Skiff reader is largest yet with 11.5" display to debut at CES

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by Alisa

From their site:

Yeah they don't specify much, it's probably e-ink/PVI blend electrophoretic TFT that LG developed the foil backing for.

I'll not make too many judgment calls about it until it's shown, but I'm not expecting anything particularly different from a typical e-ink experience.

[brecklundin]

dmaul1114:

I am sensing there are a lot of us out here. Our wants/needs/expectations seem pretty much the same. I too only use laptops, in fact I have not even bothered to build a desktop PC or server in, geeze, over a decade now. I just find ways to use my old laptops when upgrade time comes along. Though my current HP NW9440 still has all the clock-cycles I need so I am not sure when I will "need" a new one. in fact with both my standard and extended life batteries installed I am still getting 4-6hrs use...though when streaming video it drops closer to 4hrs when once it was 12-16hrs. Nothing $500 for new batteries would not solve though...sigh...it's always the price of new batteries that makes me want to get a new laptop instead.

Even still, it's exactly the research side I would love a color slate device for..and it might as well let me handle email or whatever as well. If I could run Lightroom and Photoshop as well, it would be perfect. I would use it for only things that need modest CPU/GPU power...

What I am sensing is these color slates and larger format readers will magnify the problem in the publishing industry. Very few of the references I need and use can be had as ebooks. I have emailed the publishers multiple times every year for a while now and never had a positive response or one indicating even the slightest bit of consideration was being given to the idea of ebook editions. Heck, I would be FINE with an ADE PDF with DRM just to have the books all on a small device...and I am not a fan of PDF at all, but for these I would never have a problem. And one issue I would have in scanning my existing library is it's HUGE and many of the books are more than a few hundred bucks each so no way I am having them taken apart for scanning more efficiently because not a lot of copies are out in the world to being with.

OK...after all that...DOWN WITH LARGER FORMAT READERS!! They will make me write all my checks! hahahaha....

[beezle]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Also not that concerned with battery life. Would like around 6 hours as I'd barely ever use such a device any longer than that in any one sitting, and as you say, who really cares if it's mainly being used at home. I mean my work laptop is hardly ever unplugged from power.

Er... I think a lot of us our concerned with battery life. I don't want to have to remember to be plugging things in every time I want to use it or take it away from home. Charging should not be an every day affair.
Heck even the handsets on my voip phone stay charged for over a week.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I'm waitlisted for the sessions, darnit.

Consider it to be your duty to find a way to sneak in and deliver a full report!

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by beezle

Er... I think a lot of us our concerned with battery life. I don't want to have to remember to be plugging things in every time I want to use it or take it away from home. Charging should not be an every day affair.
Heck even the handsets on my voip phone stay charged for over a week.

I was just talking about my own needs, sorry if the wording came across as more general as I try to be careful not to do that!

I'm fine with charging a device every day or every other day. My laptop is seldom every unplugged from power, my cell phone needs charged every other night at a minimum (more often if I talk a lot). So I wouldn't mind it for my tablet. As long as it gets 6 hours or so--so I can use it when I fly etc.--I'd be good.

But I realize others have different needs and preferences. As I always say, there's a plenty of room for all kinds of devices from dedicated e-ink readers to LCD tablets to laptops and everything in between so we can all find the device(s) that suit our needs.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

But I realize others have different needs and preferences. As I always say, there's a plenty of room for all kinds of devices from dedicated e-ink readers to LCD tablets to laptops and everything in between so we can all find the device(s) that suit our needs.

We can all agree with that statement.

For me, personally, the tablet seems more like an attempt to create a new money making category between laptop, netbook, and phone. As phone screens are approaching 4.5" they can easily take on most tasks that tablets seem designed for. Another simple approach would be to just create laptops with removable keyboards or see a tablet as a laptop/netbook replacement since you could use a USB or bluetooth keyboard. I would like that flexibility once I get the urge to replace my laptop. But that would mean that tablets will do to laptops what smart phones did to DAs, they would take over their market. I see tablets as less of a threat to e-ink in the short term, unless we get some real technological breakthroughs.

[dmaul1114]

I think the one advantage a proper tablet (or maybe large screen e-ink devices like the Que) can do that laptops/netbooks can't is be a good device for comfortably reading and marking up academic articles, text books, business documents etc. just like you would with a printout or paper book and a highlighter/pen.

You just can't do that comfortably with a laptop or netbook or a smartphone as they're too big and bulky. Most tablet/slate PCs are too bulky as well, and cost too much as they have more computing power, disc space etc. than what is needed for that purpose.

