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[gkryhewy]

The "always on" wireless connectivity is a central point of the device. smh.

 

[kaching]

Yeah, clearly I'm the one with blinders on. :lol

If only Bezos had made a promise not cave to copyright holders after the text-to-speech fiasco, eh? Then they couldn't possibly have caved on a second thing...

Now, I do think dedicated e-readers are a dead-end technology. Eventually they'll expand into full fledged computers and some full fledged computers will adopt e-ink display technologies.

I think you're on to something...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/03/video-pixel-qis-e-ink-lcd-hybrid-screen-demoed-at-computex/

 

[DarienA]

If only Bezos had made a promise not cave to copyright holders after the text-to-speech fiasco, eh? Then they couldn't possibly have caved on a second thing...

I think you're on to something...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/03/video-pixel-qis-e-ink-lcd-hybrid-screen-demoed-at-computex/

THAT is nice.....

 

[Woodsy]

Anyone know how e-ink works and if there might be a way to have a display dynamically change from a "normal" screen to something resembling e-ink? I'm guessing that Apple's new iTablet will be a competitor with the Kindle, but the true differentiator woudl be if they could somehow dynamically change the screen to some pseudo e-ink when reading books/newspapers.

 

[DarienA]

Anyone know how e-ink works and if there might be a way to have a display dynamically change from a "normal" screen to something resembling e-ink? I'm guessing that Apple's new iTablet will be a competitor with the Kindle, but the true differentiator woudl be if they could somehow dynamically change the screen to some pseudo e-ink when reading books/newspapers.

Watch the video in Kaching's link.

 

[Forsete]

Can you even get e-books in Europe? Still prefer paper books, which I can borrow and lend to people. E-books is nice for travel though.

How large is a page in a typical paperback?

32" with 5.1 in head surround sound.

 

[Blackhead]

Wait the larger one has touchscreen? It uses e-ink too? I thought that was impossible right now... atleast according to some Kindle fanboys...

Watch the video in Kaching's link.

OLPC's xo laptop has something similar

Let me be perfectly clear, I don't hate e-readers. In fact, I love them. I've even got an e-reader (a Palm Treo 755p) in my pocket 90% of the time. I don't even hate dedicated e-readers, they just don't offer me enough to spend that kind of money. When I recommend people try using a computer ebook reader, a PDA, or a smartphone, it's not because I have a grudge against dedicated e-readers, it's because the functionality some people are looking for, they already have. Spending $0 is a better suggestion than spending $200 or more.

Now, I do think dedicated e-readers are a dead-end technology. Eventually they'll expand into full fledged computers and some full fledged computers will adopt e-ink display technologies. I don't recommend dedicated e-readers for the same reason I don't recommend 8-track decks or beta VCRs.


Why would I have any idea about how much you use your Kindle? Do you have any idea how much I use my Treo as an e-reader?

All I'm saying is that in my experience with a Sony 505 (IIRC), the screen refresh rate made the user interface virtually unusable. Thinking it was a defective unit, I tried another unit that already had a book open. This time, I'm sure I got a defective unit because the only thing the next and previous buttons did was highlight the text.

Now, these were display units, so I'm sure they were beat all to hell (in fact there was a third unit that was completely inoperable,) but the first unit seemed to be working well enough to judge the screen refresh, and like I said, for a UI, it was a pain to work with. Sure the refresh rate doesn't matter a lot when actually reading, which is the vast majority of the time, but that doesn't make the UI criticism disappear.


Like I said, I love e-books and e-readers, use them all the time. Dedicated e-readers, however, don't offer me enough for the money.

It's odd. I recommend people try a free alternative before spending $300 on a device, people respond by calling me a moron, blind, and illiterate (not all in this thread, yet,) and I'm the one with an emotional problem. Wow.


I'm wrong? Please explain how. I'm all ears.


My eyes are doing fine, thank you.

Goddam the amount of vitriol you get is astounding. It's silly, not everybody who is a passionate ebook advocate even likes the Kindle. I'll just add John Siracusa's comments at the end of a long passionate piece on the history and future of ebooks:

At a certain point, I realized I'd read my last five or six books on this thing. Without noticing, I'd gone off paper books entirely. Only then did I take the time to examine what had happened. Why was reading off of this tiny PDA not just tolerable, but (apparently) satisfying enough to keep me from returning to paper books?

