Diptyx Open Source E-Reader

[V0iD]

Originally Posted by Renate

$250 shipping? Are you on the south pole base?

Can't you take a short "vacation" to a neighboring country?

Argentina...
Imports are only open for things coming from China. All private mail is that price when you add up all the costs because it's not actually delivered by the official postal service but by third-party companies. Plus, there's the cost of taxes (21%). Some companies deliver for a little less (around $100 USD), but the buyer has to have access to one of those companies' delivery points.

On the other hand, salaries aren't very high, and there's a tax of around 45% on long-distance travel (plane/bus). So a single plane ticket (round trip) could cost around $500 USD (just talking about going to Chile, which is the closest eBay shipping option...).

Basically, I'm stuck here, haha. Unfortunately, I don't have anyone I trust who travels.

Beyond all that, I'm willing to pay for shipping and the price of the product, but purchases over $400 USD are restricted, and if you still want to make them, you have to pay an "import tax" that's around 30% of the total... so I need to find a used one that totals less than $400 USD and has shipping to here (I've been looking for months and still haven't found one).

[Frogm4n]

The 9.7" eink panel is about the worst they ever made. It's 150dpi. There's good reason I'm only aware that only two name brand devices ever used it, and the main one was over 15 years ago.

[V0iD]

Originally Posted by Frogm4n

The 9.7" eink panel is about the worst they ever made. It's 150dpi. There's good reason I'm only aware that only two name brand devices ever used it, and the main one was over 15 years ago.

Well, if we consider the time it came out, it was fine. I don't think its lack of success was due to that, but rather its price (around $500 USD) and because a groundbreaking device like the first iPad was released at the same time...

Today, the price of a used one (30-40 USD) is decent (if shipping reaches your location), considering that a current model, used or new, doesn't go for less than $250 USD plus shipping. I think it's a good device (obviously it doesn't have many "features," but it's more than adequate for reading).

[V0iD]

Originally Posted by V0iD

Well, if we consider the time it came out, it was fine. I don't think its lack of success was due to that, but rather its price (around $500 USD) and because a groundbreaking device like the first iPad was released at the same time...

Today, the price of a used one (30-40 USD) is decent (if shipping reaches your location), considering that a current model, used or new, doesn't go for less than $250 USD plus shipping. I think it's a good device (obviously it doesn't have many "features," but it's more than adequate for reading).

Furthermore, at the time, the cost of producing large screens (15 years ago) with the manufacturing technology that was used was not profitable (seeing that they had competition from the iPads which were huge).

Today, the cost of just the screen for the Scribe is something like a quarter of the price of the entire device.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by V0iD

Well, if we consider the time it came out, it was fine. I don't think its lack of success was due to that, but rather its price (around $500 USD) and because a groundbreaking device like the first iPad was released at the same time...

Today, the price of a used one (30-40 USD) is decent (if shipping reaches your location), considering that a current model, used or new, doesn't go for less than $250 USD plus shipping. I think it's a good device (obviously it doesn't have many "features," but it's more than adequate for reading).

The DX and DXG are not worth 30 to 40 USD. The DX family is the worst eInk ereader made by Amazon. Too slow a CPU for PDF. Too low resolution for PDF. Too little RAM. It was hyped for PDFs and Education. They were still trying to sell off surplus DXGs when the Paperwhite was out.

The DXG is also too heavy for reading novels, and the screen too big, yet at the 150 dpi, not big enough for PDFs.

It was the contracts (vs charging per second or M Byte) that made the iPhone a success. In contrast there was nothing special about the iPad approximately 3 years later. Android was established by then. Actual tablets date from about 1990. Smart phones from 1998, same year as first dedicated ereader (LCD rather than eink).

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Quoth

It was the contracts (vs charging per second or M Byte) that made the iPhone a success. In contrast there was nothing special about the iPad approximately 3 years later. Android was established by then. Actual tablets date from about 1990. Smart phones from 1998, same year as first dedicated ereader (LCD rather than eink).

From what I recall, the first Android tablets were released in 2009 while the first iPads were released in early 2010 and first Samsung Android tablets were released in late 2010. From where I sit, the Samsung Galaxy Tab was the first Android tablet that was able to compete with the iPad. The first Android tablet I remember seeing was the Archos 5 in late 2009. A massive 4.8" screen so a bigger screen than the iPod Touch which was first released in 2007 but not what I would refer to as a tablet. The Archos 5's resistive TFT screen was not very accurate nor a great looking display.

[Quoth]

There were earlier Archos PMPs (2005?), though "tablet" functionality was poor. I had one in 2006. The only apps it could run were either Flash or web pages with javascript. I created an ereader framework for it using Pressworks DTP and Web export. However, far better than an iPod.

The first tablets were about 1992, not running windows. MS had two goes at tablets before even the iPhone, one based on WFW311 and one based on XP. Only ever had niche use, but I have the XP tablet edition CDs here.

There were loads of unsuccessful niche products before the juggernaut marketing of Apple and Android hit.

Apple have ALWAYS been uncompetitive on price, over hyped, and relied usually on one thing to boost the hype. Also only Archos was ever more restrictive!

[Quoth]

The Diptyx is an old idea now and using stupidly poor displays. You could demo with two Kobos that have page turn buttons re-wired, duct/duck tape and a simple microcontroller.