Frontlit no WiFi reader

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Browsers on e-ink devices are terrible for a number of reasons. ...

For most things, yes, but it's pretty nice to be able to download a book directly from Overdrive in about two minutes (without any intermediate device). I've got the PocketBook set to open at my library's page by default (and it keeps me logged in) so it's just a matter of search, borrow and download.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by AnotherWanderer

Internet access opens a world of content, I'm yet to enjoy a game of digital chess.

On a Kobo or Kindle, the browser opens a world of OH HELL NO! Trust us when we say that the browser's are not good enough and that you won't be bothering.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by AnotherWanderer

You've stated that the browser on readers don't work a fair few times now. What are you judging this by? From pictures of even old Kindles I can only assume that they have fairly decent CSS and JavaScript support, although I imagine JavaScript heavy pages or pages with complicated stylesheets would get painful to use quite quickly.

I put "usable" at reading plaintext, rendering an HTML form and submitting it. If any reader failed to render 68k.news I would be amazed (and somewhat disappointed, I have a very cheap PRS-T1 on it's way as an experiment for using an eink device as a news reader).

The T1 um....No. Do you know that the T1 is slow and low resolution and it can freeze, lock up, or be really slow when reading eBooks with high-res graphics such as the cover and title page? Do you really want that?

[Quoth]

The T2 or the just before T1 previous PRS-x50 series are far better than the T1.
The Freezing isn't consistent and never happened if if I didn't tap on a word to look it up in the Dictionary. It was consistent enough to demo it at the counter in the shop and get a cash refund.
I still have the PRS-350. Better than a Kindle Basic, though no front light and no WiFi. But I never turn on WiFi on my Kindles or Kobos.
The T1 was the switch from pure Linux based to an Android based OS, a baffling decision considering the only significant points of Android are the GUI (which T1 didn't have) and the VM for Android apk based apps, usually from the PlayStore (no Playstore or obvious apk installing options on T1).

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

On a Kobo or Kindle, the browser opens a world of OH HELL NO! Trust us when we say that the browser's are not good enough and that you won't be bothering.

I use the Kobo browser to download public domain books directly and it works fine for that; very useful.

[4691mls]

We get posts every once in a while from people looking to avoid wifi on an ereader as a possible distraction. I always wonder, if the person is so easily distracted, then before they sit down to read do they turn off completely all other possible electronic distractions such as computer, phone, tv?

[issybird]

Moderator Notice
Please stay on topic and limit comments to devices that meet the OP’s requirements and cease comments along the lines of the OP’s being mistaken or not wanting what they want. Future off-topic posts will be deleted. Thanks.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Browsers on e-ink devices are terrible for a number of reasons. The CPU and RAM is low so performance for that reason is terrible. Updating e-ink screens is slow and has issues with ghosting. That means that complicated pages don't work and if there is any sort of animation, it looks terrible. They don't tend to support newer web features. Someone mentioned that the browser on the Kindle hasn't changed since 2007. I don't know if that is true, but, I'd put the browser on the Kobo at least five years behind PC and tablet based browsers.

For a Kobo, a text only page like you example works fairly well. But, scrolling means a lot of flashing as it the text is refreshed.

The other thing for e-ink based dedicated ereaders, is that any internet usage is a very secondary thing. They use the WiFi to sync books and status. But, it happens in the background. There are no notifications from other apps, the home screen shows books, not other apps with notices. Opening the browser takes multiple clicks and it is a deliberate decision to use. Honestly, if you are able to let the internet on an e-ink ereader distract you from reading, then you probably would have been distracted by anything and possibly should reconsider what you are reading.

Hmm, I forgot a paragraph...


My real point is that the WiFi on e-ink devices is restricted enough in it's function that rejecting all devices that have WiFi means that you are a limiting yourself to an extremely small number of devices. Or very old devices. I think it is an artificial limitation. And it is possible you would end up with a device that is bad enough, it might discourage you from reading. Which seems to be exactly the opposite of what is desired.

And when I looked at this again, I remembered that Kobo has an option to turn on parental controls. From memory, this hides the browser, the store (can still sync so that a parent could buy books for the child) and, I think, the games. When you turn it on, you have to set a PIN and enter the PIN again to turn it off. It is still a device with WiFi, but, it adds another step into the process if you want to be distracted.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Hmm, I forgot a paragraph...

My real point is that the WiFi on e-ink devices is restricted enough in it's function that rejecting all devices that have WiFi means that you are a limiting yourself to an extremely small number of devices. Or very old devices. I think it is an artificial limitation. And it is possible you would end up with a device that is bad enough, it might discourage you from reading. Which seems to be exactly the opposite of what is desired.

But this is a limitation that the OP finds to be important. He/she is currently using a Sony PRS-505 — the Russian PocketBook PB616 would be a big step up. (I have a PB615 and its very usable even with its Pearl screen.)

[kacir]

Originally Posted by AnotherWanderer

[*]No internet connectivity!

I have had several e-ink readers with WiFi connectivity. In most cases I haven't switched that on for years. Even when I needed to use the Internet (usually when I was on holiday, stranded somewhere with nothing but my reader), I would quickly remember why I am never using it. The built in browser is pathetic, with very unfriendly user interface and even simple things like looking up simple weather forecast, finding out when the museum opens, or when the train departs are extremely frustrating. On some readers the browser can be used to download a book or access Calibre through its web interface.
The only time when the WiFi was genuinely useful to me was with PocketBook and its ftp server (third-party software I have installed separately). Ftp server allowed us to access the system directories and download key configuration files, such as extensions.cfg so we could make a modification and upload the improved file into user-accessible directory by standard means.
On Kindle Paperwhite 1 I never switched on the Wifi after it was registered (to a dedicated e-mail address used for nothing else). After a time it ceased displaying the adds on the "off" screen. I do not know for sure if it was because it couldn't download new adds, or because I sabotaged something when trying to hack it.

If there is a hard requirement to prevent WiFi use at home, you can add the MAC address of the reader to a blacklist on a home WiFi router. If you want to prevent the reader from accessing any WiFi, I am pretty sure that the hardware can be sabotaged irreversibly.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by AnotherWanderer

You've stated that the browser on readers don't work a fair few times now. What are you judging this by? From pictures of even old Kindles I can only assume that they have fairly decent CSS and JavaScript support, although I imagine JavaScript heavy pages or pages with complicated stylesheets would get painful to use quite quickly.

I put "usable" at reading plaintext, rendering an HTML form and submitting it. If any reader failed to render 68k.news I would be amazed (and somewhat disappointed, I have a very cheap PRS-T1 on it's way as an experiment for using an eink device as a news reader).

This sounds like a good cheap way to try out an e-ink browser and see for yourself.

FYI - just in case you had thought to try out library access - the Sony readers stopped working directly with Overdrive. Overdrive made changes to its system over the years and Sony stopped updating its readers to comply. You can still obtain library books on a computer and sync to the reader.