8+ Readers in comparison

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by djordje

Re your previous comment: Sony prs-600 touch can also display thumbnails. Hmmm. You must have spent only very little time with the Sony touch.

Which comment are you referring to?
I'm aware of the thumbnail capability of Sony 600. But you're right, I haven't read a single book on it. I've got Sony 900 only a few weeks after Sony 600 and didn't have any need for Sony 600 anymore...

[cheerio6414]

new considerations with the Kindle
huge price drops on the DX and Kindle

[BenLee]

Hey mg, Get your graphite DX yet? Any thoughts on the Pearl display? : )

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by BenLee

Hey mg, Get your graphite DX yet? Any thoughts on the Pearl display? : )

It's not shipped yet. Usually, it takes 5 days to Germany. So I expect it around July 13th (shipment is due for the 7th).
In the past, I wasn't into such "bulky" units. But I figure: If I already take iPad with me, I easily can add another one of these big ones. And in general, I like my Kindles.

EDIT: It's in Louisville, KY, right now. Delivery scheduled for tomorrow. I'm a bit sceptic about that. About 40 hours - would be spectacular. Usually it's 5 days. But I guess, customs should take less time in that case, as Amazon includes all the fees in their prices already...

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

It's not shipped yet. Usually, it takes 5 days to Germany. So I expect it around July 13th (shipment is due for the 7th).
In the past, I wasn't into such "bulky" units. But I figure: If I already take iPad with me, I easily can add another one of these big ones. And in general, I like my Kindles.

Hmm, considering you already have the DX, would it be possible for you to make a side-by-side comparison of the screens?

[BenLee]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Hmm, considering you already have the DX, would it be possible for you to make a side-by-side comparison of the screens?

I second this idea

Although I suspect some people may be posting up pictures very soon as Amazon has shipped a lot of them out recently.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by BenLee

I second this idea

Although I suspect some people may be posting up pictures very soon as Amazon has shipped a lot of them out recently.

I'll post comparison pics asap of course. Based on the tracking info, I doubt it really will be here tomorrow. But I guess, Friday should be possible...

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by BenLee

I second this idea

Although I suspect some people may be posting up pictures very soon as Amazon has shipped a lot of them out recently.

Well, not everybody has as much experience with readers as our own mgmueller! Besides, I'm mostly interrested in how different it is from the "old" DX...

[abeaty]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

I'll post comparison pics asap of course. Based on the tracking info, I doubt it really will be here tomorrow. But I guess, Friday should be possible...

Mueller,

I just finished reading through this entire thread from start to finish. I have been looking for an eBook reader mostly for technical, non-DRM'd PDFs. Having said that, I would hate to buy something that prevented me from reading other formats too.

Before I started reading this thread, I was thinking of waiting on the PocketBook 90x series which are scheduled for release in late Q3 or early Q4.

After reading this thread, I am still thinking the same thing. If iRex weren't in chapter 11, then I would also be looking at an 800, but given the company and the cost of the unit, I will probably just wait.

I wanted to get your opinion to see if you think I am missing something.

PS - I would love to see if the new Kindle DX with the Pearl screen changes your opinion.

Thanks.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by abeaty

Mueller,

I just finished reading through this entire thread from start to finish. I have been looking for an eBook reader mostly for technical, non-DRM'd PDFs. Having said that, I would hate to buy something that prevented me from reading other formats too.

Before I started reading this thread, I was thinking of waiting on the PocketBook 90x series which are scheduled for release in late Q3 or early Q4.

After reading this thread, I am still thinking the same thing. If iRex weren't in chapter 11, then I would also be looking at an 800, but given the company and the cost of the unit, I will probably just wait.

I wanted to get your opinion to see if you think I am missing something.

PS - I would love to see if the new Kindle DX with the Pearl screen changes your opinion.

Thanks.

That's a tough one.
First of all, I'd carefully check the PDFs.
Does "technical" mean formulas, graphs, diagrams and stuff like that?
A friend of mine did try that on the otherwise great Sony 505. He (although being a gadget enthusiast) gave up rather quickly.
When reflowing the document, details like formulas usually get lost.
So: If you need details like this, you're most likely stuck to zooming.
And this limits the field drastically.
In my opinion, zoom only makes sense if you freely can use it.
Meaning: No "zoom to page width" or something like that. With features like this, you usually run into problems, for example with text columns.
Personally, I favor what I call "intelligent" zoom. You find this, for example, on all iRex units or Onyx Boox/BeBook Neo.
Meaning: You mark the area of interest with your stylus (draw a circle around it or a diagonal line through it) and explode it to full screen.
You can do so on Sony touchscreen units as well, but their zoom only applies to the respective single page. Very often I'd like to use the very same zoom for a batch of pages.

