Astak Mentor eBook readers with WiFi and Touchscreen (read-only)

[SpiderMatt]

If Astak makes their projected sales prices, I think I might have to get one. That would be unbelievably fantastic. I might require a dictionary, though. Since I have a Sony, the main feature I'm looking for in my next e-ink device is a dictionary. It would be nice to be able to read those 8.5"x11" pdf files I have without changing format, though.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by SpiderMatt

I might require a dictionary, though.

I have never used eReader Pro software, but it comes with Webster's New World Vest Pocket Dictionary and eReader sells a small number of other dictionaries.

[SpiderMatt]

I'm talking about a dictionary built into the reader so I can pull up the definition of a word on whatever page of the book I'm on without having to leave the book or use another device. That's just tedious and would defeat the purpose of having a dedicated reading device.

[MMascaro]

" The operating system will be Win CE with splash screen on boot; and it will support English, Spanish, German, French, Chinese (Big 5), and Japanese"

Robert

Is this a full Win CE OS and can a user down load a Win CE app from the net and run it on the Astak. If so, does the touch screen support include a touch keyboard.

Mark

[JSWolf]

What eBook formats will they support?

[TadW]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What eBook formats will they support?

See Robertb's previous answer:

The formats are not yet set. We know it will have eReader and books can easily be downloaded from Fictionwise. We are negotiating with Mobipocket/Amazon but they want exclusivity. It will, of course, also have TXT, PDF, RTF, HTML/CHM. Amazon seems to want to take over the world and we are trying to deal fairly but leave formats open.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Robertb

We know it will have eReader and books can easily be downloaded from Fictionwise. We are negotiating with Mobipocket/Amazon but they want exclusivity. It will, of course, also have TXT, PDF, RTF, HTML/CHM.

The problem there is eReader. The format is abysmal. The format is designed for palm sized screens. Most eReader eBooks have no paragraph indents and line spaces between paragraphs. This ruins the reading experience. Makes it not nice on a larger screen. What would be nice is to have Mobipocket as the main DRM format and then have eReader/LIT/BBeB as non-DRM formats available.

When you mention HTML, is this a FULL implementation of HTML? Will we have true folder/subfolder support?

[leandroide]

Well... I'm salivating too. Good size, good features and good price. Or, as we say in Spanish, bueno, bonito y barato. Now I think that waiting for buying an eink device was a good idea!

Originally Posted by Robertb

We have preliminary samples made and have already made changes to "americanize it" (it is being released throughout the world).

What does this mean? Is going to be a different version for USA? Are both versions going to be launched at the same time? Are we from Europe going to be able to buy it? Later or at the same time that the our American friends? And... if the answer to the last question is positive... are you going to apply the real euro-dolar exchange rate or the abusive one (1€=1$)?

Originally Posted by Robertb

Will check on dictionary. Good suggestion!!

Dictionary is a must! Don't forget that the linguistic scenario outside USA is plurilingual. Implementing dictionary integration can increase your sales by a significant factor outside the US.

Regards and good luck,

L.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The problem there is eReader. The format is abysmal. The format is designed for palm sized screens. Most eReader eBooks have no paragraph indents and line spaces between paragraphs. This ruins the reading experience. Makes it not nice on a larger screen. What would be nice is to have Mobipocket as the main DRM format and then have eReader/LIT/BBeB as non-DRM formats available.

When you mention HTML, is this a FULL implementation of HTML? Will we have true folder/subfolder support?

That IS the question! And from a careful reading of the specs, I'm leaning towards the Astak Mentor 6" being a Netronix EB-100. Literally the same specs. Now I don't know how they're going to meet that $200 price point unless they're pre-ordering in greater-than-5,000 unit quantities, because if one is ordering that unit in less-than-5,000 unit quantities the price rapidly climbs towards the individual-unit-order price of $250.

Plus, you have to remember that the industry is experiencing massive shortages because of display shortages. So even if they are placing a 10,000+ order, who's to say their supplier will be able to deliver?

I note the interesting fact that the Astak (and the Netronix) offers CHM support; I also note that the EB-200/210/300 do so with WinCE, but the EB-100 uses Linux 2.4/2.6.

I can't see eReader offering it's format without demanding the same exclusivity that Mobipocket is demanding for the DRM version. I'm surprised, given that there are tools which allow for decryption of the DRM'd versions of both eReader and Mobipocket, that someone hasn't black-boxed DRM support into some other reader app - such as FBReader. Still, I've got an EB-100 on the way. (Just to check things out, of course! )

Derek

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by leandroide

What does this mean? Is going to be a different version for USA? Are both versions going to be launched at the same time? Are we from Europe going to be able to buy it? Later or at the same time that the our American friends? And... if the answer to the last question is positive... are you going to apply the real euro-dolar exchange rate or the abusive one (1€=1$)?

yes i also would like to know this.

