More constructive postings about the Iliad!

[chrisv5]

I think it would be helpful if iRex would give an example of good will by removing their false claims from their web site. People might be a bit less infuriated then.

It is one thing to be (very) late with delivering promises. It is quite a different thing that some weeks ago they started to simply claim that the features have been implemented already.

As long as the lies (it is about time to use the appropriate word) remain on their website, I take the liberty to keep repeating my complaints. As for statements like "it is your fault when you believe them instead of googling the Internet"... this is simply ridiculous. Sorry!

[firekat]

Removing false claims from their website might be well and good but that does nothing to satisfy the people that bought the devices with the intent of utilizing the originally stated capabilities. Please tell me how you can justify that out of existence.

When I am at work I use the iLiad with regularity. It is an improvement in some ways, a hassle in others. It would be difficult to replace right now as it keeps the bulk of paper documentation that I have to carry down a bit.

It is still not ideal and has glaring shortcomings that truly hobble the potential of the device. Shortcomings that should have been fully addressed by now.

Since a number of these shortcomings are specifically related to the stated and marketed capability of the device we can all take deep umbrage to the ill conceived and deceitful marketing practices that iRex took initially.

The sentiment that I see on this board and also at the much smaller and not as well trod upon eFlybook forum is that things are just not moving fast enough. It just seems to be too little & too late. This just increases the frustration level of the initial cadre of iLiad purchasers.

The iLiad is a pricy little investment and people will definitely like to see value in their purchase.

[chrisv5]

Originally Posted by firekat

Removing false claims from their website might be well and good but that does nothing to satisfy the people that bought the devices with the intent of utilizing the originally stated capabilities. Please tell me how you can justify that out of existence.

I was in no way trying to justify anything with regard to iRex's behavior. Au contraire! I was simply responding to the request that "people should stop whining". I won't stop unless iRex stops lying to all their (current and future) customers first. Period!

I find it amazing how people try to find excuses for iRex's behavior while at the same time COMPLETELY ignoring that they STILL (until the very present day) put lots of false claims on their website. NOTHING can excuse that.

Unlike you, though, I could find it in my heart to forgive wrongdoings in the past, assuming that everyone can make mistakes. Of course, I would expect them to apologize and offer some kind of compensation. But NOTHING justifies that right now they are OUTRIGHT lying. In the past they used to say "the iLiad will do this and that in the future". Nowadays they simply claim functions and qualities WHICH DO NOT EXIST. As simple as that.

Someone with the money and resources necessary should sue them.

[nekokami]

I just reported the lack of clarity between current functionality and future functionality as a bug. (I appended it to a discussion about broken links -- I'll report it separately if there is no response by tomorrow.)

Regarding constructive dialog and firm pressure without flames, I'm not sure that approach has ever been tried, so I don't think its effectiveness has been disproved.

[chrisv5]

I do not know when, but they changed the battery capacity to a more real value:

"Fortunately, your iLiad will allow you to read and write for up to 12 hours* without recharging the battery"

together with

"*With current Software Version 2.9 and depending on usage pattern"

While it is more honest, it also implies that the low number of hours is due to software version. They have already admitted that they hit the ceiling on that already, but maybe Rincewind's achievements have encouraged them?

[yvanleterrible]

I've got to say that 12h. is much more than any tablet PC or PDA. I know that it is short for an eink device.
I'm sure it has been discussed before but I haven't read the Iliad corner for some time, because I couldn't understand most of it.
Does any one know where all the power drain goes? Can it be fixed?
Is there a way to add an external power brick with rechargeable double A cells ? I have an iPod shuffle with the optional power pack that I feed with tripleA cells and it triples the available power. I know that there are thin,flat bricks for notebooks that fit underneath. Could it exist somewhere in a reduced format?
I'm sure that solutions can come of a positive outlook on any problems.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Does any one know where all the power drain goes? Can it be fixed?

Part of it seems to be that the processor is running at full speed all the time:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9996

[Riocaz]

Originally Posted by chrisv5

I was in no way trying to justify anything with regard to iRex's behavior. Au contraire! I was simply responding to the request that "people should stop whining". I won't stop unless iRex stops lying to all their (current and future) customers first. Period!

As I said to Ali. "Constructive" doesn't mean all happy and good. And CommanderRoR's request was simply that people stop hijacking threads with the same complaints.

He's simply asking that rather than whinge and whine over the same points we act like adults and make our critism constructive to the whole group.

And he's right.

