 01-13-2010, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssophon

Robert,

I wish the new one would also support Thai language, or least have a plan to support, as well since I saw the existing EZ reader already have.

I am exciting about the 9" device which should be the thing I am looking for. I need a big screen so I can carry a lot of my PDF documents on the device.

Hopefully I can see the product in the market soon.

Dear ssophon:

I agree and I am very sure this can be done. I will stress that to the factories!!

93terp · 01-13-2010, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear 93terp and French:

Thank you for helping others on the benefits and form factor of the Pocket PRO. Coming from other members is always better than coming from me. I am grateful that you posted!!

Happy to help, Robertb! Glad to see you made back in one piece from CES! I've ALWAYS wanted to go to that event. I was a "booth babe" several years ago at a convention for DoD contractors & can completely relate and sympathize with your description of the long days & chaotic nature of the event. Not something I want to do again anytime soon!

Davimee · 01-13-2010, 02:56 PM

This morning I was able to get out to Car Toys and look at the Pocket Pro. I just have to say, WOW! I love it! We also went to Borders so I could see the Sony for comparison, and the Astak is so much nicer than the Sony! I have decided I want to save up for the Pocket Pro, and I'm hoping to be able to buy one next month, or March, at the latest. Thank you all for your info and thoughts on the subject! The screen was even nicer than I imagined. I've seen online that some people think the smallest font size is too small, but after reading books on my much smaller Palm, I didn't have any difficulty with the smallest font. I am excited to actually be able to buy one!

93terp · 01-13-2010, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davimee

This morning I was able to get out to Car Toys and look at the Pocket Pro. I just have to say, WOW! I love it! We also went to Borders so I could see the Sony for comparison, and the Astak is so much nicer than the Sony! I have decided I want to save up for the Pocket Pro, and I'm hoping to be able to buy one next month, or March, at the latest. Thank you all for your info and thoughts on the subject! The screen was even nicer than I imagined. I've seen online that some people think the smallest font size is too small, but after reading books on my much smaller Palm, I didn't have any difficulty with the smallest font. I am excited to actually be able to buy one!

I too was torn between the Sony & the Pocket Pro. At the time I purchased my reader, the Sony reader did not offer ePub support, which was a deal killer for me. I also found that for the same price ($199), Astak provided a cover for the reader and a wall charger. Sony did not and they wanted an add'l $30 for each accessory, driving the total cost up to $259. And you can't put a price tag on the customer service & support we get from RobertB!

Davimee · 01-13-2010, 03:25 PM

93terp, I agree! I really want a wall charger, and it seems ridiculous to add another $30 to the price. The case isn't as much of a necessity for me, but it's definitely a bonus! And reading through these forums and seeing the customer service offered by Robertb has really impressed me.

QIbHom · 01-13-2010, 04:03 PM

I was meh on the cover until I got it. I like the magnetic clasp (some don't) and it means I can just toss it in my messenger bag without worrying about it. It also feels good in the hand when I'm holding it to read. It doesn't add noticeably to the weight. I've also played with the idea of trying to tool or brand some designs in to it, although with my track record of bizarrely executed arts and crafts projects (my fuzzy slippers are mismatched, to say the least), that might not be a good idea.

French · 01-13-2010, 07:36 PM

SO glad the smaller form factor isn't going to get pushed out by the 9+" readers. And VERY glad that Astak is looking at both keyboard and non keyboard versions (I would be a non keyboard fan).

I agree the Pocket Pro cover is nice...I love the magnetic clasp! The only improvement I could see to the cover would be offering TONS of other options/colors/patterns....

I'd probably have as much money invested in covers as the eReader itself if there were more options.

Robert: In another thread Dale posted about a book store that was presented at CES. Can you comment on that?

Robertb · 01-13-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by French

SO glad the smaller form factor isn't going to get pushed out by the 9+" readers. And VERY glad that Astak is looking at both keyboard and non keyboard versions (I would be a non keyboard fan).

I agree the Pocket Pro cover is nice...I love the magnetic clasp! The only improvement I could see to the cover would be offering TONS of other options/colors/patterns....

I'd probably have as much money invested in covers as the eReader itself if there were more options.

Robert: In another thread Dale posted about a book store that was presented at CES. Can you comment on that?

Dear French:

I am unders strict orders to keep this hush-hush until all is finalized (hopefully days). Of course if Dale gave it away then no problem.

Let us just say that Dale always knows his stuff!!

By the way, I talked with two case making companies at CES. One is in Hong Kong. I think we may fill your needs pretty soon.

French · 01-13-2010, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear French:

I am unders strict orders to keep this hush-hush until all is finalized (hopefully days). Of course if Dale gave it away then no problem.

Let us just say that Dale always knows his stuff!!

By the way, I talked with two case making companies at CES. One is in Hong Kong. I think we may fill your needs pretty soon.

I hope I didn't just get Dale in trouble...

Looking forward to all that is coming. Thank you.

