Who Would Buy a Bookeen Eink Reader? - Page 4

RWood · 12-14-2006, 08:32 AM

One thing we are offering them is that we will continue to develop the software and extensions. That could make it the most feature rich reader on the market and spur future sales. Even if they losa a few bucks on the deal they get a great R&D department that represents the cutting edge in users.

nekokami · 12-14-2006, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex_d

Regarding hardware, there should be a STANDARD usb port, to attach keyboards, bluetooth, wifi, etc. This should be easy for bookeen to add. Stuff like touchscreens and extra buttons are probably out of reach for us.

A standard USB port is a very good idea, because it allows for expandability. But I agree 100% about software. We can develop that ourselves. One basic reader (with source) is all we need. I'd recommend RTF, but anything with some basic formatting (e.g. HTML) would be fine. We can modify that for anything else we want.

However, I still think the touchscreen and integrated lighting would be a good investment on Bookeen's part. The market wants a search function and some form of self-lighting. I think reviews of the Sony Reader have shown that. It would be in Bookeen's interest to add those two features, neither of which should be that expensive to include, and we can provide a market base and evangelization so they can sell many more units. I recommend we suggest an "affiliate" program to them so our individual members can be motivated to help sell units. See http://www.myaffiliateprogram.com for an example of such a program organizer.

yvanleterrible · 12-14-2006, 09:48 AM

Let me make a small analogy.

Someone somewhere want's 200 cars outfitted with a special interior. You're a car interior fabricator and you'd be willing to make those interiors. Then you go to this client, design the interior, put up a price and then go to a car manufacturer buy 200 cars or so and refurnish the interior. This means that you are not in a position where you can change the engine or suspention, body or any mechanicals...except the interiors. Doing so would quadruple the price but if the client is willing...

I am not that shure that Bookeen makes the reader themselves. They are a team of engineers. My guess is that it is built elsewhere. I know about retooling and manufacturing. When a design has been set it is very expensive to make changes, certainly not viable for a 200pieces order! What we have to keep in mind is to limit the hardware we desire to what is being offered Otherwise the reader will cost about the same as an Iliad.

I think the reader as it is has all the hardware necessary to be competitive with others and be even better. The only two things I would see is a full USB master and wifi or bluetooth. The rest is all software, what this company is best at.

nekokami · 12-14-2006, 10:06 AM

Fair enough... but I personally wouldn't buy one without a pen. At the price range these things are going to have to sell for, I need to be able to write (markup, anyway) as well as read. So I guess I'll wait for something different (which may end up being the iLiad after all, as they've been more talkative to the developer community lately.)

yvanleterrible · 12-14-2006, 05:20 PM

Well People!

We're at 61 buyers plus 5 doubles, That makes 66 and if you count off those who will think it too pricey when the real price comes in, I figure we only have a quarter of the number of people we need!

phuata · 12-14-2006, 06:59 PM

All right, I'll be the first to admit I'm not all up on hardware capabilities. Is it possible to have a text-search function without altering any of the hardware in the existing device?

(I see no way to input text in the specs, but I do see the letters USB and saw around here somewhere someone talking about a portable keyboard plugging into a USB port. Is this that kind of port, or not, or what?)

Vienna01 · 12-15-2006, 12:19 AM

I'm a newbie of a couple of months with the Sony. I am sure we will become a two reader household soon. If Bookeen supports good presentations of .pdf formats worth more.Maybe if it includes sw to generate its unique format from others. Perhaps it could support a current non-Sony Reader that gives us access to other than Sony DRM'ed books (Maybe Adobe DRM if Adobe would allow). The object is to have a reader with support of the widest file formats to give access to the largest number of books (DRM and not DRM)
I suspect that I could go to $350 if the reader would really be all the things that Sony doesn't do well. Because I have a Sony I would very much like if Bookeen could support Sony's format with DRM. Sure would like to be able to read books I buy on both readers(maybe that is commercially undoable?)

yvanleterrible · 12-16-2006, 09:56 AM

74? Anyone left?

NatCh · 12-16-2006, 05:33 PM

This tidbit on prices over on the Baen Bar forum, which they can share because Bookeen hasn't NDA'd them out the wazoo:

Quote:

Ordered in lots of 200 they can give us a reader that would sell at the same retail price as Sony's, that is $350.
Ordered in lots of 1000 the price will drop.

Apparently Bookeen is willing to install FBReader software.

Just thought I'd share.

Melf · 12-16-2006, 07:26 PM

So, lets someone buy 1000 of them and sell them on ebay with international shipping !

bostonte · 12-17-2006, 04:11 AM

I voted for one at Sony's MSRP -- provided it has stylus input (scribble on PDF, etc.), and a fully open OS (if they put DRM reading software on there, understandably that part can be closed).