But I do agree that Tablets aren't a threat to e-ink or dedicated readers in general. Again, there's plenty of room for all kinds of devices that have the ability to access e-books.

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Another simple approach would be to just create laptops with removable keyboards or see a tablet as a laptop/netbook replacement since you could use a USB or bluetooth keyboard. I would like that flexibility once I get the urge to replace my laptop.

Lenovo announced the U1 Hybrid IdeaPad today



The tablet pops out of the laptop frame and uses a snapdragon, its own memory and some form of Linux when in this mode.

When its in the laptop frame it uses an a CULV Intel Core 2 Duo processor , bigger drive and memory with windows 7


http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/04/l...ablet-by-nigh/

[anurag]

Originally Posted by rlparker

Fixed that for ya!

But seriously, I wonder what's with the name? Isn't a "skiff" a kind of boat?

Exactly. From the dictionary:

skiff |skif|
noun
a shallow, flat-bottomed open boat with sharp bow and square stern.
ORIGIN late 15th cent.: from French esquif, from Italian schifo, of Germanic origin; related to ship .

An upside-down skiff!

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

Lenovo announced the U1 Hybrid IdeaPad today


The tablet pops out of the laptop frame and uses a snapdragon, its own memory and some form of Linux when in this mode.

When its in the laptop frame it uses an a CULV Intel Core 2 Duo processor , bigger drive and memory with windows 7


http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/04/l...ablet-by-nigh/

I could see something like that being very useful once they get the technology perfected.

Could be a nice LCD tablet in detached mode for making up stuff with a stylus etc., but also able to serve as your laptop when combined with the base and thus save the need to have a Tablet AND a Laptop.

Very interesting for sure.

[BKeeper]

This is really interesting.

See Plastic Logic? (and iRex and company...)
This is what happens when you announce products 18 months in advance.... Someone virtually beats you to it. (with an advance announcement...)

But I have a feeling that the introduction of tabled devices will change the paradigm/expectations before any of the new flexible readers have a chance to launch.

Anyway,looks like 2010 will be a great year.

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by anurag

Exactly. From the dictionary:





An upside-down skiff!

jeebus!!! That is so impressive. I am sure the PL panel is just as nice in the flexibility department. But am I the only one who is really impressed with the apparent resolution of the panel? Those are photos and you can easily read the text...if this is really representative of the next gen panels, I am a happy camper...we just ordered a new K2 to take advantage of that Audible $100 deal, but I have my K1 I can sell to fund my new reader...I was gonna get a new lens buuuut, a nice reader like this or the Que oooorrrr, the newest stuff from Pocketbook...sitting here looking at my jar of spare change.

Originally Posted by BKeeper

This is really interesting.

See Plastic Logic? (and iRex and company...)
This is what happens when you announce products 18 months in advance.... Someone virtually beats you to it. (with an advance announcement...)

But I have a feeling that the introduction of tabled devices will change the paradigm/expectations before any of the new flexible readers have a chance to launch.

Anyway,looks like 2010 will be a great year.

But remember we have no idea what the actual specs of the Que are...they have been evasive about them...I see no reason to expect that it will be much different hardware wise...as with other devices, it all comes down to the firmware and open or closed nature of the OS. If the device has an API and is open to developers then that should be the device favored by big and small businesses...

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

Lenovo announced the U1 Hybrid IdeaPad today



The tablet pops out of the laptop frame and uses a snapdragon, its own memory and some form of Linux when in this mode.

When its in the laptop frame it uses an a CULV Intel Core 2 Duo processor , bigger drive and memory with windows 7


http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/04/l...ablet-by-nigh/

At least they have some new ideas! Of course, what I would want is full functionality, also when using it in tablet mode.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

jeebus!!! That is so impressive. I am sure the PL panel is just as nice in the flexibility department.

As I have read, Plastic Logic started out with a flexible model but decided to change to a rigid frame after test users just couldn't get used to the flexibility. I guess it depends how soft it is, if it stays rigid when you hold it in one hand but can be bent using slight pressure, then it would be okay. Though perhaps more of a gimmick then really useful.

Anyway, great somebody else is coming out with a similar device, this will keep Plastic Logic's pricing in check. But let us hope this device will be available in the very near future.

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I'm waitlisted for the sessions, darnit.

now come-oooon...I mean are you saying that Paris Hilton could get in but you can't find a way around the matter? Perhaps if you got hammerd and obnoxious, dress up in a slutty dress and carry a purse-dog?

BTW, I know some guys in Vegas who can disappear whoever is working the door...of course you will owe them a favor.

really I bet that will be one of the hottest tickets at CES.