The World's Most Expensive Sony Reader Box: A Review

[NatCh]

By now many of you have noticed yvanleterrible’s new Avatar, and may be interested in knowing a bit more about it.

Back around the end of October, Yvan asked me if I’d be willing to review a box if he went ahead and built one. I said I’d be willing if he wanted to do so. On Monday, December 4th the prototype arrived.

Before I go too far, I need to point out clearly that this is a prototype, and has a (surprisingly) few prototype-related issues. These are primarily a result of the fact that it was built entirely from measurements that were transmitted over e-mail. Yvan, being in Canada, has not yet seen a Reader for himself (since Sony, in its wisdom, has not yet launched the Reader there -- something that we all hope will change shortly). It’s really tough to build something to fit an object that you’ve never seen for yourself, so please keep that in mind as you read. Also, since I’m the one who took the measurements for him, I claim the lion’s share of responsibility for any faults that came from them. I’m also fully confident that Yvan will be able to fully resolve those faults in future builds (we’re working to fine tune the measurements) -- that's part of what prototypes are for, after all.

Also Yvan specifically requested that I make it clear that this is very much a luxury item. It’s pretty pricey at $384 ($310 without lighting), but it’s also extremely nice.

Okay, on to the box itself. My only coherent thought for the first five minutes or so after opening the packaging was a constant refrain of “It’s be-yu-tee-ful!” The box is a gorgeous piece of work, made of Zebrano wood with Blackwood accents its appearance is quite striking (see attached pictures, please). The finish on the box is a nice lacquer, and the form of it is very pleasant to look at and to hold, with flowing rounded corners and edges that are a joy to the touch. The overall construction is very tight, and the joining work is excellent. I’m not a professional woodworker, but my father was in a former life, and I watched him enough growing up to know good work when I see it, and this is very good work, indeed.

The lid’s pin and socket latch closes with a satisfying, muted click, which reassures that it will stay that way. The lining of the prototype is black felt (there’s been some discussion of adding strategically placed neoprene in the future). Running along each of the left and right edges of the lid are two LED “track lights” (ten LEDs in all, five on either edge) which do a marvelous job of lighting the screen with minimal glare -- the trick is to get the lid’s angle to the rest of the box just right (it’s a bit off in the attached pictures). The lighting is controlled by a sliding switch as well as a switch that turns the lights off automatically when the lid is closed, which reduces drain on the batteries -- just get the lid closed before dozing off completely. The lights are powered by AAA batteries, so they should last a good while on a set, and I’ve noticed no dimming in a week of use. The batteries are behind a screw-down cover in the prototype, but Yvan has plans to change that to something easier to deal with in future boxes.

The felt on the inside of the lid is a nice double-thick piece that adds an extra layer of protection for the screen. The Reader sits in the base of the box between two contoured “stabilizers” which keep it from moving around in the box. This is the first prototype issue that I’d like to comment on, and it’s a result of the difficulty of getting accurate measurements from Houston to Montreal. The stabilizers allow about 1/16th of an inch too much play side to side and top to bottom, they also could be a bit taller relative to the Reader’s thickness. Yvan is looking into lining them with neoprene to provide more ‘grab’ on the Reader itself, and as I said, we’re working on getting better measurements. As it is, I’ve found a bit of sticky-backed Velcro grabs the felt nicely to hold the Reader firmly in place.

That really is the only fit drawback I’ve seen with the box, given more accurate measurements, I’m quite confident it will be entirely resolved.

The box also includes connection points for a shoulder/neck strap. The ones you see in the pictures are not the ones that Yvan intends to use long-term, but they were available when he needed them on short notice, so take that into account.

