New Kobo: Nia

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

I have maybe 4k books on my 8GB Aura One, and still have more than 5GB free. Extra memory only makes sense for non-book applications, and this is a poor choice of device for those applications anyway.

Depends on the books you are reading. If you are into graphics novels or manga, the space requirements are much higher.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

I have maybe 4k books on my 8GB Aura One, and still have more than 5GB free.

Originally Posted by koboy

interesting i have 3542 books (all kepubs) on a 32GB external micro SD card taking up 9.37GB.

Huh, you two got me curious. I have 3,701 books on my Clara, all kepub. I have 1.19GB free. I use the Touch Extended driver to upload grayscale covers instead of color.

Weird how a similar number of books take up such different amounts of space.

[Calenorn]

On my Clara: 3547 old epubs. 3.0 GB still available.

(It helps save memory space to delete embedded fonts.)

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Huh, you two got me curious. I have 3,701 books on my Clara, all kepub. I have 1.19GB free. I use the Touch Extended driver to upload grayscale covers instead of color.

Weird how a similar number of books take up such different amounts of space.

Do you have a way to look at the full file system? Specifically the database?
If not, try copying the same ebook files to a PC file system and see how much space they take.

Raw ebook files are usually zipped and a lot of gadgets store content internally in an uncompressed form in their object store. It's to make the system more responsive. Modern ereaders don't necessarily have to do it but every bit helps.
(I'm fairly sure kindles 2's did this.)

Is KEPUB typically bulkier than Adept epub?

Lots of possible explanations with proprietary data stores...

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Depends on the books you are reading. If you are into graphics novels or manga, the space requirements are much higher.

But you also probably aren't buying a 212ppi device in that case, are you?
I'm not saying there is never a need for more space, I'm saying that if you are designing a cheap-as-possible device to compete with the basic Kindle, it is a pointless extra cost to incur.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

So there's no reason why the Nia may not be priced less then the Kindle Basic.

There's the screen, for starters.

Also, which Kindle Basic are you comparing to?
With special deals, with the deals, or the every other month sales?

Products aren't typically priced *solely* on build cost.
Pricing depends on competition, product positioning, product *line* composition, and marketing strategy. Kindles in particular are priced artificially and aligned in a good-better-best lineup where Paperwhite is the intended baseline with a decent baseline, Basic is meant to be a minimal margin product, and Oasis is premium priced low volume reader.

Pricing Nia under Kindle Basic's highest price is easy, pricing it below the lowest would almost certainly be selling at a loss.

Also bear in mind that a lot of people--the majority, actually--choose a bookstore first and the reader second. That's the whole whole point of walled gardens.

Kobo's aren't aimed at Kindle customers.
Very few people with Kindles are going to abandon their investment in Kindle books to save a few bucks. Instead, Kobo readers are targetted at total newcomers, epub believers, and enthusiasts looking for specific features.

People might buy Kobos for their features but most people buy Kindles for the books. So Amazon gets away with less features and smaller margins because they'll make it up on the books. Again, that's the whole point of walled garden, especially in mature markets like the US and UK.

Think about it: Amazon might make $20-30 on a paperwhite sale.
One time.
They can easily make $3 a month of mire on ebooks, for several years. That adds up.

Other than Canada, Kobo can't count on that.
Everwhere else they have to contend with other epub vendors so the can hope to sell ebooks (revenue they need to share with the Tolino alliance and other local partners) but they're not guaranteed.

In fact, as pointed out here regularly, lots of folks buy their readers from Kobo, Nook, Pocketbook, or whatever, and buy at least some books from Amazon.

Every Kobo reader sale has to justify itself upfront. Just in case.
Kindles don't. The only reason you don't see $10 Kindle Basics is because the trustbusters wouldn't like it.

B&N discovered long ago that competing with Amazon on price doesn't pay. If you have a better screen, charge more. If you have lower volume, charge more. If you have better software features, charge more. And if they advertise a higher *list* price, keep quiet. Because they can always go lower at will.

You do not want another Three Hour Price War.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

But you also probably aren't buying a 212ppi device in that case, are you?
I'm not saying there is never a need for more space, I'm saying that if you are designing a cheap-as-possible device to compete with the basic Kindle, it is a pointless extra cost to incur.

Especially when that 212 dpi screen costs more than the Basic's 167dpi screen.
It doesn't matter exactly what it costs to build the Nia, the Basic will always cost less to build. Trying to undercut Basic is just giving money away.

