The e-reader "Androidified"... would you get one? - Page 4

taosaur · 09-05-2013, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumbles

After all, the whole purpose of Android is to get you to make money for Google through the Play Store.

The purpose of Android was to prevent Apple or Blackberry (ha!) cornering the market on mobile browsing and blacklisting Google Ads: the real bread and butter. The Play Store actually making a dime is just gravy.

Merischino · 09-06-2013, 12:26 PM

Simply put, no I would not pay A premium price for a device that does less.

rem736 · 09-11-2013, 05:57 PM

no one here on this thread has heard of the upcoming earl device? full featured ics android 4.1 (hopefully this can be upgraded to jelly bean) plus survival features. it'll probably be in production around the holidays and ship in early 2014.

elcreative · 09-11-2013, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rem736

no one here on this thread has heard of the upcoming earl device? full featured ics android 4.1 (hopefully this can be upgraded to jelly bean) plus survival features. it'll probably be in production around the holidays and ship in early 2014.

I guess this entire thread, devoted to it, may give that impression...

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...highlight=earl

supermighty · 09-12-2013, 10:44 AM

I would love a full featured Android tablet with an eInk screen. I rooted my nook simply for this reason. I don't play games or install most software, but it give me the opportunity to install Pocket and alternative ebook readers. It gives me more choices in how I consume the books I read. And more choices can never be bad.

Barty · 09-14-2013, 11:55 AM

I'm not sure why OP wants to have an android eink device then lock it down to reading apps only.

How about: make an android eink device. Make sure it runs the popular reading apps well, including kindle, kobo, nook, and the good third party apps like moon. Possibly some rss apps, news reading apps like flipboard. Maybe get partnership to preload a few ones.. Advertise it as an OPEN reader. Don't lock anything out. If people want to load gmail or sudoku or angry birds, let them. Just make sure your marketing is clear what the device is intended for -- as an android eink reader, capable of running apps from the google play store, but not an all around tablet.

Oh, it needs to be 4:3. 6 or 8 inch choice would be great.

Question is, who would make that device. The earl thing sounds like it is geared to outdoors / zombie apocalyse use. Something more mainstream from a major player. I'd like to see google do it to push their google books and play store. They sort of did that once, partnering with Iriver. But that thing was unremarkable, a poor ripoff of the kindle keyboard. How about a nexus eink "tablet"?

Katsunami · 09-14-2013, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barty

How about a nexus eink "tablet"?

- Nexus E6, E7, E8, E9
- 6, 7, 8 or 9.7 inch (Two will be produced: 6 and 8, or 7 and 9.7)
- 4:3 form factor
- Resolution: 1600x1200 or higher for the 6 and 7 inch
- Resolution: 2048x1536 or higher for the 8 and 9.7 inch
- Flash: 8GB for applications (no storage for user files)
- SD-Card slot for books and other files

Price: €249 for 6/7 inch, €299 for 8 inch, €349 for 9.7 inch.

I'd be all over it.

GlenBarrington · 09-16-2013, 04:43 PM

to set it up. I'll take a nice reader app on a 7 inch tablet any day.

rem736 · 09-16-2013, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barty

The earl thing sounds like it is geared to outdoors / zombie apocalyse use.

that doesn't mean that it can't be used under "mainstream" conditions. the only deterring factor here is that the price is high (at $299) for an e-reader. but then again, this is not an e-reader per se, but an android tablet with an e-ink screen. if the price could be lowered to about $230, then it would be comparable to the google nexus with pluses/minuses since it is e-ink. the buyer just have to be aware of what e-ink can and cannot do.

taosaur · 09-16-2013, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rem736

that doesn't mean that it can't be used under "mainstream" conditions. the only deterring factor here is that the price is high (at $299) for an e-reader.

The other deterring factor is that it does not yet exist, and whether it will actually reach the assembly stage, get all those radios certified for sale in the intended markets, and ship with anything like the advertised feature set, is still unknown. During the original funding campaign, they suggested their manufacturing partner was ready to go and units would ship in July. Now they've jumped continents and are looking at January.

jlynton · 09-17-2013, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taosaur

The other deterring factor is that it does not yet exist, and whether it will actually reach the assembly stage, get all those radios certified for sale in the intended markets, and ship with anything like the advertised feature set, is still unknown. During the original funding campaign, they suggested their manufacturing partner was ready to go and units would ship in July. Now they've jumped continents and are looking at January.

The battery life would seem to make it pretty uncompetitive as an ereader.

Katsunami · 09-17-2013, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlynton

The battery life would seem to make it pretty uncompetitive as an ereader.