I’ve been using the box for about a week now, so I think I’ve got a reasonably good feel for it. Far and away the most useful aspect of the box is the lighting. I found that if I put the Reader “upside-down” in the box (with the base of the Reader toward the hinges) then the lid makes an excellent reading stand for lying in bed. The lights illuminate the screen fully, and, as I mentioned, with very little glare (right at the edges of the corners). When I get ready to doze off, I just close the lid, the lights turn off automatically, and I let the Reader turn itself off on its own schedule (an hour). I can set the box aside without needing to worry about anything else. Including missing the night table, which brings me to the next best thing about the box, it’s very good protection for the Reader. When closed, the Reader is surrounded on all sides by nice, sturdy wood. No need to worry about the screen, or drops from reasonable heights. Of course such drops may do undesirable things to the wood, but the Reader ought to be fine. Note that I did not go tossing it about to test this.

I also found the box to be nice for reading in a seated position where I can rest it on a desk/table top, or in my lap. The extra width that the box adds around the edges of the Reader actually makes the page buttons (all 3 of them) much more comfortable for me to reach. Results on this point will naturally vary with hand size.

On the down-side, the box is fairly heavy, which makes reading with it unsupported (standing or walking, for example) rather less than optimal. It’s made of wood, and wood has to be thicker (and thus, heavier) than plastic or metal to get an equivalent degree of strength. Yvan was able to suggest a couple of techniques with a neck strap that mitigated this problem a good deal. One approach was to use the neck strap with the Reader upside-down in the case again, so that the lid rests against the chest, this let the weight be mainly on the strap. The approach that worked best (but requires a longer strap) is to cross the strap in an X under the base of the box, and then run the sides of the strap to either side of the open lid, and then around the neck. This supports almost all of the weight on the strap, and requires only a gentle bit of control grip to keep the box from moving around too much, keeping a thumb on the page buttons worked just fine for this.

The only other issue I ran into was with the hinge screws. They wanted to back out with the opening and closing of the lid. This was addressed easily enough by putting a very small amount of plain white glue on the threads, tightening the screws down where I wanted them, and letting it set for a few hours. That prevents the screws from backing up, but isn’t strong enough to be a problem if you decide for some reason that you want them out again later. Yvan is also looking at alternatives for this, but as it is, it’s quite manageable for the willing.

Overall, my impression of this box is extremely favorable, but I’ve tried to touch equally on what seem to me to be the points of interest and concern, so that you get a good balanced look at the box. My conclusion is that If you’re looking for a true ‘Cadillac’ carrying case, this one could very well be what you’re looking for.

As always, I’ll be glad to answer any questions y’all might have, and I imagine that Yvan just might be willing to comment on some of the more specific details.


P.S. I want to add a couple more pix to show the fit on the ends better (my first ones came out blurry), but I wanted to go ahead and get this up today, so look for a couple-few more pix later tonight or tomorrow. Done -- should've noted it before.

[NatCh]

D'oh! I should have mentioned above that Yvan is open to considering a similar box for iLiads (if anyone is interested), and is working on developing a simpler design that would be lower cost.

Sorry 'bout that.

[Bob Russell]

It looks spectacular to me! I think "Cadillac" might even be an understatement...

[diabloNL]

Damn! That's a piece of art! Very nice indeed. Also a nice review Nathan!

[TadW]

GORGEOUS!

[HarryT]

That's VERY nice indeed, Yvan. I notice that this is a prototype - when would you expect the "finished product" to be available? I'm extremely interested in getting one!

[yvanleterrible]

Thanks for the support and compliments guys!

I'll start a run next week. Thanks to NatCh's help, all moot points have been addressed and fixed. Anyone interested, send a PM or look up my coords.

An Iliad or any other eink can be "housed" too!

[HarryT]

Could you clarify - are the prices Nathan quoted in US$ or Canadian $?

[tcv]

It's amazing, yvan! I imagine you could start a cottage industry with these things, making them for all sorts of devices.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Could you clarify - are the prices Nathan quoted in US$ or Canadian $?

Here on this site, everything is in USD even the site's time code,

@TCV Woodworking is my life, more than cottage industry, garage industry!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Here on this site, everything is in USD even the site's time code,

Damn!

