Another Amazon/Mirasol Rumor

[tnronin]

I find myself constantly weighing cost, and usefulness. I hope they can get it within the budget areas.

[mobelby]

I think about what I want to buy on the amazon bookstore shopfront.

For me that's novels and the odd newspaper and magazine like The Economist. That magazine would definitely benefit from colour and fast page refresh (eg charts, articles you want to skip through quickly etc).

Would I be more likely to buy The Economist on a colour mirasol K3 over the K2 I currently own. YES, with a capital y.

I also have loads of plug outlets in my house but do I hate charging my Kindle. Again, yes. I love the fact I only charge it every few weeks.

My point is that there is clearly market for a colour ereader at the right price and that some of us simply won't be interested in the ipad as we already have a great desktop and small laptop.

[SCION]

Originally Posted by mobelby

...
My point is that there is clearly market for a colour ereader at the right price and that some of us simply won't be interested in the ipad as we already have a great desktop and small laptop.

I wholeheartedly agree that there's a market (at the right price). The iPad isn't a desktop/laptop/netbook replacement. I don't even consider it a computer in the traditional sense of the word. So owning a computer or two doesn't necessarily preclude one from being a potential buyer. Everyone agrees it's a big iPod Touch. Those who have an iPod Touch or iPhone are probably the ones who are least interested.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

In my opinion, for paper purposes, a 60% reflectivity would be quite good, and would be in the realm of good newsprint or average paperback. For books and papers and newspapers and such, it's just about right, assuming the black point can actually be black, and the resolution is high enough to minimize font smoothing's toll on the black. For magazines and the like, it will be a less-than-ideal solution, much as E-Ink is for paper books now.

Yep, just a matter of getting a screen that does everything well enough for what a person needs. I'm fine with e-ink for my dedicated novel reader.

And I'm not really interested in buying a second dedicated reader device for PDFs etc., I'd much prefer a tablet that's great for that, but also magazines, video etc. So it looks like LCD is probably the way to go for me (or maybe the pixel QI screens) if I want one in the near future vs. waiting for other screen types to come out that can do all that stuff. I wouldn't likely be reading on it for long stretches, so I'd probably be fine with LCD.

Originally Posted by SCION

I wholeheartedly agree that there's a market (at the right price). The iPad isn't a desktop/laptop/netbook replacement. I don't even consider it a computer in the traditional sense of the word. So owning a computer or two doesn't necessarily preclude one from being a potential buyer. Everyone agrees it's a big iPod Touch. Those who have an iPod Touch or iPhone are probably the ones who are least interested.

Yep. I want a tablet that's less than a PC. Just something to use to read and mark up documents, light web browsing, watch some videos, read magazines or comics in color etc. It wouldn't replace my laptop, it would supplement it.

All that stuff isn't so good on a PC/laptop due to the form factor, vs. a small light tablet you can lay on the couch, or curl up in bed and read etc.

[JSWolf]

Why is it a rumor gets to be on the front page when it clearly doesn't belong?

[m-reader]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why is it a rumor gets to be on the front page when it clearly doesn't belong?

Because it's newsworthy!
This is not the first or the last time a non-news item was discussed on this sub-forum. What's the big deal?

[PKFFW]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why is it a rumor gets to be on the front page when it clearly doesn't belong?

News of the fact there is a rumour is still news isn't it??

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by m-reader

Because it's newsworthy!
This is not the first or the last time a non-news item was discussed on this sub-forum. What's the big deal?

I'm not saying it doesn't belong in this forum. I'm saying it doesn't belong on the front page.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by PKFFW

News of the fact there is a rumour is still news isn't it??

But not for the front page.

[m-reader]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I'm not saying it doesn't belong in this forum. I'm saying it doesn't belong on the front page.

I guess it was a slow news day

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I'm not saying it doesn't belong in this forum. I'm saying it doesn't belong on the front page.

Actually I would have missed it had it not been on the front page. I was traveling last week and having it placed there...was great. I'm trying to keep up with where the mirasol technology lands because I think it could be really great...

So anyway, front page worked for me!

[andrys]

Originally Posted by SCION

But I think many considering the Kindle DX (or any other high priced large screen dedicated ebook reader) will take pause to educate themselves on other devices (of similar size) that allow reading pdf files, web browsing, and more. I say this, with the assumption that current prices drop slightly (not markedly) for the Kindles due to the release of the iP
ad.

Paused and Educated.

The DX does read pdf files (though it doesn't edit them and I've seen nothing that says the iPad will have a PDF editing feature either).

Web browsing is possible on the DX for info lookups anywhere on the web but it's slow. HOWEVER, it is free and I use the 3G out on the streets all the time. No extra cost for that.

- Andrys

[andrys]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Regarding 3G:

Also, the Kindle 3G is gimped and pretty useless for anything but putting books on there. It's super slow and e-ink is worthless for the internet. So it's kind of silly to act like 3G on the Kindle is any great feature. It's convenient for getting books on the device, and that's it.

That is a wholly ignorant statement. But if you don't know how to put it to use outside the home when away from WiFi and wanting info, then it's not for you.

