Pandigital getting into the e paper based reader game

bill_mchale · 10-18-2010, 08:03 AM

Well, it looks like Pandigital hasn't been soured on the ebook reader game. Engadget announced that they are releasing a 6" reader using SiPix epaper with a touch screen.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/18/p...ith-the-novel/

It could be interesting and if the price is discounted by the retailers very much, it could be a rather interesting reader (Though I have yet to see any SiPix screens in person, so I am not sure how well they compete with eInk.

--
Bill

fjtorres · 10-18-2010, 08:27 AM

"I've got a bad feeling about this, Chewie..."

tubemonkey · 10-18-2010, 10:08 AM

Overpriced.

bill_mchale · 10-18-2010, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Overpriced.

I agree, considering the fact that it is coming from a noname, it probably is overpriced. The thing is though, I wonder if it is really going to sell at that price. I suspect that many of the stores that Pandigital sells in (Kohls, K-Mart) might well put some pretty big discounts on it pretty quickly.

That being said, a lot will depend on how well the unit is actually implemented. I have yet to see what I consider a good side by side of SiPix with E-Ink, particularly Pearl. That being said, it has wifi, a touch screen and looks like a fairly attractive looking unit. If the price comes down towards $150 and it actually works well, it could be a rather interesting reader.

--
Bill

jbcohen · 10-19-2010, 12:17 PM

I had one for a while until it got stolen, now I have an Aluratek and its a greater reader for the price I paid for it. The only difference between the Pandigital and the Kindle is that the kindle has a hardware keyboard while the Pandigital has a virtual one. Other than that its equal to the kindle.

LDBoblo · 10-20-2010, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

That being said, a lot will depend on how well the unit is actually implemented. I have yet to see what I consider a good side by side of SiPix with E-Ink, particularly Pearl.

Unless they've made leaps and bounds in the last few months, they are a good deal inferior to E-Ink Pearl, and slightly inferior to previous generation Vizplex.

bill_mchale · 10-20-2010, 11:46 AM

Well, we will see. The pictures I have seen suggest that the background is somewhat darker than E-Ink, but that the text is blacker than Vizplex. The pictures (Though I am not sure how many are real pictures and how many are simulations) suggests that it handles conventional touch screens better than E-Ink (as opposed to Sony's new touch screen technology which causes no issues at all) -- At least that is the impression I get from looking at videos of the Bookeen Orizon and the Booq Avant (A spanish ebook reader I happened on by accident). Coincidently, from pictures of the Pandigital new reader, it looks like it might use similar software to the Avant.

The new Sony is fantastic, but if I can find a reader that supports wifi, and has a decent touch screen which is comparable in quality to the vizplex screens, integration with B&N and it costs significantly less (I suspect this unit will probably sell for $50 less than the list price!)... well that could be a rather compelling package, provided it works well.

Actually, what would be really great is if one of these readers with wifi were to link directly to Project Gutenberg or some other repository of free Public Domain books.

--
Bill

jbcohen · 10-20-2010, 12:11 PM

What is e-ink and how does it differ from the way PC monitors display text?

MrPLD · 10-20-2010, 12:12 PM

jbcohen,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Ink

EowynCarter · 10-22-2010, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Well, we will see. The pictures I have seen suggest that the background is somewhat darker than E-Ink, but that the text is blacker than Vizplex.

Yup.

That make sPix more contrasted than Vizplez. Better than Vizplex to me.
Pearl are definitively nice, and don't have the blacker background default.

MikeFromHC · 10-23-2010, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Overpriced.

List price is for tourists.
I paid about $115.00 for my Pandigital at Kohl's and did not get the best price.

If Kohl's picks it up they will probably raise the price as they did with the other readers, then give a "bigger" discount.

bill_mchale · 11-02-2010, 01:45 PM

Well, The Ebook Reader website has a review of the Pandigital. For the most part, I thought it was pretty positive. The biggest complaint seems to be that the text is not dark enough. The question is, is that a result of the screen, or the firmware? Anyway here is a link to the review:

http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/201...sonal-ereader/

--
Bill

twobits · 11-02-2010, 05:25 PM

Does it have android under the hood like their color model does?

I saw another video of a sipix screen where they were explaining that they were using an antialising text rendering engine with it. It did not seem well tweeked for the display. Wonder if that is that case here as well?

Maybe also the default style sheet is not set up well for the b&w contrast if they just copied it over from the one they had tweaked already for their color device? The pictures of the main menu screen look good, hopefully they are not just mock ups? If so this could be a better choice then the old nook for those of us that want an epaper device. The street price will probably be lower. Anyone know how the battery life is supposed to compare?

bill_mchale · 11-02-2010, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twobits

Does it have android under the hood like their color model does?

