Unboxing iRex 800 and first impressions

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

I've made a stupid mistake. I've mistaken the SD card for internal memory. iRex 800 is showing the SD card.

I was wondering about that.

[Kolenka]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

I've made a stupid mistake. I've mistaken the SD card for internal memory. iRex 800 is showing the SD card. I've formatted it within the reader. For whatever reason it did format the 8GB card only to 1GB, that's why I've mistaken it for the internal memory. So I see the card within Windows explorer and can access it. I don't see internal memory though. Same for DeReader (the other DR 800 owner posting in this thread). I certainly won't need internal memory, but I'm a bit surprised. But probably it helps protecting the OS.
And on their website, iRex only states the memory of the SD card, no internal memory. So it makes sense...

This is what I was thinking was going on. The SD card is the exposed filesystem, and any internal flash is reserved for the OS so that it can boot and is shielded from the user. Especially when you talked about it including a 2GB card. This was actually the question I was asking about earlier.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by badbob001

Assuming you re-formatted your 8GB correctly, can you verify that the device can see all 8GB of your card? I'm hoping it's sdhc compliant, meaning support for up to 32GB cards.

The reader now recognises the entire 8GB. I've re-formatted the card via Windows explorer. Didn't try formatting on the reader again. Will try formatting another card tomorrow directly on the reader.

[cmdahler]

Originally Posted by DeReader

• There is no support for folders. I always categorize my books on the reader in folders and subfolders. Iliad did support this, with the DR800S I'm getting all books from all subfolders in one big list.
  
• No direct jump to a page number. You have to use the index (if available in the document).

These two omissions of functionality seem almost bizarre to me. Why would anyone design a device whose sole purpose is to display multiple pages of text without the fundamental ability to go directly to a specific page number? I mean, that just seems like the very first thing a software programmer for a device like this would write.

And then did no one at iRex consider the possibility that a user might just sort of like to organize their books into categories and folders?

Oh, wait, that's right, we're talking about iRex, the company that is evidently the complete antithesis of the concept of being organized. Considering the source, it's actually no wonder that that bit of functionality was left out of this reader. Probably never even occurred to them.

[cmdahler]

Originally Posted by DeReader

I did a comparison of a PDF-file on the Iliad (zoomed) and the DR800S, as additional bonus the page from the original book is also on the first picture.

Thanks very much for that picture. It's nice to see a comparison of the new screen to actual paper. Despite some initial reviewer claims to the contrary (from back in late September), the 800 screen doesn't look to have all that much better contrast ratio than the older e-ink screen next to it. Sigh. I sure wish someone could come up with a screen that truly has a white background and truly looked like print on paper. The e-ink black-on-gray is a poor compromise: it's better than reading a backlit LCD screen, that's for sure, but it is by no measure a true substitute for ink-on-paper.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

iRex used the "official" Mobipocket SDK to build their Mobipocket viewer, that's probably why theirs is not allowed to be used. It sounds like Hanlin, etc, are using FBReader for non-DRM Mobipocket support, which should also be installable on the DR800. I would assume that the version for the DR1000 would work "as is", or would be easy to port over if it required any small tweaks.

It would be a nice add-on... The more formats you can easily read on a reader, the better.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

I've made a stupid mistake. I've mistaken the SD card for internal memory. iRex 800 is showing the SD card. I've formatted it within the reader. For whatever reason it did format the 8GB card only to 1GB, that's why I've mistaken it for the internal memory. So I see the card within Windows explorer and can access it. I don't see internal memory though. Same for DeReader (the other DR 800 owner posting in this thread). I certainly won't need internal memory, but I'm a bit surprised. But probably it helps protecting the OS.
And on their website, iRex only states the memory of the SD card, no internal memory. So it makes sense...

That's exactly the way that the DR1000 works, too. All user files are stored on the SD card, which is what's visible as the USB-mounted disk. The internal storage of the device is used purely by the device itself.

[DeReader]

I charged up the battery tonight, the LED did not turn green, but the battery meter on the display is showing a full battery. So I'll start to make a runtime test.

I did some more reading (PDF) yesterday night, the reader is very responsive turning pages and also the menu navigation is fast.

