It's a bird, it's a plane, it's SuperEZ!!

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

There are two EZ Reader Basic's on eBay for $175-190. These are the asking prices, but it seems likely you could net ~$150 towards a new device. I'm not convinced that it is worth upgrading from a V3 to a V3+, but the V3+ is definitely a more competitive Reader for 1st time buyers. We don't know what the A6 will cost, but it is likely to be a better upgrade to a EZ Reader Basic.

Dear wallcraft:

Point well taken! Any new device our factories produce (or even a new factory building for us) may have a lot of bells and whistles on it. There is a huge push now to add touch screen and Wi-Fi or 3G (and some of our new devices will have this). These items can really cost and the factories do not EAT costs. A new model with these features MAY fall more in the $329 range (a wild guess only).

There will be people who want none of those features (many have stated this on this forum) and they may build the units so they only come that way. Then you pay for features you do not want.

That is where the EZ Reader PLUS fills a real niche (perhaps a major one)! The price is very low for a remarkably fast device with a great screen and expansion to hold 8,000 eBooks. So, to me, I would not wait unless someone just has to have Touch and 3G. I loved the older EZ Reader Basic... but this seems to have all that had but made it better with truly useable features with no increase in price!

[AJ Starr]

Personally, I like some hints at what's coming. For instance, I've been wanting to buy more ebooks of my favorite author, but because I heard hints of an ebook store for Astak, I'm waiting to see what you have.

Otherwise, I would have bought elsewhere, and Astak would have lost the sale.

AJ

[polly]

Originally Posted by AJ Starr

Personally, I like some hints at what's coming. For instance, I've been wanting to buy more ebooks of my favorite author, but because I heard hints of an ebook store for Astak, I'm waiting to see what you have.

Otherwise, I would have bought elsewhere, and Astak would have lost the sale.

AJ

Agreed. Because I like what I've seen of the A6 and Astak, I'm not as tempted by some of the other new readers coming out. I can wait with my PEz to see if it's as good as it sounds. If I didn't know it was coming, I may well have gotten a Boox or PocketBook by now.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by AJ Starr

Personally, I like some hints at what's coming. For instance, I've been wanting to buy more ebooks of my favorite author, but because I heard hints of an ebook store for Astak, I'm waiting to see what you have.

Otherwise, I would have bought elsewhere, and Astak would have lost the sale.

AJ

Dear AJ:

Yes, I caught hell from the PM about leaking info on the eBook Store website!! He ripped me to shreads and threatened to keep me off the forum. I was trying to get people ready for a great new place to buy eBooks (release due today or tomorrow by the way). I keep telling him that otherwise people just go buy elsewhere and we lose the sales.

Hints can work to build a initial rush for our store and to make members aware that we ARE listening to them. After CES we had precious little new to say. Threads were seering few posts and interest was fading. After a small hint about the eBook Store that one thread drew 200 posts in 48 hours! I am NOT all about raising the level of posts... but it did draw a lot of new posters.

I thank you for your post!! This new site will be worth your wait!!

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

There are two EZ Reader Basic's on eBay for $175-190. These are the asking prices, but it seems likely you could net ~$150 towards a new device. I'm not convinced that it is worth upgrading from a V3 to a V3+, but the V3+ is definitely a more competitive Reader for 1st time buyers. We don't know what the A6 will cost, but it is likely to be a better upgrade to a EZ Reader Basic.

The EZ Reader Basic can take the alternative OS OpenInkpot and other specially modified firmware like Tirwal. This can make a continuing market for the original V3 for a while.

Dale

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by polly

Agreed. Because I like what I've seen of the A6 and Astak, I'm not as tempted by some of the other new readers coming out. I can wait with my PEz to see if it's as good as it sounds. If I didn't know it was coming, I may well have gotten a Boox or PocketBook by now.

Dear Polly:

I appreciate your post!

The PM is right to some extent... competitors and our factories read these posts daily. The competition takes our ideas and tries to beat us to the punch. The factory raises holy hell that I am a problem. I PRAY they will see I understand fully how they worry... but I LOVE their products and am their biggest fan! I am trying to make our sales grow and their profit grow. Instead of a threat... I wish they would see me as a asset to growing interest and keeping people aware of what is coming.

I KNOW that I cannot give away much info... and so I use hints to let members know what will come and that waiting will be worth the wait. Otherwise, things get boring on a forum where nothing is ever happening. This Astak Dedicated Forum has an incredible loyalty to it. It is a loyalty from Astak to its end users and loyalty in return.

Your post makes me feel better!!

[rleguillow]

Wow, AJ. That demonstrates massive self-control. I can see waiting on a book reader, but waiting on books?!? Very hard to do, very hard. Couldn't do that myself!

