Where's Bookeen disapeared too?

[pilotbob]

I was just thinking that this past year we have seen alot of eBooks news and announcements. New devices and announced devices. For example...

New Devices/Other:

Sony PRS-700
Sony 505 going to Germany and other new markets
iRex DR1000 series
DR1000 1.5 update
EZ Reader (yea I know, not really a new device)
Kindle 1.2 firmware update
Kindle 2
Stanza for Windows/iPhone/iPod Touch new release
eReader for iPhone/iPod Touch several new versions
Authors allow eBooks like Grisham and Clancy

Announcements:

Plastic Logic Reader
Foxit eSlick
Samsung Papyrus
Redius (where the heck is this already)
EZ Reader Pro/Plus/TRUE
Kindle books on Cell phones
Stanza to support eReader DRM
etc.

(Probably alot I am missing)

In all this Bookeen.. which is ONLY an eBook device VAR has been very silent. The long ago announced firmware update is way over due. They haven't had a device upgrade.

So, has anyone heard from Bookeend? What are they up to?

BOb

[HarryT]

We got a new model CyBook in May last year, don't forget! I'm sure that they have new developments "in the works".

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by HarryT

We got a new model CyBook in May last year, don't forget! I'm sure that they have new developments "in the works".

??? Wasn't it really the same device with more memory? Was that last year?

Bookeen seems very Apple like in that they don't tell anyone what they are working on or pre-announce.

BOb

[HarryT]

It was pretty much the same device, yes, but I think personally that giving us 8x the memory for the same price (and a much improved navigation button) is a pretty good improvement!

I think personally they are extremely wise not to "pre-announce"; if there's one thing guarenteed to kill current sales stone dead, it's a pre-announcement of new products. Not to mention the fact that if the release date slips, people moan about it .

[AbFabGab]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It was pretty much the same device, yes, but I think personally that giving us 8x the memory for the same price (and a much improved navigation button) is a pretty good improvement!

I think personally they are extremely wise not to "pre-announce"; if there's one thing guarenteed to kill current sales stone dead, it's a pre-announcement of new products. Not to mention the fact that if the release date slips, people moan about it .

Personally, I can't stand to hear about exciting new things to come..
I hate the waiting!! : )

so I think they are smart to just do there thing then announce when
it's ready or available.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I think personally they are extremely wise not to "pre-announce"; if there's one thing guarenteed to kill current sales stone dead, it's a pre-announcement of new products. Not to mention the fact that if the release date slips, people moan about it .

It certainly is a double edged sword. Because people could think... gee we haven't heard anything from that company. Should I really trust their device.

BOb

[Sparhawk2k]

It was interesting to see the list of what is recent and what is to be expected in the future because I haven't yet got a feel for that in my random browsing. And there seem to be more announcements there than the future devices on the wiki. Though obviously not all announcements actually come out...

[Abelturd]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I think personally they are extremely wise not to "pre-announce"; if there's one thing guarenteed to kill current sales stone dead, it's a pre-announcement of new products. Not to mention the fact that if the release date slips, people moan about it .

I'm not all that sure about that. Imagine I am an undecided customer trying to figure out which liseuse to buy. I would be overwhelmed by the hype from other manufacturers, like Amazon or Sony, who come up with new press releases on a regular basis, you see they're doing something, trying to expand, take their product on a new level, whereas Bookeen is quiet and secretive. Not a very good PR tactic in my opinion. Obscurity is not only the worst enemy of writers, but of businesses too.

[DDHarriman]

"So, has anyone heard from Bookeend? What are they up to?"

Yes... is this not a good question?...
Hum... where are they... indeed...

[Mr. Goodbar]

Most companies with existing products won't pre-announce for fear of cannibalizing sales from their existing products. However, for new entrants it makes sense to pre-announce. They don't have to worry about cannibalizing their existing products and hopefully by pre-announcing they can steal sales from their competitors. Just looks at what Astak did and what Wizpaq is doing. Wizpaq won't have a product out until this fall, but their thread announcing their product grew very quickly.

[Gaurnim]

Some news from Bookeen in this thread :
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39182

They are among the ones that have announced that they plan to use the new Adobe SDK.