New Chapter on Digital Reading (Sony) - Page 7

Gideon · 09-12-2008, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

No, it doesn't. It represents a sample of people that use that software. Also, since the software requires OS X.4 or higher then there is no way older Macs would be represented.

BTW: I agree about having vs using. I have several old PCs sitting in the garage waiting to be taken to the recycling dump.

BOb

I think at a certain point you have to cut off backwards compatibility unless it is VERY easy. You can't worry about OS X.2 users anymore than you should worry about Windows ME users. If the developer can pull it off, great, but... you can only do so much.

As far as I'm concerned any consumer electronic hardware should support the big three options (linux, mac, windows) in their present states (maybe going back 5 years at most) and just consider that the way things have to be done. Software can be developed that way, and given how unsophisticated most of this stuff is there is no excuse it shouldn't be.

BlackVoid · 09-12-2008, 02:36 AM

"There is a competing technology: LCD.

The only real benefit of Eink is it uses less energy than an LCD. But if you have the Eink screen in a reader with a moderately powerful CPU, the power savings are negligible. Most of the power is consumed by the electronics, not the screen."

WRONG!!!!

Eink has much better contrast than LCD.

pepak · 09-12-2008, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

There is a competing technology: LCD.

The only real benefit of Eink is it uses less energy than an LCD.

As far as I am concerned, e-ink is a lot easier on my eyes than LCD.

Gideon · 09-12-2008, 02:52 AM

And, you know, that whole "you can read it in sunlight" thing.

Donnageddon · 09-12-2008, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackVoid

WRONG!!!!

I love that quote! Can I borrow it?

HarryT · 09-12-2008, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gideon

As to supporting Macs... Mac users are often early tech adopters, and the student mac usage numbers are a lot higher, and students have to be a demographic they want. I know the lack of Mac support was a reason I returned my Sony Reader.

Sorry, I'm puzzled. If Mac support was an issue for you, why did you buy the Sony Reader in the first place rather than, say, a Kindle or a CyBook, both of which will work happily with any o/s?

Gideon · 09-12-2008, 06:09 AM

it wasn't too big a deal for me, I had ways around it. It was one of many reasons. For me the deal killers was price and selection of books. Software irritation is just one thing.

I just think, in general, that multiple OS support (at least windows and mac) is a good standard for consumer electronics with a software component.

Still, even for just windows software it's really poorly designed software. It's like 'baby's first java program' or something.

pilotbob · 09-12-2008, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackVoid

WRONG!!!!

Eink has much better contrast than LCD.

Do you have numbers?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gideon

And, you know, that whole "you can read it in sunlight" thing.

Um... I could read the Jetbook I reviewed perfectly fine in the sun. It has a "reflexive" LCD rather than back lit. What I didn't understand is if LCDs are so much cheaper to make when the Jetbook isn't a $199 or less device.

BOb

JSWolf · 09-12-2008, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

LRF is text. Why do you say these obnoxious things? The Kindle, Cybook, BeBook, iLiad, etc all cost more than the 505.

BOb

LRF is a binary format that can contain fonts, graphics, italics, bold, etc... text is just text.

pilotbob · 09-12-2008, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

LRF is a binary format that can contain fonts, graphics, italics, bold, etc... text is just text.

So is .rtf a binary format? It can have embedded images?

BOb

Red Penguin · 09-12-2008, 02:34 PM

If Sony release an improved model a month after the UK launch I might have to unleash my Mighty British Sarcasm upon them.

My hope is for a deal with a major publisher. Need some content here, the Waterstones store is very, very bare. An updated book brower interface for the machine itself would be nice too.

Lilly · 09-12-2008, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Penguin

If Sony release an improved model a month after the UK launch I might have to unleash my Mighty British Sarcasm upon them.

My hope is for a deal with a major publisher. Need some content here, the Waterstones store is very, very bare. An updated book brower interface for the machine itself would be nice too.

If it's a new model and they have a non-wifi (more Kindle like connection), they will probably only release that model in the US. That will be the only thing that makes sense; as you stated above, it's close to the UK launch. I have a feeling anything released in the next few months will be US only!

JSWolf · 09-12-2008, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

So is .rtf a binary format? It can have embedded images?

BOb

LRS is the text edition of LRF. LRS gets compiled into LRF.

pilotbob · 09-12-2008, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

LRS is the text edition of LRF. LRS gets compiled into LRF.

Ok... I'm not going to argue with you. But, the bottom line is that LRF, TXT, RTF, HTML, XML, MOBI, PDF, ePUB are all text files. Some of these text files include an ML (markup language) like HTML and some include data delimiters like ePUB. Those that "embed" pictures require that the binary picture is base64 encoded so it can be stored as text.

So, basically all of the ebooks readers are text viewers, whether it is a Jetbook, CyBook or Sony Reader Digital Book.

I know you like the Sony, it is the device you choose and it is the best for you. That doesn't make everything else lame, or "shouldn't have ever been released" etc. Of course, you are welcome to your opinion and I guess that's what you were stating.

BOb

astra · 09-12-2008, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

There is a competing technology: LCD.

The only real benefit of Eink is it uses less energy than an LCD. But if you have the Eink screen in a reader with a moderately powerful CPU, the power savings are negligible. Most of the power is consumed by the electronics, not the screen.

So far, the only device that actually showed the benefit of an Eink screen was the PRS-500. Mine had a 3 week battery life. (I think the reason it had such great battery life was good hardware design, not the screen.) The Cybook and Kindle get about a week, and from what I've heard the 505 gets around 2 weeks.

I have several devices that have a battery life of a week or more. Almost all have LCD screens.

There is another and a lot more important benefit of eInk over LCD. The technology itself that is easy on my eyes. No eye strain anymore, thank you very much. No LCD device comes even close in comparison. eInk wins hands down.

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09-12-2008, 02:36 AM	#92
BlackVoid Evangelist Posts: 415 Karma: 510423 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony PRS-505	"There is a competing technology: LCD. The only real benefit of Eink is it uses less energy than an LCD. But if you have the Eink screen in a reader with a moderately powerful CPU, the power savings are negligible. Most of the power is consumed by the electronics, not the screen." WRONG!!!! Eink has much better contrast than LCD.

09-12-2008, 02:52 AM	#94
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	And, you know, that whole "you can read it in sunlight" thing.

09-12-2008, 06:09 AM	#97
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	it wasn't too big a deal for me, I had ways around it. It was one of many reasons. For me the deal killers was price and selection of books. Software irritation is just one thing. I just think, in general, that multiple OS support (at least windows and mac) is a good standard for consumer electronics with a software component. Still, even for just windows software it's really poorly designed software. It's like 'baby's first java program' or something.

09-12-2008, 02:34 PM	#101
Red Penguin Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: PRS-505	If Sony release an improved model a month after the UK launch I might have to unleash my Mighty British Sarcasm upon them. My hope is for a deal with a major publisher. Need some content here, the Waterstones store is very, very bare. An updated book brower interface for the machine itself would be nice too.

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