Entourage discontinuing the Pocket Edge e-reader

I have watched several Good Reader reviews on You Tube so despite the one error I believe the story is valid.

I hope Entourage proves Good Reader wrong and works to maintain its current customer base by releasing a supported version of Froyo which addresses the problems and suggestions posted by users on this forum. However, it will be tough to maintain customer loyalty by discontinuing a product after less than a year and then provide little hope of support or even common replacement items for current PE and EE owners for something as simple as a battery.

As far as the EE goes, I agree with several of the other posts on this thread. Its already been discontinued. Just go to the Entourage site and try to link to a retailer that sells one. It doesn't exist. Plus the drastic price reductions on the PE are further evidence of a product line about to be discontinued.

Originally Posted by alefor

I realize that I am a dinosaur in many ways.... but I recently went back to Windows, and am extremely satisfied with Win7. Its a great OS (boot time is 20sec, very stable, and when driven with a pen its great on a tablet). And best of all, the main reason I use Windows, is that I can run OneNote 2010, which is a simply fantastic piece of software for taking notes (full color, cut and paste from anything, automatically syncs to the cloud, and much more). Its a real killer app running on a pen-based tablet. And, only runs on Windows. So, that answers your question anyway.... switching to Windows does happen.

Hmmm...I've never used OneNote on a tablet. Now you're making me think I need another tablet. My husband just bought a PlayBook and aside from the scant availability of apps, relative to other tablets (but how many calendar apps do you need?), I was blown away by the screen resolution. It's like watching an HD movie, albeit on a tiny screen. Really crisp. Hubby also used it to take extended ntoes in a meeting yesterday and said it worked wonderfully. I gather the note-taking doesn't offer anywhere near the functionality of the eDGe, but he liked it.

Originally Posted by obsessed2

I have watched several Good Reader reviews on You Tube so despite the one error I believe the story is valid.

I hope Entourage proves Good Reader wrong and works to maintain its current customer base by releasing a supported version of Froyo which addresses the problems and suggestions posted by users on this forum. However, it will be tough to maintain customer loyalty by discontinuing a product after less than a year and then provide little support or even future replacement items for current PE and EE owners for something as simple as a battery.

As far as the EE goes, I agree with several of the other posts on this thread. Its already been discontinued. Just go to the Entourage site and try to link to a retailer that sells one. It doesn't exist.

I don't think there will be future versions of either device. As for Good e-Reader, it's the existance of a company called enTourage Canada that's making some of us look askance at the article. We've never heard mention of it.

Originally Posted by alefor

I realize that I am a dinosaur in many ways.... but I recently went back to Windows, and am extremely satisfied with Win7. Its a great OS (boot time is 20sec, very stable, and when driven with a pen its great on a tablet). And best of all, the main reason I use Windows, is that I can run OneNote 2010, which is a simply fantastic piece of software for taking notes (full color, cut and paste from anything, automatically syncs to the cloud, and much more). Its a real killer app running on a pen-based tablet. And, only runs on Windows. So, that answers your question anyway.... switching to Windows does happen.

Sorry for the double post, but do you think enToruage is selling their intellectual property to Microsoft or the manufacturer of a tablet that runs Windows?

Originally Posted by NiaTrue

I don't think there will be future versions of either device. As for Good e-Reader, it's the existance of a company called enTourage Canada that's making some of us look askance at the article. We've never heard mention of it.

I don't think there will be future versions of either product either, but it would be nice to have support for current owners whose products are only a year old or less. Nobody is expecting indefinite support, but to discontinue basic support items so quickly, like batteries, is not the way to keep customers no matter how good the product is. Despite the mistake, I believe Good E Reader is legit. I have watched several Good E-Reader reviews on You Tube which were part of my purchasing decision for the PE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVnvoGY_ws4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7ohRmNXc0s

Originally Posted by NiaTrue

Sorry for the double post, but do you think enToruage is selling their intellectual property to Microsoft or the manufacturer of a tablet that runs Windows?

I think this is very well possible. I listened to the whole lecture of Asghar Mostafa and he is quite successful in starting companies, growing them, launching good product then selling them. He is not going to dwell on EE or PE and grow this company slowly. But really upsetting is their presumably "working on Slate" - dual screen side by side is great concept, there are nothing like this on the market, and I think many people here use both screens at the simultaneously all the time, flipping device back and force just doesn't cut it for me...
MS just bought Skype for some 9 Billions... I tried to use OneNote, it is good, but since for 2+ years my work computer do not have it, I am using Evernote everywhere and pretty happy with it on PE so far... I like Ermine very much (this is my first encounter with Android, but for mobile devices I think it is better than Win Mobile (up to 6.5, didn't play with 7).

Hello!

First, 'enTourage Canada' is not the only factual error in that "article". It says the PE screens are 5 and 6 inches, when they are 6 and 7 inches. It says the device is still running Android 1.6 with no further support or upgrades (paraphrasing), which is arguable but, IMHO, wrong. How do we know "the company themselves are heavily discounting the price" when the company is not selling it any more??

Second, I hope they are working on a new device, whatever it is.

Third, EEs are still for sale, maybe not a lot, but I checked B&H Photo the other day and they have 2 colors available. They show a third color EE and the PE as "discontinued", so that's that for them (I assume when they sell out of EEs they will mark the whole line as discontinued). Amazon still had some, too. And on ebay you can still pay over $500 for a new EE!

Fourth, although accessories are no longer readily available, the devices are still being supported. Customer service/tech support is still there and still working to resolve problems people have with their eDGes.

Until I hear/see something official I will not believe enTourage Systems has completely given up on the eDGes. On the other hand, I would be surprised -- no, shocked -- to learn of another production run for either the EE or the PE in its current configuration.

My 2 cents worth.