Chiron · 01-13-2010, 08:43 PM

Well, if Astak anounce that will bring the A9 to the US and is taking preorders ill be first on line to get one

(and get it delivered to Mexico

)

Xerxes · 01-13-2010, 11:29 PM

Is the 9 big enough for PDFs? I mean without the keyboard, I'd seriously consider buying it.

wallcraft · 01-14-2010, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xerxes

Is the 9 big enough for PDFs? I mean without the keyboard, I'd seriously consider buying it.

It probably is, at least if you are willing to use it in landscape mode for letter/A4 PDFs. However, the current EZ Reader PDF support is relatively basic. This isn't that big a deal on 6" devices, but the best large screen devices are going to have much more capability particularly for displaying the original page layout (examples of missing features are: Manual Crop Margins; Autocrop Margins; Two Column Mode; Fixed Zoom; Arbitrary Zoom). This is one area where a touch screen can help.

DaleDe · 01-14-2010, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xerxes

Is the 9 big enough for PDFs? I mean without the keyboard, I'd seriously consider buying it.

Just so people know. The one with the keyboard and the one without are exactly the same size so it is just a matter of aesthetics. The one without has an on-screen keyboard when needed and has a group of nice hot keys for common functions.

Certainly a 9" is an improvement for PDF's and it has an accelerometer that makes it easy to switch to landscape mode. I would say landscape mode with a PDF page split of two screens is absolutely adequate with 1024 pixels wide. Many will be fine in portrait mode, particularly using XPDF and trimming the margin. Of course it can always reflow it with ADE.

Dale

Chiron · 01-14-2010, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Just so people know. The one with the keyboard and the one without are exactly the same size so it is just a matter of aesthetics. The one without has an on-screen keyboard when needed and has a group of nice hot keys for common functions.

Dale

If both models is the same then i would go for this one:

It looks more aesthetic and you could bring up the virtual keyboard when you need to search for something

(capacitive touchscreen)

lionel47 · 01-14-2010, 12:05 PM

Sign me up for the 9" if it has WiFi. When are they starting to take pre-orders?

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01-13-2010, 02:56 PM	#18
Davimee Happy Wife & Momma Posts: 532 Karma: 1634 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: USA Device: Purple Astak Pocket Pro! :)	This morning I was able to get out to Car Toys and look at the Pocket Pro. I just have to say, WOW! I love it! We also went to Borders so I could see the Sony for comparison, and the Astak is so much nicer than the Sony! I have decided I want to save up for the Pocket Pro, and I'm hoping to be able to buy one next month, or March, at the latest. Thank you all for your info and thoughts on the subject! The screen was even nicer than I imagined. I've seen online that some people think the smallest font size is too small, but after reading books on my much smaller Palm, I didn't have any difficulty with the smallest font. I am excited to actually be able to buy one!

01-13-2010, 03:25 PM	#20
Davimee Happy Wife & Momma Posts: 532 Karma: 1634 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: USA Device: Purple Astak Pocket Pro! :)	93terp, I agree! I really want a wall charger, and it seems ridiculous to add another $30 to the price. The case isn't as much of a necessity for me, but it's definitely a bonus! And reading through these forums and seeing the customer service offered by Robertb has really impressed me.

01-13-2010, 04:03 PM	#21
QIbHom Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 102 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Aztak EZReader Pocket Pro	I was meh on the cover until I got it. I like the magnetic clasp (some don't) and it means I can just toss it in my messenger bag without worrying about it. It also feels good in the hand when I'm holding it to read. It doesn't add noticeably to the weight. I've also played with the idea of trying to tool or brand some designs in to it, although with my track record of bizarrely executed arts and crafts projects (my fuzzy slippers are mismatched, to say the least), that might not be a good idea.

01-13-2010, 07:36 PM	#22
French Groupie Posts: 151 Karma: 1002968 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: none	SO glad the smaller form factor isn't going to get pushed out by the 9+" readers. And VERY glad that Astak is looking at both keyboard and non keyboard versions (I would be a non keyboard fan). I agree the Pocket Pro cover is nice...I love the magnetic clasp! The only improvement I could see to the cover would be offering TONS of other options/colors/patterns.... I'd probably have as much money invested in covers as the eReader itself if there were more options. Robert: In another thread Dale posted about a book store that was presented at CES. Can you comment on that?

01-13-2010, 08:43 PM	#25
Chiron Fantasy & SciFi Reader Posts: 183 Karma: 262 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico Device: Astak EZ Reader Pocket Pro	Well, if Astak anounce that will bring the A9 to the US and is taking preorders ill be first on line to get one (and get it delivered to Mexico )

01-13-2010, 11:29 PM	#26
Xerxes Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 90 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Houston, TX Device: Astak EZReader, Pocket Pro	Is the 9 big enough for PDFs? I mean without the keyboard, I'd seriously consider buying it.

01-14-2010, 12:05 PM	#30
lionel47 Addict Posts: 361 Karma: 170 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA, USA Device: B&N Nook, Nook Color	Sign me up for the 9" if it has WiFi. When are they starting to take pre-orders?