Here's what I came up with. First, I was more likely to have my Palm with me than a book. When I had an opportunity to read during the day, my Palm was there, and a paper book, had I been in the middle of one, would not have been. (Incidentally, this also lead to a vast expansion of the definition of "an opportunity to read.") Second, I could read in the dark next to my sleeping wife without disturbing her with bright lights and page-turning noises. (The tan-on-black reader color theme was affectionally known as "wife mode" at Peanut Press.) Third, I was loathe to give up the ability to tap any word I didn't understand and get its dictionary definition.

That's pretty much it. Of all the virtues of e-books, these were the ones that sealed the deal for me, personally. Your list may be different. Or maybe you'll never be satisfied by reading anything other than a paper book. All I ask is that you give it an honest try.

That's harder to do than you might think. I essentially tricked myself into auditioning e-books without even understanding that was what I was doing. And had I been introduced to e-books through, say, the Kindle, I would very likely have rejected them. The Kindle is too big to carry with me all the time, and the screen is not backlit, eliminating two out of the three things that sold me on e-books.

Does that mean the Kindle is a poor e-book reader and the Palm m505 is a good one? Hardly. It just hammers home, once again, the distinction between the device and the content. If you don't like a particular reader or business model or purchase experience, don't write off e-books entirely. Your needs may yet be filled by some other vendor. Remember, the e-book is the text, not the device. But I repeat myself…

 

[Tobor]

Let me be perfectly clear, I don't hate e-readers. In fact, I love them. I've even got an e-reader (a Palm Treo 755p) in my pocket 90% of the time. I don't even hate dedicated e-readers, they just don't offer me enough to spend that kind of money. When I recommend people try using a computer ebook reader, a PDA, or a smartphone, it's not because I have a grudge against dedicated e-readers, it's because the functionality some people are looking for, they already have. Spending $0 is a better suggestion than spending $200 or more.

Now, I do think dedicated e-readers are a dead-end technology. Eventually they'll expand into full fledged computers and some full fledged computers will adopt e-ink display technologies. I don't recommend dedicated e-readers for the same reason I don't recommend 8-track decks or beta VCRs.


Why would I have any idea about how much you use your Kindle? Do you have any idea how much I use my Treo as an e-reader?

All I'm saying is that in my experience with a Sony 505 (IIRC), the screen refresh rate made the user interface virtually unusable. Thinking it was a defective unit, I tried another unit that already had a book open. This time, I'm sure I got a defective unit because the only thing the next and previous buttons did was highlight the text.

Now, these were display units, so I'm sure they were beat all to hell (in fact there was a third unit that was completely inoperable,) but the first unit seemed to be working well enough to judge the screen refresh, and like I said, for a UI, it was a pain to work with. Sure the refresh rate doesn't matter a lot when actually reading, which is the vast majority of the time, but that doesn't make the UI criticism disappear.


Like I said, I love e-books and e-readers, use them all the time. Dedicated e-readers, however, don't offer me enough for the money.

It's odd. I recommend people try a free alternative before spending $300 on a device, people respond by calling me a moron, blind, and illiterate (not all in this thread, yet,) and I'm the one with an emotional problem. Wow.


I'm wrong? Please explain how. I'm all ears.

Ok, first of all, your incorrect assumptions. I've been using e-reader software in various formats and on various devices for more than 6 years. I've read books on a Treo 90, a Tapwave Zodiac, a Palm Lifedrive, a PSP, and I've read many books on my iPhone in the past year. On my iPhone right now I have Stanza, the Kindle app, and the ereader app all installed. So I can say with certainty that I've tried your $0 solution as much as is possible. I still want a dedicated ebook reader with e-ink. The contrast, screen size, and battery life made possible by e-ink on a dedicated device are more appealing to me. I agree with you about having a device in the pocket, which is why the Kindle format makes sense to me, I can read the books on my iPhone when I'm out and haven't got the Kindle with me.

I haven't purchased a Kindle yet, I'm waiting to see if Apple has a mystery solution built into the tablet we're not aware of yet, but as of right now, the Kindle is the best solution on the market for my needs.

As for you wanting more explanation as to why copyright holders will not sue Amazon to have books removed from customer's devices, I don't feel it needs any more explanation. I don't feel the need to explain why Hitler won't rise from his grave and reinstate the Third Reich, either. It's easier just to allow you your fantasies, laugh, and move on.

 

[sparky2112]

These do look sweet, but I've always had an e-reader issue that nobody really ever talks about: I read too much to pay for most of what I read. I use the library. Sorry, that's just economic reality. Yes, I LOVE the classics, and I'd load the thing up with Dickens, Trollope, etc., but that's only part of what I read...

