E-ink readers in 2015

[Dr. Drib]

I predict:

Amazon will come out with a new ebook reader in the form of glasses. The following year they will release an updated ebook reader in the form of plastic contact lens for the discriminating reader who wants the best.

One year later, Kobo will release their version, but with firmware and hardware issues that will eventually be ironed out just as the unit is phased out.

Sony will abandon its large, professional PDF viewer, and the units will be remaindered at start-up kiosks with the display stripped off, due to copyright issues.

B&N will declare bankruptcy.

The following year, Kobo will be purchased by Apple.

The year after that, Apple will purchase Microsoft.

One year after the above, Amazon will purchase Apple.

Borders will reopen will as a take-out pizza chain. A wrist-watch ebook reader will be given away free for all pizza orders over $50. Unfortunately, the wrist-watch will be the size of a paperback book and will fail to keep time. Borders will eventually declare bankruptcy again.

A new start-up company in an as-yet-unnamed third-world country will release an ebook reader suspiciously similar to the first Kindle 1 from 12 years ago. It will have the same DPI as the Kindle 1 and will behave exactly like the Kindle 1. It will be a huge success and will eventually - in one more year - come to dominate the ebook market. It will be called "The One." They will eventually purchase Amazon.

Mobileread members will flock to "The One," proclaiming how charming it is and will predict that it will usher in a new era of digital delight when it comes to reading books.

One dissenting member from Mobileread will lament that the fonts and margins cannot be changed on "The One."

Repeat cycle.




I just realized that my prediction includes 2015 and a few years beyond. Sorry for the confusion.

[Freehunter]

We are Rangers.
We walk in the dark places no others will enter.
We stand on the bridge, and no one may pass.
We live for the One, we die for the One.

Oh, sorry. Different One.

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

Depends entirely on the user. For me 6.8" is too big. Now that 6" readers are pretty much the size of past 5" readers, 6" is the best option for me and the sweet spot.

6.8 is too big for me, too. I thought I'd really like the extra screen real estate when I bought my Kobo, but I prefer the smaller screen on my Kindle.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

I'd jump at one with a flexible display. I don't mean foldable, I don't need a foldable display. All I want is a screen that can flex without breaking. This would eliminate the fragility of the screen and have an extra benefit of reducing the weight. If the screen can flex, you don't need the hardware to keep the screen from bending.

That would be a good thing for whoever jumped on a flexible display. I do hope it's Kobo as they've been outdoing Amazon on the hardware front.

[AlbertaCowboy]

I predict that the EARL tablet will finally go into production, ship and arrive at my desk. And that it will be everything that I had hoped for.

[jehane]

Originally Posted by howyoudoin

I reckon Amazon will be the first to come out with a combination e-ink and LCD tablet.

E-ink screen on one side and LCD on the other. Probably with a double flap cover that attaches at one side, protecting the other side while you use one of the screens.

They'd be too late to be the first. There was already the Entourage Edge a few years back. Plenty of discussion on here at the time.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by jehane

They'd be too late to be the first. There was already the Entourage Edge a few years back. Plenty of discussion on here at the time.

But this would be a dual screen tablet with eInk on one side and LCD on the other. No hinge. Just flip the tablet over to get the screen you want.

[murg]

Originally Posted by AlbertaCowboy

I predict that the EARL tablet will finally go into production, ship and arrive at my desk. And that it will be everything that I had hoped for.

You're dreamin....

I'm still waiting for mine.

[murg]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I predict:

One dissenting member from Mobileread will lament that the fonts and margins cannot be changed on "The One."

One??

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by murg

One??

You, too, uh?

Oh, OK: Two

[p38lightning]

How accurate is your "larger Voyage" comment?

I currently have three ereaders (Nook HD+, Kindle DXG, and LG gPad 8.3) that I use differently. The HD+ has been relegated to graphic novel/comics use for which the 8.9 inch screen is perfect. The LG is now my primary tablet and reader. I still find myself drifting back to using the Kindle DXG periodically (currently in one of those periods) because it still gives the best overall visual "reading experience" especially when it comes to limiting and/or diffusing reflections. My issues with it are size, no backlight for low light reading, and no touchscreen.

Reason for my question is that I would love to see a fully updated version of my DXG (Voyage) in a size range of around 8.5 with 8 being an absolute lower limit and 8.9 the upper limit.

With the voluminous amount of reading I do, the DXG gives the best overall experience for the eyes.

A primarily dedicated reader with wifi, touchscreen, internal lighting and an 8+inch screen would be my ideal.

[haydnfan]

Originally Posted by Freehunter

We are Rangers.
We walk in the dark places no others will enter.
We stand on the bridge, and no one may pass.
We live for the One, we die for the One.

Oh, sorry. Different One.

Love that b5 reference!

[Victoria]

The kindle's current size is the sweet spot for me, but i don't need it for pdfs or technical reading. I got a new ipod touch this fall, and i'm amazed at how comfortably i can read on it's 4 1/2 inch screen. Just a few minutes snatched here and there at lunch, etc, but it works fine in that context.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Unless you drop them or flex them by accident.
(Sob!)

One nice trend is open Android eink readers.

Like this one:

http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/201...mazon-for-129/

That looked interesting until I saw it was still the Pearl screen. I wonder why they didn't go with the better Carta screen.

[Hrafn]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

I'd jump at one with a flexible display. I don't mean foldable, I don't need a foldable display. All I want is a screen that can flex without breaking. This would eliminate the fragility of the screen and have an extra benefit of reducing the weight. If the screen can flex, you don't need the hardware to keep the screen from bending.

The technology for this, eInk Mobius, has been around for a while. The problem is that eReaders using this technology have been few and far between to date, and have tended to be either very expensive (the Sony PDF reader), not widely available (the Wexler FlexONE) and/or stuck in pre-production (a 'rugged' eReader whose name I cannot remember).

It seems that although many of us would "jump at one with a flexible display" (myself included), we haven't managed to convince manufacturers that we'd jump high enough, with sufficient cash, to make it worth their while.

It would be interesting to find out the price differentials between eInk's various technologies (Pearl, Carta, Mobius, Fina, whatever-the-Voyage-uses, etc), to find out if this is what's blocking the more advanced technologies from widespread adoption.