[Solan0]

It is indeed the world's most expensive box, way too expensive......let me do the conversion to Canadian $ hmm.... 358 (without lights). But the idea is very nice.

[tcv]

Um, Solan0, it's quite obvious this is priceless.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by Solan0

It is indeed the world's most expensive box, way too expensive......let me do the conversion to Canadian $ hmm.... 358 (without lights). But the idea is very nice.

Hi neighbour!

You're right it is expensive. This is the basis of an eternal debate between man and machine. This box was made by hand with the aid of hand guided machines. I'm an artisan. I don't have a mehanized plant like electronics manufacturers. A man is paid for his work, a machine is not.

Facts about this particular box. It took 30 hours to build and around 50 to design. I don't know what kind of work you do but count up your time and i'm sure you will blow these figures. I had to learn about LEDs and related techniques to assemble and spent around $500 for tooling knives welding equipment and various paraphernalia. The box itself has about $75 worth of materials, I don't have special prices for bulk purchases. Ex: I bought my LEDs at $4.99 each, you can get them at $0.85 each if you buy 100.

The price I set was with doing several boxes at a time, using jigs. I figure around 12 hours each at $25/an hour, (I have overhead too) shops around here charge between $40-$50.

Yes it is expensive but when you have it in your hands, in the darkness with it's lights on...it's all worth it!

[Bob Russell]

A few more questions about this very cool and very expensive box that I dream about buying, even though I probably won't...
* How much more would shipping/tax/etc add to the price?
* Can you switch the light off with the sliding switch, or just dim the lights?
* How heavy is it?
* Do you need to stick velcro on the back of the Sony Reader for the box to hold it well?

(Sorry if they were covered already and I didn't read through the thread carefully enough.)

BTW, it's too bad that they can't be on display at places like the Hollywood Sony Style or Borders... gotta figure the rich and famous would grab one and not even blink at the cost!

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

A few more questions about this very cool and very expensive box that I dream about buying, even though I probably won't...
* How much more would shipping/tax/etc add to the price?
* Can you switch the light off with the sliding switch, or just dim the lights?
* How heavy is it?
* Do you need to stick velcro on the back of the Sony Reader for the box to hold it well?

(Sorry if they were covered already and I didn't read through the thread carefully enough.)

BTW, it's too bad that they can't be on display at places like the Hollywood Sony Style or Borders... gotta figure the rich and famous would grab one and not even blink at the cost!

Thanks for your interest Bob!
Shipping depends of the distance you live from Montreal. Houston cost $23. I have no idea about US taxes. A good carrier like Fedex usually can help with this. And I add $5.00 for boxing.
There are two switches onboard. One is manual and the other is a cover controlled failsafe. As soon as you close the cover everything's off.
I weighs about a kilo boxed(2.2lbs)
The finished box has a felt covered metal bracket maintaining the top. When I get a reader for measurements I will add a sliding pin that will enter the lanyard slot and lock there. The reader will be maintained in even if you flip the box while it is upside down, while open.

I'd like to be rich too but it won't be with this project!

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

* How heavy is it?

The box (with Reader) is about the same weight as the Harry Potter #6 hardback.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Really nice, Yvan!

Regarding the comment about weight... there may be other choices of woods that will provide beauty and strength, but with lighter weight. Bamboo can be very attractive, and it's a very renewable resource!

Also, I realize your forte may be woodworking, but perhaps composite materials could also provide a nice shell. I've heard a lot in the last decade about creating faux-wood objects using crushed walnut shells mixed in a paste (of what, I don't remember). Advantages are, you're recycling waste walnut shells, not chopping down trees (not that that's really at issue here), you're working with molds instead of shaping wood, and variations in the mix can result in different "wood" appearances and textures.

Just throwing that out...

[yvanleterrible]

I have to share why I did this project.