 

[Kuro Madoushi]

I believe Toshiba has released (is going to release?) a colour ereader in Japan shortly.

I will reiterate that when I had the Sony PSR 700, there were a host of problems I really wish were not there.

- 'backlit' solution was to shine lights from the side. Not only did this not work that well, it hurt my eyes, increased glare, and it lowered the image quality.
- although some ereaders have a nice snazzy white background with black text, this one did not on account of moving the screen further back to incorporate those damn lights
- PDF files worked flawless. Which is a plus, until you find you can't size them correctly. You size them for one page and they look ok. Turn to next page? Ya gotta size it again. I hear there's an app to change the zoom permanently, but there should have been an on-board solution
- Touchscreen, while nice, did not really add a whole lot to the experience. When I swiped, it sometimes took awhile to process. So I'd swipe again, thinking that it didn't register, so it would turn two pages or more then

That said, this is still some very existing technology that I could see becoming the next big thing. I'm positive that Apple + E-Reader = orgasm for Applebots. They may be the only ones who can design the thing to look nice, work properly, and set up their infrastructure to release ebooks through itunes.

 

[Hari Seldon]

I will buy an e-reader when I can purchase books in an open standard such as .pdf from a major retailer like amazon. Until then, paper.

 

[Mahadev]

I believe Toshiba has released (is going to release?) a colour ereader in Japan shortly.

I will reiterate that when I had the Sony PSR 700, there were a host of problems I really wish were not there.

- 'backlit' solution was to shine lights from the side. Not only did this not work that well, it hurt my eyes, increased glare, and it lowered the image quality.
- although some ereaders have a nice snazzy white background with black text, this one did not on account of moving the screen further back to incorporate those damn lights
- PDF files worked flawless. Which is a plus, until you find you can't size them correctly. You size them for one page and they look ok. Turn to next page? Ya gotta size it again. I hear there's an app to change the zoom permanently, but there should have been an on-board solution
- Touchscreen, while nice, did not really add a whole lot to the experience. When I swiped, it sometimes took awhile to process. So I'd swipe again, thinking that it didn't register, so it would turn two pages or more then

That said, this is still some very existing technology that I could see becoming the next big thing. I'm positive that Apple + E-Reader = orgasm for Applebots. They may be the only ones who can design the thing to look nice, work properly, and set up their infrastructure to release ebooks through itunes.

Yeah the PSR 700 was a disaster. Anyone who bought that instead of the 505 did a huge mistake. The glare alone was a problem big enough not to buy it. I hope Sony fixed this crap with the 600.

 

[Crazymoogle]

I believe Toshiba has released (is going to release?) a colour ereader in Japan shortly.

The Biblio? That's not e-ink. I know there are some color ink displays in prototype form from manufacturers but I haven't heard about any soon to ship models yet...

There is also at least one prototype Laptop I've heard of that has a hybrid LCD+e-ink display for manual or low power modes.

 

[Kuro Madoushi]

The Biblio? That's not e-ink. I know there are some color ink displays in prototype form from manufacturers but I haven't heard about any soon to ship models yet...

There is also at least one prototype Laptop I've heard of that has a hybrid LCD+e-ink display for manual or low power modes.

Yeah, I don't recall the name. I do know 'someone' is working on 'something' with colour e-ink and I did see a video of it. But it was almost half a year ago (I have trouble remembering what I did yesterday).

Mahadev - Don't judge me! Don't judge meeeeeeeeeeeeeee! :'(

Honestly, I thought I was going to use it for school. At first, the 700 looked better in the store. I'd read a lot of reviews that sided with both models, but decided on this once since it was faster. But looking back on it now, again, I just think it's too soon and this technology needs time to grow.

 

[kaching]

OLPC's xo laptop has something similar

Yes, Pixel Qi is adapting the OLPC tech. I believe Pixel Qi is a startup of the former OLPC CTO.

 

[entremet]

I think people who are suggesting to use other devices to read books are missing the point. The selling point with e-readers are the e-ink technology. As much reading as I do online and on my iPhone, I still can't read for too long on those screens since they tend to strain my eyes. E-ink was developed to simulate actual ink, but on an electronic page. So far there's no multimedia device solution that has e-ink built in.

