Delstar OpenBook at Walgreens

[digid]

Originally Posted by WillAdams

digid --- where / how were you able to determine that the iPad would be viewable in full sunlight? --- what do you consider this to be / how would you define it?

I've been looking for a statement by Apple on that, but haven't been able to find one.

William

IPS displays are supposed to be good in sunlight. Will have to wait and see until the 1st on that to be sure.

My iphone does not have an IPS display, but I can read it in any light with out much problem. If the light is too bright to read it by, it would be too bright to comfortably read text on white paper.

Digid

[Highroller]

Well if you want the ipad for its other features it might be ok but just as an e-book reader I think its grossly over priced. I would be less negative if it came with a usb port and a sd card slot and didn't want to charge 1990 prices for storage increases. The fact that it doesn't do things that a netbook does troubles me also since it costs more. They are selling of course because they are by Apple.

Originally Posted by Highroller

Well if you want the ipad for its other features it might be ok but just as an e-book reader I think its grossly over priced. I would be less negative if it came with a usb port and a sd card slot and didn't want to charge 1990 prices for storage increases. The fact that it doesn't do things that a netbook does troubles me also since it costs more. They are selling of course because they are by Apple.

Very valid points! I'll add that it is a bit big for a dedicated reader too. I have an Asus T91MT netbook tablet that is a bit smaller with a 8.9" screen, and that is too big to lug around as a portable reader, but great when in my recliner. I was hoping like everything that Apple would release the iPad but with a 6" or 7" screen and a price tag of $300 or less with 32GB. I would have jumped all over that as I like my iPod touch, but the 3.5" screen is too small for my uses; not to mention it has terrible battery life.

[pendragginp]

Originally Posted by Katelyn

Yes, you should remove the plastic screen protector.

It may need to be charged and that's why it shuts off when not charging. When you try to turn it off, are you holding the power button for a few seconds? It may not shut off with a quick tap.

Thanks Katelyn. Yes, it's now fully charged and the power button still doesn't work, either to power on or power off. I amm holding it down too, not just tapping it. Hmm.

[Danswatch]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Yes, the OpenBook shows up as a mounted drive when connected to a Windows PC via a USB cable. It was very easy to copy files to.

All the downloads seem to assume Microsoft OS. Am I out of luck trying to load the firmware stuff from my Mac?

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Danswatch

All the downloads seem to assume Microsoft OS. Am I out of luck trying to load the firmware stuff from my Mac?

I'm gonna guess yes.

BOb

[pendragginp]

Originally Posted by Katelyn

This is the walkthough bryanzs wrote - you can follow it if you can't watch the video -

Yes, I printed that out and tried to follow it, but my problem is that I really don't know what I'm doing! =}

When I plug in the reader, as per his notes, - then what? Do I move these files onto it, and how do I do it? Or do I put them on a card and then restart the reader? No clue!

[bryanzs]

Originally Posted by pendragginp

Yes, I printed that out and tried to follow it, but my problem is that I really don't know what I'm doing! =}

When I plug in the reader, as per his notes, - then what? Do I move these files onto it, and how do I do it? Or do I put them on a card and then restart the reader? No clue!

Well, I still don't have my own device to try with (should be here sometime today), but from what it looked like to me, after you plug in the USB cables to your computer, your computer should see the Delstar; and once you then run the RK exe, it should see the Delstar as well. After you plug in the Delstar, does your computer say anything about a "new device found"? And, after it (hopefully) says the new device is ready to use, if you launch the RK exe file (by double-clicking it), does it say it sees the device?

Hope that helps!

[Highroller]

The program detects if you have the reader connected to your PC or not. If you have installed the update tool. then start it up, point it at firmware update location and it should install it on the reader. Back me up guys? I am chicken I still got mine in the UPS box. No one has reported any results good enough to bother taking it out (lol).

I emailed Freddy again and he gave the stock reply of "they are working on it". I haven't given up but my hopes are fading.

As for an alternative to ipad, you might look at this

http://www.thinkdigit.com/Laptops-PC...blet_3878.html

I don't think its come to market yet but it looks more like you wanted Jack. It has a usb port sd card slot and is 7". Supposed to be marketed for $199.

[bryanzs]

Originally Posted by Highroller

As for an alternative to ipad, you might look at this

http://www.thinkdigit.com/Laptops-PC...blet_3878.html

I don't think its come to market yet but it looks more like you wanted Jack. It has a usb port sd card slot and is 7". Supposed to be marketed for $199.

Yes, that's just a "reference design", I think; I don't believe Freescale will sell anything like it themselves, they'll rebrand it for anyone who wants it. I think it'll be a long time til it gets to market

[Katelyn]

Originally Posted by bryanzs

Well, I still don't have my own device to try with (should be here sometime today), but from what it looked like to me, after you plug in the USB cables to your computer, your computer should see the Delstar; and once you then run the RK exe, it should see the Delstar as well. After you plug in the Delstar, does your computer say anything about a "new device found"? And, after it (hopefully) says the new device is ready to use, if you launch the RK exe file (by double-clicking it), does it say it sees the device?

Hope that helps!

If you use the USB cable and the device is detected then you're all set. When you run the RK 28.. Manager, it will auto-detect the reader and update the firmware. You don't need to do anything else except run it and wait until it finishes.

[Katelyn]

I emailed Freddy again and he gave the stock reply of "they are working on it". I haven't given up but my hopes are fading.

Working on what exactly?

Honestly, mine works fine except for the formatting issue and if that was corrected, I would keep this little guy around until the one I'm waiting for is released then I'd use this as a back up.

[Highroller]

Originally Posted by bryanzs

Yes, that's just a "reference design", I think; I don't believe Freescale will sell anything like it themselves, they'll rebrand it for anyone who wants it. I think it'll be a long time til it gets to market

Well I sure hope they take time to put out a more polished product than delstar did but I see no need for an ipad or any tablet really at this time for my purposes at least.

[bryanzs]

Originally Posted by Katelyn

Working on what exactly?

Honestly, mine works fine except for the formatting issue and if that was corrected, I would keep this little guy around until the one I'm waiting for is released then I'd use this as a back up.

I emailed Delstar myself this morning, asking if updates were going to be in the near future, or whether they will take a long time. He (Freddy) indicated that the issues we've been reporting on the forum have already been sent to the manufacturer, and that they were already working on fixes, which we could hopefully see in a timeframe measured in weeks rather than months.

I don't know what, exactly, they'll be fixing, but the fact that they're reading about the problems and working on the device does make me a bit more optimistic.

[bryanzs]

Originally Posted by Highroller

Well I sure hope they take time to put out a more polished product than delstar did but I see no need for an ipad or any tablet really at this time for my purposes at least.

Yes, just in case this doesn't work out (and Delstar'll have 3 weeks +/- for another firmware update to come out for me to know for sure), I've been looking through the forum and think that maybe a JE100 or JE200 would be a reasonable alternative. They seem to be a nice size, and a not-too-terrible price.