I found a thread on the Droid Boards, and it does appear that the device has Andriod under the hood.

Quote:

I saw another video of a sipix screen where they were explaining that they were using an antialising text rendering engine with it. It did not seem well tweeked for the display. Wonder if that is that case here as well?

Maybe also the default style sheet is not set up well for the b&w contrast if they just copied it over from the one they had tweaked already for their color device? The pictures of the main menu screen look good, hopefully they are not just mock ups? If so this could be a better choice then the old nook for those of us that want an epaper device. The street price will probably be lower. Anyone know how the battery life is supposed to compare?

I am betting firmware might be a big part of the issue. Certainly I have been amazed by how different the same basic Vizplex screen could look depending on the software running on the device. It will be interesting to see the Cybook Orizen when it comes out and how it compares (Particularly since it will also support multi-touch gestures..

As for battery life, no word, but my general impression is that it will be comparable to eInk screens.

--
Bill

twobits · 11-03-2010, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

I found a thread on the Droid Boards, and it does appear that the device has Andriod under the hood.

Tried to find it but had no luck. If you still happen to have the link can you pm it or post it?

10-18-2010, 08:03 AM	#1
bill_mchale Wizard Posts: 1,451 Karma: 1550000 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE	Pandigital getting into the e paper based reader game Well, it looks like Pandigital hasn't been soured on the ebook reader game. Engadget announced that they are releasing a 6" reader using SiPix epaper with a touch screen. http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/18/p...ith-the-novel/ It could be interesting and if the price is discounted by the retailers very much, it could be a rather interesting reader (Though I have yet to see any SiPix screens in person, so I am not sure how well they compete with eInk. -- Bill

10-19-2010, 12:17 PM	#5
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	I had one for a while until it got stolen, now I have an Aluratek and its a greater reader for the price I paid for it. The only difference between the Pandigital and the Kindle is that the kindle has a hardware keyboard while the Pandigital has a virtual one. Other than that its equal to the kindle. Last edited by jbcohen; 10-20-2010 at 12:09 PM.

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10-18-2010, 08:27 AM	#2
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	"I've got a bad feeling about this, Chewie..."

10-18-2010, 10:08 AM	#3
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,675 Karma: 158546452 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Overpriced.

10-20-2010, 11:46 AM	#7
bill_mchale Wizard Posts: 1,451 Karma: 1550000 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE	Well, we will see. The pictures I have seen suggest that the background is somewhat darker than E-Ink, but that the text is blacker than Vizplex. The pictures (Though I am not sure how many are real pictures and how many are simulations) suggests that it handles conventional touch screens better than E-Ink (as opposed to Sony's new touch screen technology which causes no issues at all) -- At least that is the impression I get from looking at videos of the Bookeen Orizon and the Booq Avant (A spanish ebook reader I happened on by accident). Coincidently, from pictures of the Pandigital new reader, it looks like it might use similar software to the Avant. The new Sony is fantastic, but if I can find a reader that supports wifi, and has a decent touch screen which is comparable in quality to the vizplex screens, integration with B&N and it costs significantly less (I suspect this unit will probably sell for $50 less than the list price!)... well that could be a rather compelling package, provided it works well. Actually, what would be really great is if one of these readers with wifi were to link directly to Project Gutenberg or some other repository of free Public Domain books. -- Bill

10-20-2010, 12:11 PM	#8
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	What is e-ink and how does it differ from the way PC monitors display text?

10-20-2010, 12:12 PM	#9
MrPLD Author's pet-geek Posts: 933 Karma: 1040670 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: North Queensland, Australia Device: Kindle 3 Wifi, Onyx Boox M96	jbcohen, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Ink

11-02-2010, 01:45 PM	#12
bill_mchale Wizard Posts: 1,451 Karma: 1550000 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE	Well, The Ebook Reader website has a review of the Pandigital. For the most part, I thought it was pretty positive. The biggest complaint seems to be that the text is not dark enough. The question is, is that a result of the screen, or the firmware? Anyway here is a link to the review: http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/201...sonal-ereader/ -- Bill

11-02-2010, 05:25 PM	#13
twobits Addict Posts: 223 Karma: 1057019 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: none	Does it have android under the hood like their color model does? I saw another video of a sipix screen where they were explaining that they were using an antialising text rendering engine with it. It did not seem well tweeked for the display. Wonder if that is that case here as well? Maybe also the default style sheet is not set up well for the b&w contrast if they just copied it over from the one they had tweaked already for their color device? The pictures of the main menu screen look good, hopefully they are not just mock ups? If so this could be a better choice then the old nook for those of us that want an epaper device. The street price will probably be lower. Anyone know how the battery life is supposed to compare?

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