Wizpac txtr reader announced - the Kindle killer?

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by noonscoomo

. . . you will be able to buy one in fall.

Will it be available in the United States?

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by noonscoomo

Stay tuned, you will see pictures of the real device within Feb. and you will be able to buy one in fall.

oh, very exciting. can't wait.

[Mr. Goodbar]

This reader is looking better everyday. I can't wait to see the rest of the specs and actual pictures.

[JasonB]

Originally Posted by noonscoomo

The status information is just showed while page turning. It hides then after a while. You can configure that so it stays on the screen.

Nice. I would definitely configure it so that the page numbers are always there.

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

the "page numbers or not page numbers" question is a whole sack of knots. i think you'll be surprised to find that there are many people who are quite attached to this convention, for many reasons

I'm one of them. I'd feel quite odd without page numbers. I know that noonscoomo said that having the pages renumber themselves with variable font sizes results in them not making much sense, but I disagree completely. It's not about what pre-set, static, page you're on - it's about what page you're on relative to all of the other pages in a book. I'm used to seeing physical books in different formats (hardcover, paperback, trade paperback, etc.) and the same book is, obviously, numbered differently when you buy it in a different format. But that's just fine. The point is that, with whatever version of book you're currently reading (or font size), you know exactly where you are.

In fact, the one thing I was mentioning to a friend of mine that I miss about physical books (although I still prefer electronic) is the feel of the book in my hand that lets me "sense" how much I've read by the thickness of pages in my left hand vs. the thickness in my right. I've always felt eager to start a book when I have so many pages left unturned in my right hand - then start to feel a little sad <grin> when there's the opposite effect and I know that I'm coming to the end. With electronic books, I don't have the same tactile feel for where I am in a book. It's odd having to just refer to the page number. (Sometimes I'm surprised by how much I've read because I can't sense it - and I haven't explicitly looked at the page number in a while.) Without even just the page numbers I think that I'd feel completely lost.

Originally Posted by noonscoomo

It will display 16 gray shades

Can somebody describe what that means in terms of the difference in readability from only 8 (as with the Sony I have)? I'm assuming that it's the same as in the computer world, and there will simply be better contrast, making it look even that much more realistic?

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I can (and do) hold my PDA in one hand, gripping it on both sides. But I don't think I can get my hand around a 6" screen Holding a reader only on the bottom sounds so ... awkward... to me.

Am I the only one who had a momentary mental image about this statement taken a bit out of context and sounding a little inappropriate? LOL

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i really hope my liseuse will have better ergonomy than a hardback. those things are horribly uncomfortable (and sometimes impossible) to hold one-handed.

I normally hold my books two-handed, although sometimes I will switch to using just my right hand. With a hard cover, as I don't need to worry about bending the pages beyond what they can take without being "damaged", I will often just sit it on my lap (or stomach if I'm lying down) and read it that way, just lightly touching the cover to keep it up. (And I'm trying to stop laughing as I type this and continue to think of things out of context...)

With my electronic reader, I like the option of folding the cover back behind. Sometimes I leave it open, sometimes I don't. (If I'm at a pub, I may fold it back and leave it on the table, so I don't use my hands at all.)

But there isn't really any one way that I hold the reader - I like to vary from time to time.

Originally Posted by HarryT

I personally dislike touch screens for reading on intensely

I tend to agree. I've never enjoyed touch screens myself. I haven't considered the fingerprint issue, but the whole touch screen experience itself has never felt natural to me. I've played with iPhones, and using the touch screen has always felt slightly unnatural to me. Given the choice, I would always prefer a manual button or other type of control that has nothing to do with the screen itself. I own a Harmony One universal remote control, and part of its interface is a touch screen. I've never enjoyed it. The touch screen bit, I mean. The remote itself is amazing. (And that's just touching the screen as if the elements were buttons, not actually sliding a finger across it.) For me, a touch screen is a knock against a device, not a selling feature.

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i'm right handed too, but i like to hold my reader in my left hand. but anyway, the good news for you is the txtr will have an accelerometer, so if you prefer to hold it in your right hand, just turn it around ! in fact, if you want the controls on the bottom, you can have that too.

How? You mean by turning the device 90 degrees so that the page is horizontal rather than vertical?

With my Sony, I very much like the page turn buttons on the right and the bottom. Although I mainly use the buttons on the right, I do sometimes use them on the bottom too (depending on how I'm holding it).

I kind of like the static nature of the Sony (505) that just works for me exactly as it is. Granted, it may not work perfectly for a lot of other people. (Such as those who like page turn buttons on the left.) But, my specific tastes aside, I'm very impressed by this new reader and I think that it's probably the best in terms of reconfigurability and compromise that I've yet seen. If it lives up to its promise, I think it's going to be very successful.

[jbjb]

Am I the only one who is excited by this principally due to noonscoomo's posts? The fact that he (she?) is here actively discussing the device shows that this is a producer which understands their market. Very encouraging!

/JB

[treesaver]

Txtr prototype video?