So while I do agree with Squirrel that the lack of multimedia functions on these e-readers are lacking, other alternatves--PDAs, cellphones and the like do not support the e-ink tech as of yet.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

It's the screen. E-ink is really cutting edge stuff. In time they'll get cheaper like all new tech.

aksfjask;pasf As someone who enjoys reading on portable devices, I really dislike how the devices dedicated to portable reading are all about e-ink at the expense of lighting, color, and... expense.

Already bought one 3 years ago.

Hear hear. If Book Sony could convince Game Sony to stick an official reading application on PSN, I'm sure they'd attract a customer or three.

I think people who are suggesting to use other devices to read books are missing the point. The selling point with e-readers are the e-ink technology. As much reading as I do online and on my iPhone, I still can't read for too long on those screens since they tend to strain my eyes. E-ink was developed to simulate actual ink, but on an electronic page. So far there's no multimedia device solution that has e-ink built in.

So while I do agree with Squirrel that the lack of multimedia functions on these e-readers are lacking, other alternatves--PDAs, cellphones and the like do not support the e-ink tech as of yet.

I can understand that some people would prefer an e-ink thing. I don't know why they don't want to make book customers of us who don't care about it, though.

 

[Minsc]

First mainstream ebook reader I've seen that doesn't look like shit. If only it were in color and had an optional backlit mode. Another 5 years I guess.

 

[kaching]

So while I do agree with Squirrel that the lack of multimedia functions on these e-readers are lacking, other alternatves--PDAs, cellphones and the like do not support the e-ink tech as of yet.

Squirrel's point is that the dedicated e-reader is an evolutionary dead-end. It exists to give some practical function to e-ink tech while it remains too slow for anything that needs fast refreshes. By the time prices come down on these dedicated devices to make them friendly to most consumers, the tech will be at a point where it can just be incorporated into more multifunction devices anyway.

We suffered the drawbacks of hardcopy books for ages - weight, bulk, inability to vary text size easily to conform to one's particular visual acuity, no way to easily reference terms/definitions, no way to easily search for passages, etc. The time it will take to eliminate the gap between e-ink devices and non e-ink devices will be vanishingly small by comparison. So Squirrel's point is simply that it makes more sense for most to wait out the migration with existing tech that performs a more well-rounded set of functions than jump on more expensive, more restricted tech that is merely a transitional form anyway.

 

[Xater]

Can I use this outside of the US? If the answer is yes Sony wins. Amazon still has nothing out here...

 

[Zyzyxxz]

hmm so would manga comics be legible on a 5" screen?

That's practically the size of a real manga book but I dunno how'd the text look when converted to a JPG and seen through the E-ink display.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

This.

I'm dying to get a Kindle DX - especially since here in the Detroit area we only get newspaper delivery on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. You can get the e-editions online, but I'd rather just chill on the couch without a hot laptop scorching my nuts and just get the Sunday delivery for the ads.

That being said, the wireless connectivity is what makes this device - I can't be connecting it up to a computer for current content all the time. Then again, gotta see what Apple comes out with.

Yeah, I'd like to stick with iTunes. But on other other hand, whatever Apple comes up with won't be $199.

 

[Xater]

Yeah, I'd like to stick with iTunes. But on other other hand, whatever Apple comes up with won't be $199.

Wait there are rumors that Apple is working on an E-Reader?

 

[Crazymoogle]

hmm so would manga comics be legible on a 5" screen?

That's practically the size of a real manga book but I dunno how'd the text look when converted to a JPG and seen through the E-ink display.

Unfortunately it's a bit problematic. Resolution on the 6" e-ink displays is still 600x800, I think, and the number of grayscale shades supported is limited. You can always zoom but it's a bit of a pain.

 

[suffah]

Didn't Jobs say a while back that they had no interest in developing a e-book/e-ink tech? Mainly because no one reads anymore.

 

[Fox318]

Now this I can get behind.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

Wait there are rumors that Apple is working on an E-Reader?

Tons:

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=apple+e-reader&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8


Mostly speculation revolving around their rumoured tablet.

 

[Xater]

Tons:

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=apple+e-reader&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8


Mostly speculation revolving around their rumoured tablet.

I heard about the tablet stuff but that just isn't the same.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Ok, first of all, your incorrect assumptions.

What assumptions do you think I made? Someone preemptively insulted anyone who dares recommend anything other than an e-ink e-reader. I just gave him the target he so desperately sought.

I've been using e-reader software in various formats and on various devices for more than 6 years. I've read books on a Treo 90, a Tapwave Zodiac, a Palm Lifedrive, a PSP, and I've read many books on my iPhone in the past year. On my iPhone right now I have Stanza, the Kindle app, and the ereader app all installed. So I can say with certainty that I've tried your $0 solution as much as is possible. I still want a dedicated ebook reader with e-ink. The contrast, screen size, and battery life made possible by e-ink on a dedicated device are more appealing to me.