[rleguillow]

Of course (trying to put myself in the PM's shoes now), one doesn't want to look like a certain very big software company, announcing software that mysteriously doesn't show up for a Very Long Time.

ALL of us are eagerly awaiting the info about the ebook site, Robert. The teasing has gone on long enough!

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by rleguillow

Of course (trying to put myself in the PM's shoes now), one doesn't want to look like a certain very big software company, announcing software that mysteriously doesn't show up for a Very Long Time.

ALL of us are eagerly awaiting the info about the ebook site, Robert. The teasing has gone on long enough!

Dear rleguillow:

Agreed!! Even the best intentioned hints and teasing needs to lead to something. It will. We will check with the webmaster (who is in Taiwan) tonight (Taiwan's morning). We think it is ready; but he may need more "back-end" work. Back-end means the mechanical side where you push an icon and something happens. God Willing, he will feel he is done and we can GO Thursday!

Now, once launched, my function on this Astak Dedicated Forum will become as much about that eBook Store as it is now about our devices. SO... you are going to see a lot about both and I hope it will not confuse. I am still going to be here for devices like always... but now I will be posting on everything from Improvements to eBook Store Site to Authors to latest Titles. The PM really wants me to make this site successful and that means my job will double on this forum.

That is good for all of you as eBook Readers and eBooks go hand-in-hand. Just be aware that some threads are going to pop up that are purely eBook related. I will likely have our new eBook Intern (job will likely go full-time soon) join in too. Her name is JenniferA and we will get her started next week.

Expect a lot to be happening!

[AJ Starr]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear rleguillow:



That is good for all of you as eBook Readers and eBooks go hand-in-hand. Just be aware that some threads are going to pop up that are purely eBook related. I will likely have our new eBook Intern (job will likely go full-time soon) join in too. Her name is JenniferA and we will get her started next week.

Expect a lot to be happening!

You could always use the book smilies to indicate the threads with info on the bookstore..

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by AJ Starr

You could always use the book smilies to indicate the threads with info on the bookstore..

Dear AJ:

I will do this!! Your idea is great; and it will really help. By the way, Jennifer (new Intern) will be posting reviews and other info about the site and what people want and I will have her do this also. Jennifer is going to be long term (so do not let the "Intern" label fool you). She is an incredible writer, reads continuously, loves eBooks, had her own Kindle (OH, NO) but is switching to our Astak, and has written columns for newspapers and blogs and even short novels. Jennifer will be an enormous asset to the new eBook Store. She starts Monday.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Robertb

... Thank God it looks like I will get permission today to stop saying "this certain eBook Site" and tell people it is open and where to go. ...

So...

[AlexGrant]

Jennifer and Robert = Lois Lane and Clark Kent, new Superman's team.

[Hitchcockfan]

Hi Robert,

This new EZ Reader PLUS sounds like it has great possibilities. I've been researching, deciding, reconsidering and researching some more the various e-readers in the marketplace. I'm fairly certain I want a six-inch screen.

I guess my question is how likely is it for the PLUS model (and possibly others) to reach the marketplace in the next couple of months? When I was researching BeBook and Astak readers, there was a reference to the PLUS model in 2008.

http://www.itechnews.net/2008/10/01/...-ebook-reader/

At the time, it was expected to be released in 2009. Do you foresee any further delays in the PLUS model release? I know many companies are extending their original release dates by several weeks (or months). The PLUS reader meets all my requirements for an e-reader (and then some). Also, when will details of the new models be available on the Astak Web site?

Thanks, Robert!

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Hitchcockfan

Hi Robert,

This new EZ Reader PLUS sounds like it has great possibilities. I've been researching, deciding, reconsidering and researching some more the various e-readers in the marketplace. I'm fairly certain I want a six-inch screen.

I guess my question is how likely is it for the PLUS model (and possibly others) to reach the marketplace in the next couple of months? When I was researching BeBook and Astak readers, there was a reference to the PLUS model in 2008.

http://www.itechnews.net/2008/10/01/...-ebook-reader/

At the time, it was expected to be released in 2009. Do you foresee any further delays in the PLUS model release? I know many companies are extending their original release dates by several weeks (or months). The PLUS reader meets all my requirements for an e-reader (and then some). Also, when will details of the new models be available on the Astak Web site?

Thanks, Robert!

Dear Hitchcock Fan:

This industry changes in a few brief seconds. However, the delay on most other models is due to a gltch on the new SIPix screens! They will be marvelous when they are produced... but no word yet on when.

The PLUS will use the PVI screen... just like the one on the Pocket PRO and the existing EZ Reader Basic. As such, there should be no delay. At least that is what I am hearing.