More Details on the Pocket edge

A 6" Kindle is $140, so you're paying an additional $209 for a 7" tablet. Not that bad a deal. Bear in mind that the Pocket eDGe's eReader functionality will be superior to that of the (latest) Kindle.

To put the $209 for an 7" LCD tablet in perspective, the 7" Archos Android tablet is about $199. The 5" Dell Streak starts at $299 (that's with 3G on a 2 year contract, but with the smaller 5" screen). The 7" Samsung Galaxy tab won't be cheaper than $200 (it includes 3G, with a contract, and Android 2.2).

We still don't have full and official specs and the pricing for all the 3G and non-3G options, but it's looking like the Pocket eDGe will be quite competitive in terms cost for features.

I am more than a little drooly.

I was hoping it would be closer to $250 than $350, but for what you get it's not bad. It comes in red, so no worries there.

My big issue now is that I've almost been banking on no new macbooks/airs being announced until January or so, which would make it easier to justify another gadget purchase now. But with the 11.6" rumour going very strong now, we might also see an ultraportable macbook/air next month, which is what I've been waiting for. Since I am currently laptop-less, I think a new macbook has to take priority.

Plus, Entourage has again decided to release while I'm on the road, so without a specific date in mind, I have no where I can order it to. Timing is a big factor because that will dictate which city (or country even) I'm in. If I can coordinate to receive it while I'm in the US, it saves on shipping.

I've set a Google Alert for "pocket edge" and got a teaser this morning - headline said, "release date announced" but the article had no date.

from the JR website:

7.0" Tablet / 6" eReader / Resistive touch & optical finger mouse / Wi-Fi 802.11b/g / Microphone / Stereo Speakers / 3.5mm headphone jack / MicroSD slot

I see no mention of the wacom digitizer on the eReader. I hope it is still there. Anybody knows what is this optical finger mouse?
Fred

Those specs are minimal. For example, it doesn't mention internal memory capacity, the processor and speed, the fact it has one USB port, etc. So, it probably has the Wacom digitizer since all indications to date suggest it's a miniaturized version of the existing eDGe and uses the same firmware and applications (which require a Wacom digitizer).

The optical finger mouse is a square patch that tracks your finger movement over it, much like a track pad on a laptop, or the way an optical desktop mouse senses movement over a desktop. I find the trackball thingy on the current eDGe too sensitive and hope the optical replacement is more steady.

I wonder how they are going to handle the difference in resolution. Suppose I write something in the journal of the big Edge. How would it look on the pocket edge? Will it scale to the smaller size. Same question if we write something on the small edge. Will it scale to occupy the whole page on the big edge?

That's a good question

Nate's article did say (in addition to not much being different between the two machines) that the touchscreenS are in the same place (plural). I was assuming that meant that both screens can receive input, but I could just be reading into that. I'm sure I'll feel better when I see something official from Entourage confirming all the specs, though.

Originally Posted by borisb

J&R's regular price is listed at $399, initially discounted to $349 in black and red only. J&R ships to Canada for $43.19 USD.

The "Pocket eDGe" listings have disappeared from J&R. Could be it was too early?

Originally Posted by borisb

The "Pocket eDGe" listings have disappeared from J&R. Could be it was too early?

Nuts, I had almost decided to push the preorder button too!

Likewise. I was waiting to see if other colours (like blue) would be available, and what other retailers would charge for it...

The feature I wish the eDGe had was the camera on the e-ink side. Right now the camera is only good for photographing yourself. If it was on the other side you could have the screens back-to-back and see what you were photographing, making it much more useable!

Fortunately the Pocket eDGe fixes this shortcoming.

Right now the camera is only good for photographing yourself.

I absolutely don't understand that they made it that way. I'dd really want ro know the reasoning behind this useless camera position.

I just figured out what you guys are all talking about. I guess I never thought it was weird because (a) the only pictures I've taken using the edge have been of me! And (b) I figured it was there for eventual video chat purposes, where you probably would want the camera on the same screen as the one you're using for your video chat, so you have the option of having it folded into a slate.

But now I get it. Though, I can see why they'd have made it this way. I probably would have, thinking of it as the typical placement for a video chat app.