You've tried various no cost solutions and found they didn't work for you. That's great. I tried various no cost solutions and found they have worked great for me for more than eight years. I've also tried e-ink technologies and found their display advantages didn't outweigh the various advantages of my Palm-based e-reader. That's why I recommend people try a no cost solution to see if it works for them.

As for you wanting more explanation as to why copyright holders will not sue Amazon to have books removed from customer's devices, I don't feel it needs any more explanation. I don't feel the need to explain why Hitler won't rise from his grave and reinstate the Third Reich, either. It's easier just to allow you your fantasies, laugh, and move on.

I provided a clear scenario where Amazon would be forced to eat their guarantee, and all you've provided in response to that is to say that I'm the one with blinders on and compare the likelihood of a Kindle e-book violating copyright to zombie Hitler. I'm not sure you understand the process.

Publishers have often been found on the losing end of a copyright dispute. What makes you think Amazon will be immune to copyright violations that happen to other publishers? Amazon says that they have mechanisms in place to prevent "inappropriate content" and I'm sure they do, but there's no way they can prevent 0all copyright violations. They'll catch the big stuff like the 1984 incident, but eventually someone will accidentally commit a copyright violation, someone will sneak in a violation seeking to profit off another person's work, or someone will use a copyrighted work in a manner thought to be legitimate but will become in dispute and will be found to be a violation.

For example, I could publish a book on Kindle through Amazon's self-publication program that was simply a cut and paste of all of your posts on NeoGAF. That would be a violation of your copyright that they almost certainly wouldn't catch. Even if they did catch it, I could lie and claim to be you. Sure, you wouldn't sue, but that's how easy it would be to evade their mechanisms.

And what happens next if the copyright holder chooses to sue? First thing is they'll get a preliminary injunction preventing Amazon from selling it anymore. Such injunctions are granted to preserve the status quo so that's not where the court will force Amazon to revert sales. After the final decision is rendered against Amazon, however, it's up to the copyright holder as to how much they want to stick it to Amazon. Remember, in this situation, Amazon a) has proven they can revert sales and b) is in the wrong. If the copyright holders tell the court that they want Amazon to revert the sales, the court will go along with it. Amazon is not going to have a say in the matter.

Now I'll ask you again, can you explain to me how I'm wrong? Without the zombie Hitlers, please.

 

[Teddman]

E-ink does make a difference. I used to pooh-pooh it, but after staring at an LCD all day at work, my eyes were begging for mercy reading off a laptop on top of that at home. I can literally feel the difference with e-ink.

And I agree that Amazon will run into copyright enforcement issues again on the Kindle. The problem is that they've demonstrated the capability to eradicate unauthorized sales. Other e-readers can get around this by simply never including that "feature."

Anyway, Sony's official PR statement came out today on the new reader models:

SONY ANNOUNCES TWO NEW ADDITIONS TO THE READER FAMILY; DROPS eBOOK PRICING

Affordable Pricing for Devices and eBooks to Open Digital Reading to Mass Audience


SAN DIEGO, August 5, 2009 Sony is today delivering on its promise of making digital readers and eBooks accessible and affordable for consumers with the introduction of two new Readers. Part of a new Reader line, the Reader Pocket Edition™ puts a library in your hands for as little as $199. Both the Reader Pocket Edition and the Reader Touch Edition™ will be available at the end of August, at SonyStyle.com, SonyStyle stores and select retail partners. Also, new releases and New York Times bestseller titles in the eBook Store from Sony will now be available for $9.99.

“We firmly believe consumers should have choice in every aspect of their digital reading experience,” said Steve Haber, president of Sony’s Digital Reading Business Division. “Our goal is to expand the market and provide greater access to what consumers want to read when they want to read it — whether they buy, borrow or get it for free.”

The Reader Pocket Edition sports a five-inch electronic paper display packaged in a stylish chassis and is available in a variety of colors, including navy blue, rose and silver. The Reader Pocket Edition is easy to navigate with one hand, and fits into a purse or jacket pocket. The diminutive device can store about 350 standard eBooks and provides up to two weeks of reading enjoyment on a single battery charge. It will be available for the ground-breaking price of $199, making it the most affordable dedicated reading device on the market.