Conclusion: If you need details as described above (formulas, diagrams, ...), I'd go for a touchscreen unit. And I'd go for a screen size as close as possible to the original. 6" might be too small.
Personally, I'd still consider iRex 800. Chapter 11 doesn't necessarily mean that iRex actually will disappear. And even if so, there still might be a 3rd party for servicing the units. AND: Some of my readers already are about 3 years old. I've only had 2 problems: One reader was defect from the very beginning and has been replaced without any problems. Another one, after roundabout 2 years, did have have a screen defect. Meaning: eInk readers seem to be extremely stable and robust, the risk of actually needing any customer support seems minimal. That's the main reason why I "risk" to order 2/3 of my readers from the US. Support would be a pain (having to send the unit back to the US), but I most likely never will need it...

PS: I didn't check the description of Kindle DX Graphite in detail (and won't be able to check myself for another 2 days or so). But as far as I know, changes are some details in design and the higher contrast of course. But I haven't heard of any additional features. If so, PDF support of Kindle DX Graphite still would be very basic. Absolutely fine for your casual read. But I'd never use it for "technical PDFs".

[abeaty]

Thanks for responding so quickly.

I guess I never stopped to think about what "technical" means. When I read it, I just assumed it meant my technical stuff. I am a software architect and I specialize in IBM stuff. IBM releases a lot of their manuals and guides as PDFs. Most of them have diagrams (mostly quite simple stuff), a few graphs and a lot of software development text. Very few have equations or formulas.

I would probably be mostly fine with any 8+ inch eReader, but will keep my eyes open for an iRex 800 or just wait for the PocketBook 90x series.

I didn't think the Onyx Boox/BeBook Neo came in anything bigger than 6".

[abeaty]

Well I just did some research on the iRexs and all their units have an 8" screen except for the 1000. I thought the Iliad only had a 6" screen. What is the difference now between the 800, Iliad 1 and Iliad 2?

According to the tech specs, they are very similar.

[Edy]

Dear all,


This is my first post in this forum and I thought this is the right thread to post my question.

I'm from Switzerland and have an iPad and a Kindle2. I love both devices. I do like the concept of Kindle to read on different platform and being able to sync bookmarks. In my job I'm an IT guy and bought the iPad especially for reading technical PDF. It's very good and I don't regret my purchases.

I have one issue , which I believe I'm not alone living abroad. I do like from time to time reading books in German. I have realized surfing around the German or Swiss books store that their e-book are sold in epub format with Adobe DRM. Unfortunately the Kindle and the iPad won't support it and the selection of German books in those stores are very thin.

Therefore I would like to ask you guys, which e-reader is a good choice, which fits this requirement. I would have no problem to buy the device in the US. I haven't figured out if a Nook or a Kobo would be capable of Adobe DRM. I know Sony does and is offered by German/Swiss stores.

I don't want to spend to much for an Adobe DRM reader, since my main reading will always be in English.

What can you recommend?

Thank you
Edy

[Sweetpea]

Simple, remove the DRM, convert to mobi and read it on your Kindle It's the cheapest solution (besides, you shouldn't have to buy various readers to read your bought books...)

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by abeaty

Well I just did some research on the iRexs and all their units have an 8" screen except for the 1000. I thought the Iliad only had a 6" screen. What is the difference now between the 800, Iliad 1 and Iliad 2?

According to the tech specs, they are very similar.

I've never seen iLiad V1. The spec says, there have been some minor changes in design and V2 did receive a bigger battery.
800 is kind of the successor of iLiad. It still has the very same "flipbar" for turning pages, which I find one of the best solutions in the market.
Main difference, I guess: iLiad doesn't receive any firmware support anymore for more than 1 year. Meaning: You'll never be able to read ePUB on iLiad (at least no DRMed ePUB. There are always workarounds for non-DRMed material of course).
I love my iLiad, but I don't see any advantage of iLiad over 800, when going for a new purchase.