A manufacturer wants your opinion on 9.7" device features - Page 4

JSWolf · 06-08-2010, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kralikba

As current e-Ink displays have a very slow response time, I'm pretty sure that a touch screen for clicking links etc. is a must to replace a graphic cursor.

The next generation eink screens are going to have a higher contrast and be faster.

JSWolf · 06-08-2010, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tiggers7652

I need a BACK LIGHT. I read mainly at night and hate those clip on lights. A back light with the option to adjust the light is needed. Multiple formats, SD card slot.

A backlight is not possible with eink screens. The light is unable to pass through.

SplogSplog · 06-08-2010, 09:39 AM

As with many people, none of those options are interesting to me. Here are the top ten I would like in a big-screen reader. Any device with all these features would have me buy it immediately (so long as it was less than, say, US$1000)

1: Instant on and off (i.e. sub-second "boot time" and "shutdown time")
2: Long battery life (thousands of page turns when in use, or many weeks when switched off)
3: PDF support, including continuous page flow, and the ability to view in portrait or landscape
4: Annotations (i.e. scribbling with a stylus) and ideally the ability to export the original document back to a computer with the annotations in place (with an option to include only those pages that are annotated!)
5: Not back-lit, or with the option to turn back-lighting off
6: Very fast page turns (ideally less than 0.5 seconds)
7: Very fast "panning" for moving around large pages (ideally a tiny fraction of a second)
8: Great zoom in and out capabilities (something like the pinch movement on the iPhone)
09: No requirement that I buy documents through some "store", instead the device should appear like a folder on my computer, with drag and drop capabilities
10: Open source OS, so the user community can make enhancements

Moejoe · 06-08-2010, 09:41 AM

Colour and Wifi. I've replaced all my fiction and some non-fiction books already, now I want to replace all the art and architecture books I once had and I need colour for that. Wi-Fi to transfer books. Don't need a movie watcher, a web surfer, an application launcher, a music player, none of those.

cherublace · 06-08-2010, 09:42 AM

More grays. Many times i have trouble on sony touch with grayscale. wish it was darker at times to facilitate reading in darker settings. also a back light is needed, i mean there must be a way to incorporate a back light and have a touch function. lastly must be light. after reading with the sony daily for a week i returned it because i thought my wrist would snap!!!! good luck!!! bring on a better reader!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4Foot · 06-08-2010, 09:57 AM

Sorry, but this looks much more like a feature list for an "xPad" of some kind than an e-reader. The minute you try to make a nicely dedicated piece of technology multi-purpose you are doomed to end up with a chimera that does not do one thing well but many things inadequately.

I would suggest your 'contact' refocus their design goals to one single purpose and do it right.

4Foot

astra · 06-08-2010, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

Most of the options are things that would be useful on a tablet computer, not an ebook reader. Nearly every feature on that list is one meant for doing something other than reading.

I'm with Mr. Ploppy. I want features for reading ebooks. I don't want color. I don't want video, audio, Web browsing, email, and all the rest; I have a netbook for that. I want features to make it a better ebook reader, not a half-assed computer. I want to read books. Oh, and I hate touch screens, and will not buy one.

What do I want?

a good, crisp e-ink screen
Instant on and off
Long battery life (thousands of page turns when in use)
fast page turns
conveniently located, well-thought-out, and ergonomic controls
plenty of internal memory
good PDF rendering (I don't need annotation)
folders
easy book browsing
a text-based interface*
ability to read any common ebook format and many obscure ones
choice of text size
some means of easily attaching any book light (a fold-out bracket?)

In other words, I want features that improve my experience reading ebooks. That's what I'm buying the thing for. The ability to do things other than reading ebooks is meaningless to me. Having a video player on an ebook reader, for instance, makes as much sense as having a dishwasher in my refrigerator. I want the world's best ebook reader, not the world's most half-assed ebook reader/video player/Web browser/music player/cell phone/PDA/pickle jar.

* Were I an illiterate moron only capable of pointing at pictures, I wouldn't be buying an ebook reader, now, would I?

More or less

I only edited the list a little bit.

P.S. and please NO H/W keyboard similar to Kindle's.

AnemicOak · 06-08-2010, 10:10 AM

Worldwalker has a good list IMO.

In any new device I might buy I'd hope to get the new higher contrast screen.

