12:39 PM by Adam B. in More E-Book Readers | iRex

In the coming days, iRex is going to send me a review unit. I plan on doing a full video review of all it's features, usability, format support, etc.

They also intend to release an SDK soon, so I'm going to see how difficult it will be to port apps as compared to the iLiad.

I also intend to do a full tech rundown on the device. How things have changed from the iLiad, scribble formats, manifests, etc. Basically everything the community will need to get started with development.

So my question: What do you guys want to see and know? If you have documents you'd like to see on the DR, post them (although, I may limit this if the list grows too much).

Is there anything you want to know that can be found out by using the device?

10:52 AM by Alexander Turcic in E-Book General | News

Added: Some additional information about the idea behind this campaign.

Those gagging for some hot Sony Reader action will be pleased to know that Sony is going to stage a 30-day-long "read-in" event at Manhattan electronics retailer Datavision from October 1st to October 30th.

For 30 days, around the clock, 24/7, a man will live in a retail storefront window reading his way through as many pages as he possibly can.

Sony's "Man in the Window" will be David Farrow, a world-renowned speed reader and has held the Guinness Book of World Record's title for memorization twice over, having overcome his own challenges with both dyslexia and ADD.

Farrow will read his way through the 30 days from a Sony Digital Reader, and for every page he turns, Sony will donate one eBook classics library, consisting of 100 titles, to a U.S. school, with the goal of donating 150,000 libraries, or 15 million books.

The starting date of this event is perhaps not a coincidence, considering that on October 2nd, Sony is planning to open a new chapter on digital reading, also happening in NYC.

PS: Geardiary has a photo of the storefront window. Also, the first 100 schools that activate their accounts will also receive education packs of five Sony Readers each to get them started.

11:59 AM by zelda_pinwheel in Miscellaneous | Announcements

MobileRead to Houston : Meetup in T minus one week...

Since MR member and participant vivaldirules has already done a stellar job of writing up a very enticing reminder, I'm just going to shamelessly quote him :

Quoting vivaldirules :
Houston, we're just one week from our MobileRead Meet-up! Anyone and everyone is welcome to come and join us.

I think there are at least half a dozen or more who have indicated they're planning to come including NatCh (from the Republic of Texas Embassy in Tennessee), Ralph Sir Edward (with his brother), Ricky Maveety, Elsi, Amalthia, and yours truly (Arf! - I don't bark, I promise you). And I'm sure Zelda will be there in spirit and probably others, too [I confirm ! I'm at all the meetups in spirit. --ZP]. And perhaps virtually. I'll have my laptop with me so we can post or chat in real time while sipping iced tea on the veranda.

So put it on your calendar now: the afternoon and evening (centered around 5:00 pm) on Saturday, October 4 at the Panera Bread in The Woodlands (1201 Lake Woodlands Dr. which is here: http://maps.yahoo.com/#mvt=m&lat=30....dlands%2C%20tx). Bring your mobile reading devices if you have them and your curiosity if you don't. We should have a great time!

P.S. - Ike? Take a hike! Yes, there's been some hurricane damage and power outages but they won't affect our Meet-up. The Panera Bread is open and ready to serve us, the roads are clear, and there's power. If you're concerned, don't be. But if you'd like to make a contribution to the American Red Cross Disaster Fund, that would be most helpful and terribly nice of you.
_____________________________________

To recapitulate the important details :
Saturday October 4
afternoon / evening (centered around 5:00)

Panera Bread in The Woodlands
1201 Lake Woodlands Dr.

It sounds delightful ! Don't miss it, whatever you do ! You'll regret it...

Now if someone would just explain to me what a "Panera Bread" is...

06:00 AM by Alexander Turcic in Miscellaneous | Week in Review

If you've been a bit too busy to keep up, here are a few of our favorite stories from the past week.

E-Book General - News and Commentary

• Fictionwise and the Kindle
• News4Me to begin trial, but not with E Ink (yet)
• Hanwang N510 - the world's first 5-inch E Ink reader
• Astak's press release for the EZ Reader

E-Book Devices - iRex Digital Reader

• Announced: the iRex Reader DR1000

Miscellaneous - Announcements

• Reminder : Atlanta, Georgia (USA) meetup Monday, September 29th, 7:30pm !

06:37 PM by DaleDe in E-Book General | News

Here is the long awaited press release from Astak. You saw it here first.

New EZ Reader by Astak

(A By-The- Numbers Approach to a Great eBook Reader)

Astak's first offering in eBook Readers will be the EZ Reader; and will be released in late November, 2008; while being introduced formally at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (January 7-10). There are a great number of other exciting eBook Readers by Astak being introduced during the first six months of 2009 including the Flexi-Screened 9.7 inch!

The EZ Reader is the lightest, smallest, and thinnest eBook Reader ever introduced to North America. It is a whole new way to read books and listen to stereo music. At 7.2 inch long and 4.7 inch wide and .4 inches thick, it feels right in your hand. Weighing 7.8 ounces, THIS is an eBook Reader that you can hold for long periods without getting tired or getting bloodshot eyes. The E-Ink, E-Paper screen makes for reading without eye strain and the screen uses NO power while you read. Only standby computer power is needed except when turning pages or listening to your stored stereo MP3 music. At 800 by 600 pixel, it has a Vizplex screen that is very high resolution and reads well in ambient light. It reads up to 8,000 pages of text on a single charge. either via the included USB cable and your computer or via the included power adapter.