Oops! Just rechecked B&H Photo. They are now out of all eDGes and showing "discontinued".

I really hope they are just working on a new generation. The more I read, the more impatient I am for my PE to arrive (supposedly Saturday now), and the more I wish I'd been able to spring for a new EE. I wish someone would discount them the way the PE dropped in price. I just can't come up with over $500 for new, and I don't know if it's worth $300 to get a used one that might die a month after I get it, and I'd be out that money.

If entourage or a buyer of their ideas isn't doing a next gen version, I hope someone somewhere is picking up on the dual screen concept.

Hmmmm. Slate on Windows huh? So it'll come with 1GB and need 10GB to run properly? I wonder what the blue screen of death looks like on a "slate"?

If they're blowing out their remaining lots, that's where Woot got so many. The odd thing is that Woot didn't sell out on the PE, and they didn't put it up in the Woot Off the other day, so they still have some. If they sell them, they'll be selling a DISCONTINUED product with iffy support, so they'll have to blow them out EVEN FURTHER to move them! And the longer they hold them, the less they can get for them. Zoinks! That means we might see PE's for LESS than $150 pretty soon.

Originally Posted by Filark

Hello!

First, 'enTourage Canada' is not the only factual error in that "article". It says the PE screens are 5 and 6 inches, when they are 6 and 7 inches. It says the device is still running Android 1.6 with no further support or upgrades (paraphrasing), which is arguable but, IMHO, wrong. How do we know "the company themselves are heavily discounting the price" when the company is not selling it any more??

Second, I hope they are working on a new device, whatever it is.

Third, EEs are still for sale, maybe not a lot, but I checked B&H Photo the other day and they have 2 colors available. They show a third color EE and the PE as "discontinued", so that's that for them (I assume when they sell out of EEs they will mark the whole line as discontinued). Amazon still had some, too. And on ebay you can still pay over $500 for a new EE!

Fourth, although accessories are no longer readily available, the devices are still being supported. Customer service/tech support is still there and still working to resolve problems people have with their eDGes.

Until I hear/see something official I will not believe enTourage Systems has completely given up on the eDGes. On the other hand, I would be surprised -- no, shocked -- to learn of another production run for either the EE or the PE in its current configuration.

My 2 cents worth.

I agree that I will not completely believe Entourage Systems has completely given up on the Edge until it is "official" but, mene, mene, tenkel, upharsin.

First, despite the minor errors in the article, there is NO official support from Entourage for the OS unless it is Android 1.6. Everybody who updated to the Ermine beta acknowledged this fact.

Second, even though EEs and PEs are still available from some retailers supplies are drying up, and those trying to charge $500 on eBay may be trying to cash in on the recent demand for the product. Only the desperate are going to pay $500 for an EE at this point.

Third, while I am very thankful there is still tech support out there, it has been spotty. One user said it took several weeks to get a used device marked as transferable so they could register it. But tech support is more about just technical advice. Again, a battery discontinued for a device which has only been out a little over a year? http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/Ent...e/2078667.aspx

I think the PE (I own two) and the EE (I have one on the way) are landmark devices but, in order to have a future customer base they need to give more consideration for their current customer base.

It appears that the EE is still available from http://entourageedge.eu/#9 at full price (Euro 500+) and in 5 colours. The contacts page of that site also gives Entourage eDGe as a division of Stebis B.V. - take that which ever way you want.

Hey guys.

I don't want to out the contact that told me this, because I did not want to get her into hot water. The company in question is Entrouage's official distribution arm of Entourage in Canada. If you want to order one in Canada you order it from this company as per Entourage HQ.

They said that the Edge was discontinued and that there was a new "slate" being developed, which if you look at companies billing tablets as "Slates" slates are normally Windows Devices where Tablets are often Android. If you look at the EXOPC "slate" its a windows 7 based tablet.

Basically as per Entourage its business as normal, they aren't just making any new Pocket Edges, they cited "lack of interest and demand" I think originally they had big plans to get in bed with schools and higher education environments but it did not pan out.

I really like the Edge, and Pocket Edge, I think they are both really unique devices and I wish more companies focused on innovation and design rather then just release "another android tablet"

We messed on the dimensions of the Edge, I was going from memory, I have since corrected it. We will let you guys know when we know more.

How about WebOs, as in the new HP tablet, which I believe was originally to have been called "Slate".

HP is making the WebOS SDK available, and may be licensing the OS as well.

Just a thought.

Kirk

Originally Posted by alefor

... OneNote 2010, which is a simply fantastic piece of software for taking notes (full color, cut and paste from anything, automatically syncs to the cloud, and much more)

Sorry for being so far OT, but I love OneNote too and wanted to tell you to take a look at Springpad on the Amazon app store or springpadit.com. It's very similar and runs beautifully on the eDGe.

Originally Posted by netrobot

Hmmmm. Slate on Windows huh? So it'll come with 1GB and need 10GB to run properly? I wonder what the blue screen of death looks like on a "slate"?

It's still blue. I won't be buying anything that runs Windows.

Originally Posted by schahudi

. . .
Some of the drawbacks for the Pocket Edge included lackluster application and development support, with very few applications available in the custom Android Marketplace Entourage setup.

It ain't for lack of trying around here. Developers were plenty enthused about the Edge. It is Entourage that has been lackluster about supporting developers. There aren't interesting custom apps for the Edge due to Entourage policy. The buck for that failure stops on one or more Entourage C-O's desks.

Originally Posted by schahudi

The huge drawback is despite promises it still runs a heavily outdated version of Google Android 1.6. This antiquated OS does not allow Flash or any other modern features people would expect in an expensive device.

Heh, isn't "antiquated" a bit of a stretch for a version of something that only started appearing in consumer devices less than two years ago? (Windows 7 then also qualifies as "antiquated".)