[Bert]

Originally Posted by cmdahler

And then did no one at iRex consider the possibility that a user might just sort of like to organize their books into categories and folders?

Oh, wait, that's right, we're talking about iRex, the company that is evidently the complete antithesis of the concept of being organized. Considering the source, it's actually no wonder that that bit of functionality was left out of this reader. Probably never even occurred to them.

But with the iLiad you had a hierarchical folder system, even better than the categories most others (like sony) offers on its readers. So the concept clearly occurred to iRex, and earlier than most others at that ... so the question is why they didn't think it was necessary now?

I have to admit I also find this omission bizarre. They state themselves that "You can store thousands of books on the 2GB Micro-SD memory card."; How do they expect you keep this manageable by dumping everything in a big list?

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's exactly the way that the DR1000 works, too. All user files are stored on the SD card, which is what's visible as the USB-mounted disk. The internal storage of the device is used purely by the device itself.

Never saw this on iRex 1000S, as it's so comfortable there to exchange the SD card. So I just used the SD card via Adapter on my PC and simply dropped my books onto it.
On iRex 800, it's too time consuming, to permanently access the Micro SD card behind the battery. So I'll have to get used to using the card within the reader.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Bert

But with the iLiad you had a hierarchical folder system, even better than the categories most others (like sony) offers on its readers. So the concept clearly occurred to iRex, and earlier than most others at that ... so the question is why they didn't think it was necessary now?

I have to admit I also find this omission bizarre. They state themselves that "You can store thousands of books on the 2GB Micro-SD memory card."; How do they expect you keep this manageable by dumping everything in a big list?

It's similar to Cybook Opus' library view (not the folder view): You can have folders on your card. I do this, to have my books separated by file format. On the reader itself, all books within these subfolders are shown like on Kindle - as a single instance of books. You can sort those by author, title or last read - as on Kindle or Cybook Opus' library view.

I don't find that too troublesome. Whether I've got a folder "James Patterson" or simply sort by author doesn't make much of a difference to me. Using stylus and "ruler" on the right, you directly can jump to the respective letter.
But of course they could have left it optional. Like Cybook Opus, which offers library view (all books in a single instance) and folder view (hierarchical structure).

[professzore]

Thanks for the replies.
First of all, I'm looking something with extraordinary image quality, good ePUB support, 16 shades of gray, "8 inch in a 6 inch body" or something very similar. And one hand oparation (held in hand, page turning forward), both for right and left hand.
Based on your personal experiences, how can DR800 meets these requirements?

TIA,
Professzore

[planetrobbie]

great thanks mgmueller for your detailled review. For me it was like a dream come true. I've been waiting waiting waiting for this unit to come to market forever.

I resold my DR1000S which were too big to carry around, to purchase the DR800 but it was really too early (months ago). I couldn't wait any longer so I purchased the smaller nook.

Strange but it seems both devices shares the same defect :

. no zoom function
. no goto page feature
. no file hierarchy

But it seems that 8" makes a lot of difference, I fighted hours to convert pdf to be readable on the nook, I lost some battles.

I would love to swith to the DR800 but I won't gain that much to justify this expense
aarrg. Have fun with all your devices

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by planetrobbie

great thanks mgmueller for your detailled review. For me it was like a dream come true. I've been waiting waiting waiting for this unit to come to market forever.

I resold my DR1000S which were too big to carry around, to purchase the DR800 but it was really too early (months ago). I couldn't wait any longer so I purchased the smaller nook.

Strange but it seems both devices shares the same defect :

. no zoom function
. no goto page feature
. no file hierarchy

Could you elaborate on what you mean by "both devices" sharing these defects? You can certainly use a folder structure for your books on the DR1000! Or were you referring to the nook?

[LenzGr]

Originally Posted by professzore

Thanks for the replies.
First of all, I'm looking something with extraordinary image quality, good ePUB support, 16 shades of gray, "8 inch in a 6 inch body" or something very similar. And one hand oparation (held in hand, page turning forward), both for right and left hand.

Did you consider the Onyx Boox? There is a number of useful threads on this forum about it. I personally love it, but I can't compare it to other devices (as it's the only one I own).

Bye,
LenZ