Manufactured expressly for Astak by Jinke, Astak is the exclusive Sales Agent for all of North and South America. Furthermore, Astak will be incorporating improvements into their version. For the first time the units will be offered in bold metallic colors and all the service will be done by Astak and the warranty backed by Astak. We also want to get a T9 dictionary on our version. Other major improvements are planned as well.

The battery IS replaceable. Simply remove one screw and go online to
order a replacement battery. THIS has been a problem in the past with some other eBook Readers. This unit has been a total of 8 years in development. Our band of eBook Reader bashers tried hard to get this to "hang up" or show a glitch. and it is as error-free and solid as you will find!

This EZ Reader uses a "By-The-Numbers" approach. When you turn it on, it takes you directly to your book library. Choose the book you want, or your most recently started book, by hitting the appropriate numbered button. Advance or digress one page at the touch of a single button, or hold the button down to advance ten pages at a time. Of course it has bookmarks. The numbered keys take you anywhere you want to go with a minimum of delay (it is blazingly fast), and, if you make any mistake, it has a special button to take you back to the previous page.

The User Manual with the EZ Reader was written by an American for
Americans. It is clean and literate and easy to understand. You can be an expert within 20 minutes! The machine really is easy to learn
anyway; and you may not even need the User Manual except for more uncommon features. Most people can navigate within minutes just fine.

The device supports ALL of the most major languages. English, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, etc. It comes with free stereo ear buds and a nice "crush-resistant" vinyl/leather case. It takes a 3.5mm earphone jack. the most common on the market; and is ideal for Noise-canceling Headphones. Major colors are expected to be a beautiful Metallic Blue and Metallic Red! Yes, it has a choice of font sizes and can display both vertically and horizontally!

It comes with MOBIPOCKET support by Hanlin. Mobi allows the downloading of DRM and there are several Mobipocket formatted eBook sites. Stay tuned to our website for info on the new Astak website that will sell books and the device starting in late November.

It would seem that Astak has partnered with Jinke for this reader instead of Netronix. It is the first of 3 products planned in the EZ Reader line. A PLUS version is planned early next year with WiFi and a PRO will be following with both WiFi and Touchscreen. I suspect we may see a new model every couple of months for a while.

Rumor has it that this first unit will hit the streets at a bit over $300 US. Any comments? Robert has indicated that it will be available in 4 colors, Metallic Red, Electric Blue, Black and White.

04:28 AM by Alexander Turcic in E-Book General | News

China-based Hanwang has developed a new E Ink-based e-book reader, the N510. Unlike most other e-book devices which are based on an 6-inch screen, this one goes with 5-inch instead. Specs from the Chinese product website:

• Dimensions: 152mm x 108mm x 11mm
• Weight: 165g (including battery)
• Screen Technology: E Ink
• Display: 5" 800x600 pixels, 4 gray levels
• Memory: 1GB SD Card (max. supported 2GB)
• Supported Formats: TXT, HTML, PNG, JPG, PDF, XEB, CEB, MP3, MTXT
• Battery: Li-ion 1500mAh, 3.7V
• Battery Life: one charge lasts for > 15 days in standby, more than 7,000 pages
• Interfaces: SD, mini-USB 1.1, headphone

Compare the N510 to other e-book readers, and you'll quickly notice how lightweight and portable it is. If you think the iRex Digital Reader is a marvelous device, but too big for your daily commutes, you may consider this one instead (assuming you are from China or that it will eventually make it overseas).

According to this store, the N510 is priced at around $200 ￥2,288.00 (~$330).

Thanks to James for the tip!

08:49 PM by zelda_pinwheel in Miscellaneous | Announcements

Just a friendly reminder that the Atlanta, Georgia meetup is only one week away ! Please do check the thread if you'd like to go and leave a little message saying you'll be there !

important info :
Monday, September 29th, 7:30pm, at

Gordon Biersch Restaurant
848 Peachtree Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
phone: 404-870-0805

05:05 PM by Alexander Turcic in E-Book General | News

Remember News4Me? It's a project launched by Deutsche Telekom aimed at creating individual electronic newspapers where a user can subscribe to complete issues or to individual sections from differing newspapers. According to latest news (German article), they are about to launch the first trial involving thirty participants from Bonn and Berlin who will be able to read news on a device that is "already on the market." So I guess that excludes the Polymer Vision Readius, which I thought would be an excellent candidate for this project. Instead, it's rumored that Apple's iPhone will be used during the trial. Apparently, Telekom's researchers are still looking for the optimal device. Which the Kindle isn't, they're claimed to have said, due to its "closed operation system" (uhm, Linux, closed?) and inability to deal with UMTS/HSDPA connectivity.

Shaking my head in disbelief, I checked some more, and indeed stumbled over this very recent and revealing interview (German), where Deutsche Telekom project leader Peter Möckel explains that the ideal device would have to have a display comparable to paper size A5, offer very good readability in day light, with long battery life, and cell phone connectivity. Neither the Amazon Kindle nor the Sony Reader would offer the platform architecture they require. Mr. Möckel had little negative to say about the Readius (fueling my hope yet again), but he'd wish for a bigger screen. In the interview, Möckel referred to the iPhone as being too small, though he also said that in the first trials the iPhone would be used to test the aspects of individualized newspaper delivery. If he is right, News4Me will officially launch in Germany next year.