Regarding Memory:
16GB would be plenty of memory for what I'd use a tablet for--reading and marking up PDFs and word docs and books. Light web browsing etc. And the Kindles have even less memory (and other than K1 can't be expanded) so I'm not sure the point of that comparison

He would have been thinking of running a lot of video on the tablet.
Maybe you won't, but many buying it do plan to. 16Gigs is nothing. But Steve Jobs did save the user from too much drain on battery and memory by not supporting Flash on the web browsing.

As long as device lasts me a day of typical use, I couldn't care less about battery life. It can get plugged in every night or two just like my my cell phone. 10 hours would be fine for me.

You are the perfect target audience for this device.

I also don't read outdoors or in sunlight ever, so non-issue for me.

Again, the 3G on the Kindle is free--but completely useless for anything but getting books on there, so it's silly to compare. With paying for 3G on the iPad you get full internet access.

It is NOT "completely useless" if you know how to use the web browser to get more speed. Obviously you don't.

When my neighborhood cable network went out for maintenance for hours I got my Kindle 2 out and decided I wanted to get a DX - so I went and started to order one and then remembered I should apply some gift certificates. They were in GMail. I paused and pressed GoTo for gmail and got my certificate numbers, then pressed 'Back' button and was back on the Amazon (regular) order. Filled in the numbers and the order was made.

I look up restaurants and movie times theaters when out. Also google directions. I also look up product reviews when in front of a product on sale. I can use it anywhere and often use it in cafes.

If you don't use it, don't say for the rest of the world how it is not useful for anything but getting a book.

And again, you're assuming people even need it. The iPad isn't something like a phone that most people would always have with them. It would be like a laptop--only leave the home or office if you're going on a trip or to the coffee shop etc. where you'll have WiFi if you need it.

You don't but others do bring their e-readers out to read when out and knowing they'll be waiting in lines or for someone.

I'd NEVER see the iPad as having any laptop-like qualities. It has no multitasking, doesn't support Flash, doesn't of course have a HD that holds all the stuff I want when away and no comfortable keyboard for typing for work. No USB port, no SD card. I recently took both the DX and the Samsung 10" on a 3-wk vacation and that netbook is a wonder. The iPad would be useless for what a netbook is often needed for. It's good for sitting on your couch to web browse while watching tv or doing email while watching TV.

Anyway, I don't plan on buying an iPad--I need a tablet with robust stylus mark up options. But had to respond to your silly anti-Apple rant.

The iPad itself is more likely the subject of some rants from what I've seen. Apple has made the $500 model something most Apple-fans would not buy (they'd want the higher models) and most who do go for it don't even know (we have to tell them) that it doesn't have 3G. Not needed by you but it IS by others.

I'd go for the iPad in a heart beat. I'm not that enamored with my Kindle as I'm not an avid reader. Thus it stays by the night stand and gets read a few nights a week.

That's exactly it. Kindles, Sonys, iRexes, Ques, are for avid readers.

Otherwise an e-reader would be a waste and should be sold.

[toholio]

Originally Posted by ac4lt

I don't think it's legal to announce a product too far before it will actually ship.

You can announce a product as far in advance as you like. It's often a great way to kill sales of your existing products though.

[dmaul1114]

andrys,

I was only stating my uses--and looking over my post I may have not worded that very well.

The Kindle's 3G is useless for my internet usage which is mostly forum posting and steaming video watching. Yes it's ok for wikipedia, looking up movie times or other mostly text sites that don't need color, video or text entry. I do think that many still won't use it for that with so many people having internet on their phone, taking their netbook everywhere etc. But yes, for some the basic internet can come in handy if they have their Kindle with them and don't have any other internet devices on them.

I didn't mean to say it was useless for everyone, I just worded the post poorly. I only meant to say that it's useless to ME and that it's silly to tout the Kindle as having free internet vs. having to pay for it on the iPad when: 1) The kindle can't do full web browsing due to the screen tech and speed--so it's not a comparable browsing experience, and 2) You can use WiFi on the iPad and don't have to pay for 3G, which isn't an option on the Kindle.

Sorry I didn't word the post more clearly as I hate when people try to make broad statements and speak for others, and that wasn't my intention. I just didn't post clearly in reacting to people trying to compare the Kindle's internet support to the iPads.


The other stuff you quoted you were on point. A multi media tablet is something that fits my needs (the the iPad doesn't meet them as I want a larger screen, built in stylus mark up support, Flash, multi tasking etc.). I'm not an avid reader, so I'm better off with a Tablet and the Kindle will probably be my last dedicated reading device.

As for the storage, 16 gigs isn't a lot if you want to put video files on it. I'd watch a lot of video on it--but only streaming video. My other video watching is going to be on my 50" HDTV, not a small tablet.

But again, I never said 16 gig was ideal for everyone, just that it would be enough for me since my main need for a tablet is to read and mark up pdfs and word docs of research articles etc., and to do some web browsing, video streaming etc.

If you want to put a ton of video, music etc. on it, then yeah, the low end model is probably not for you unless you don't mind transferring files a lot vs. having all your files on it all the time.