OAXIS - The new ebook reader

[emellaich]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

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I would never recommend a client buy into ANY ereading device in the current market no matter what the marketing hype.

Brecklundin,

Not to hijack this thread (ok, I will) but this is an interesting observation.

As I thought about it, I wondered whether ereaders are rugged enough for companies. I don't know what the actual breakage rate is. I have broken an eink device myself, but that doesn't tell me anything. When you have a large body of active posters, if anyone asks if devices have been broken, you will always get anecdotes even if the rate is low. We could try a poll, but I believe that the results would be biased towards those who have broken screens.

I see two problems with this from a business viewpoint. 1) It can make the average unit cost much more expensive. 2) The corporate breakage rate may be much more expensive. I envision an eink device with technical manuals being laid haphazardly on a copy machine under repair. I can see risks with the devices tumbling to the ground or getting something set on them. I don't see the same care being lavished on them as is the case for personal readers. The question is whether a lightweight device will ever be acceptable unless it can be tossed around on the job. I also wonder what a repair person would think about being limited to one screen at a time viewing. Finally, I wonder whether static contents are useful, or if they really want a real time access to a dynamic database via wireless and the internet.

I guess the bottom line question is whether the ereader device fits the needs of the corporate world? Any comments? Reactions?

[Tuna]

I don't think breakage rates are likely to be much different from that of laptops - in fact probably better as there are fewer 'moving parts' to break.

I'd agree with not recommending an e-reader right now, but not for reasons of fragility. E-readers are going through a huge development spurt right now, and competition in the sector is bringing better hardware and software to market at better prices. Buy an e-reader now and it's going to be obsolete in 12 months. or less. New readers are not only going to come from new entrants to the market like Oaxis, but also from established players like Sony. So we can expect initial slightly flakey offerings like the Kindle DX to make way for improved hardware and software.

That said, the exception is that most of the new offerings are likely to be coming in at the current premium price levels ($250 and upwards). If you just want to start an e-book library and are happy with a 'no frills' reader to carry it on, then there are some real bargains to be had.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by Tuna

... Buy an e-reader now and it's going to be obsolete in 12 months. or less.....

And this is somehow different from buying a computer, or a digital camera, or a newspaper..., how?

If you enjoy reading books, it's currently hard to beat e-ink. So, many of us have bough e-readers to do just that. And most are reasonably happy with the current state of the technology.

Of course, different people will upgrade at different times, as the technology improves, or something better comes along, that they can't resist. But if you keep being worried, that technology will improve on your current purchase, you shouldn't be buying electronics at all....

[Tuna]

Originally Posted by Sonist

And this is somehow different from buying a computer, or a digital camera, or a newspaper..., how?

It's a question of the rate of change. If you buy a computer, camera or laptop right now, you can reasonably expect it will keep up with the 'current generation' for 12 to 18 months. Sure, there will be better models, but the basic functionality, performance and prices are not changing that much. These are mature technologies and mature markets.

Contrast that with the E reader market where you can currently count the main players on the fingers of one hand, the available models with both hands and the choice of screens with your thumbs (more or less). In the next six months, the number of vendors is set to (at least) double, the range of screen sizes to increase three or fourfold, and the number of 'feature options' available (such as touch screen, wi-fi, bluetooth, annotation, feed subscription) to explode.

The E-reader market has been steadily growing up until Amazon's entry, which has changed everything. The early players such as Sony and iRex are due a refresh of their product lines and the OEM manufacturers are massively expanding their lines. With the existing solid userbase, the requirements for e-readers are being refined to the point where early attempts (and I'm including everything up to and including the kindles here) are likely to be vastly improved by the next generation devices.

And many of those devices are going to be launched in the next six months.

Yes, of course you can always wait for twelve months and there will always be better models coming along in another twelve months' time. However, right now you are likely to be buying into last generation hardware, still at the early adopter price premium. We're at the tipping point and six months will bring a lot of change.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by Tuna

It's a question of the rate of change. If you buy a computer, camera or laptop right now, you can reasonably expect it will keep up with the 'current generation' for 12 to 18 months....

Me thinks the Kindle DX will likely be "current generation" for a year.

And if Amazon fixes PDF support (which they have to, if they are to compete with the rest of the announced ~10" devices,) it will be a plausible e-reader solution until color comes out.

[Tuna]

Originally Posted by Sonist

Me thinks the Kindle DX will likely be "current generation" for a year.

And if Amazon fixes PDF support (which they have to, if they are to compete with the rest of the announced ~10" devices,) it will be a plausible e-reader solution until color comes out.

You might be right, but the DX hardware is a bit of a mess - unbalanced, odd button placement and terrible keyboard. It could end up looking very much out of place between devices designed for proper handling of PDFs (including decent annotation and markup which need far better input) and larger devices for leisure reading (which need a much cleaner and better laid out control layout).

Buying a DX in the hope that the software will be revised and improved and the device won't be overshadowed by Plastic Logic's reader, or Sony's next product is a bit brave.

[Sonist]

LOL, I think there are some old, gray people, who were in pre-school when they began waiting for the imminent introduction of Plastic Logic's products....

Yes, Sony can come up with something better, but apart from the pitiful PDF support, the Kindle DX is pretty nice (I am happy with the buttons, although not so happy with the lack of number keys on the keyboard.)

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Abecedary

Interesting. I wonder how useful the WiFi will be. From the product pages, they only make mention of getting newspapers delivered wirelessly (otherwise they say to transfer documents via USB or SD card). This gives me the impression that they'll have some partner newspaper publishers with customized feeds you can subscribe to. Also, there's no mention of a web browser or RSS client, which further reinforces this idea of specialized subscriber feeds. I guess we'll find out more in the coming months.

I believe this is an OEM product and will not see the retail market under this name. It looks like it is being positioned for a business to buy it so the features are intentionally vague and depend on what the companies buy. Notice all the different memory sizes available. I doubt they will custom install memory for quantity one purchases.

I did capture the information and placed it in the wiki.

Dale