The Reader Touch Edition features a responsive, menu-driven six-inch touch screen panel that enables quick, intuitive navigation, page turning, highlighting and note taking with the swipe of a finger or by using the included stylus pen. Users can take handwritten notes with the stylus pen or type with the virtual keyboard. All notes can be exported and printed out for easy reference. The Reader Touch Edition includes an onboard Oxford American English Dictionary that allows you to look up a word by simply tapping on it. The Touch Edition also offers five adjustable font sizes, as well as expansion slots for both Memory Stick® PRO Duo™ and SD card, making your portable library virtually limitless. It comes in red, black or silver and will retail for about $299.

Both models feature Sony’s award-winning industrial design and an E Ink® Vizplex™ electronic paper display that mimics the look of ink on paper. They will ship with an attractive protective sleeve and USB cable. Sony’s eBook Library software 3.0, which now includes support for many Apple® Macintosh® computers as well as PCs, makes it easy to transfer and read any Adobe® PDF (with reflow capability), Microsoft® Word®, BBeB® files, or other text file formats on the Reader.

Through The eBook Store from Sony (ebookstore.sony.com), users can also access more than one million free public domain books from Google. These titles, which Google has digitized as part of its Google Books project, are available in EPUB format and are optimized for current models of the Sony Reader. From Sony’s eBook Store, Reader owners with a U.S. location can download and transfer any of these titles to their Reader, while new, U.S. located eBook Store users can access available titles after setting up an account and downloading Sony’s free eBook Library software.

Sony is also committed to working with local libraries throughout the country as they make the move to digital books. Sony Readers are compatible with the industry-standard formats that libraries use for their digital collections, so consumers can easily download perennial favorites and new releases from their local libraries and enjoy them for free.

The Reader Pocket Edition and Reader Touch Edition, as well as available accessories such as AC adaptors, cases and covers with reading lights, will be available at the end of August at SonyStyle.com and SonyStyle stores. Book lovers interested in trying out a Reader in person will also be able to find them for sale at Best Buy, Borders, Costco, Staples, Target, Wal-Mart and other authorized retailers nationwide.

http://news.sel.sony.com/en/press_room/consumer/computer_peripheral/e_book/release/41163.html

 

[bengraven]

You know, I really shouldn't care, but if I can get an e-Reader for $99 that includes:

- e-ink
- 2 gig of space at least
- backlight

I will be happy.




That said, I still want a Kindle.

 

[Zyzyxxz]

Unfortunately it's a bit problematic. Resolution on the 6" e-ink displays is still 600x800, I think, and the number of grayscale shades supported is limited. You can always zoom but it's a bit of a pain.

Oh well then I just go back to waiting.

 

[Tobor]

I was looking into the epub format, Teddman, and apparently Stanza can convert epub's to Kindle format for me. We're all winners!

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

- e-ink
- backlight

These two contradict each other. You'd be just as good to your eyes with an LCD screen.

 

[manutd]

really interested in these e-readers, might wait a few generations untill they perfect the screen though as my eyes get really tired from reading

 

[Teddman]

I was looking into the epub format, Teddman, and apparently Stanza can convert epub's to Kindle format for me. We're all winners!

Yeah, if it's conversions you're after, you might as well just use Calibre, which is sort of an open-source "iTunes for books."

The problem with the lack of ePub support on the Kindle (and conversions in general) is when it comes to DRM, which would definitely be a factor with public library ePubs and most e-bookstore ePubs. Does Stanza convert DRM'ed ePubs?

 

[Amir0x]

yup I'm going to get this. I've been looking for an e-reader that I think is worth the value, and this is it

 

[Tobor]

Yeah, if it's conversions you're after, you might as well just use Calibre, which is sort of an open-source "iTunes for books."

The problem with the lack of ePub support on the Kindle (and conversions in general) is when it comes to DRM, which would definitely be a factor with public library ePubs and most e-bookstore ePubs. Does Stanza convert DRM'ed ePubs?

I think it's safe to assume no, but who knows if and when this sort of library system would even come about.

I would mostly purchase anyway, mixed with public domain, so I'm covered anyway. I suppose if I absolutely had to read a DRM'ed epub book, I could always use Stanza on my iPhone, which does support them.

 

[Teddman]

I guess some libraries already support lending ePub books, none near me though.

The truth is, you don't have to worry about formats too much if you don't buy many books or check them out of the library. Anything not DRM'ed can easily be converted. But it kind of goes against the ease of use/no computer needed appeal of the Kindle to have to convert everything that isn't mobi/azw.

