Sony Reader vs. iRex Iliad e-book reader

[n@meless1]

Bah..

In my opinion:
E-book reader: a device that *have to* replace a "classic" book.
Nothing less, nothing more.

It should be:

- Simple, like a book...with basic features (files "library", bookmarks, index, options) and basic connectivity (usb.)
- Based on e-paper technology (with obvious consequences), with the best visual quality as possible
- Unix OS and with support for the most popular text formats (pdf, etc..)
- Thin and light
- With a "software suite", so that you can customise\adjust your e-book files (for example to create a "linked" index that is missing)

They could sell tons of a device like that, fist of all because it surely wouldn't cost 400-600 Euro, second because hw and "form-factor" wouldn't suffer from useless features

Will a thing like that ever be released?
Anyone here that agree with me?

[Bunter]

Sounds like you are describing iLiad with replaced contentLister and standby mode

[HarryT]

The cost of the machine is primarily dependent on the cost of the screen, and has very little to do with what "features" the machine does or does not offer. Any current machine that uses the same screen as the iLiad is going to cost in the same "ballpark" that the iLiad does.

[n@meless1]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The cost of the machine is primarily dependent on the cost of the screen, and has very little to do with what "features" the machine does or does not offer. Any current machine that uses the same screen as the iLiad is going to cost in the same "ballpark" that the iLiad does.

Than take that (good) screen and make a basic, simple (and functional) e-book reader, as I've listed above..
I think cutting off those useless (for its main purpose) features can impact both on the hw (simpler circuitry and less resources needed--->cheaper and less performant hw, less heat, less "connectors", maybe thinner and lighter case) and the sw (non affecting the price)..

In your opinion what % of the iLiad price is due to the e-paper screen? More than 50%?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by n@meless1

Than take that (good) screen and make a basic, simple (and functional) e-book reader, as I've listed above..
I think cutting off those useless (for its main purpose) features can impact both on the hw (simpler circuitry and less resources needed--->cheaper and less performant hw, less heat, less "connectors", maybe thinner and lighter case) and the sw (non affecting the price)..

In your opinion what % of the iLiad price is due to the e-paper screen? More than 50%?

In terms of its manufacturing cost, the screen probably accounts for 80% of the cost of the machine. If you break the screen, it's generally approximately the same price to buy a new machine as it is to have the screen replaced.

I'm honestly not sure what features of the iLiad you regard as redundant - can you elaborate? The iLiad is basically a machine for reading and annotating documents - that's what it's sold for, and that's what it does. The fact that it runs Linux and you can install additional applications on it really doesn't affect that at all, and doesn't make the machine any more expensive.

[NatCh]

~80% is where I'd guesstimate the iLiad's screen cost to be too. In my opinion (get your own!), the only bragware I see on the iLiad, is the WiFi, but I consider that one debatable, depending on what the user wants the device for. For books, it's a bit excessive, for periodicals, especially dailies, I don't think it is excessive at all.

But the good news is that new technologies eventually mature (barring asteroid strikes and the like), and become easier and cheaper to make, so if the price of the iLiad's display really is, as we believe, in the neighborhood of 80% of the device's cost, then we may expect the device cost to drop radically as the cost of making the displays does so.

Immaturity is a problem that generally does get better in time, be it people or products. Me? I'm proud to be the exception that proves the rule.

[Snas]

For me the main advantage of the iLiad is that I can update my newspaper since a wifi access point every hour...

And for the update since a cable, I do not need to to switch on my pc because it is made with a ethernet cable...

I really hope that our initiative will manage to convince the other newspapers in the world because it is really a pleasure to read the last news on the iLiad

[Nigel]

Has anyone had the opportunity to compare the iLiad to the new Sony 505? While I know others will have various concerns, for me, readability is the most important point.

I don't want to spend the extra for the iLiad. However, if the reading experience is substantially better, I'd rather do it now than after owning the Sony.

I've seen a Sony 500 and it looks pretty good though a bit small. The new one is supposed to be 20% clearer but I don't know how to quantify this.

I live on an out-island in Hawaii where there are few stores and am unlikely to be able to see either the new Sony or the iRex before purchase.

[Gogolo]

Nigel, the biggest difference is screen size. Id say: if you only read fiction books, get the sony. If you read a lot of A4 size dokuments and want to annotate, get the iLiad.
Hope I can help you. Greetings from cold cold Switzerland
Olivier

[quek]

Hi Nigel

I have just bought the Iliad (previously owned a PRS500). The 2 devices are fundamentally different. PRS500/505 is extremely good for the casual user for reading fiction because of its long battery life and smaller size.

Iliad is a work tool. The important point is that viewing of pdf files is not a problem on it. I believe that the slightly better display on PRS505 is not really going to enhance the reading experience a lot. After a while, our eyes will get used to it anyway. Also, the battery life is really not so bad. I used mine for reading in trains while commuting to work(about 40mins a day, page turning+touch pad) and turn it off after that. Charged it 2 days ago and now it is still at almost 80%.

In fact, Adams has just released the beta version of minimo browser. This will really bring Iliad to an even higher level because now we can have web surfing similar to that of using a pc.

Best regards
Quek

[Nigel]

Thanks to you both. Didn't know about minimo.

Started to think of iLiad as sort of a low power, more portable, Linux tablet with exceptional readability but realize it doesn't have the flexibility of control, making it a different kind of animal. A little like if Apple kept going with Newton but didn't fund a software group.

I'm getting hints that it can be a client or remote desktop to a PC. Is this true?

Probably too obscure, but has anyone tried to control a Squeezebox from an iLiad? http://www.slimdevices.com/index.html

Gogolo; You may be cold but you can buy anything made in the world, see great art, hear great music and visit at least three foreign cultures within a days drive from your home. I think that here, with every day at around 27 C we lose a few IQ points. Paradise has its tradeoffs.

[astra]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The iLiad is basically a machine for reading and annotating documents - that's what it's sold for, and that's what it does. .

Sorry for being extraordinary dense.
I don't understand how this feature works.

When I read a pbook, I can write notes on it and underline/encircle words or lines. Then later when I re-read the material I can see my "notes" that I left to emphasize the most important things on a page.
What is a point to make notes and underscore lines when I read the same book but in PDF format in the iLiad? I mean, let's say in 1 year time after reading the book i would like to go through it again and see what I underlined....how can I do it? Can I save the notes somehow?

[tribble]

The scribbles in the PDF files are saved as a seperate XML file on the iLiad and get displayed on the iLiad on the PDF. When you want ts "save" your scribbles in the PDF, you can use the Compagnion Software from iRex to merge the scribles int a new PDF file or even better use the community made java merger: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...=java+scribble

[nekokami]

Originally Posted by Nigel

Started to think of iLiad as sort of a low power, more portable, Linux tablet with exceptional readability but realize it doesn't have the flexibility of control, making it a different kind of animal. A little like if Apple kept going with Newton but didn't fund a software group.

I think it's somewhere between these two. I do use it in much the same way that I used to use my Newton, but because it's Linux, the potential software pool is much larger.

[astra]

A few more questions:

Does iLiad have a similar bookmarking feature as Sony Reader?

When I switch off iLiad and turn it back on (I know it takes about 1 minutes to boot up), will it start at the same place where I finished to read or at least will I be able to find this book and the place where I finished reading easily?

Can I change font size in a similar way I can do it on Sony reader? such as small/medium/large?