In defence of PPC/PDA/Nokia tablet: ebook readers - Page 3

bwaldron · 03-10-2008, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsgreer

I don't want to be called, reminded of an appointment or listen to music on my e-reader.

I'm with you there, actually. I am using my Clie TH55 as a dedicated reader, with my Treo handling phone and PDA functions.

renderstudio · 03-10-2008, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hidari

I have two photos attached of my Acer N311 that I use to read everyday on the subway in Sapporo, Japan. Prior to that She was read everyday on the Moscow metro.
hidari

I happily read Neuromancer on an smt5600 smartphone while riding that same subway in sapporo! weird as it may sound, I do the majority of my reading on a tmobile dash (htc excalibur).

I am very happy with the small size of my smartphone. I also always have it on me. I also really dig my Nokia 770. I do a black background with green letters, and it glows beautifully in the dark. I have never read so much that the battery ran out on me.

what is funny to me is that I have been obsessing over which ereader to purchase, and have found both the kindle and sony reader to be lacking. I have a gadget crush on the illiad, but it is way outside my price range (my wife would destroy me). I wish I could hold it before purchasing.

I really miss sapporo. I had an order of sapporo ramen at a little eat-in place here in boston yesterday, but it just wasn't the same.

DaleDe · 03-10-2008, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radleyp

I haven't the time to go over all the pages on this Russian-language site, but you should all be aware that one commenter requested a sketch of the device and was told that Sonka (whoever that is) couldn't or wouldn't produce it, which makes me doubt that this device will soon be available. And the site leader said he was going to Taiwan to discuss the screens with PVI - PVI can't make the screens it could be selling now, how is it going to make more for this company?

There was a sketch earlier in the thread but perhaps it changed over time. PVI is build new plants and increasing capacity. It won't be long before they will not be the bottleneck.

Dale

Steven Lyle Jordan · 03-10-2008, 10:30 PM

I started reading e-books seriously on my Toshiba PDA. Recently I had the chance to test-drive a Sony PRS-505, and now, my e-book reader is... an iPaq 110.

I'm not saying the Sony was bad, but I like reading e-books on a PDA screen. I've never had an issue with the 320x240 size, and eyestrain has never been an issue for me. It's portable, the battery lasts as long as I'm reading, it's easy to change pages, I can read it in any light, and I can hold it in one hand. And since the iPaq is good for so many other tasks, I don't have a need for a dedicated reader at all.

I personally feel that everybody has different hardware needs, and people should use what they're comfortable with. In the long run, the hardware won't matter... it'll be the e-books that matter, whatever you read them on.

hidari · 03-11-2008, 08:32 AM

THanx for the comments Steve. I saw that your were a PPC/PDA reader before, but I would guess that you would be an advocate of the e-ink devices that are so popular on the site. I agree that everyone has different tastes and needs. Your comment about the one handedness of the device is another plus in my book for the PPC/PDA's of the world. I Have attached a photo of my Acer n311 in Landscape mode as well. I can hold it with one hand in landscape or vertical mode.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I started reading e-books seriously on my Toshiba PDA. Recently I had the chance to test-drive a Sony PRS-505, and now, my e-book reader is... an iPaq 110.

I'm not saying the Sony was bad, but I like reading e-books on a PDA screen. I've never had an issue with the 320x240 size, and eyestrain has never been an issue for me. It's portable, the battery lasts as long as I'm reading, it's easy to change pages, I can read it in any light, and I can hold it in one hand. And since the iPaq is good for so many other tasks, I don't have a need for a dedicated reader at all.

I personally feel that everybody has different hardware needs, and people should use what they're comfortable with. In the long run, the hardware won't matter... it'll be the e-books that matter, whatever you read them on.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 03-11-2008, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hidari

THanx for the comments Steve. I saw that your were a PPC/PDA reader before, but I would guess that you would be an advocate of the e-ink devices that are so popular on the site.

I've always said: "Whatever works for you." If a Kindle is what you've always needed to make e-book reading great for you, then by all means, get one. If, on the other hand, you like reading from your PSP, do it! You want to use an iPod Touch? Go ahead! I'm in support of all of 'em, as long as it gets people to read e-books and enjoy it.

People tend to decide for themselves what they want to do. Once they do, they condition themselves to do what it takes to get there. In terms of technology, the Steve Jordan mantra is: "If you want to get used to it... you'll get used to it."

E-book readers fit that mantra well: None of them is perfect, but owners get used to their idiosyncrasies in order to get past them and enjoy their e-books. If an owner buys a new reader, they get used to that one's idiosyncrasies, get past them and enjoy their e-books... and on, and on. Obviously, the better the reader, the less you have to "make do" with, but it's all about using it because you want to.

