Ebook readers - a challenge to average users

[NatCh]

I'm glad that you found a solution that does what you need, 'cause that's the important bit.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by shousa

So I find my initial arguments invalidated completely - a whole world of ebook reading awaits - awesome!

Cue the "Hallelujah Chorus!"

Seriously, it's great that you managed to find the diamonds in the dirt, so to speak, and discover something you could get out of e-books. To your credit, most "average" people wouldn't have put in the effort that you obviously did to check things out, debate, discuss, and finally take the leap of faith that others avoid.

(Now... if only we could figure out how to duplicate it with a few billion people...)

[JeffASonyReader]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

But internal memory should be a lot faster than a card, so Sony did something really strange, or gave you the wrong information.
______
Dennis

Your PDA probably has a lot more speed than the Sony processor has.

[JeffASonyReader]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

With those kind of times, I'd want to automate the process to be done before I wake up!

Me too. It's probably possible with shareware software, but I haven't had time to play with it.

Today my process is to start it as soon as possible and start my morning routine, breakfast, shower, shave. 2 days in a row and working.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by JeffASonyReader

Your PDA probably has a lot more speed than the Sony processor has.

What is the Sony processor speed? The Zodiac is a comparative slowpoke: it uses a Motorola iMX CPU at 200mhz. This has never been a problem for me in practice, but there are faster devices out there.
______
Dennis

[igorsk]

It has a Freescale (formerly Motorola) iMX.L (aka MC9328MXL) CPU, which can go... surprise! up to 200MHz.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by igorsk

It has a Freescale (formerly Motorola) iMX.L (aka MC9328MXL) CPU, which can go... surprise! up to 200MHz.

Ahh. Another i.MX CPU device. There are products that will let me overclock the Zodiac to about 240mhz, but I've never had a reason to do it. (The folks who do are usually running emulators for one or another legacy gaming system, and need to squeeze the last bit of speed out for acceptable performance.)

Does the Sony Reader run at 200mhz by default?
______
Dennis

[igorsk]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

Does the Sony Reader run at 200mhz by default?

I'm not sure... the only reference to speed I could find is this line from dmesg:

Calibrating delay loop... 98.09 BogoMIPS

[Eutychus]

As one contemplating buying an iLiad or Cybook, I think the original question is a good one. I do like technical things. I do read from my Palm TX. I don't read ebooks on my computer but do read blogs and other web info.

I do not think ebooks have arrived. I think current devices will fade away as happened with the last generation of ebook readers. But I do not think ebooks and readers will go away. Eventually the price of the reader will be low enough that it will be a convenient and cost effective way to distribute text books and reference works.

Whether it is a good idea for you to buy at this time really depends on whether you have the money and interest to buy the gear and deal with the hassles of getting the books you want on the reader and then doing the reading on the device. I don't think the mythical "typical" consumer would find it worth the money or effort. Regardless, there will be an adequate market along the way to continue to develop the eReaders and ebooks.

I am still trying to figure this value-equation for myself. The ebooks offered on this site are probably enough to get me to buy either device if I was convinced I would turn off the TV and computer long enough to read through the books I would download.

[rixte]

Originally Posted by Eutychus

I think current devices will fade away as happened with the last generation of ebook readers. But I do not think ebooks and readers will go away. Eventually the price of the reader will be low enough that it will be a convenient and cost effective way to distribute text books and reference works.

Whether it is a good idea for you to buy at this time really depends on whether you have the money and interest to buy the gear and deal with the hassles of getting the books you want on the reader and then doing the reading on the device. I don't think the mythical "typical" consumer would find it worth the money or effort. Regardless, there will be an adequate market along the way to continue to develop the eReaders and ebooks.

I definitely agree with parts of this. At the current pricing and with the current format restrictions, we're a far cry from universal adoption. And I definitely will not be surprised to find myself replacing my Cybook as completely outdated in two years.

Having said that - I think we're in a real upswing finally. I used to own a rocket ebook and - nobody had even heard of it. And those that saw it were kind of 'meh' about it, with the feeling that they could see why *I* wanted one, but didn't really want one themselves.

Or people who saw me reading on my pda or my smartphone and whose main reaction was 'that's cool, but I could never read on such a small screen'.

On the other hand, with my Cybook, I've had half a dozen people ask me to send them the information on how to get it or ask me question after question about ebooks, formats, how they work. I know of at least 1 person that's planning on buying one and several others that are still trying to justify the price but absolutely wants one - or the Sony or Kindle.

And some of the positive reactions are from people who, when they found out I had ordered one, were very much in the "I could never read on a device, it'd be too annoying/I'd miss the feel of books' camp.

[A J Edwards]

The problem I have with eBook reading devices is that they are not on sale with warranty in the UK. Try going into computer stores here and enquire about them. The people in the store do not know what one is talking about. I have even been told that there are no such devices!

The other problem is the price reported on various websites. They are very expensive (over £300) for a one-function device. An ASUS UMPC is only £197. Basic laptops can be bougth for a around£220 and I can read eBooks on these in any format.

I just cannot see them taking off in the UK unless they are in the shops at aropund £180 maximum. (inc VAT).

When they are available at a sensible price, with full warranty, then I will buy one - but not until.

A J Edwards

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by A J Edwards

The other problem is the price reported on various websites. They are very expensive (over £300) for a one-function device. An ASUS UMPC is only £197. Basic laptops can be bougth for a around£220 and I can read eBooks on these in any format.

Believe me, you don't know what you're missing. eInk devices are a completely different experience from reading on an LCD screen. It's just like reading a book because it's not a light-emitting screen, hence no eye-strain.

Yes, you're right, they are fairly expensive, but if you're a dedicated reader, the £245 of the CyBook is really not THAT much. I certainly spend way over that much on books in a year.

I just cannot see them taking off in the UK unless they are in the shops at aropund £180 maximum. (inc VAT).

I don't think they are ever going to be "mass market" devices, because reading is itself rather a "niche" activity. Very few of my friends read fiction on a regular basis.

When they are available at a sensible price, with full warranty, then I will buy one - but not until.

Well, that's a decision that we each have to make for ourselves, of course. I'm now on my third eInk reader and they just keep getting better and better. The CyBook is the best yet, for me. Personally I think it's worth every penny it cost.

[Eutychus]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm now on my third eInk reader and they just keep getting better and better. The CyBook is the best yet, for me. Personally I think it's worth every penny it cost.

Harry, you had an iLiad also, didn't you? Why do you consider the CyBook the best?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Eutychus

Harry, you had an iLiad also, didn't you? Why do you consider the CyBook the best?

Because my main use is for a fiction reader which I could have with me anywhere and, excellent though the iLiad is, I found it a little too large to be convenient to carry around. The 45s boot time can also be an inconvenience if one has only a few minutes spare to read. I find the Gen3 to be an excellent all-round solution in terms of size, boot time, battery life, and format support.

Had I had a need to annotate documents or read PDFs, the iLiad would be clear winner.

[A J Edwards]

For Harry T.

Yes, I do know what I am missing. Correct that Harry, I think I know what I am missing, I have never physically seen an eInk book reader. BUT as a pensioner on a fixed income it is more important that I pay my council tax and other assorted and increasing costs to live.

I will just have to wait until the price comes down to make it viable for me. This is also why I want to buy in a shop with a proper warranty. If it goes wrong I can take it back and have it replaced.

A J Edwards