I love Calibre though, look into that if you have a big ebook collection. It can seamlessly convert a lot of formats, download cover art and add metadata, sync your library to your device, and is a great database for organization. It's better than the official Sony or Amazon software (and works with both Sony readers and Kindle).

 

[Tobor]

I guess some libraries already support lending ePub books, none near me though.

The truth is, you don't have to worry about formats too much if you don't buy many books or check them out of the library. Anything not DRM'ed can easily be converted. But it kind of goes against the ease of use/no computer needed appeal of the Kindle to have to convert everything that isn't mobi/azw.

I love Calibre though, look into that if you have a big ebook collection. It can seamlessly convert a lot of formats, download cover art and add metadata, sync your library to your device, and is a great database for organization. It's better than the official Sony or Amazon software (and works with both Sony readers and Kindle).

Calibre looks interesting. I'll check it out.

 

[Blackhead]

I guess some libraries already support lending ePub books, none near me though.

The truth is, you don't have to worry about formats too much if you don't buy many books or check them out of the library. Anything not DRM'ed can easily be converted. But it kind of goes against the ease of use/no computer needed appeal of the Kindle to have to convert everything that isn't mobi/azw.

I love Calibre though, look into that if you have a big ebook collection. It can seamlessly convert a lot of formats, download cover art and add metadata, sync your library to your device, and is a great database for organization. It's better than the official Sony or Amazon software (and works with both Sony readers and Kindle).

Have you tried AlfaEbooks?

 

[Teddman]

Have you tried AlfaEbooks?

Thanks, it looks cool... But no Mac version for me.

 

[Teddman]

Looks like Sony is scrapping its own proprietary ebook format and selling the industry standard ePub, which will allow their books to work across dozens of devices. Amazon is now the only reader left that works with only one proprietary retail format.

Sony Plans to Adopt Common Format for E-Books

By BRAD STONE
Published: August 12, 2009

Paper books may be low tech, but no one will tell you how and where you can read them.
Skip to next paragraph
Sony, via Reuters

For many people, the problem with electronic books is that they come loaded with just those kinds of restrictions. Digital books bought today from Amazon.com, for example, can be read only on Amazon’s Kindle device or its iPhone software.

Some restrictions on the use of e-books are likely to remain a fact of life. But some publishers and consumer electronics makers are aiming to give e-book buyers more flexibility by rallying around a single technology standard for the books. That would also help them counter Amazon, which has taken an early lead in the nascent market.

On Thursday, Sony Electronics, which sells e-book devices under the Reader brand, plans to announce that by the end of the year it will sell digital books only in the ePub format, an open standard created by a group including publishers like Random House and HarperCollins.

Sony will also scrap its proprietary anticopying software in favor of technology from the software maker Adobe that restricts how often e-books can be shared or copied.

After the change, books bought from Sony’s online store will be readable not just on its own device but on the growing constellation of other readers that support ePub. Those include the Plastic Logic eReader, a thin device that has been in development for nearly a decade and is expected to go on sale early next year.

“There is going to be a proliferation of different reading devices, with different features and capabilities and prices for a different set of consumer requirements,” said Steve Haber, president of Sony’s digital reading unit. “If people are going to this e-book shopping mall, they are going to want to shop at all the stores, and not just be required to shop at one store.”

Sony’s move comes amid mounting concern about Amazon’s market power in the budding category of electronic books. E-book sales in the United States hit a record $14 million in June, a 136.2 percent increase from a year earlier, according to the Association of American Publishers.

Amazon does not divulge its e-book revenue, but analysts say it most likely accounted for a majority of those sales.

Amazon inadvertently demonstrated one potential consequence of e-book restrictions last month when it discovered that it had sold unauthorized copies of George Orwell’s “1984” and “Animal Farm” and then removed the books from the Kindle libraries of people who had bought the novels.

Amazon’s chief executive, Jeffrey P. Bezos, later apologized for the move, but not before advocates used the episode to rail against limitations on digital reading.

“People need to remember, when they buy books that come with digital rights management, they don’t have the freedoms they normally would have with a book,” said Holmes Wilson, campaigns manger of the Free Software Foundation, which obtained the signatures of nearly 4,000 authors and tech pundits on a petition saying Amazon’s anticopying software was a “clear threat to the free exchange of ideas.”

Companies like Sony and Adobe do not want to abandon anticopying measures, fearing that piracy of books would run rampant. Rather, they want to push the e-book industry toward common standards to avoid a replay of Apple’s domination of the digital music business.

