Cheaper E-Book Readers ? - Page 3

Kilarney · 08-21-2007, 04:19 PM

I see e-ink readers becoming cheap if they are loss-leaders for an ebook company. For example, I can see Amazon selling a $100 E-Reader. It will be locked down, and you can only read content purchased from Amazon. It's not very different than the wireless phone companies.

As for the Chinese car... see what happens when you have to bring it up to American safety specifications. That adds quite a bit to the cost.

alophind · 08-21-2007, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilarney

I see e-ink readers becoming cheap if they are loss-leaders for an ebook company. For example, I can see Amazon selling a $100 E-Reader. It will be locked down, and you can only read content purchased from Amazon. It's not very different than the wireless phone companies.

As for the Chinese car... see what happens when you have to bring it up to American safety specifications. That adds quite a bit to the cost.

Is the Amazon's eBook based on EInk ?
How long do you think it will take till someone hack it ?
Its the mouse and the cat thing...

Kilarney · 08-21-2007, 04:31 PM

I was just using Amazon as an example - and using a fictitious reader.

As for the Kindle, it remains to be seen what the final price would be. It is an e-ink device, though.

The key for a cheap e-ink device is to have it locked down. Of course this is easier said than done, which might be why we haven't seen any such loss-leaders yet.

NatCh · 08-21-2007, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilarney

The key for a cheap e-ink device is to have it locked down.

Do you mean locked into a subscription model, so that a hardware subsidy can lower the initial price?

If not then I'm not sure I'm following your thinking.

Kilarney · 08-21-2007, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

Do you mean locked into a subscription model, so that a hardware subsidy can lower the initial price?

Yes, that's what I mean.

Liviu_5 · 08-21-2007, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilarney

Yes, that's what I mean.

Tried and failed repeatedly (gemstar, librie); no chance of acceptance by the public

mogui · 08-21-2007, 10:12 PM

Thanks stasys. great link!

Now there is a car from India that is plastic and has a 30 horse engine. It is US$2400. I haven't heard of any export plans. I have heard that China's emissions standards are among the most stringent in the world for new cars. Maybe they don't need modifications to be imported to western countries. As for safety, there are crash test data available. The QQ, for example, is a copy of the Chevy Spark, and does what the Chevy does. Crash safety is usually not an issue where I live because everyone is driving at 20 kph watching to see what the other drivers are going to do next. If you have never seen traffic here it is much like everyone is just driving anywhich direction in an open field. The reason they paint lines on the road and put up those pretty traffic lights is to give people jobs

Kilarney · 08-22-2007, 08:42 AM

I still think that Amazon could make a go of it. They've got the market share.

And sorry to make this thread meta, but at least some Chinese cars have "issues" with crash tests:
http://tinyurl.com/yod5j8

yvanleterrible · 08-22-2007, 08:48 AM

Say mogui! I saw you Chinese made car on autoblog green This is a great site dedicated to greener vehicles. I like it most for the podcasts.
Pity you can't find most of them on the market, I'd go for an electric myself.

mogui · 08-22-2007, 10:57 AM

My daughter has a Prius. I drove it around the western US this spring. It is a great car with many high-tech features. I really like the Mercedes Smart Car too. The Chinese are cloning it, but Chrysler appears willing to fight them on it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Say mogui! I saw you Chinese made car on autoblog green This is a great site dedicated to greener vehicles. I like it most for the podcasts.
Pity you can't find most of them on the market, I'd go for an electric myself.

We sure can hijack a thread, can't we?

NatCh · 08-22-2007, 11:19 AM

Seems more like a carjacking, actually.

mogui · 08-22-2007, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

Seems more like a carjacking, actually.

Actually with cars this small, it is probably a CrackerJacking!

yvanleterrible · 08-22-2007, 11:33 AM

Hey, news are slow and DRM is as prevalent and boring as always, why can't we have a little fun once in a while!

BTW The Smart car is available and popular in Québec. It's been sold here by Mercedes for five years now but it's pricey. I like the mocrodiesel but it would be even better if it were fed on biodiesel. You see quite a lot of them on the roads. They're not that good in snow because the wheel base is different from rear to front. They had an electric model years ago when the company was French, I think there is one still in Switzerland...