Get them to want to do it... and they will. Let them decide how.

BooksForABuck · 03-11-2008, 11:05 AM

I've found benefits in having multiple eBook reading devices. When I'm reading at home or on an airplane, I normally use my eBookWise. But I always keep my Palm in my pocket. When I'm alone at a restaurant, waiting for a doctor's appointment, waiting for the bus, or standing at the door because my wife is still getting dressed, I can take out the Palm, read a few pages, and then slip it back in my pocket.

There's something to be said for a device small enough that you can always have it with you.

I find I quickly get used to differences in screen size. I can read a book on the Palm as quickly as in paper. (The eBookWise is slightly faster).

I agree that the point of eReading is not the device, it's the reading. Whatever works for people is good. This month's perfect solution is next year's old hat.

Rob Preece
Publisher, www.BooksForABuck.com

Steven Lyle Jordan · 03-11-2008, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BooksForABuck

When I'm alone at a restaurant, waiting for a doctor's appointment, waiting for the bus, or standing at the door because my wife is still getting dressed, I can take out the Palm, read a few pages, and then slip it back in my pocket.

Yup... that's me all over!

NatCh · 03-11-2008, 11:53 AM

I think there's something to be said for that approach, and I'd probably go for that approach, at least some of the time, if there were a way to keep the devices "on the same page," as it were. I don't really want to keep multiple books going at the same time, I've done it before, I just prefer not to, so I'd need a way to keep the same book at the same place (or pretty close) on multiple devices. Of course, that also drags in the format and DRM issues.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 03-11-2008, 12:24 PM

One of the things that I always thought would be a good idea, would be that of the portable memory that is supported by multiple workstation and display appliances, according to your immediate needs. In other words, you have a PDA that is always with you and fully accessible, but when you want more, you take along a larger screen accessory that syncs to the PDA, or a "laptop dock" that syncs to the PDA, and you have a full workstation running off the same memory.

This would solve your multiple items dilemma... you always take the PDA, but you bring the larger screen when it's handy. You only have to worry about 1 book, 1 format, 1 DRM license, etc. It continues to surprise me that none of the mini-computer manufacturers have managed to sell this modular idea to any segment of the public yet...

DaleDe · 03-11-2008, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

One of the things that I always thought would be a good idea, would be that of the portable memory that is supported by multiple workstation and display appliances, according to your immediate needs. In other words, you have a PDA that is always with you and fully accessible, but when you want more, you take along a larger screen accessory that syncs to the PDA, or a "laptop dock" that syncs to the PDA, and you have a full workstation running off the same memory.

This would solve your multiple items dilemma... you always take the PDA, but you bring the larger screen when it's handy. You only have to worry about 1 book, 1 format, 1 DRM license, etc. It continues to surprise me that none of the mini-computer manufacturers have managed to sell this modular idea to any segment of the public yet...

Why not just move the SD card itself, no sync needed. If the license is set up for both devices you should be able to move a card easily between devices and for mobipocket files the book marks will move with the card.

Dale

NatCh · 03-11-2008, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

One of the things that I always thought would be a good idea, would be that of the portable memory that is supported by multiple workstation and display appliances, according to your immediate needs. In other words, you have a PDA that is always with you and fully accessible, but when you want more, you take along a larger screen accessory that syncs to the PDA, or a "laptop dock" that syncs to the PDA, and you have a full workstation running off the same memory.

This would solve your multiple items dilemma... you always take the PDA, but you bring the larger screen when it's handy. You only have to worry about 1 book, 1 format, 1 DRM license, etc. It continues to surprise me that none of the mini-computer manufacturers have managed to sell this modular idea to any segment of the public yet...

It sounds like a good idea to me.

I've seen something that follows the modular concept (I forget the name) but it's aimed pretty much totally at the ubertechie to the point of being hopeless for any actual application. I suspect no-one's done it because the idea hasn't been presented to the right person who has the influence/means to do anything with it, just like so many good ideas out there.

m-reader · 03-12-2008, 05:10 AM

I've read on PDA since Philips Nino (can't remember the model number anymore), and that was back in 1998. Since then I've had a Psion, a couple Palms and finally a Fujistu-Siemens Loox 560. All of these were great gadgets and great for reading from.
At least I thought so until I bought my iLiad ...
There's no way I'll read anything on a back-lit screen unless I have to.
Then again, I can see how some people would find PDAs better than eInk. A matter of taste.

TallMomof2 · 03-12-2008, 08:47 AM

I read for years on Palms and Palm clones. I purposely bought the T|X because it has the largest PDA screen. My biggest gripe about reading from it was not the smallness of the screen but the fact that I couldn't read outside in sunlight. An eInk screen solves that problem for me. Plus I figured out quickly that I had zero eye strain.