Maybe, but all of the extra features make it much more expensive than it would have to be if it had been only an e-reader.

timmib · 09-18-2013, 05:04 AM

Interesting thread as I'm about to buy a nook HD, root it, strip out anything unnecessary and use reader apps. $129 + tax and a little time. I think it will work out well.

spindlegirl · 09-18-2013, 05:15 AM

I would have bought it had such a thing been available years ago. But now I have an android tablet, and smartphone, with Moon Reader pro (my favorite android app, worth the price) installed on both, thus, at this point something "in between" would be redundant.

My T2 and Kindle, plus the phone and tablet, serve my reading needs fine. 2 years ago I didn't have a phone or a tablet.

Katsunami · 09-18-2013, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timmib

Interesting thread as I'm about to buy a nook HD, root it, strip out anything unnecessary and use reader apps. $129 + tax and a little time. I think it will work out well.

It may indeed. Does that Nook have a good front-light? (Or any front-light at all?)

09-16-2013, 04:43 PM	#53
GlenBarrington Cheese Whiz Posts: 1,986 Karma: 11677147 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Springfield, Illinois Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Tab A 10.1(2019), Pixel 6a.	Sounds like WAY too much work to set it up. I'll take a nice reader app on a 7 inch tablet any day.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Reader and Educator Guide to "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" (Kindle)	Fluribus	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	4	08-21-2012 02:12 PM
Yep. It's official. Sony Reader has "ruined" books for me. A final "review."	WilliamG	Sony Reader	48	01-14-2011 03:49 AM
So überholt das "Kindle" Sonys "E-Reader"	Marc_liest	Amazon Kindle	6	10-23-2009 02:08 AM
Help! the "Make Sony Reader File" under "Options" is different	Dr. Drib	Sony Reader	6	04-23-2007 02:56 AM

09-06-2013, 12:26 PM	#47
Merischino Groupie Posts: 199 Karma: 436584 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: the beautiful Pacific Northwest Device: Kindle Oasis, Pixel 2, Kindle Fire HD 8	Simply put, no I would not pay A premium price for a device that does less.

09-11-2013, 05:57 PM	#48
rem736 purpose priority passion Posts: 645 Karma: 9002000 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: socal, usa Device: sony prs-350, b&n ngp, rM2, kindle scribe, boox poke5	no one here on this thread has heard of the upcoming earl device? full featured ics android 4.1 (hopefully this can be upgraded to jelly bean) plus survival features. it'll probably be in production around the holidays and ship in early 2014.

09-12-2013, 10:44 AM	#50
supermighty Groupie Posts: 165 Karma: 6384806 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Walled City Device: Kobo Libre 2	I would love a full featured Android tablet with an eInk screen. I rooted my nook simply for this reason. I don't play games or install most software, but it give me the opportunity to install Pocket and alternative ebook readers. It gives me more choices in how I consume the books I read. And more choices can never be bad.

09-14-2013, 11:55 AM	#51
Barty doofus Posts: 2,549 Karma: 13089041 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	I'm not sure why OP wants to have an android eink device then lock it down to reading apps only. How about: make an android eink device. Make sure it runs the popular reading apps well, including kindle, kobo, nook, and the good third party apps like moon. Possibly some rss apps, news reading apps like flipboard. Maybe get partnership to preload a few ones.. Advertise it as an OPEN reader. Don't lock anything out. If people want to load gmail or sudoku or angry birds, let them. Just make sure your marketing is clear what the device is intended for -- as an android eink reader, capable of running apps from the google play store, but not an all around tablet. Oh, it needs to be 4:3. 6 or 8 inch choice would be great. Question is, who would make that device. The earl thing sounds like it is geared to outdoors / zombie apocalyse use. Something more mainstream from a major player. I'd like to see google do it to push their google books and play store. They sort of did that once, partnering with Iriver. But that thing was unremarkable, a poor ripoff of the kindle keyboard. How about a nexus eink "tablet"?

09-18-2013, 05:04 AM	#58
timmib Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle	Interesting thread as I'm about to buy a nook HD, root it, strip out anything unnecessary and use reader apps. $129 + tax and a little time. I think it will work out well.

09-18-2013, 05:15 AM	#59
spindlegirl Wizard Posts: 1,594 Karma: 21245891 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra h20, Paperwhite 2017, Phone & Tablet w Moonreader	I would have bought it had such a thing been available years ago. But now I have an android tablet, and smartphone, with Moon Reader pro (my favorite android app, worth the price) installed on both, thus, at this point something "in between" would be redundant. My T2 and Kindle, plus the phone and tablet, serve my reading needs fine. 2 years ago I didn't have a phone or a tablet.

Advert

Advert