[ElaHuguet]

I've stopped coming in because of all the whining (I have a 9-year-old, my quota is full already! ), so it would be really nice if it were controlled in the forum, thanks Commander.

[yvanleterrible]

Nice to see tou again Ela!

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by ElaHuguet

I've stopped coming in because of all the whining (I have a 9-year-old, my quota is full already! )

*grin*

Glad to have back here, Ela.

[ElaHuguet]

Thanks Ivan and Alex.

[readingaloud]

I heartily concur with CommanderROR's sentiment, but let me suggest that we take the principle even a bit further.

Everyone has the right to say what he or she thinks. Try to say it once. Maybe you should say it again if you've thought of a better way to express the idea, or have some additional nuance to offer.

But, please, DON'T think you need to say it again every time someone else expresses an opinion. In particular, please don't assume, when someone disagrees with you, that it must be because that person didn't understand what you wrote. Not everyone who disagrees with you is stupid or inattentive.

If you find you must weigh in again after someone says something you think is wrong, try to add something new to the conversation. A personal attack on the previous poster doesn't count as something new.

I've expressed my opinion about the iLiad battery life issue elsewhere. Not everyone agreed with me, but I didn't expect them to. But I take it unkindly when it's suggested that the only possible reason for my conclusion is that I didn't understand what had been said before, and needed to have it repeated. And I was downright offended when the next comment after that was a purely ad hominem attack.

Name-calling is one of the least edifying forms of argument. Even CommanderROR, whose many useful postings have endeared him to us all, and whose plea for moderation is the welcome theme of this thread, fell into the trap of denigrating those who disagree with him by giving them the "fanboy" epithet.

I am one of the people who think (1) that the iLiad is a terrific device; and (2) that, while the concerns about the iLiad's battery life are not entirely without substance, iRex has not behaved dishonestly or even unreasonably. This apparently makes me a "fanboy", which (as I read this thread) is a creature even lower than a whiner. Yet I can't for the life of me see why this is not a reasonable point of view.

Even if you really think that someone who disagrees with you must be either stupid or dishonest, you will be a more effective advocate if you pretend that your adversary is a reasonable human being.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by readingaloud

I am one of the people who think (1) that the iLiad is a terrific device; and (2) that, while the concerns about the iLiad's battery life are not entirely without substance, iRex has not behaved dishonestly or even unreasonably. This apparently makes me a "fanboy", which (as I read this thread) is a creature even lower than a whiner.

Not at all, readingaloud!

Technically, CommanderROR didn't call anyone a fanboy. Yes, he did characterize unthinkingly supportive posts as being "fanboy posts" but all he was saying was that he wanted to avoid posts that don't add anything substantive to the actual discussion, regardless of whether those posts were positive or negative. I'd guess the reason he took the time to say he didn't "want to see any 'iRex Fanboy' posting[s]" was to make it clear that he wasn't attempting to tone down only the non-additive, repetitive, negative posts, negative posts having been the recent majority.

Case in point, he clarified that what he meant were posts that "revolve around the line 'It does what I want, so it's perfect' since they are just as unproductive as the other kind."

Since what you've posted is clearly not such an empty comment, you are, therefore, not an "iRex Fanboy," Q.E.D. (Also, the definition of Fanboy might be helpful in clarifying how you're not being one )


One point that I'd like to make regarding the repetitions, is that they may be partially driven by one aspect of the nature of this type of discussion forum. I've found myself frequently repeating the answer to some variation of the "how do I put PDF's on the Sony Reader?" question (as a Reader user I don't have a dog in the iLiad hunt, but I think this point applies to pretty much any topic). The reason that question needs repeated answering is that the person asking it has just arrived, and has no idea that it's been answered 5 times in the last 3 weeks. (and apparently hasn't learned that it's often quicker to search to see if there's already been an answer, than to wait for one)

I'm not saying that this is always the case, nor that it's even frequently the case, nor even that it's the case in any particular instance, just that it is possible that when someone repeats a position they may be assuming, correctly or not, that the person they're repeating it to is just new to the discussion. Thinking about that makes me more patient (not a native personality trait of mine) with both sides of a repetition.

It's a tricky thing to balance, because sometimes you can't tell if a person's been around for the previous statements, especially if it's someone who's been reading the forum for a long time, but has only recently started participating in the discussions.

I just wanted to throw that out there, by way of example as to why a repetition may not always be unnecessary.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by NatCh

(Also, the definition of Fanboy might be helpful in clarifying how you're not being one )

I thought he was a Superhero with a beenie thing propeller hat on his head!!!