First, The protective dad in me was surprised by the fact so many people wanted lighting and wanted to try my hand at it and fix it.

Second, protecting something so precious to our affections ie. a tool for reading. I tried to figure out a way to carry it a well.

Third, the worst, totally egotistical, I wanted one for myself...when Sony decides to... This is why I'm not bothered by the initial investment. I can just imagine what it cost SONY for theirs in the R&D of the reader.

There is a box in the works that will be more affordable.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Really nice, Yvan!

Regarding the comment about weight... there may be other choices of woods that will provide beauty and strength, but with lighter weight. Bamboo can be very attractive, and it's a very renewable resource!

Also, I realize your forte may be woodworking, but perhaps composite materials could also provide a nice shell. I've heard a lot in the last decade about creating faux-wood objects using crushed walnut shells mixed in a paste (of what, I don't remember). Advantages are, you're recycling waste walnut shells, not chopping down trees (not that that's really at issue here), you're working with molds instead of shaping wood, and variations in the mix can result in different "wood" appearances and textures.

Just throwing that out...

Good comments Steve.
First, as an environmently concious person I have Bamboo in high regard. Unfortunately it can not be used in such a project because of size. It has to be laminated and there are stability issues.

Second, plastics are the only materials rigid and light enough to replace woods. A plastic box could be quite nice.

Third, composites are much heavyer than woods because of density, all these crushed particles are responsible. Wood is an organized structure of empty cells formerly filled with water and liquid nutrients, they keep their shape after drying. The worst thing in composites is the glue that binds things, it is made of urea formaldehyde which is very toxic. Think it over when you buy something made of MDF or presswood. If they could be made in a better way I'd be the first to use them. But this is not the place to discuss such things!

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

True... I was just thinking about the weight issue. I didn't realize all laminates were that heavy compared to woods. (That's what happens when you skip high school woodworking classes to take drafting, I guess...)

[yvanleterrible]

That's OK Steve.

In our willingness to preserve nature we (society)take steps that are not necessarily in the "better" direction. We depend on biased industry studies to make such decision. When we wake up, these companies are gone, their owners rich, and large chunks of nature are gone forever. Wood is naturally repleted; the only responsible thing to be done is to maintain a use in accordance with its ecology, every part of it.

[Leaping Gnome]

Natch or yvan, can you please post measurements of the box? I'm curious how much bigger it makes the reader. From the pictures it looks like there is quite a bit of "dead" felt around the edges, is there a reason for that?

Also, is the one in yvan's avatar the same as Natch took pictures of? yvan's looks much richer, a more natural woodtone, Natch's looks more banded with the black grain standing out much more. Are you planning to use different woods yvan?

Does the lid stay "up" on it's own, or must it be held/balanced in some way?

[NatCh]

I'm in a training class today, or I'd measure it right now, I'll try to do this when I get home tonight (made a note in my Pilot ), that is, if Yvan hasn't already posted them in the meantime.

The lid does stay up on it's own pretty well, when the hinge screws are tensioned properly (see the note in the review about these screws & white glue for more details).

The extra width is necessary for structural strength, 'cause wood requires more thickness for the same amount of strength compared to metal or plastic.

The box in Yvan's avatar is indeed the same one, the differences in appearance are most likely due to differences in lighting, camera and the the photographer himself. If you like Yvan's avatar better, then clearly he's the better photographer.

[yvanleterrible]

The difference in tone and colour is based on the fact that I don't use flashes. I rely on longer exposure times. It's the only way I could photograph acurately the box under it's own lighting. Also the use of a black backdrop is a huge help for the camera's adjustments. Having done my site, I've been delving in photography for some time and I've photographed my furniture for about 25 odd years with all types of cameras. In my craft photos are a big marketing must. The two black stripes are a different wood, grenadille or blackwood.

