GOODEREADER announces crowd-funded 'ULTIMATE 6" EINK READER'!

[Steve H]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Totally agree. (Surprise! )


It's all about the market.
And the market is by and large content with the basic needs as fulfilled by a Kindle or a Kobo.


The people who are clamoring for an E-Ink Android so they can read on their terms, with the apps they want etc... tend to be more demanding than the average consumer.
Very noticeable among those demands is the "I want a larger screen than Amazon will offer me" demand.

Considering the circles they want to set abuzz, it really would have made far more sense to offer a bigger screen (they do exist !!! ) and hype that up too.


Rather than being "another E-Ink android ereader, but this one is better", they could've been "the first ever 9-inch (or whatever) E-Ink Android tablet".

I am clamoring for exactly that...something larger than 6"

[tomsem]

For what one is likely to pay for this, one can get a really decent Android tablet, and it will run any android app you want. Once you swap in an eink display, all bets are off. Developers are not going to test it or care to fix anything that doesn't work well, any more than someone writing a desktop application worries about what it looks like on monochrome screens. I tried one of the Onyx devices, and it was horrible, and that was from a company that's been doing this for awhile. Apart from all that I don't think it is a real possibility, given the source.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I wasn't aware that anyone was actually manufacturing screens with plastic substrates. Where would they get one from?

LG was doing them back in 2012:
http://www.extremetech.com/electroni...e-ink-displays

They showed up in at least one low volume ereader for Russia.

More recently, Sony's used plastic screens from eink in their very pricey 13in monster.
They helped fund the screens, called Mobius, and got a (presumably timed) exclusive on them:
http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/201...ys-introduced/

Pocketbook has been working on a CAD reader for almost two years now:

http://www.pocketbook-int.com/us/new...cadreader_flex

Don't think it's been released yet.

Eink can produce them at various sizes any time they get a big enough order. But the value of "big enough" doesn't seem to intersect with the resulting sale price to produce a viable ereader product, as nobody else has taken the jump.

The tech is out but it looks like the yield of reliable screens isn't high enough for a mainstream product. It might be suitable for a kickstarter, if only to see if there really is a market for a US$500-600 eink reader that doesn't come in 18kt gold cases.

[John F]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I wasn't aware that anyone was actually manufacturing screens with plastic substrates. Where would they get one from?

Wasn't there one already (the Wexler)?

And this turned up by a Google search:

http://www.eink.com/flexible.html

... If you have further questions regarding flexible displays, or adopting them for your device design, please contact our sales team.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

I don't have to admire either him or his imitative rag to agree that this could really start something. For a given value of "something" that is a bit toned down from his egotistical product description.

But it says "good" in the blog title. How can there be anything but goodness coming out of it?

edit: MK needs a proof-reader for his blog. His grammar is atrocious!
.

[Barty]

My dream e-reader: voyage quality screen + open android + audio for TTS.

The big sticking point is the screen. I think it's really hard to nail the front lightning + e-ink screen combo. I'd say amazon finally succeeded but it took several iterations and they have huge resources.

Considering how consistently annoying I find goodEreader's reviews, I don't have great confidence they'll pull it off. But who knows. Hopefully their reviewers !== their devs.

I really want somebody to do this, though.

[eschwartz]

I'm very disappointed in everyone's lack of faith.

Come on, the guy already has three backers!

[mycurlylocks]

So are you belittling Michael? Or others?
Or perhaps it's the 3 backers, which I happen to be one of?

I'm finding this very rude. I expected better of members on this forum.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by mycurlylocks

So are you belittling Michael?

Are you familiar with his reputation in ebook reader/indie publishing circles?
Not the most... reliable of sources, to put it politely.

[mycurlylocks]

I understand about Michael. I will still support his project.

What I don't understand is the constant rudeness from some forum members here. I was always taught growing up, if I had nothing nice to say, then say nothing. I still practice that.

I don't need to put products or people down. Perhaps that's why I seldom post here.

[mrscoach]

In business, your reputation precedes you. This forum is for all sorts of views and if everyone only said nice things it would get boring quickly, and information flow would be stifled. Knowing the reputation of someone or some business before investing in something is critical.

[AnemicOak]

It could turn out to be a nice device. Personally I'd be more interested at 6.8", but I wouldn't be surprised if 6" is more popular in general. Not really seeing what makes it "Ultimate" though.

It does seem more like a group by situation, like the Baen Bar group buy of the Cybook Gen 3 back in the day, than a more traditional crowdfunding thing like The Earl. Of course so far The Earl situation hasn't turned out all that well.

Anyway, if there are enough people interested in this device to get them to at least their minimum $$$ goal then more power to them. I hope they have tech & development support in place (they're already making OS update promises) Maybe it's some kind of stock Netronics firmware?
.

[mycurlylocks]

Passing information is one thing, ridiculing other members is not productive.
I'm not the only member that I feel has been ridiculed today.

I joined this forum to discuss technology and if I didn't like a product, then I didn't say much about it. Everyone has the right to decide for themselves if they like something or not.

[murg]

Here's the big problem with this Indiegogo campaign: it's set up for Flexible Funding, which means that they get all the money pledged, even if they don't hit the goal.

So they have to sell enough units to be able to get the manufacturer to make the custom units, or they can't deliver. Or, if the device is a stock device, they have to sell enough units to hit the minimum order from the manufacturer.

This is not a Group Buy. In an Indeegogo campaign, you are not buying anything, you are 'contributing' money, in the hopes that you get a Perk. There is no guarantee that the Perk will be delivered.

[mycurlylocks]

Thanks, good information!

I knew it wasn't a guaranteed thing. But sometimes we have to take chances and I love adventurous entrepreneurs and projects that need a little help. Sometimes I may be supporting a project that will never be, but I've supported a dream. I've supported independent thinking and sometimes it's just providing hope for a different way in life.

I'm lucky enough to be in the stage of life that I have financial security and can afford a few gambles.