Bookeen and PocketBook in possible legal dispute over 5" model

[igorsk]

On March 14th Ukrainian company PocketBook showed prototype of their new 5" model (developed by Netronix with PocketBook's input) at a meeting with ebook enthusiasts in Kiev.
http://www.the-ebook.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10561
On March 19th the site the-ebook.org posted a news entry about it:
http://www.the-ebook.org/rus/?p=1142
On March 20th "Michael Dahan" added this comment:

This whole design has been developed by our company with Netronix as ODM.
We have paid the whole design development and expected to release this device very soon under our brand on the worlwide market (included Russia and Ukraine).

We are deepply sorry for this situation and don’t want to prevent the russian customers to have one new device on their market but we will do our best to keep our Intellectual Property Rights respected and prevent any vendor to sell our ID device.

PocketBook claims they have signed an exclusive contract for worldwide distribution of the new device with Netronix, but apparently Bookeen thinks they have worldwide rights as well. Then there's the matter of the "mentor" label on the prototype, which is the name of the new model series by Astak...

I hope the situation can be settled without litigation. The new device looks very promising.

[kacir]

Now there is post from a gentleman who claims(**) to be General Manager at Netronix in a thread about PocketBook 360:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43118
He asks us to pull down the pictures and all references to 5" device.
This situation is getting very interesting.

Seems that the above linked thread at
http://www.the-ebook.org/rus/?p=1142
has been removed.

(**)It looks like he really is from Netronix, because he provided an email address at Netronix.

[dadioflex]

Edit.

[Ice]

well, looks like there will be no any "fight"... This device will be sold as Bookeen. PocketBook is now promising the new ("much better") design

[Abelturd]

Perhaps they will be better off this way. PocketBook seems to have some very talented programmers, if they bring together a team of capable engineers, they might get a dream team that's gonna rock the world of e-ink reading devices. They will be able to design a device tailored specifically for their FW and vice versa.

[wallcraft]

Michael Dahan said:

This whole design has been developed by our company with Netronix as ODM. We have paid the whole design development and expected to release this device very soon under our brand on the worlwide market (included Russia and Ukraine).

Are we missing the forest for the trees here. Bookeen has just pre-announced what looks like a very promising new product coming "very soon". The pictures are not of a PocketBook 360°, but they are of the Bookeen device (or something very like it).

The software is key, but if Bookeen can deliver Adobe PDF/ePub and MOBI at a good price point then this may be a serious contender. I also like the sound of the PocketBook software stack, so we have at least two new devices fighting it out with the JetBook for 5" dominance.

[JSWolf]

This device with a 5" screen is a step backwards (IMHO).

[bwaldron]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

This device with a 5" screen is a step backwards (IMHO).

Only if you want a larger screen. Just as a 6" screen is not a step backwards from, say, an Iliad -- unless you are looking for size.

A smaller form factor might work very well for some people and some situations.

Choice is good.

A 5" device with software innovations could be a step forward in many ways. We shall see.

Me -- I'm fine with a 6" screen size for now.

[JSWolf]

I would stick with a 6" screen as the small end of eink and let the innovations happen there and move forward as screen sized increase.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

This device with a 5" screen is a step backwards (IMHO).

Not for me; if I'd had the option for a PRS with a 5" screen, I'd've jumped at it. I've considered getting a Jetbook, despite the drawbacks (for my particular case), because of the smaller screen.

I *loved* my Cliés, and would've read books on them forever if they hadn't died. (Oh, and if they hadn't kept running out of battery mid-book.) I'd be beyond ecstatic to find e-Ink's battery life and a 4" screen.

I'm aware that I'm a fringe case; not many people will happily give up page size for portability (I really miss a reader that's safe to hold & operate with one hand). But some will, and the number of people willing to watch movies on iPods (!!) show that not everyone is concerned with screen size, and other feature might win out.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I would stick with a 6" screen as the small end of eink and let the innovations happen there and move forward as screen sized increase.

Jon:

[AnemicOak]

Pretty cool little device. There are times I wouldn't mind something smaller, and cheaper, than my K2. It'll be interesting when we learn more about it.

[wallcraft]

There are two reasons for 5" screens, a) smaller devices and b) cheaper devices. If EInk screens were being produced in the tens of millions, then (a) would dominate but (b) may be significant given the current cost of 6" screens.

Since cost is an issue, these may be paired with older screen controllers which potentially reduces the software cost also (at least for established vendors with comparable 6" designs and their relatively mature software).

I would love to see a "high end" 5" design, because I do think that 5" is a good size for a "pocketable" reader. However, I expect to see modest extensions to existing 6" designs. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, it will keep vendor interest high in the existing software stacks and time is always necessary to allow incremental improvements to occur.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

There are two reasons for 5" screens, a) smaller devices and b) cheaper devices. If EInk screens were being produced in the tens of millions, then (a) would dominate but (b) may be significant given the current cost of 6" screens.

Since cost is an issue, these may be paired with older screen controllers which potentially reduces the software cost also (at least for established vendors with comparable 6" designs and their relatively mature software).

I would love to see a "high end" 5" design, because I do think that 5" is a good size for a "pocketable" reader. However, I expect to see modest extensions to existing 6" designs. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, it will keep vendor interest high in the existing software stacks and time is always necessary to allow incremental improvements to occur.

A third reason is higher dpi, the same pixel count as a 6" device, raising the ppi to 200. Some with good eyes will appreciate this.

Dale

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Not for me; if I'd had the option for a PRS with a 5" screen, I'd've jumped at it. I've considered getting a Jetbook, despite the drawbacks (for my particular case), because of the smaller screen.

I *loved* my Cliés, and would've read books on them forever if they hadn't died. (Oh, and if they hadn't kept running out of battery mid-book.) I'd be beyond ecstatic to find e-Ink's battery life and a 4" screen.

I'm aware that I'm a fringe case; not many people will happily give up page size for portability (I really miss a reader that's safe to hold & operate with one hand). But some will, and the number of people willing to watch movies on iPods (!!) show that not everyone is concerned with screen size, and other feature might win out.

Elfwreck, I wish your Clie have a long life but let me ask you what eBook reader you will buy in case if it stops working tomorrow?