07-26-2008, 04:32 PM | #1 |
Junior Member
Posts: 3
Karma: 10
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Sand Point, Alaska
Device: None yet
|
Any Idea How long?
Since I refuse to buy any product, such as Kindle, which requires proprietary software and formats, and absolutely refuse to buy anything at all from Sony, mine present prospects seem limited.
What I'm looking for is an 8" X 10" screen, color capable, on a device which accepts and displays all "normal" text formats. PDF, .txt, .doc, etc., at what I consider a reasonable price. This for use in reading books from the Gutenberg Project and similar sources, old out of copyright volumes. Concerning price, since computers which can be considered at least acceptable can be had for $500, I can see no reason for an EReader of mine desires to cost more that $250. So: 8x10, color, displays all common formats, and NO PROPRIETARY ANYTHING! And nothing from Sony. Any guess how long (if ever) this might be in coming? |
07-26-2008, 05:06 PM | #2 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,698
Karma: 4748723
Join Date: Dec 2007
Device: Kindle Paperwhite
|
I'm guessing not any time in the near future. Fujitsu's color e-ink devices might come close, maybe. But the price (probably close to $1000) isn't what I'd call reasonable. Also no idea what formats it might support, although given that the device features a Windows button on the front, I'm betting it'll be proprietary as all get out.
|
Advert | |
|
07-26-2008, 05:34 PM | #3 |
Reader
Posts: 11,504
Karma: 8720163
Join Date: May 2007
Location: South Wales, UK
Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G
|
Maybe a tablet PC?
|
07-26-2008, 05:40 PM | #4 | |
Zealot
Posts: 100
Karma: 170
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Greece
Device: Hanlin V3, RCA REB1100, iPaq 214
|
Quote:
As long as the potential market remains small I don't think there'd be major changes in prices. I still can't understand why we Europians have to pay 50% more, though (well, according to exchange rates) and even providing for VAT I guess that multinational companies are out there to exploit us for good Question: what good is the colour for reading novels/Gutenberg texts? |
|
07-26-2008, 05:52 PM | #5 |
Guru
Posts: 860
Karma: 4380
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Almada, Portugal
Device: Cybook Gen3, Sony PRS 505, Kindle DXG and Samsung Galaxy Note
|
What you are asking for is a tabletpc.
For that price: 1 - tabletpc - would say never; 2 - a eBook reader - there are any now, and would say at least 1.5 to 2.5 years, and no way a that price too. |
Advert | |
|
07-27-2008, 02:52 AM | #6 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
I doubt you'll find any computer that does not contain hardware protected by patents. The original poster is insisting on "no proprietory anything". I think he's going to struggle to find any computer which meets those requirements. Is any computer built entirely out of non-proprietory components? It seems like a completely unreasonable requirement to me!
|
07-27-2008, 08:33 AM | #7 |
Reader
Posts: 11,504
Karma: 8720163
Join Date: May 2007
Location: South Wales, UK
Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G
|
True. But the context suggests that itdincor wants to avoid proprietary formats and software. That might just be possible, though not at the price he desires.
|
07-27-2008, 09:12 AM | #8 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Every CPU contains proprietory software at the microcode level; no getting around that .
|
07-27-2008, 12:24 PM | #9 |
Reader
Posts: 11,504
Karma: 8720163
Join Date: May 2007
Location: South Wales, UK
Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G
|
Fair point, Harry.
|
07-27-2008, 12:39 PM | #10 | |
Holy S**T!!!
Posts: 5,213
Karma: 108401
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: San Diego, California!!
Device: Kindle and iPad
|
Quote:
|
|
07-27-2008, 12:44 PM | #11 |
Sir Penguin of Edinburgh
Posts: 12,375
Karma: 23555235
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: DC Metro area
Device: Shake a stick plus 1
|
|
07-27-2008, 12:50 PM | #12 |
Resident Curmudgeon
Posts: 74,199
Karma: 129333564
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
The OP doesn't know what he really wants. he wants something without proprietary software/formats and yet wants to be able to read .doc format which is proprietary to Microsoft. Good luck finding what you want. The best best is to give up on electronic formats and go back to paper.
|
07-27-2008, 12:59 PM | #13 | |
Holy S**T!!!
Posts: 5,213
Karma: 108401
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: San Diego, California!!
Device: Kindle and iPad
|
Quote:
But, the HP TC1000 is a good, workhorse type tablet PC that allows reading in portrait or landscape, runs Windows XP, and can read all the formats the poster has mentioned. It is frequently available on eBay for less than $250, has a nice color screen, and the stylus is a very comfortable size for writing and highlighting. I highly recommend it as a larger form factor ebook reader. |
|
07-27-2008, 03:42 PM | #14 | |
Reader
Posts: 11,504
Karma: 8720163
Join Date: May 2007
Location: South Wales, UK
Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G
|
Quote:
|
|
07-27-2008, 05:52 PM | #15 | |
Holy S**T!!!
Posts: 5,213
Karma: 108401
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: San Diego, California!!
Device: Kindle and iPad
|
Quote:
True. There are times that I wish people would be a bit clearer in their posts. If someone rants enough about DRM or proprietary formats, then it's easy to overlook the actual question (if there is an actual question in the post). And, if someone were that much of a Luddite, they wouldn't be too worried about ebook readers at all. Unless they have multiple personality syndrome ... and only one of the personalities is a Luddite (!!) .... say, that would be an interesting base for a short story. Luddite keeps waking up next to pieces of electronic equipment .... hehehe. |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
My "read" tag idea enhancement for Calibre idea | rcuadro | Calibre | 10 | 01-20-2011 04:23 PM |
Science Fiction Long, Frank Belknap: Frank Belknap Long Omnibus. V1. 16 Jan 2010 | crutledge | Kindle Books (offline) | 0 | 01-16-2010 11:34 AM |
Science Fiction Long, Frank Belknap: Frank Belknap Long Omnibus. V1. 16 Jan 2010 | crutledge | ePub Books (offline) | 0 | 01-16-2010 11:23 AM |
Email account not found - any idea? (long) | ZaZg | Sony Reader | 4 | 04-13-2008 05:13 PM |
Long, long time... | Chaos | Introduce Yourself | 6 | 04-26-2007 11:34 PM |