Otherwise it offers little advantage to me over the Sony. Unless of course they include software for reading other DRM'd books.

Add other features and perhaps I'd pay more, but roughly Sony's price with a touch screen is a definite for me.

bowerbird · 12-17-2006, 03:00 PM

if we order a batch of one million of 'em,
can we get the price down to $100 each?

-bowerbird

yvanleterrible · 12-17-2006, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowerbird

if we order a batch of one million of 'em,
can we get the price down to $100 each?

-bowerbird

Do you have $100,000,000.00 to spare?

Drizzt321 · 12-17-2006, 07:10 PM

This sounds like a great idea, and most of the suggestions have sounded great. To put in my own $.02, here's what I'd like.

-Formats: HTML, TXT, RTF. PDF would be nice. Any DRM'd format, I probably wouldn't use, but I'm not opposed to having the support. What would be better is if the platform were open (or open enough) for us to develop our own applications on as a few other posters have suggested.
-Storage: SD/MMC slot or CF slot. Or both? or 2 of one? These could be used for storage, _and_ IO devices like WiFi and bluetooth. Couple that with being able to put our own applications on it...well, the possibilities are awsome.
-Along with the formats, the ability to define any of the screen edges as 'top' would be great.
-Bookmarking would be a great to have.
-Touch screen would be awsome...but not sure about the cost. Depends on how much it would add to the devices. I did put down the $400, but I would love to have the price a good bit lower.
-Decent capacity batter, and the ability to recharge from a USB port might be nice. User replaceable might be really nice, but might not be practical for the physical size limitations. But if you allow charge from USB (probably have a mini-usb connector) you could use some of those small external cell phone charger packs, or even put together a few NiMH AA's and put them together into a charger pack.
-Decent default font selection, as well as the ability for user fonts. Perhaps some kind of standardized (I'm thinking a TrueType Font, or something like that that is well defined) font can be used, either on an external storage card, or can be installed into the internal storage so it can be used by all documents.
-It would also be nice for a user to override any default font selection for a document and force the reader to use a different one. Some people have trouble reading some fonts while others don't. Also having a user override document's font size could also help.

Well, I guess thats just about all I can think of right now. Mostly I'd say, give me the open platform, the 2 storage slots (which can double as IO), and touchscreen if the price can be low enough and I'll be more than happy.

nekokami · 12-18-2006, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

This tidbit on prices over on the Baen Bar forum, which they can share because Bookeen hasn't NDA'd them out the wazoo:Apparently Bookeen is willing to install FBReader software.

Sounds like we need to join forces with the Baen Bar crowd -- might be able to get the quantities we need that way.

View Poll Results: Do you want to buy a Bookeen eink reader?
I would pay no more than $200.00USD	20	21.05%
I would buy two at no more than $200.00USD each	1	1.05%
I would buy three at no more than $200.00USD each	1	1.05%
I would pay no more than $250.00USD	13	13.68%
I would buy two at no more than $250.00USD each	2	2.11%
I would buy three at no more than $250.00USD each	0	0%
I would pay no more than $300.00USD	16	16.84%
I would buy two at no more than $300.00USD each	1	1.05%
I would buy three at no more than $300.00USD each	2	2.11%
I would pay no more than $350.00USD	25	26.32%
I would buy two at no more than $350.00USD each	2	2.11%
I would buy three at no more than $350.00USD each	0	0%
I would pay no more than $400.00USD	10	10.53%
I would buy two at no more than $400.00USD each	2	2.11%
Voters: 95. You may not vote on this poll

12-15-2006, 12:19 AM	#52
Vienna01 Old Dog Learns New Tricks Posts: 123 Karma: 142 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Maryland USA Device: Sony PRS-500,PocketBook 301, Sony 650	More than $250 For Features Beyond Sony-->$350 I'm a newbie of a couple of months with the Sony. I am sure we will become a two reader household soon. If Bookeen supports good presentations of .pdf formats worth more.Maybe if it includes sw to generate its unique format from others. Perhaps it could support a current non-Sony Reader that gives us access to other than Sony DRM'ed books (Maybe Adobe DRM if Adobe would allow). The object is to have a reader with support of the widest file formats to give access to the largest number of books (DRM and not DRM) I suspect that I could go to $350 if the reader would really be all the things that Sony doesn't do well. Because I have a Sony I would very much like if Bookeen could support Sony's format with DRM. Sure would like to be able to read books I buy on both readers(maybe that is commercially undoable?)

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12-14-2006, 08:32 AM	#46
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	One thing we are offering them is that we will continue to develop the software and extensions. That could make it the most feature rich reader on the market and spur future sales. Even if they losa a few bucks on the deal they get a great R&D department that represents the cutting edge in users.

