What will the Nook & Kindle do to Astak?

[sagars24]

Originally Posted by wutugu

Hi Robert, is Astak planning to add dictionary support to Mentor lite?

If Pocket book 301+ can do it , i am sure Mentor lite can! Please me it happen. or could u please have someone from your tech team help us install the Pocketbook firmware

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by lanceman

I am a happy EZReader owner. As a consumer, I'd like to see good competitions that bring EBook reader price to a more popular range. As a gadget lover, however, I'd like to see more innovations (hardware or software) showing up instead of just sticking to the established practice. The pricing war between B&N and Amazon will definitely put big impact on smaller players like Astak. I can only give them my best wishes because I like my EZReader and I appreciate the endeavors that Robert contributed to this forum.

IMHO, EZReader is definitely not a pretty gadget comparing to other big names like Kindle, Sony Reader, Nook, ... etc. And don't forget iPad. I recently got one. It's gorgeous. I am no Apple fanboy. Actually this iPad is my first Apple device. But even for a first timer like me, I fell in love with everything it offered within an hour. But, whenever I may need to spend some good time reading books somewhere, I always bring my EZReader. Why? Because, pragmatically, it's the best fit. Its weight, its size, its multi-format support and its good organization implementations... etc. all make it stands out to be a sharp, practical ebook reader. Yes, design wise, it's a long way to close to the fascination that iPad can give. (Well, they are not at the same price level though) But it works. And it works well for its purpose.

I don't think to compete in contents will do any good to Astak. Because Amazon and B&N are the de facto biggest online/physical bookstores. It's just my personal opinion, but I don't think people would spend more time to look up/buy a ebook from a much smaller store just because they bought a reader from there. Unless there is a unique connection (Like iTunes to iPod), a unbeatable price advantage or a find-no-where-else niche, majority of people will go with big names.

Anyway, I still wish Astak the best and find its own way to survive the tough market. Long live EZReader!

Dear Lanceman:

Yes, when we first thought of adding an eBook Store it was essentially in answer to people on this forum saying we should have one. But, I knew it was not enough to just open one... we needed to be different. IF we are perceived as a smaller store we will lose our base.

Reality is that we intend to be one of the larger stores. We will eventually have eBooks in global languages, we believe we can enormously increase our content thru independent authors and publishers, we believe we can vastly improve our site to where it looks, feels, and functions beautifully and that new design work has been contracted already.

Now, I realize right now our eBook Store has only limited quantity. But, the agency model eBooks are expected to be added tonight. We are going after every independent author and publisher at book fairs all over the USA and Canada. We intend to have far more titles and far more variety than any other eBook Store. And there is a lot more that is confidential and I cannot mention.

Just keep your eyes on www.EZread.com! Right now you will note some of the very lowest prices on the web. That is a good start! Anybody that would rather pay $15.99 instead of $10.99 is not our target. Just enjoy the pricing and watch what is going to be done! Your point is well made and you are spot-on!

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by sagars24

If Pocket book 301+ can do it , i am sure Mentor lite can! Please me it happen. or could u please have someone from your tech team help us install the Pocketbook firmware

Dear sagars24:

Legally and ethically, our tech people are not allowed to help anyone install someone else's firmware. We are not trained on that, we are not permitted, and we would put ourselves into legal troubles.

I suggest that you start a new thread saying: "Help me to install Pocketbook firmware". Others on here are capable of assisting; but our tech team cannot do that.

I have heard that the factory that makes the Mentor Lite for us does want to add a dictionary. They have not told me when this may be done!

Sorry!

[SaraD]

Originally Posted by tmgplc

I have been a very happy owner of the EZ Reader Pro since it first came out. My wife now wants an ereader and is looking at the Nook and Kindle because of the price drop. Personally, I think neither device is as easy to use or organize as the EZ Reader Pro. Navigating around the Nook is a real pain because you are constantly switching between a 4 line touchscreen and a eink display. I love how I can choose the folder organization for my ebooks and it works with just about any format out there. I could care less about wifi or 3g on a dedicated ereader because how often do I really need to randomly download a book while I am away from my computer. EZ Reader has an SD card and user replaceable battery and the Kindle does not and I am not sure about the Nook. I wouldn't trade my EZ Reader for either the Kindle or Nook. Keep up the great work Robert B and Astak. I support and will continue to support Astak because they make a superior product, at a competitive price and provide solid customer service!

An unsolicited piece of advice. You and your wife should keep in mind that if you both have the same device it works the same and gets the same updates so you can use each other's device easily. Also this simplifies things and saves time if one of you does most of the technical support & maintenance. My husband and I have followed this pattern for several years now and regret it if we choose different things than the other person. We have the same model cell phone, mp3 player, etc. but in different colors or cases to tell the difference. We also have two cats so we don't have to try sharing just one, which would be impossible since we are both cat people. Having two of the same also somewhat prevents "but I like yours better" arguments. I hope this may help your decision making process.

[Freeshadow]

robert I assure you i have my eyes @ the store I promise

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

Robert, I know that the EZreader reads like 20 different formats, does it have the ability to read Sony's old BBeB/LRF?

All of my books are either BBeB/LRF. epubs, pdfs, or my own converted word docs to RTF.

The sony format is unique to sony although Calibre can read and convert it to another format.

