Use your reader as a Graphic Tablets input device

[lalebarde]

Hi all and especially manufacturers,

A lot of readers have a touch screen as input interface and can interface the PC via USB. Why not giving the ability to use the reader as a Graphic Tablets input device for the PC ?

That would cost quite nothing, just a driver integration, and would enable customers to have two devices for one.

BTW, does someone knows a reader that includes such a driver ?

[review]

I've had the same idea and I looked into it already a while back. Technically I would say that it is quite possible to do that. However, speaking of PB, the firmware itself is closed source so it wouldn't really be possible to declare the ebook as input device to the host PC. I've worked on an alternative integration using wireless lan and I do get the coordinates into the PC at the same time as I touch and move the pen on my device but there are a few things to consider:
1) in contrast to most graphic tablets this one is not pressure sensitive
2) running in userspace I don't get more than about 50 events per second (which is really slow) and I don't get any events when the pen moves but not touches the screen.

So my conclusion is that a proper integration can only be made by the company and not by the community. Sure you might get to the stage that you have some workarounds but you won't achieve anything serious without the company picking up the idea. However, point number one is probably one of the reasons why no serious designer would use it.

just my two cents

[mtravellerh]

Originally Posted by review

I've had the same idea and I looked into it already a while back. Technically I would say that it is quite possible to do that. However, speaking of PB, the firmware itself is closed source so it wouldn't really be possible to declare the ebook as input device to the host PC. I've worked on an alternative integration using wireless lan and I do get the coordinates into the PC at the same time as I touch and move the pen on my device but there are a few things to consider:
1) in contrast to most graphic tablets this one is not pressure sensitive
2) running in userspace I don't get more than about 50 events per second (which is really slow) and I don't get any events when the pen moves but not touches the screen.

So my conclusion is that a proper integration can only be made by the company and not by the community. Sure you might get to the stage that you have some workarounds but you won't achieve anything serious without the company picking up the idea. However, point number one is probably one of the reasons why no serious designer would use it.

just my two cents

Good idea. But I'm not sure about the technical feasability of this.

[lalebarde]

Originally Posted by review

1) in contrast to most graphic tablets this one is not pressure sensitive

This is a showstopper actually. But I am surprised that non pressure sensitive graphic input device are still manufactured. Pressure sensitive ones should benefit from bigger volumes and so not higher prices. But I may be wrong.

[review]

@lalebarde
Actually I believe it might just be a difference of the pen. The wacom tablets get all the information from the pen, which is transmitted from the pen to the tablet. The hardware of the tablet itself should be fairly similar. However, the pen and the tablet have to be tuned to eachother so you probably won't be able to use another wacom pen on the pocketbook pro series. I may or may not be wrong.

[review]

Originally Posted by mtravellerh

Good idea. But I'm not sure about the technical feasability of this.

well it was just a test. nothing serious.

[lalebarde]

Originally Posted by review

However, the pen and the tablet have to be tuned to eachother

Thank you for the clarification review. So the solution would be for manufacturers to integrate a wacom with its pen.

[BoldlyDubious]

Originally Posted by lalebarde

Hi all and especially manufacturers,

BTW, does someone knows a reader that includes such a driver ?

I think that the Asus Eee Note EA800 (which has a Wacom interface and a non-backlit black/white LCD screen) includes such a driver. I don't know if it's already on sale.

[lalebarde]

Thanks. Here is a deep review : http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/mob...e-note-ea800/1
Contrast and autonomy are not good, but the concept is good. They have integrated a pression sensitive wacom.

[JeremyR]

Well, I suspect the reason you don't see is that that market for those wanting an e-reader and those wanting a graphic tablet are quite different.

I mean, on the one hand you have people who want to read books, and the other, artists.

Indeed, as the review of the one mentioned says:

It's aimed quite squarely at business folk, writers and students, to the extent that, if you aren't one of the above, you may as well stop reading.

Beyond that, any additional feature requires additional customer support. That is expensive.

[lalebarde]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

market for those wanting an e-reader and those wanting a graphic tablet are quite different.

That's the old trade-off story between "all-in-one" and "one for one and do it well". But as it is a new market, I admit you are right and I should prefer one device per use.