There were some guys in a quiet corner at the CCC-Congress last december that had a ebook-prototype, something that looked a lot like that txtr-device. Since wispac/txt is in Berlin, that could have been some developers who were too proud not to show of?
A friend made a video back then, its up here: http://www.vimeo.com/2984025

[tompe]

Originally Posted by JasonB

In fact, the one thing I was mentioning to a friend of mine that I miss about physical books (although I still prefer electronic) is the feel of the book in my hand that lets me "sense" how much I've read by the thickness of pages in my left hand vs. the thickness in my right. I've always felt eager to start a book when I have so many pages left unturned in my right hand - then start to feel a little sad <grin> when there's the opposite effect and I know that I'm coming to the end. With electronic books, I don't have the same tactile feel for where I am in a book. It's odd having to just refer to the page number. (Sometimes I'm surprised by how much I've read because I can't sense it - and I haven't explicitly looked at the page number in a while.) Without even just the page numbers I think that I'd feel completely lost.

This is a good description of how I feel also. And since the Cybook does not have page numbers the effect even worse. I also like to read a specific number of pages in one sitting for that you need a number (and it does not need to be accurate for this). Reading on en eBook-reader it is very hard to get the feeling that you have made any progress in the book.

[noonscoomo]

Originally Posted by jbjb

Am I the only one who is excited by this principally due to noonscoomo's posts? The fact that he (she?) is here actively discussing the device shows that this is a producer which understands their market. Very encouraging!

/JB

Thank you for the flowers
But it's easy, you are best du discuss such a product, because you are somewhat addicted ;-)
So it is obviously a good idea to be here and to listen to your questions and suggestions.

[noonscoomo]

Originally Posted by tompe

This is a good description of how I feel also. And since the Cybook does not have page numbers the effect even worse. I also like to read a specific number of pages in one sitting for that you need a number (and it does not need to be accurate for this). Reading on en eBook-reader it is very hard to get the feeling that you have made any progress in the book.

Good point.
For the txtr reader it's just a question of a proper default. Maybe we switch that to keep this information on screen for documents with more then let's say 100 pages or so and store this setting in the metafile for the document, so you can change it case by case. But I still think, that a page information is worthless if you don't know the total page count, so I guess it's more important to know a) how "big" the book is and b) where in that book you are and especially if you are coming to the end.
And remeber, there is more out there then just books and the device is not only a book reader, so we allways have to take care not to neglect all the other document types.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JasonB

It's not about what pre-set, static, page you're on - it's about what page you're on relative to all of the other pages in a book. I'm used to seeing physical books in different formats (hardcover, paperback, trade paperback, etc.) and the same book is, obviously, numbered differently when you buy it in a different format. But that's just fine. The point is that, with whatever version of book you're currently reading (or font size), you know exactly where you are.

A "progress bar", such as the CyBook has, gives you that same information, and, moreover, remains valid no matter how much you change the font size, etc. One thing you can do with an eBook Reader that you cannot do with a printed book is switch to a larger font in poor lighting conditions; that (obviously) changes the page numbers, but your "percentage" position through the book (which is what a progress bar shows you) remains unchanged.

Each to their own, though; I know that there are people who like page numbers. To me, though, they seem like an outmoded concept in an eBook.

[DG25]

Originally Posted by treesaver

Txtr prototype video?

There were some guys in a quiet corner at the CCC-Congress last december that had a ebook-prototype, something that looked a lot like that txtr-device. Since wispac/txt is in Berlin, that could have been some developers who were too proud not to show of?
A friend made a video back then, its up here: http://www.vimeo.com/2984025

Nice find, it seems like a prototype of txtr reader. The flow of the interface looks good, i can't wait for the final version.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

A "progress bar", such as the CyBook has, gives you that same information

Since it does not give the total length of the book you do not get the same information. Also if you read only half an hour you usualy do not detect any progress on the progress bar. Once more, it is not page numbers that are important. The important thing is to have some kind of numerical measurement.

[Mr. Goodbar]

I've always found the page number debate rather confusing. I'm definitely one who likes to know where they are in a book and the page number just seems to make the most sense. It's what has been built into our perspective since we first learned to read.

I understand that font sizes will change the number of pages in a book, but can't we just recalculate the number of pages in respects to the larger font size? This is how the Sony does it and it works very well. You can easily see where you are relative to the total length of the book. This just seems to be one of those paradigms that doesn't need to change just because we are now using an electronic medium. I know there are different perspectives on this, but I guess I just don't understand the point.

[Mr. Goodbar]

If that video is an early prototype of the txtr than it's already pretty impressive just from an initial speed perspective. This device could have me switching back to a six inch device from my iLiad.

[astra]

Originally Posted by tompe

Since it does not give the total length of the book you do not get the same information. Also if you read only half an hour you usualy do not detect any progress on the progress bar.

I am with you on this one.
Ebook reader without a very similar page count feature as sony reader has will not attract my attention at all. It is a part of my reading experince and gives me the feeling of reading a real book instead of fiddling with just one more gadget.