Dale

[Solicitous]

Originally Posted by tmgplc

I have been a very happy owner of the EZ Reader Pro since it first came out. My wife now wants an ereader and is looking at the Nook and Kindle because of the price drop. Personally, I think neither device is as easy to use or organize as the EZ Reader Pro. Navigating around the Nook is a real pain because you are constantly switching between a 4 line touchscreen and a eink display. I love how I can choose the folder organization for my ebooks and it works with just about any format out there. I could care less about wifi or 3g on a dedicated ereader because how often do I really need to randomly download a book while I am away from my computer. EZ Reader has an SD card and user replaceable battery and the Kindle does not and I am not sure about the Nook. I wouldn't trade my EZ Reader for either the Kindle or Nook. Keep up the great work Robert B and Astak. I support and will continue to support Astak because they make a superior product, at a competitive price and provide solid customer service!

I think the 3G is good on a dedicated reader IF you subscribe to newspapers/magazines. The ease to have them just download to your reader regardless of where you are appears good. But you are right, in terms of normal books you don't download new books that often, most people have a supply of to-be-read on their reader, and it takes next to no time to plug in the reader. So IMHO 3G for newspapers = win, other than that it is just an added battery drain.

I 100% agree with folder organisation, it is my reader and I can organise my books the way I want. This indexing that some readers do baffles me.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by jusmee

Well, you can, and should, renegotiate with the factory in China. They need to feel the same price pressure you do. When they understand the pricepoint that you need to sell at, they will lower their prices. They will have all their resellers asking the same questions, you can bet on it.

Dear Jusmee:

I wish you were right. Reality is that factories think the USA market is too damned competitive and largely not worth selling into. This news about Amazon and B&N only hurts. They have to WANT to be competitive here. They really don't worry about this market. The USA is small potatoes and our population does not read very much!

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Solicitous

I 100% agree with folder organisation, it is my reader and I can organise my books the way I want. This indexing that some readers do baffles me.

I would love to be able to do "Links/short_cuts" in lieu of an hyperlinked catalog.

I currently file books by series (if any).

I would prefer to file books by Primary Author ;

and have Links FROM series (with series index info) to the book

and have links from secondary authors


You can do this in Windows
You can do this in *nix

you can't do it on the PEz

and you can't hide files from the listing

[=X=]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Just keep your eyes on www.EZread.com! Right now you will note some of the very lowest prices on the web. That is a good start! Anybody that would rather pay $15.99 instead of $10.99 is not our target. Just enjoy the pricing and watch what is going to be done! Your point is well made and you are spot-on!

You might want to add your book store the InkMesh search engine.

Also 5 of the 5 books I've been eying are posted for $15.99 on your store but are $9.99 at Amazon. At least you carry these books which is a big plus, B&N didn't carry most of the ones I was looking for.


=X=

[Freeshadow]

i ve seen you have althalus from david eddings (pityable pdf only) maybe the rest comes in belgariad, malloreon & tamuli etc...

[jusmee]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear Jusmee:

I wish you were right. Reality is that factories think the USA market is too damned competitive and largely not worth selling into. This news about Amazon and B&N only hurts. They have to WANT to be competitive here. They really don't worry about this market. The USA is small potatoes and our population does not read very much!

That's weird, because it's the Asian manufacturers that are driving the cost lower and lower. Cheap clones of anything the Western companies come up with flood the market, and when they approach the functionality of the real thing (and they frequently do) they are one of the main reasons the Amazons and Apples start to drop prices.

It's also not just the el-cheapo clones, it's also respectable Asian companies that bring our very competitive products at lower prices. In fact, Astak selling the Jinke readers is just one example of this. When I bought my V5 at $199, that was way cheaper than Nooks and Kindles. Maybe you guys started the price wars? That'd be ironic, but as a consumer, I'm glad you did.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by =X=

You might want to add your book store the InkMesh search engine.

Also 5 of the 5 books I've been eying are posted for $15.99 on your store but are $9.99 at Amazon. At least you carry these books which is a big plus, B&N didn't carry most of the ones I was looking for.


=X=

Dear =X=:

We constantly strive to be the lowest. I am glad you found your eBooks in our store; and if you can PM me with the titles and authors I will look to see if we can cut the price!

I am very serious. We do try and we try hard. It all has to do with the cost to us!!

Do not forget, until July 5, you get one lottery ticket for each eBook you do buy... to win a new 6 inch Astak EZ Reader!

The odds are not bad at all!

[Freeshadow]

I wish you were right. Reality is that factories think the USA market is too damned competitive and largely not worth selling into. This news about Amazon and B&N only hurts. They have to WANT to be competitive here. They really don't worry about this market. The USA is small potatoes and our population does not read

now thats astonishing, then I really don't dare to ask myself how little they weighr EI, the European redistributor...

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by jusmee

That's weird, because it's the Asian manufacturers that are driving the cost lower and lower. Cheap clones of anything the Western companies come up with flood the market, and when they approach the functionality of the real thing (and they frequently do) they are one of the main reasons the Amazons and Apples start to drop prices.

It's also not just the el-cheapo clones, it's also respectable Asian companies that bring our very competitive products at lower prices. In fact, Astak selling the Jinke readers is just one example of this. When I bought my V5 at $199, that was way cheaper than Nooks and Kindles. Maybe you guys started the price wars? That'd be ironic, but as a consumer, I'm glad you did.

Dear Jusmee:

Yes, I see 1-2 new E-Ink El-Cheapo every month here. Maybe $117-$125 COST TO US. Sounded good until we looked into it. Almost no formats. No DRM at all. Sealed-In battery. Class "B" screen.

Yes, they are flooding the market... with crap. Most consumers are not at all informed like MR people. They would not know E-Ink from FInk! They buy it, hate it, and never want another eBook Reader.

Yes, when you bought your V5 from Astak we were the low price leader for quality devices. Essentially nothing has changed. Amazon's cost to make the Kindle 2 is still at that point where the right price is likely $279. There were no savings in manufacturing cost and they are advertising like mad... but they are willing to lose $130 per device just to gain Market Share. It is not fair... but it is reality.