Why don't e-readers try to offer more extra functions (mp3 player, games...)?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by arjaybe

The extra functions would waste battery which would be better spent on reading.

I like the option of being able to carry podcasts on my Reader. I'm very rarely going to use the audio features, but I like the fact that I can.

[ShortNet]

I am another aficionado of Threadwords and Everyword on my older Kindles. They make a nice occasional break from reading. More complicated games, Pirate's Booty and some others, were also available for Kindle but were not as interesting. I played them once and they languish in my Archives somewhere.

[Deskisamess]

There are apps that are very similar to EveryWord, Jumbline for example.

But I've been unable to find an app anything like ThreadWords.

[Fiat_Lux]

Originally Posted by BookCat

I've never wanted those functions on my reader, because it's just that, a READER.

Those who utilise https://bard.loc.gov/ find the ability to play mp3 files vital.
Screenreaders don't always do ebooks justice.

Amber

[Keroberos]

Why e-readers no longer have any extra features comes down to the way the hardware and software are designed to preform it's primary function--displaying eBooks. They use the slowest, lowest power using CPUs and the minimum amount of system memory (RAM) necessary to keep the cost down. Adding any extra hardware features (MP3/audio-book playback, ability to play games, or a non crappy web browser) would significantly increase hardware cost. Plus e-reader software is designed to put the hardware into an extreme sleep state when there is no user interaction taking place--turning pages, browsing for a book, changing settings, etc. This is how they can get such long battery lives out of a very small battery (again keeping costs down). Adding any extra features that only a very small subset of purchasers would use would raise the cost of the hardware too much.

E-readers also have a very low profit margin, so the major sellers of them are more interested in selling the books for those readers which are where the profits come from.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Keroberos

Why e-readers no longer have any extra features comes down to the way the hardware and software are designed to preform it's primary function--displaying eBooks. They use the slowest, lowest power using CPUs and the minimum amount of system memory (RAM) necessary to keep the cost down. Adding any extra hardware features (MP3/audio-book playback, ability to play games, or a non crappy web browser) would significantly increase hardware cost. Plus e-reader software is designed to put the hardware into an extreme sleep state when there is no user interaction taking place--turning pages, browsing for a book, changing settings, etc. This is how they can get such long battery lives out of a very small battery (again keeping costs down). Adding any extra features that only a very small subset of purchasers would use would raise the cost of the hardware too much.

E-readers also have a very low profit margin, so the major sellers of them are more interested in selling the books for those readers which are where the profits come from.

The problem with this is that, the cheapest Kindle, the Kindle Basic (8th Generation) still uses pretty much the same speed CPU as the original Kindles, has the ability to play audio files over Bluetooth and has a web browser. There's no reason why it couldn't have some small "kindlet" type games that Kindles used to use. These are not battery intensive games.

But I'm not arguing for browsers or adding games, I just think that the ability to play podcasts is a nice addition to an eReader. The old eReaders could do it, there's no reason why the new ones couldn't as well.

[FizzyWater]

If you think about when eReaders first came out, tablets were expensive and heavy, and smart phones weren't yet everywhere. Nowadays, I suspect if someone wants more than just a reader, they'd just buy a smallish tablet instead. Or play their games on their smart phones.

[Alohamora]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

I can't listen to music while I read, unless the music is only instrumental with no lyrics. If there are lyrics, I can't focus on either the book or the music.

I'm the same way.

In theory, it sounds like a good idea to have some quiet classical to listen to while reading. In practice, I get absorbed in reading and don't bother with the music.

[Tarana]

They did the same with the Kindle. I have a couple of games and notepad applications that I bought with my Kindle Keyboard. They work with the Kindle 4 and the Kindle Touch. Some work on the Paperwhites as well, but there's no way to access active content on the Voyage. I hardly ever use them, but they are handy when you are at the ER with all the reading interruptions early on. Does use up more power though due to page refreshes.

I downloaded relaxing music for reading from Youtube and just play using my old Itouch. It eliminates the distractions from elsewhere in the house.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You can of course buy multi-function eInk devices, but eInk readers are just that: dedicated single-use devices. That's what I personally want. When I'm reading I don't want to be distracted by other things.

I agree. When I use my ereader I just want to be able to read. Otherwise I may get distracted from it by other things. And of course when you have wifi on to do things like surf the net you drain your battery all the faster. I've noticed that with the Kindle Fire. Within a couple hours if I watch something on NetFlix the battery is getting very low. Of course with a kindle like the paperwhite you can't really watch video very well either due to the slow refresh rate compared to LCD screens.

[Ken Maltby]

While I pretty much agree that browsers and such would detract from a dedicated reader, there are a number of games and utilities that can be added to Kobo and Kindle devices. One I like is Sergey's PBChess package Instalation instructions.

Menu Items, from the applications.ini:

CoolReader = cr3.sh
FileManager = file_manager.sh
OPDS = opds.sh
Dropbox = dropbox.sh
Chess = pbchess.sh
Checkers = checkers.sh
Sokoban = sokoban.sh
Reversi = reversi.sh
Gomoku = gomoku.sh
Sudoku = sudoku.sh
Frotz = frotz.sh
Dictionary = dictionary.sh
Notepad = notepad.sh
Calculator = calculator.sh
Konsole = konsole.sh
WiFiServer = wifi_server.sh
Reboot = reboot.sh
Power off = poweroff.sh

Luck;
Ken

[John F]

Originally Posted by Keroberos

Why e-readers no longer have any extra features comes down to the way the hardware and software are designed to preform it's primary function--displaying eBooks. They use the slowest, lowest power using CPUs and the minimum amount of system memory (RAM) necessary to keep the cost down. Adding any extra hardware features (MP3/audio-book playback, ability to play games, or a non crappy web browser) would significantly increase hardware cost. ...

I thought I read that the wifi hardware used on some (maybe most) ereaders included the bluetooth hardware? So there would be no additional cost (for hardware) for MP3/audio-book playback to be added?

[steven168]

someone try to convince me to get Android BOOX e-ink ereader but i end up still get kindle paperwhite

he say Android e-ink ereader support many things

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by steven168

someone try to convince me to get Android BOOX e-ink ereader but i end up still get kindle paperwhite

he say Android e-ink ereader support many things

Depends on the Android e-ink reader. My Tolino Epos uses Android and does not support much beyond e-reading and a limited web browser unless it has been hacked. I've played with a couple of Android e-readers and one of them had been hacked to allow access to Google Play. Sadly very few of the applications she wanted to try were actually usable. The Kindle app she was trying to use had some rather odd issues possibly due to an older version of Android (4.2??) and the lack of hardware support for some functions. Though it was fun watching her trying to read a book that looked normal on an Android tablet and iDevices but had interesting ( for certain values of interesting ) formatting when she tried reading it. Most of the other apps she tried were either video oriented--e-ink and video are not a good match or simply did not install.

[PurpleStar]

I don’t want my e-reader to have extra functions like a camera, games and mp3’s. That’s what cell phones are for! I like my e-reader for reading.