Unhappy ending for e-readers?

[calvin-c]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've been saying that all along. Use your multifunction phone for all but calls and when you need to make a call, good luck as the battery is dead.

Go on, play your games, listen to your music, surf the web, drain the battery.

And carry a spare. (If a device doesn't have a user-replaceable battery, don't buy it. If it's user-replaceable but of uncommon/proprietary design, think twice. Best are those using long-lasting batteries whose replacements can be purchased in any corner drugstore. Haven't found one of the latter yet, but I'm still looking.)

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

One other point about do it all device, they do to do everything not as well than dedicated device.

And well, reading these forum on my pc screen hurts my eyes enough. I'll sooner go back to p-book, than read on an lcd.
We'll see e-readers doing other stuff when e-ink have evolved enough so refresh rate and colors allows for it.

I think that once we have the right display and battery technology there will be no reason that a multifunction device couldn't be every bit as good as a dedicated reader. Sure, there are plenty of places where a single-function device will likely always surpass the multi-function. Like cameras. I have a camera in my phone but I still have a DSLR. While some day they might invent really good sensors small enough for a camera, the optics seem impossible to shrink much without seriously sacrificing quality or flexibility. These are two hardware needs that can't converge without one hurting the other. However, the functions of a reader can easily be done just as well by a tablet as long as the display quality, ergonomics and battery life are there. There is nothing about the added functionality of the tablet that has to detract from reading functionality. We are not that far off technologically from fast color e-paper that is just as power conservative as e-ink and battery technology continues to improve.

[cvkemp]

With the led back light LCDs of today. I have no issues with reading from a netbook or laptop but I sure would love a tablet pc with the display that I could afford.

Chuck

[Jack Tingle]

Originally Posted by calvin-c

And carry a spare. (If a device doesn't have a user-replaceable battery, don't buy it. If it's user-replaceable but of uncommon/proprietary design, think twice. Best are those using long-lasting batteries whose replacements can be purchased in any corner drugstore. Haven't found one of the latter yet, but I'm still looking.)

Wait, they've invented the replaceable battery? Does this mean my Apple flashlight is obsolete?

Regards,
Jack Tingle

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Alisa

I think that once we have the right display and battery technology there will be no reason that a multifunction device couldn't be every bit as good as a dedicated reader.

Yes. I don't think we've come close to the optimal screen displays yet-a lot of that technology is ahead of us.

I do wonder what people object more to in multifunction devices-the perceived/actual compromises that each individual function has, or the perceived/actual cost of the additional functions. A lot of "extras" that people may think add cost, like Bluetooth or music are pretty negligible in terms of chip/processing costs, whereas something like 3G can add pretty substantial licensing/testing costs to a product.

[Kali Yuga]

Originally Posted by Alisa

I think that once we have the right display and battery technology there will be no reason that a multifunction device couldn't be every bit as good as a dedicated reader.

It's going to be a long time before anyone makes a light, power-sipping device that really excels at both dynamic and static content. By that time, epaper will likely be a) super-thin, b) super-light, c) fairly cheap, d) fully flexible and e) will still have a tremendous battery life advantage. Keep in mind that both dynamic and epaper displays will advance in various ways.

It's also unclear really if tablets are going to truly take off. IMO it's more a geek idée fixe than something Joe Average slavers over, especially given the ability of smartphones to perform the same jobs in a far more convenient and portable package.

Plus, there are design advantages, like fewer distractions. Let's say you are a teacher, and you have the option between giving the students one of two devices. One can play movies, surf the web, send and receive email, chat via IM, interface with Twitter, play games, and the battery might not make it a full day; on the other one, you can read (and only read) for 3-4 days without a charge. Which is better suited for use in a classroom?

I expect there will be tablets that will be sufficient as reading devices, and could work just fine for some readers. But it's unlikely they will match or surpass the quality, unless the epaper manufacturers really drop the ball.

[Solitaire1]

I think there will always be a place for dedicated devices. One of the factors in favor of this is that many different types of devices have requirements that contradict each other.

With both ebook readers and video/picture viewers, users want a large screen. However, cell phone users and digital audio player (DAP) users want a small device, which doesn't allow for a large screen. As a personal example, my DAP can play videos but the small screen (about 2 inches/5.1 cm diagonal) makes watching videos on it an unenjoyable experience.

One of the factors in favor of e-ink ebook readers is the long battery life. With my reader, I can go for a few days of regular use on a single charge. Even with the heaviest use I've rarely had to charge more than every other day.

Another factor in favor of dedicated devices is a better interface. My experience has been that when you have a device that is designed to do many different uses, the interface tends to suffer due to the need to accomdate many different functions.

Although my PDA can function as an audio player, the interface is not as good as the one in my DAP (which, although it can play videos and show pictures, focuses on playing audio). In the same way, my ebook inferface is designed around the idea of reading and it works well for that function.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Solitaire1

Although my PDA can function as an audio player, the interface is not as good as the one in my DAP (which, although it can play videos and show pictures, focuses on playing audio). In the same way, my ebook inferface is designed around the idea of reading and it works well for that function.

But your DAP doesn't just play audio anymore, so it did evolve to a multifunction device without compromising its main function.

[HansTWN]

I like multifunction -- but not when I have to make serious compromises. Music players and PDA functions on today's phones, that is no compromise. Reading still is, just to kill time when waiting around somewhere.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Alisa

I think that once we have the right display and battery technology there will be no reason that a multifunction device couldn't be every bit as good as a dedicated reader. ...~~... We are not that far off technologically from fast color e-paper that is just as power conservative as e-ink and battery technology continues to improve.

I agree, fit a multifunction device into a package the size of my PRS-505 with a display that isn't backlit, and the same extended battery life and I'll buy one.

[Pardoz]

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

Wait, they've invented the replaceable battery? Does this mean my Apple flashlight is obsolete?

If you have the original one-button model it's now a collector's item.

[Pardoz]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Let's say you are a teacher, and you have the option between giving the students one of two devices.

As a teacher I'll take whichever has the 'remotely zap the student when they're not paying attention' function.