Latinandgreek · 06-08-2010, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SplogSplog

As with many people, none of those options are interesting to me. Here are the top ten I would like in a big-screen reader. Any device with all these features would have me buy it immediately (so long as it was less than, say, US$1000)

1: Instant on and off (i.e. sub-second "boot time" and "shutdown time")
2: Long battery life (thousands of page turns when in use, or many weeks when switched off)
3: PDF support, including continuous page flow, and the ability to view in portrait or landscape
4: Annotations (i.e. scribbling with a stylus) and ideally the ability to export the original document back to a computer with the annotations in place (with an option to include on those pages that are annotated!)
5: Not back-lit, or with the option to turn back-lighting off
6: Very fast page turns (ideally less than 0.5 seconds)
7: Very fast "panning" for moving around large pages (ideally a tiny fraction of a second)
8: Great zoom in and out capabilities (something like the pinch movement on the iPhone)
09: No requirement that I buy documents through some "store", instead the device should appear like a folder on my computer, with drag and drop capabilities
10: Open source OS, so the user community can make enhancements

Great list!

Use of the stylus and dictionary (and the ability to add more dictionaries) would top my list, wi-fi and an internet browser would be great but I could definitely live without them. A touch screen would be great, I would probably prefer the wacom touch-screens over something that is more user-friendly but degrades the screen contrast. I don't really need a colour screen, but a colour e-paper screen would probably be a nice extra for me. The MOST important feature for me would be the ability to handle PDFs well, and the ability to annotate them and export the annotations.

CyGuy · 06-08-2010, 10:43 AM

SDHC card reader built in (or SDXC)
Full PDF support, reflow etc.

dsvick · 06-08-2010, 10:59 AM

I voted for: wifi, 3G, touch screen, stylus (it makes it much easier to select words), dictionary, and document search.

Things that I would have selected if they were on the list would be:
ability to make notes/annotations
SD/micro SD card slot
ability to create and manage folders on the reader itself without having to use a PC
ability to add/edit metadata for the books on the reader itself

Things that would be ok, but not essential:
color screen
music player
games

Since we are talking dedicated reader, the definite no-nos would be:
web browser
email checker
video player

Catire · 06-08-2010, 11:01 AM

I chose: Wifi, Touch Screen, Email, Document Search, Dictionary, OPDS and everything Worldwalker said minus hating touch screen with an affordable price

SameOldStory · 06-08-2010, 11:05 AM

I have a reader that I am happy with. It's light, easy to hold, battery lasts a long time, and is just great to read on.

That said, I would like something larger than 8 inches with color for other uses. If it can be used to read, that too would be fine. But I would not use it as a primary reader.

PS- Gorilla Glass. If I'm going to spend a significant amount of money I want something like Gorilla Glass.

J. Strnad · 06-08-2010, 11:19 AM

I don't need any of those things. A built-in dictionary would be nice, though.

I Googled OPDS and found out that it's an "Offshore Petroleum Discharge System." I can understand why this sort of device is on people's minds these days, but I don't need one on an ebook reader. I think it would add a lot of bulk and probably about $500,000 to the price tag.

SameOldStory · 06-08-2010, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Strnad

I don't need any of those things. A built-in dictionary would be nice, though.

I Googled OPDS and found out that it's an "Offshore Petroleum Discharge System." I can understand why this sort of device is on people's minds these days, but I don't need one on an ebook reader. I think it would add a lot of bulk and probably about $500,000 to the price tag.

The Open Publication Distribution System (OPDS) Wiki

View Poll Results: What features are required for a 9.7’’ e-reader ?
Wifi	378	64.40%
3G	121	20.61%
Touch screen	334	56.90%
Stylus	196	33.39%
Color screen	213	36.29%
Email	125	21.29%
Web Browser	231	39.35%
Document search	393	66.95%
Dictionary	413	70.36%
Music player	84	14.31%
Video player	58	9.88%
OPDS compatibility	104	17.72%
Just show me the results	28	4.77%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 587. You may not vote on this poll