Dictionary is a must! Don't forget that the linguistic scenario outside USA is plurilingual. Implementing dictionary integration can increase your sales by a significant factor outside the US.

agree again : for me (and i'm sure plenty of others), dictionary support is an imperative (i honestly doubt i will buy any device which does not have dictionary support).

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by leandroide

snipped

What does this mean? Is going to be a different version for USA? Are both versions going to be launched at the same time? Are we from Europe going to be able to buy it? Later or at the same time that the our American friends? And... if the answer to the last question is positive... are you going to apply the real euro-dolar exchange rate or the abusive one (1€=1$)?

snipped

Regards and good luck,

L.

The abusive one, of course! (It's always best to assume the worst in these cases. ) And I really don't see the problem; after all, they're claiming a $200 price point. Even if you paid 200euros, you'd still be paying less than you would for a new Cybook. I suppose you'll next insist upon a full-function kitchen sink be installed?

Seriously, Astak will need to make it clear what its pricing policy is for EU customers.

Derek

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

yes i also would like to know this.

agree again : for me (and i'm sure plenty of others), dictionary support is an imperative (i honestly doubt i will buy any device which does not have dictionary support).

Given that I live in the US and I've let my knowledge of German and Spanish lapse, (It's been like 30 years since I had any chance to practice! ) I don't, personally, see the need for a dictionary. However, if the Astak - or Netronix, for that matter - end up with Mobipocket support, I would imagine that some form of dictionary support would be available.

Derek

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

Given that I live in the US and I've let my knowledge of German and Spanish lapse, (It's been like 30 years since I had any chance to practice! ) I don't, personally, see the need for a dictionary. However, if the Astak - or Netronix, for that matter - end up with Mobipocket support, I would imagine that some form of dictionary support would be available.

Derek

don't you ever want to look up a word in english ? when i am reading in english, i make frequent use of the built-in english dictionary on my eb1150. However when i am reading in french, i also come accross words whose meanings i am not sure of, or would just like to verify, and i have a french dictionary on my eb1150 which i use to look these up manually. in fact, last night i was reading a paper book (The Case of the Gilded Fly, by Edmund Crispin) and there were several words i did not know, so i kept my eb1150 next to me and i looked them up on the dictionary as i went along.

a dictionary is important to me regardless of what language i am reading in, if it's my mother tongue or my second language.

[delphidb96]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

don't you ever want to look up a word in english ? when i am reading in english, i make frequent use of the built-in english dictionary on my eb1150. However when i am reading in french, i also come accross words whose meanings i am not sure of, or would just like to verify, and i have a french dictionary on my eb1150 which i use to look these up manually. in fact, last night i was reading a paper book (The Case of the Gilded Fly, by Edmund Crispin) and there were several words i did not know, so i kept my eb1150 next to me and i looked them up on the dictionary as i went along.

a dictionary is important to me regardless of what language i am reading in, if it's my mother tongue or my second language.

Ummm... No.

I've been reading, writing, programming and absorbing knowledge from every conceivable source for so long that I can usually determine a strange word's meaning from context. It helps that I was always really, really GOOD with words and definitions.

Derek

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Robertb

The formats are not yet set. We know it will have eReader and books can easily be downloaded from Fictionwise. We are negotiating with Mobipocket/Amazon but they want exclusivity. It will, of course, also have TXT, PDF, RTF, HTML/CHM.

There probably is a market for eReader on E-Ink, but MobiPocket is where the action is. For many of the members here, compatibility with MobiPocket reader software would be enough (i.e. not pre-installed and not supported by MobiPocket, but known to work). However, you would then be missing integration with Desktop MobiPocket Reader's device management. This is worth something for device sales, but it is worth much more to MobiPocket in e-book sales. So I am surprised that they are asking for exclusivity on a WinCE based device when they freely offer Windows Mobile, Pocket PC and (unsupported) WinCE versions.

At the risk of putting too much in one post, I also suggest supporting µBook. This is likely to be significantly better than your OEM's software for HTML/CHM, TXT, RTF formats and it also supports PML, PDB (not sure which ebook formats) and DRM-free PRC (MOBI). If you can't get MobiPocket's ok for its reader, then µBook is even more important - because it provides DRM-free PRC support just like the Kindle. So you would have eReader for DRMed ebooks, and PRC for non-DRMed ebooks.