Early this decade, Apple sold music from its iTunes store that was protected by its own FairPlay software and could be played only on the iPod.

The result was what is known as “lock-in.” Apple built up extraordinary market power and leverage to dictate terms to the major music labels on matters like the price of digital songs. Then, as now, second-tier players banded together to promote the increased flexibility and choice that open standards gave to consumers.

“If the business terms and conditions end up being dictated to publishers by one bookseller who has a chokehold over the value chain, publishers are going to have a hard time staying profitable,” said Bill McCoy, general manager for Adobe’s digital publishing business.

For Sony, which introduced its Reader devices more than a year before the Kindle arrived, the move to open formats is part of a strategy to make up lost ground. Sony recently introduced two new, less expensive devices and announced it was dropping its price for new releases and best sellers to $9.99. Later in the year, the company will begin selling a third Reader that will, like the Kindle, allow users to buy e-books wirelessly.

Amazon, for its part, believes it can go it alone, without embracing industry standards. An Amazon spokesman would not comment for this article, but Mr. Bezos has said before that his goal was to “make Kindle books available on as many hardware devices as possible.” That suggests it will soon introduce versions of its Kindle software for the Palm Pre and other reading devices.

Allen Weiner, an analyst at the technology research firm Gartner, says there is one more company that must declare its allegiance to either an open or closed world for e-books: Apple.

If, as expected, Apple soon introduces a tablet computer that can function as a reading device, and if it embraces an open standard like ePub, Amazon will have to reconsider its closed approach, Mr. Weiner said.

“If you see some Adobe executive up on stage with Steve Jobs when they announce the tablet, at that point Amazon has a lot to worry about,” he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/technology/internet/13reader.html?_r=1

 

[teiresias]

Defintely interesting development - especially coming from Sony of all companies.

It does put pressure on Amazon but I still love my Kindle and like managing my library on Amazons site or on the device itself rather than dealing with some "syncing" application on my PC.

 

[dallow_bg]

Love e-ink, and I'm glad Sony has gone with pure ePub now.

Still, I stick to paper because the way I read, and re-read and flip back for references, it's too slow on a device.

 

[jason10mm]

I don't see why there couldn't be amazon versions of e-books and epub versions. E-books are like music, the DRM is just a superficial layer, rather than like console games where the platform development is inherent in the file. So, barring amazon, Sony, or Barnes and Noble PAYING a publisher for EXCLUSIVITY to a specific drm format, I don't see why it would really matter to the reader, they just buy the version that their reader can decrypt.

Ultimately I don't see why e-readers couldn't decrypt any drm, but of course it really comes down to trying to lock in hardware market share, and I would bet serious cash that one of the big players is trying to land a mega-exclusive, like the Harry Potter books or something.

Fortunately e-book DRM has got to be an easy thing to hack, so you could "ahoy matey" if necessary.

 

[tirminyl]

I've just started to look into e-book readers and I would like to have a nice sized screen. I could use my iPhone but the screen is too small and annoys me to death but I already drain the battery doing other stuff. Wifi doesn't bother me because I am never around an open spot.

These new Sony readers look really good (price) and I may have to test one out to see if its something I really want.

 

[Guileless]

The main attraction to me, and why I will eventually break down and get a Kindle (along with running out of bookshelf space), is automatically getting newspapers on the device wirelessly.

 

[Dazzla]

I stumbled into the PRS-505 in Waterstones (UK) yesterday. When I saw the demo model I thought that it was a dummy unit with a sticker on the screen, I started mashing buttons to get a feel and the screen flicked inverse then onto another page, turns out it was an actual working model!

The true test of e-ink is to see it with your own eyes, I'm sorely tempted to pick up the 505 now. I'm in New York for a week in September so I might pick up one of these instead, it's a shame the 300 didn't have expandable storage, I don't want a touch screen.

Would someone like J&R be stocking these?

 

[kaching]

NOW we're talking. Gauntlet thrown.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/25/sony-announces-daily-edition-reader/

The Reader Daily Edition has a seven-inch touchscreen as well as a AT&T 3G modem, enabling it to pull content wirelessly -- it'll launch in December for $300, and the 3G access will be free. We're a little more geeked about the library finder service, which enables you to register for a "library card" and then check out books for 29 days, after which they'll expire. The best part? The service is free through public libraries -- the New York Public Library is the flashy public launch partner, but there are "thousands more" looped in through a partnership with Overdrive.com.