06-08-2010, 09:39 AM	#48
SplogSplog Connoisseur Posts: 52 Karma: 336 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Prague Device: Irex DR1000S	As with many people, none of those options are interesting to me. Here are the top ten I would like in a big-screen reader. Any device with all these features would have me buy it immediately (so long as it was less than, say, US$1000) 1: Instant on and off (i.e. sub-second "boot time" and "shutdown time") 2: Long battery life (thousands of page turns when in use, or many weeks when switched off) 3: PDF support, including continuous page flow, and the ability to view in portrait or landscape 4: Annotations (i.e. scribbling with a stylus) and ideally the ability to export the original document back to a computer with the annotations in place (with an option to include only those pages that are annotated!) 5: Not back-lit, or with the option to turn back-lighting off 6: Very fast page turns (ideally less than 0.5 seconds) 7: Very fast "panning" for moving around large pages (ideally a tiny fraction of a second) 8: Great zoom in and out capabilities (something like the pinch movement on the iPhone) 09: No requirement that I buy documents through some "store", instead the device should appear like a folder on my computer, with drag and drop capabilities 10: Open source OS, so the user community can make enhancements Last edited by SplogSplog; 06-08-2010 at 10:34 AM.

06-08-2010, 11:05 AM	#58
SameOldStory My True Self Posts: 3,126 Karma: 66242098 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Trantor, Galactic Center Device: Galaxy Tab 2 7.0	I have a reader that I am happy with. It's light, easy to hold, battery lasts a long time, and is just great to read on. That said, I would like something larger than 8 inches with color for other uses. If it can be used to read, that too would be fine. But I would not use it as a primary reader. PS- Gorilla Glass. If I'm going to spend a significant amount of money I want something like Gorilla Glass. Last edited by SameOldStory; 06-08-2010 at 11:09 AM.

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06-08-2010, 09:41 AM	#49
Moejoe Banned Posts: 5,100 Karma: 72193 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South of the Border Device: Coffin	Colour and Wifi. I've replaced all my fiction and some non-fiction books already, now I want to replace all the art and architecture books I once had and I need colour for that. Wi-Fi to transfer books. Don't need a movie watcher, a web surfer, an application launcher, a music player, none of those.

06-08-2010, 09:42 AM	#50
cherublace Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 2135988 Join Date: May 2010 Device: sony PRS-600	More grays. Many times i have trouble on sony touch with grayscale. wish it was darker at times to facilitate reading in darker settings. also a back light is needed, i mean there must be a way to incorporate a back light and have a touch function. lastly must be light. after reading with the sony daily for a week i returned it because i thought my wrist would snap!!!! good luck!!! bring on a better reader!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

06-08-2010, 09:57 AM	#51
4Foot Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Unionville, Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo	Sorry, but this looks much more like a feature list for an "xPad" of some kind than an e-reader. The minute you try to make a nicely dedicated piece of technology multi-purpose you are doomed to end up with a chimera that does not do one thing well but many things inadequately. I would suggest your 'contact' refocus their design goals to one single purpose and do it right. 4Foot

06-08-2010, 10:10 AM	#53
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Worldwalker has a good list IMO. In any new device I might buy I'd hope to get the new higher contrast screen.

06-08-2010, 10:43 AM	#55
CyGuy Avid Reader Posts: 769 Karma: 7777778 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: PocketBook 902, Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, ASUS TF700, and Cybook Gen III	SDHC card reader built in (or SDXC) Full PDF support, reflow etc.

06-08-2010, 10:59 AM	#56
dsvick Wizard Posts: 2,737 Karma: 635747 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Northeast Ohio, USA Device: PRS-900	I voted for: wifi, 3G, touch screen, stylus (it makes it much easier to select words), dictionary, and document search. Things that I would have selected if they were on the list would be: ability to make notes/annotations SD/micro SD card slot ability to create and manage folders on the reader itself without having to use a PC ability to add/edit metadata for the books on the reader itself Things that would be ok, but not essential: color screen music player games Since we are talking dedicated reader, the definite no-nos would be: web browser email checker video player

06-08-2010, 11:01 AM	#57
Catire Lord of the Universe Posts: 670 Karma: 737849 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Maturin , Venezuela Device: Sony Reader PRS-505 / PSP	I chose: Wifi, Touch Screen, Email, Document Search, Dictionary, OPDS and everything Worldwalker said minus hating touch screen with an affordable price

06-08-2010, 11:19 AM	#59
J. Strnad Guru Posts: 915 Karma: 3537194 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo, Kindle 3, Paperwhite	I don't need any of those things. A built-in dictionary would be nice, though. I Googled OPDS and found out that it's an "Offshore Petroleum Discharge System." I can understand why this sort of device is on people's minds these days, but I don't need one on an ebook reader. I think it would add a lot of bulk and probably about $500,000 to the price tag.