There are several reasons for the size. NatCh pointed out structural strength which is the more important. Then there is space for the tracklights(just over the dead felt that keeps the reader from moving), the battery compartment, hinging mechanism and closure system. The rest is for visual aspect, mainly for the "ovalesque" shape to take place without infringing on solidity of structure.
The measurements are 10 3/8" long by 7 1/2" wide by 7/8" thick for this box. Production ones will be 9 7/8" long, the others the same.

[nerys]

Would you entertain a different custom design ? Although not right now (broke) a short while in the future I would like to get a box made but I want something much smaller (IE not much bigger than the reader itself) but that is VERY strong (ie resistant to crushing to protect the screen) Mahogany would be dreamy but I am not sure how well mahogany does "thin"

Very very cool work man! I might even try my own hand at making one!

and that wood is phenomenal !

Chris Taylor
http://www.nerys.com/

[yvanleterrible]

Well! I've built a few more…

Here is a picture showing some new colors. These are the natural colors of the woods I feature. I hate stains, they don't repair well, which defeats durability. All of them feature Blackwood or Granadillo as the accent strip and the track lights.

In order at the top left is Mexican purpleheart (Peltogyne spp.)
Top right is African Mahogany (Khaya Ivorensis)
Lower left is the Zebrano you've already seen.
Lower center is Satinee or Bloodwood (Brosimum Paraence)
And lower right American Walnut (Juglans Nigra)

I have made some changes to the battery compartment. It now comes out by inserting both your indexes on top where the safe switch is and pulling towards you. The little battery box is fitted with springed berrings at each end that serve also as the contacts. When it's out, on it's right side you remove the two tiny screws (with a #0 flat screwdriver)of the copper top to have access to three AAA batteries. Of course and of preference, you can use rechargeables.

I felt that the box being wood it needed an organic touch, so I have upgraded the strap to two leather beauties. A short one that can serve as a handle and the other one as a shoulder tote. Both of them can easily be removed by loosening two polished brass screws.

To me the best improvement is the fact that the reader is better maintained in place by powerful 3/8"rare earth magnets. I've placed two pair in relation to the position you choose to put the Reader in. And I've groved holes for the reader's little feet at the right places.

One of the pictures shows you the box opened on it's back lighted only on it's own power. I got to tell you it's a great reading experience…In that configuration you can, with the longer strap around your neck, read standing up with the box partly resting on your lower chest. It won't stay by itself but it will take most of the weight off your hands. And of course as in the picture. You can read flat on your back without holding the reader, but you can't go far past 90 degrees cause it'll start to tilt towards you. In this position there is absolutely no glare from the LEDs.

The problem with the backthreading of the tension in the hinge screws has been easily fixed. The longer(for more friction) insert nut was epoxied in place and the polished brass screws have been 'loctited' with a medium strength compound. No trouble up to date.
The new size is : 7.5" wide by 9.75" long by.875" thick and weigh is 22 to 32 oz.(depending on type of wood) with included AAA alcaline batteries and straps.

[NatCh]

Very, nice, Yvan! Using the spring-loaded ball bearings for the battery contacts is particularly clever.

It does, indeed, look like you've covered all the issues we found in the prototype.

[yvanleterrible]

A funny thing happened yesterday.

After a good shower late evening I decided to go up and read with a lighted box because I assumed my wife was sound asleep. I slipped in my pajamas, strapped a box over my shoulder so I could feed the cats and got up to the room. But my wife was not yet sleeping. She turned around to look at me, stalled, smiled and broke into a laugh. I asked what was so funny. She managed to pause long enough to say .
"You look like doctor McCoy with your blue shirt and your tricorder!"

[Leaping Gnome]

I'm suprised the magnets that large/strong don't mess with the Reader. I thought flash memory like SD/memory stick was susceptible to magnetic fields like hard drives?

[yvanleterrible]

Sony put magnets inside the reader themselves. I thought too that magnets might interfere but there is no effect so far. If they do it what keeps us? This reader is not as fragile as a computer, electronics wise. The softest part is the screen.