Basic is what the name says: the cheapest ereader anybody can hope to sell for a reasonable profit. It's the market floor.

[koboy]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Huh, you two got me curious. I have 3,701 books on my Clara, all kepub. I have 1.19GB free. I use the Touch Extended driver to upload grayscale covers instead of color.

Weird how a similar number of books take up such different amounts of space.

it's easier than you might think. i have many of the Delphi Classics complete works. for example Mr Charles Dickens is 147MB and Mr Jules Verne is 98MB. just those two kepubs are 245MB. it's the reason why having an external Micro SD card is a must for me.

best wishes koboy

[rcentros]

Will the Kobo Nia be released tomorrow? Is the "fourth week" the charm? I've seen it or its covers on a few European sites, like these...

https://translate.google.com/transla...search&pto=aue

https://www.fnac.pt/Capa-Sleepcover-...eader/a7864706

Still not back up at Staples.ca, Best Buy.ca or Walmart.ca (though Walmart Canada and Walmart U.S. have the sleep covers listed but not "in stock").

GoodEReader is still taking preorders, though they list the Nia as "available" on July 10th (apparently not).

So not much has changed... I'm guessing maybe tomorrow... maybe...

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Will the Kobo Nia be released tomorrow? Is the "fourth week" the charm? I've seen it or its covers on a few European sites, like these...

https://translate.google.com/transla...search&pto=aue

https://www.fnac.pt/Capa-Sleepcover-...eader/a7864706

Still not back up at Staples.ca, Best Buy.ca or Walmart.ca (though Walmart Canada and Walmart U.S. have the sleep covers listed but not "in stock").

GoodEReader is still taking preorders, though they list the Nia as "available" on July 10th (apparently not).

So not much has changed... I'm guessing maybe tomorrow... maybe...

I can assure you that it will not launch tomorrow.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I can assure you that it will not launch tomorrow.

I'm starting to run out of fingers to count on.

My guess is you know when now, but you're sworn to secrecy.

Either that, or you're trying to trick me...

Hmmm.... Dilemma, delimma... do I assume I'm tricked and watch for the Nia release anyhow since this is all I've got to do with my life anyhow?... Or do I just give up altogether?...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Especially when that 212 dpi screen costs more than the Basic's 167dpi screen.
It doesn't matter exactly what it costs to build the Nia, the Basic will always cost less to build. Trying to undercut Basic is just giving money away.

Basic is what the name says: the cheapest ereader anybody can hope to sell for a reasonable profit. It's the market floor.

But the memory card in the Nia will cast less then the flash ram in the Kindle.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I'm starting to run out of fingers to count on.

My guess is you know when now, but you're sworn to secrecy.

Either that, or you're trying to trick me...

Hmmm.... Dilemma, delimma... do I assume I'm tricked and watch for the Nia release anyhow since this is all I've got to do with my life anyhow?... Or do I just give up altogether?...

Remember, Thailand's Mother's Day is not until mid-August.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But the memory card in the Nia will cast less then the flash ram in the Kindle.

Really?
And where does the flash card get its Flash Ram?
Does it grow on trees?

If anything, Kobo has one more step in its supply chain:

Kobo: Silicon foundry makes the flash chip, sells it to the card maker who wraps it in plastic and metal and sells it to Kobo's ereader assembler. Plus the Kobo main board needs a card socket.

Kindle: Silicon foundry makes the flash chip and sells it to Amazon's ereader assembler who solder it directly on tbe main board.

Using flash cards may allow on-the-fly RAM changes for different markets but it is in no way simpler or cheaper.

Try again.

The Kobo display is more expensive, the storage is more expensive, assembly is more complicated, and the volume of units built is almost certainly lower and thus more expensive per unit.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Really?
And where does the flash card get its Flash Ram?
Does it grow on trees?

If anything, Kobo has one more step in its supply chain:

Really?

Kobo: Silicon foundry makes the flash chip, sells it to the card maker who wraps it in plastic and metal and sells it to Kobo's ereader assembler. Plus the Kobo main board needs a card socket.

Kindle: Silicon foundry makes the flash chip and sells it to Amazon's ereader assembler who solder it directly on tbe main board.

Really?
Silicon foundry makes the flash chip and sells it to package manufacturer who wraps it in plastic and metal and sells to Kindle ereader assembler.
And because much smaller quantities are produced, it is much more expensive than the SD solution