12-14-2006, 09:48 AM	#48
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Let me make a small analogy. Someone somewhere want's 200 cars outfitted with a special interior. You're a car interior fabricator and you'd be willing to make those interiors. Then you go to this client, design the interior, put up a price and then go to a car manufacturer buy 200 cars or so and refurnish the interior. This means that you are not in a position where you can change the engine or suspention, body or any mechanicals...except the interiors. Doing so would quadruple the price but if the client is willing... I am not that shure that Bookeen makes the reader themselves. They are a team of engineers. My guess is that it is built elsewhere. I know about retooling and manufacturing. When a design has been set it is very expensive to make changes, certainly not viable for a 200pieces order! What we have to keep in mind is to limit the hardware we desire to what is being offered Otherwise the reader will cost about the same as an Iliad. I think the reader as it is has all the hardware necessary to be competitive with others and be even better. The only two things I would see is a full USB master and wifi or bluetooth. The rest is all software, what this company is best at.

12-14-2006, 10:06 AM	#49
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Fair enough... but I personally wouldn't buy one without a pen. At the price range these things are going to have to sell for, I need to be able to write (markup, anyway) as well as read. So I guess I'll wait for something different (which may end up being the iLiad after all, as they've been more talkative to the developer community lately.)

12-14-2006, 05:20 PM	#50
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Well People! We're at 61 buyers plus 5 doubles, That makes 66 and if you count off those who will think it too pricey when the real price comes in, I figure we only have a quarter of the number of people we need!

12-14-2006, 06:59 PM	#51
phuata Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2006	All right, I'll be the first to admit I'm not all up on hardware capabilities. Is it possible to have a text-search function without altering any of the hardware in the existing device? (I see no way to input text in the specs, but I do see the letters USB and saw around here somewhere someone talking about a portable keyboard plugging into a USB port. Is this that kind of port, or not, or what?)

12-16-2006, 09:56 AM	#53
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	74? Anyone left?

12-16-2006, 07:26 PM	#55
Melf Enthusiast Posts: 33 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Czech Republic (EU:) Device: TTX, SmartQ7	So, lets someone buy 1000 of them and sell them on ebay with international shipping !

12-17-2006, 04:11 AM	#56
bostonte Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Sony Reader	I voted for one at Sony's MSRP -- provided it has stylus input (scribble on PDF, etc.), and a fully open OS (if they put DRM reading software on there, understandably that part can be closed). Otherwise it offers little advantage to me over the Sony. Unless of course they include software for reading other DRM'd books. Add other features and perhaps I'd pay more, but roughly Sony's price with a touch screen is a definite for me.

12-17-2006, 03:00 PM	#57
bowerbird Banned Posts: 269 Karma: -273 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: los angeles	if we order a batch of one million of 'em, can we get the price down to $100 each? -bowerbird

12-17-2006, 07:10 PM	#59
Drizzt321 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2006	This sounds like a great idea, and most of the suggestions have sounded great. To put in my own $.02, here's what I'd like. -Formats: HTML, TXT, RTF. PDF would be nice. Any DRM'd format, I probably wouldn't use, but I'm not opposed to having the support. What would be better is if the platform were open (or open enough) for us to develop our own applications on as a few other posters have suggested. -Storage: SD/MMC slot or CF slot. Or both? or 2 of one? These could be used for storage, _and_ IO devices like WiFi and bluetooth. Couple that with being able to put our own applications on it...well, the possibilities are awsome. -Along with the formats, the ability to define any of the screen edges as 'top' would be great. -Bookmarking would be a great to have. -Touch screen would be awsome...but not sure about the cost. Depends on how much it would add to the devices. I did put down the $400, but I would love to have the price a good bit lower. -Decent capacity batter, and the ability to recharge from a USB port might be nice. User replaceable might be really nice, but might not be practical for the physical size limitations. But if you allow charge from USB (probably have a mini-usb connector) you could use some of those small external cell phone charger packs, or even put together a few NiMH AA's and put them together into a charger pack. -Decent default font selection, as well as the ability for user fonts. Perhaps some kind of standardized (I'm thinking a TrueType Font, or something like that that is well defined) font can be used, either on an external storage card, or can be installed into the internal storage so it can be used by all documents. -It would also be nice for a user to override any default font selection for a document and force the reader to use a different one. Some people have trouble reading some fonts while others don't. Also having a user override document's font size could also help. Well, I guess thats just about all I can think of right now. Mostly I'd say, give me the open platform, the 2 storage slots (which can double as IO), and touchscreen if the price can be low enough and I'll be more than happy.

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