[Fitzwaryn]

Nice idea. I had been thinking of some kind of wood case but I've been too busy using the Reader to put too much thought into fabricating one. Since I'm an experienced woodworker the fabrication won't be much of a problem.

I have some well aged cherry in my shop that I've been waiting to find a good use for. Looks like I may have just found a use. lol

[Azayzel]

I hope there is a way you can protect your intellectual property, otherwise some unethical entrepreneur might swipe your idea and mass-market it using cheap materials and the power of bulk-purchase. That would totally suck, but there are companies out there that would do such a thing and not blink twice.

Great idea and looks beautiful, awesome job!

PS You should follow-up on Bob's idea about contacting someone state-side with Borders or Sony about inserting some display models, at the very least you could market it to the vendors for impressive display cases.

[yvanleterrible]

Funny you should mention this. In woodworking there is a philosophy going around that every design belongs to everybody. It's easy to understand. There is no copyright on Colonial, Chippendale, Queen Ann etc. Since styles and designs are so numerous, it is easy to find plans and even help in building just about anything. The only protection woodworkers get is by three ways. Distance from buyers, level of skills and tooling availability. Even if I gave my plans away, which I will if asked, there are few woodworkers around who could build these boxes, as they are. Woodworkers are also a proud, pernickety bunch, and there is nothing in a design that they can't change for a better result. This makes it a dog eat dog market. There are no serious protection organizations for us like in the building trade, even if it takes more time to learn our trade than most others. Any kid with a tablesaw and a clothes iron can say he's a cabinetmaker, and he might be, but there is no way to properly evaluate a craftsman than to feel his work under your fingers.

Because of all this we are taking a beating by the asian markets. They have even worse wages and tougher work days akin to slavery, but this is what makes them perform in our 'buy cheap' economy. And they make a damn good product.

An other point to underline is that we all have an uncle, father or relative that works wood at retirement. They have a bigger incidence on the market that we think.

For a north american woodworker to make it today, he has to work long hours next to the poverty line, have niche markets or make a signature name for himself. If someone moves in my niche, I offer better products or create an other one. To be a woodworker full time you have to be very creative and agnowlege that you can't capture your market like authors, inventors ... and lawyers

[Kosst Amojan]

"You look like doctor McCoy with your blue shirt and your tricorder!"

"I'm a carpenter, not a doctor!"

[Bob Russell]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

You look like doctor McCoy with your blue shirt and your tricorder!

That reminds me of a variation on a old gag. You could put a picture of an x-ray on the screen and turn it off. Then for fun, you show off it's "capabilities" by pulling it out of the box, placing it on someone's arm at the same location, and hitting the power switch. Up comes an image of an x-ray of the person's arm. (Yeah, I was silly even when I was a child.) ;-)

As far as magnetism affecting the SD card, I doubt it does, especially of the type in the Reader case we are talking about. Here's some indications, but I didn't find real evidence.

http://www.pcuser.com.au/pcuser/hs2....256D8F00157283
http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/noteboo...9346329,00.htm
http://www.dansdata.com/flashcomp.htm

"Flash RAM" storage devices are shockproof (well, at least as shockproof as the average digital watch, anyway), dustproof, immune to magnetic fields, and really small, too.

[Leaping Gnome]

Oh ok, thanks Bob, didn't know flash was immune. I know the put very small weak magnets in their standard cover, but the ones yvan are using sounded stronger. Good to know.

[JRAWKER]

If that was lighter...I would buy it. Alas its wood.

[Mitchll]

I just received my box from Yvan. Magnificant work. I can hardly wait to get home and try it out..more later

Mitchll

[CCDMan]

I would be interested in what LEDs you used and how you wired and controlled them. I am a woodworker myself with a complete shop so I may build something similar.

.....That is once I finish (ironically), a 10 foot long glass door built-in BOOKCASE (you know, for those paper things <g>) that is going into our remodel.....