Fascinated and Frustrated.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Would I like it if it was faster? Sure. Does it somehow limit the adoption of e-readers? Don't think so. I think the gating factor there is price, price, price.

Agreed, price is the real barrier. Even with recent drops, they're way to expensive if you're not an avid reader and only read a handful of books a year.

That's the general reaction of my circle of friends (most of whom make decent money)--just costs too much for the amount they read.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by Damætas

Hmm. Where are you getting your information re: Pixel Qi saying poorer contrast?

Interviews with them that are demoing the screen side by side with a Kindle. Videos were posted on here a while ago (they're probably some of the ones on the slashgear link you provided). Not only can you clearly see the contrast difference in the video, but the Pixel Qi representative admitted that the Kindle's was better.

Since there are also already LCD screens that retain their image even when the power is off, I have no reason to doubt Pixel Qi on that either.

You are correct. I was mis-remembering what I had read before. It does not need to draw power to retain the image, however it does draw more power than eInk currently does in order to refresh it. Therefore it's still more power hungry than eInk technology.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by Damætas

From Pixel Qi's website:

"The screens will be available for mini-laptops and ebook readers in high volume mass production in late-2009. Our mainstream laptop screens will be available thereafter ..."

"We will have screens for netbooks in laptops in 2009, and other devices in 2010."

That's just the availability of the screens. Pixel Qi isn't manufacturing actual devices. There have been no announcements of any laptops/netbooks/etc available to consumers at all using these screens.

[yuliang]

The purpose of eReaders should be divided into two: leisure reading and professional reading. Concerned with the first one is portability but not functionality. Concerned with the second one is functionality but not portability. When I'm reading scientific papers, I just put the reader on the desk, so it could be A4 or even A3(two A4 side by side) and very heavy, but I it should be easy and fast to switch among multiple documents and it should be a touch screen so that I can annotate and do calculations on it. The first purpose has already been fulfilled by existing devices, but the second one is not. Is it because of the technology limitations or because the second market is smaller than the first one?

[yuliang]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Everyone notices it at first but it fades into the subconscious, just as flipping the page on a physical book does (and often takes longer than an e-ink page flash).

I agree it could be true.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

For the purpose of reading I have no complaint about the page flash. Everyone notices it at first but it fades into the subconscious, just as flipping the page on a physical book does (and often takes longer than an e-ink page flash).

A very small number of people continue to notice it, and it bothers them. Some change devices; others learn to close their eyes or look away during the page turn.

Doesn't bother me, and it takes considerably less time than manually turning pages.

[yuliang]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

There are already reflecting LCD screens and products for sale. The JetBook is one example. check our wiki.

Dale

That's really good news! Why don't they make a bigger one or even a desktop monitor?

[Hellmark]

There isn't much of a market for it. Isn't new tech. People want bigger and fancier, which, often comes at a price.

[yuliang]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

There isn't much of a market for it. Isn't new tech. People want bigger and fancier, which, often comes at a price.

But that reflective LCD should be less expensive than E-Ink, and the contrast and power consumption is comparable too.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by yuliang

The purpose of eReaders should be divided into two: leisure reading and professional reading. Concerned with the first one is portability but not functionality. Concerned with the second one is functionality but not portability. When I'm reading scientific papers, I just put the reader on the desk, so it could be A4 or even A3(two A4 side by side) and very heavy, but I it should be easy and fast to switch among multiple documents and it should be a touch screen so that I can annotate and do calculations on it. The first purpose has already been fulfilled by existing devices, but the second one is not. Is it because of the technology limitations or because the second market is smaller than the first one?

Agree 100%.

These discussions tend to go in circles as most here are just interested in e-readers for leisure.

Us academics etc. need a professional device with a larger screen, ability to annotate with stylus, flip pages and switch documents quickly etc. and size, portability, battery life etc. are less crucial.

I'll keep a small reader around for leisure reading, but I really need some A4 or close sized tablet for work. I'll just keep sticking with books and printouts of pdfs until there's a suitable device at a reasonable price.

[Hellmark]

Power consumption is higher than eInk, since the screen is needed to be continuously powered. The Jetbook gets around 20 hours battery life, where as my 505 has been used far more than that since it's last charge, and just hit half charge on the battery.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Power consumption is higher than eInk, since the screen is needed to be continuously powered. The Jetbook gets around 20 hours battery life, where as my 505 has been used far more than that since it's last charge, and just hit half charge on the battery.

I think someone posted earlier that the PixelQi screen will use no power to display a screen the e-ink like mode, but uses more power each time you turn the page.

Jetbook that would be true since it's just an LCD screen so it would use power all the time.

I think people make a bit much out of the battery life personally. As long as I get 6+ hours of continuous usage, I'm ok. No big deal to plug in each night like my cell phone etc. Longer battery life is a plus for sure, but by no means a deal breaker for me.

My Kindle 1 battery life doesn't seem that great either. Charge it every couple weeks when it gets to 25% or so remaining on the indicator. And I just use it 30-60 minutes a day at most. May just need a new battery, I bought it used last spring when the K2 came out.

[DawnFalcon]

Originally Posted by yuliang

That's really good news! Why don't they make a bigger one or even a desktop monitor?

They do exist, especially in medical and other industrial applications. However, they're also still monochrome and relatively expensive in larger sizes and that blocks them out of the mass market.


dmaul1114 - For a lot of people the battery life /is/ a big deal, though. One of the reasons I'm interested in the Nook is the $30 user-replaceable battery!

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

dmaul1114 - For a lot of people the battery life /is/ a big deal, though. One of the reasons I'm interested in the Nook is the $30 user-replaceable battery!

I didn't mean to imply that it isn't something that matters. Everyone has their own needs.

People here are too quick to bash devices with other screen types as useless, rather than just saying they're not for them.

I love my e-ink Kindle 1 for leisure reading. But an e-ink device will probably never be suitable for a large, touch screen academic or business device meant to replace scientific documents, books, articles and allow easy annotating etc.--as well as preferably having video, internet, e-mail, PDA etc. to be a powerful business tool.

It just seems some are very resistant to such devices as they only need a dedicated e-ink reader and worry multifunction devices will kill them off or something. They won't, as such devices would be for niches like academics, scientists, doctors etc.

I get why people here love e-ink, as I love my kindle. But there's room in the market for all kinds of devices that can be used for e-reading to fit different needs and some here are very resistant to discussing anything other than dedicated e-ink readers in a positive light for some reason.

[DawnFalcon]

You mean apart from the fact this is a site primarily dedicated to e-ink readers?