Jadon · 08-22-2007, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liviu_5

Tried and failed repeatedly (gemstar, librie); no chance of acceptance by the public

No chance for books, but there might be a chance with newspapers. 365 days of The New York Times runs almost 700 bucks. I'd think that some expensive deals like that could work with a reading device mode, where the savings in postage and paper could subsidize the device, as long as it's not too limited.

astra · 08-22-2007, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mogui

My daughter has a Prius. I drove it around the western US this spring. It is a great car with many high-tech features. I really like the Mercedes Smart Car too. The Chinese are cloning it, but Chrysler appears willing to fight them on it.

We sure can hijack a thread, can't we?

A friend of mine has Prius and he gave me a ride a few times. I don't understand much about cars but it was very impressive considering all the features it has and low petrol consumption.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
A cheaper and better alternative to the E-Luminator2 Book Light	Slydini	Sony Reader	0	06-15-2010 08:15 PM
I found a book cheaper on Sony than Kindle!	jckatz	Sony Reader	11	12-09-2009 04:01 AM
New Dan Brown book, cheaper to buy paper version!	craig_w	News	15	09-20-2009 01:12 PM
Information Week: e-Book Readers Need To Get A Lot Cheaper	ekaser	News	7	09-08-2009 08:35 AM
Ebook readers need to get cheaper	Goshzilla	News	25	05-21-2008 09:45 PM

08-21-2007, 04:19 PM	#31
Kilarney Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	I see e-ink readers becoming cheap if they are loss-leaders for an ebook company. For example, I can see Amazon selling a $100 E-Reader. It will be locked down, and you can only read content purchased from Amazon. It's not very different than the wireless phone companies. As for the Chinese car... see what happens when you have to bring it up to American safety specifications. That adds quite a bit to the cost.

08-21-2007, 04:31 PM	#33
Kilarney Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	I was just using Amazon as an example - and using a fictitious reader. As for the Kindle, it remains to be seen what the final price would be. It is an e-ink device, though. The key for a cheap e-ink device is to have it locked down. Of course this is easier said than done, which might be why we haven't seen any such loss-leaders yet.

08-21-2007, 10:12 PM	#37
mogui eNigma Posts: 503 Karma: 1335 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: The Philippines Device: HTC G1 Android FBReader	Thanks stasys. great link! Now there is a car from India that is plastic and has a 30 horse engine. It is US$2400. I haven't heard of any export plans. I have heard that China's emissions standards are among the most stringent in the world for new cars. Maybe they don't need modifications to be imported to western countries. As for safety, there are crash test data available. The QQ, for example, is a copy of the Chevy Spark, and does what the Chevy does. Crash safety is usually not an issue where I live because everyone is driving at 20 kph watching to see what the other drivers are going to do next. If you have never seen traffic here it is much like everyone is just driving anywhich direction in an open field. The reason they paint lines on the road and put up those pretty traffic lights is to give people jobs

08-22-2007, 08:42 AM	#38
Kilarney Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	I still think that Amazon could make a go of it. They've got the market share. And sorry to make this thread meta, but at least some Chinese cars have "issues" with crash tests: http://tinyurl.com/yod5j8

08-22-2007, 08:48 AM	#39
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Say mogui! I saw you Chinese made car on autoblog green This is a great site dedicated to greener vehicles. I like it most for the podcasts. Pity you can't find most of them on the market, I'd go for an electric myself.

08-22-2007, 11:19 AM	#41
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Seems more like a carjacking, actually.

08-22-2007, 11:33 AM	#43
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Hey, news are slow and DRM is as prevalent and boring as always, why can't we have a little fun once in a while! BTW The Smart car is available and popular in Québec. It's been sold here by Mercedes for five years now but it's pricey. I like the mocrodiesel but it would be even better if it were fed on biodiesel. You see quite a lot of them on the roads. They're not that good in snow because the wheel base is different from rear to front. They had an electric model years ago when the company was French, I think there is one still in Switzerland...