8.5x11 e-ink reader, with no DRM or other features

[nauru]

I'm looking for an e-reader which meets the following three characteristics.

1. 8.5x11 inch viewable screen. Nothing smaller will do. A4 size/shape would also be sufficient.

2. e-ink. Abolutely no backlit screens.

3. Can read pdf files perfectly with no requirement to convert anything to a propietary format ever, no need to email docs to myself and pay some fee, and no requirement to buy books from a certain content provider ever.



The reason is that I use the device solely for imperfectly scanned academic journal articles and technical papers, and imperfectly scanned sheet music, and pdf versions of popular periodicals, so I need to see a whole page at once at very good resolution, at true size -- no smaller. Don't need mobi, or epub or any other strange formats, just pdf which is the global standard and all I really need to be able to view. ipad is too small, kindle is too small, sony readers are all too small. Internet access not necessary, bookstores not necessary, just want to be able to load my pdfs onto a viewing panel and take all my docs with me on the train, or to a site visit, etc.

Skiff was going to be perfect for my needs, but has missed launch dates over and over again, and now seems to have been bought by a company that wants to chain users to a fee-based content provider.

So is there anything else? I have been waiting for the Skiff for 3 years now, and I'm tired of waiting.

The reader in the following video if it is 8.5x11, looks perfect (skip to 0:34-0:38). But I'm not sure of the name. Anyone have any thoughts on what might product might finally meet my modest requirements?

Feel free to ignore the rest on e-ink video etc, not relevant to this thread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co8Vm...ayer_embedded#!

Thanks for your input.


Kind of frustrated because it seems like dozens of designs have been brought to market with every screen size imaginable, except the size of a regular piece of paper.

[thdanh90]

Just to add another device that has bitten the dust: QUE ProReader. It's rumored that the company is developing a "second-generation" of the reader after failing to meet the deadline in this summer. Once again, it will be at least 6 months before we can see any professional/academic eReaders. I wouldn't hold my breath anyway.

[Dulin's Books]

It's 9.7" diagonal in 4:3 . There is no one producing anything larger diagonally at this time. LG has begun limited production run of the larger foil backed dispaly that was to be used int he Skiff but for what product I dont knwo.

They started a manufacturing partnership with iRiver http://www.zdnet.com/blog/gadgetrevi...-venture/15553 so it's expected something will come from that. no announcements have been made as yet.

for the 9.7 inch eink reader the only one that meets your criteria at this time is the PocketBook 902(and 903 if in Europe)

[HarryT]

The Kindle DX is another 9.7" reader worth considering.

[SolRaven]

If you're looking for large, I don't think we're there yet. When you look at the specs of this 14.1" screen, Kno Specs, you'll realise that it's dimensions are just about 8.5" x 11", but may even be slightly less. The unit is 9.1" wide, but more than likely just 8.1" of viewable screen. At 13.8" tall, take off about an inch for viewable screen, then take off for the toolbars and you may be just at 11.5".

So, what you're really looking for is a 14" screen or larger in eink. Hopefully, you won't have to wait too long.

[nauru]

Yeah the diagonal viewable screen I need is 13.9 inches (US and Canada standard) or 14.3 inches (A4 sheet, rest of the world standard).

[snipenekkid]

Originally Posted by nauru

Yeah the diagonal viewable screen I need is 13.9 inches (US and Canada standard) or 14.3 inches (A4 sheet, rest of the world standard).

don't forget you can subtract margins for the most part if not using PDF files so a need for a 14" diagonal (~8.5x11") page/display can work on an 11"-12" screen. Sorry I am not in the mood to dust off the square-root button on the calculator to get an "exact" number but if the page can have it's margins reduced to about 0.25" or so then you should be golden in that 11"-12". This, btw, is the exact situation I am in for my large format reader needs.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by nauru

Yeah the diagonal viewable screen I need is 13.9 inches (US and Canada standard) or 14.3 inches (A4 sheet, rest of the world standard).

You're out of luck. No Letter/A4 eInk screen exists.

[Lode]

I just left a message with these guys saying that I hope someone will not find their 12" colour + scribble/note taking concept too extravagant to actually produce it:
http://eink.com/concept_showcase_12inch_reader.html#

Their Triton branch is into colour eInk displays...

[nauru]

Originally Posted by snipenekkid

don't forget you can subtract margins for the most part if not using PDF files so a need for a 14" diagonal (~8.5x11") page/display can work on an 11"-12" screen. Sorry I am not in the mood to dust off the square-root button on the calculator to get an "exact" number but if the page can have it's margins reduced to about 0.25" or so then you should be golden in that 11"-12". This, btw, is the exact situation I am in for my large format reader needs.

I can't imagine anything I would want to read on the device which does not come in PDF format. It is the de facto global standard for technical and non-fiction reading. Just about all academic journals are in pdf, as are all private sector research reports, manuals, textbooks, magazines, newspapers, other periodicals, think tank propaganda, corporate financial statements, and other non-fiction of all kinds. And anything that comes in doc or some other format can be instantly converted to pdf by clicking the print button. So if the device did absolutely nothing except display pdf files in black and white at full size, I would be happy. If it would cost $1000 I would still buy it.

12 inch diagonal is not ok. Have you seen how small the print is already at full size on the Economist magazine, and many academic journals and corporate financial statements? Further, the legends and labels on charts and tables are typically even smaller than the already tiny font used in the main body of the articles. Making this over 14% smaller than the already tiny true size is not the way forward IMO.

(Many public domain fiction works also come in pdf format. Those which are in some other format are easily convertible by clicking print. But to me this a secondary concern, being able to read non-fiction properly on the device is the priority for me)

[snipenekkid]

Originally Posted by nauru

I can't imagine anything I would want to read on the device which does not come in PDF format. It is the de facto global standard for technical and non-fiction reading. Just about all academic journals are in pdf, as are all private sector research reports, manuals, textbooks, magazines, newspapers, other periodicals, think tank propaganda, corporate financial statements, and other non-fiction of all kinds. And anything that comes in doc or some other format can be instantly converted to pdf by clicking the print button. So if the device did absolutely nothing except display pdf files in black and white at full size, I would be happy. If it would cost $1000 I would still buy it.

12 inch diagonal is not ok. Have you seen how small the print is already at full size on the Economist magazine, and many academic journals and corporate financial statements? Further, the legends and labels on charts and tables are typically even smaller than the already tiny font used in the main body of the articles. Making this over 14% smaller than the already tiny true size is not the way forward IMO.

(Many public domain fiction works also come in pdf format. Those which are in some other format are easily convertible by clicking print. But to me this a secondary concern, being able to read non-fiction properly on the device is the priority for me)

oh, good grief!!

[nauru]

Any new developments on the large-format e-ink reader? Any designers realized the need for a page-sized reader yet?

[HarryT]

There is no 8.5"x11" eInk screen in existance.

[Leyor]

Think you'll need to look into alternative screens, such as Pixel Qi or Mirasol.

There's no e-ink displays that size out atm, and from the following article it doesnt look like there will be this year:

http://gizmodo.com/#!5798040/therell...ders-this-year

Think only the Notion Ink Adam has pixel QI atm, but more devices should be on their way.

[akchris]

There is a e-reader that fits your paramaters from Sony. and... it's $1000.

Link