Ebooks and naysayers.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by Liviu_5

Trying to read from a tablet that has a spinning hard drive, weighs 2 lbs and heats fast is not that much fun even though it offers vertical reading

True. As I suggested, I expect the tablet form factor to improve (and that would include weight, energy loss (heat) and technology (soft memory instead of hard drive). Look at how far we've already come... we already have soft memory drives, Kindle-comparable sizes and better energy management (though not often together). The tablet PC will get better, and eventually, it will be hard to come up with a good reason to buy a Kindle-form device over a tablet. (At which point, Kindles will probably redevelop their form to another, relatively unique factor, or perish.)

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

True. As I suggested, I expect the tablet form factor to improve (and that would include weight, energy loss (heat) and technology (soft memory instead of hard drive). Look at how far we've already come... we already have soft memory drives, Kindle-comparable sizes and better energy management (though not often together). The tablet PC will get better, and eventually, it will be hard to come up with a good reason to buy a Kindle-form device over a tablet. (At which point, Kindles will probably redevelop their form to another, relatively unique factor, or perish.)

Given that the race to make faster-updating, full-color e-ink and e-paper displays is heating up, as well as the strides being made in SSD drives, I have no doubt that we'll be seeing these under-one-pound, 10"-12" tablet "PCs" within a couple of years. Until then, I'll keep using my e-ink readers for reading and a netbook for internet use and writing.



Derek

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Liviu_5

Actually I would add ergonomics as a major factor - lightness, verticality, button/touch page turning... ; Mr. Bezos was right that with the Kindle (or the PRS) you forget you read from a device, and you can attain the same focus, immersion as in a print book

Trying to read from a tablet that has a spinning hard drive, weighs 2 lbs and heats fast is not that much fun even though it offers vertical reading

We're already at the point now where we can do better than that with a tablet. There are affordable netbooks on the market with SSDs already that boast rather good battery life. Once the screen technology gets where it needs to be the unit will be even more efficient (and cooler).

[Liviu_5]

Originally Posted by Alisa

We're already at the point now where we can do better than that with a tablet. There are affordable netbooks on the market with SSDs already that boast rather good battery life. Once the screen technology gets where it needs to be the unit will be even more efficient (and cooler).

The problem with netbooks is keyboard, horizontal form and generally the stuff that reminds you that it's a tech thingy, not a book.

I read sometimes novels or fiction magazines/stories on my pc - I have a dedicated monitor for that - the joys of multiple monitors setup - so it does not interfere with browsing or other activities, but there is nothing like curling with a good book in bed or on a sofa. The book can be on the 700 or on the 770 or a print book, but the differences are much less since I do not need to type anything, do not need to use a keyboard, not even a stylus (with small exceptions for precision on the 770, while on the 700 I had not needed to use it at all so far)...

So that is what dedicated (or even small full screen reading ones like the iTouch, 770, pda's) devices bring - the ability to forget you are reading on them, and I doubt pc's/laptops/tablets will get there soon - maybe lighter vertical form tablets with touchscreen and minimal noise and heat emission, but I have yet to see one as silent, light and heat-efficient as the PRS so far...

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Liviu_5

The problem with netbooks is keyboard, horizontal form and generally the stuff that reminds you that it's a tech thingy, not a book.

I read sometimes novels or fiction magazines/stories on my pc - I have a dedicated monitor for that - the joys of multiple monitors setup - so it does not interfere with browsing or other activities, but there is nothing like curling with a good book in bed or on a sofa. The book can be on the 700 or on the 770 or a print book, but the differences are much less since I do not need to type anything, do not need to use a keyboard, not even a stylus (with small exceptions for precision on the 770, while on the 700 I had not needed to use it at all so far)...

So that is what dedicated (or even small full screen reading ones like the iTouch, 770, pda's) devices bring - the ability to forget you are reading on them, and I doubt pc's/laptops/tablets will get there soon - maybe lighter vertical form tablets with touchscreen and minimal noise and heat emission, but I have yet to see one as silent, light and heat-efficient as the PRS so far...

My point about netbooks is that SSDs are getting cheap, not that you want to read on that form factor. Like I said, the screens aren't there yet, but when they get there in the future, the rest of the technology will be in place to make them light, cool and inexpensive.

[Alisa]

Here's an interesting new netbook today on Gizmodo. I would love to see this kind of form factor someday with a screen as good as eink but fast enough to support more of a variety of applications. This is the sort of converged device I envision replacing stand-alone reading devices once the screen technology gets good enough.




The tablet portion is only 1 lb. Imagine if it were an efficient screen like e-ink and didn't need nearly as large a battery. Of course, by then the batteries will also likely be more efficient.

[Gaurnim]

This one looks interesting !

[Gaurnim]

What I like also is that they are frank.
Here is an extract of the FAQ :

Q. How mature is the system?
A. We will expect the hardware to be final at shipment. Software will still be in beta.