I still love my Palm and it's my backup reader but reading on a backlit LCD is hard on my eyes.

AdamGott · 03-13-2008, 06:13 PM

I have been contemplating an e-reader purchase to replace my Palm Tungsten T2 but settled on a used IPAQ 3115 instead. $100 on EBAY and it has wireless internet (802.11b) and lots of other bells and whistles that the e-readers still don't have.

Eventually I will get an e-reader but they are too much for my tastes still.

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03-10-2008, 10:30 PM	#34
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I started reading e-books seriously on my Toshiba PDA. Recently I had the chance to test-drive a Sony PRS-505, and now, my e-book reader is... an iPaq 110. I'm not saying the Sony was bad, but I like reading e-books on a PDA screen. I've never had an issue with the 320x240 size, and eyestrain has never been an issue for me. It's portable, the battery lasts as long as I'm reading, it's easy to change pages, I can read it in any light, and I can hold it in one hand. And since the iPaq is good for so many other tasks, I don't have a need for a dedicated reader at all. I personally feel that everybody has different hardware needs, and people should use what they're comfortable with. In the long run, the hardware won't matter... it'll be the e-books that matter, whatever you read them on.

03-11-2008, 11:05 AM	#37
BooksForABuck Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 150001 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Long Beach, CA Device: Color Nook, Kindle 2, Palm III, eBookWise, HP Jornada	I've found benefits in having multiple eBook reading devices. When I'm reading at home or on an airplane, I normally use my eBookWise. But I always keep my Palm in my pocket. When I'm alone at a restaurant, waiting for a doctor's appointment, waiting for the bus, or standing at the door because my wife is still getting dressed, I can take out the Palm, read a few pages, and then slip it back in my pocket. There's something to be said for a device small enough that you can always have it with you. I find I quickly get used to differences in screen size. I can read a book on the Palm as quickly as in paper. (The eBookWise is slightly faster). I agree that the point of eReading is not the device, it's the reading. Whatever works for people is good. This month's perfect solution is next year's old hat. Rob Preece Publisher, www.BooksForABuck.com

03-11-2008, 11:53 AM	#39
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I think there's something to be said for that approach, and I'd probably go for that approach, at least some of the time, if there were a way to keep the devices "on the same page," as it were. I don't really want to keep multiple books going at the same time, I've done it before, I just prefer not to, so I'd need a way to keep the same book at the same place (or pretty close) on multiple devices. Of course, that also drags in the format and DRM issues.

03-11-2008, 12:24 PM	#40
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	One of the things that I always thought would be a good idea, would be that of the portable memory that is supported by multiple workstation and display appliances, according to your immediate needs. In other words, you have a PDA that is always with you and fully accessible, but when you want more, you take along a larger screen accessory that syncs to the PDA, or a "laptop dock" that syncs to the PDA, and you have a full workstation running off the same memory. This would solve your multiple items dilemma... you always take the PDA, but you bring the larger screen when it's handy. You only have to worry about 1 book, 1 format, 1 DRM license, etc. It continues to surprise me that none of the mini-computer manufacturers have managed to sell this modular idea to any segment of the public yet...

03-12-2008, 05:10 AM	#43
m-reader Guru Posts: 785 Karma: 100000 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Sony PRS-300. PRS-650, PRS-900, iPad2, Iconia A500, Irex Iliad (sold)	I've read on PDA since Philips Nino (can't remember the model number anymore), and that was back in 1998. Since then I've had a Psion, a couple Palms and finally a Fujistu-Siemens Loox 560. All of these were great gadgets and great for reading from. At least I thought so until I bought my iLiad ... There's no way I'll read anything on a back-lit screen unless I have to. Then again, I can see how some people would find PDAs better than eInk. A matter of taste.

03-12-2008, 08:47 AM	#44
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	I read for years on Palms and Palm clones. I purposely bought the T\|X because it has the largest PDA screen. My biggest gripe about reading from it was not the smallness of the screen but the fact that I couldn't read outside in sunlight. An eInk screen solves that problem for me. Plus I figured out quickly that I had zero eye strain. I still love my Palm and it's my backup reader but reading on a backlit LCD is hard on my eyes.

03-13-2008, 06:13 PM	#45
AdamGott Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 2139614 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Kindle/iPad	I have been contemplating an e-reader purchase to replace my Palm Tungsten T2 but settled on a used IPAQ 3115 instead. $100 on EBAY and it has wireless internet (802.11b) and lots of other bells and whistles that the e-readers still don't have. Eventually I will get an e-reader but they are too much for my tastes still.

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