Could this investment show promise for advancing the cause
of eInk reader technology?
Few manufacturers
of eink readers have demonstrated an understanding of what an ereader should be like as well as Kobo has with this device.
B&N has contributed significantly to the commoditization
of eInk readers.
None
of my eInk readers do a good job of it.
This is really exciting to me because I think it presents a clear way forward for the color eink screens and I would expect that the next generation
of eink readers would all incorporate this type of screen including the Kindle and the nook.
Not exact matches
For instance, while you could say that coolreader works well with
eink, it doesn't compare with Moon +
Reader when it comes to completely respecting the styling
of the ePub file.
* Named «Editor's Pick» in Wired Magazine:
eInk Reader Round - up: January 2012 Edition; Won prestigious «Jaus de L'Industrie» for innovative & lightweight design
of the Kobo Touch eReader; Institut Francais du Design (IFD); Nov 2011
But serious
readers when they have a choice will probably want to read on an ebook
reader because
of the
eink displays which make huge difference to the eyes.
The price drop from $ 489 to $ 379 (with the Kindle DX 2) and the new
eInk Pearl screen led to a tripling
of sales (which are probably still low) and the Kindle DX WiFi would appeal to far more
readers.
A small correction: the resolution is 1024 × 758 on all
of the new
readers because they all use the same standard
EInk screen.
Welll color me surprised you guys actually gave it a fair shot, though I think reviewing PDF's like manuals and maps in this day
of age on an
eink reader is insanely outdated since even your smartphone will handle rendering these types
of PDF's insanely better.
Bookeen's original eBook, the Cybook Generation One, made its debut in 2007 just after the first
eInk - screened Sony
Reader but a couple
of weeks ahead
of the original Kindle.
Clearly Pearl is the gold standard
of eBook
Reader screens, but Vizplex is still the most common screen out there (between used
readers, the Nook, and all the other
eInk ereaders available out there.
There are some good reasons for Amazon to stay focused on the Kindle — The Kindle Tablet can't hit the $ 100 or even the $ 200 mark, hardcore
readers want dedicated eReaders, LCD can't touch
eInk when it comes to battery life or readability, 80 %
of book sales are to 20 %
of the people buying books and those people want dedicated reading devices.
Despite Bezos» insistence that he doesn't need his customers on the «upgrade treadmill», Amazon released an upgrade to pretty much every single one
of their devices, including two new Kindle Fire tablets and the predicted backlit
eInk reader.
It could be that a color Tablet becomes the new cash cow and that what we now know as a
eInk reader become free (assuming the purchase
of eBooks) or becomes highly subsidized, as in the case
of the newest Kindle.
Nate at The Digital
Reader reports on Amazon buying Liquavista, maker
of Color
eInk and potentially Color Kindle screen technology.
EInk (the maker of Kindle eInk displays) has won a big order to make 6 ″ color eInk Panels for Amazon (presumably for color eInk Readers or color eInk powered Table
EInk (the maker
of Kindle
eInk displays) has won a big order to make 6 ″ color eInk Panels for Amazon (presumably for color eInk Readers or color eInk powered Table
eInk displays) has won a big order to make 6 ″ color
eInk Panels for Amazon (presumably for color eInk Readers or color eInk powered Table
eInk Panels for Amazon (presumably for color
eInk Readers or color eInk powered Table
eInk Readers or color
eInk powered Table
eInk powered Tablets).
For times when I want to sit and read for a couple
of hours though these
eInk readers are what I go to since the experience is so much better than an application on a mobile platform.
We received quite a few replies from
readers but one
of the more interesting ones said they'd like to have apps like Flipboard, Zite and Pulse on their
eInk device.
I understand the need for pages on paper or
eInk, but I always wonder why
readers on the iPhone or the Web want me to turn pages instead
of scrolling.
Like most technology products, each new version
of Amazon's Kindle
eInk reader is lower - priced than the last one.
I also tried a couple
eInk readers, the Sony Touch PRS - 600, and the Pandigital 6 - inch Linux - based unit (had screen identically sized with that
of the Sony, but not quite as nice).
In a way all
of us
readers are helping take
eInk to a stage where it is cheap enough to power lots
of other uses.
Give me a 80 - 100 buck ePUB capable
reader (with touch, preferably decent page turn buttons, and 6 ″
eInk Pearl), and I'll buy one just to have an in on both
of the ecosystems.
The iRiver Story HD, the first ereader set for Google branding, is likely to be the first
eink reader of a similar size to offer significantly higher pixel density.
I have been waiting patiently for Sony to get caught up with the rest
of the universe, so I didn't buy any
of the other frontlight
eink readers because IMO none
of them can compete with Sony's advanced software (especially with pdf files).
Oprah Winfrey ignited a new wave
of Kindle love when she devoted a show to the little
eInk gadget in late October 2008, and Amazon further cemented its dominant role with new Kindle models in early 2009 and mid-2010 and free apps that allow
readers to «buy once, read anywhere» on any computer, smartphone or handheld device.
The idea is that reading a
eink reader is exactly like reading a book rather than staring at a screen, this prevents the kind
of eye strain associated with back lit screens.
For die - hard
readers who have to have the best
of the best in
eink reading experiences, Kobo Aura HD provides a premium reading experience for the discerning
reader.
What the new development
of software platforms also tell me is that existing
eink devices can not support these software advancements and that the new generation
of digital book
readers will exist, even in their dedicated device forms, in something other than the linux based
eink devices that we know
of today.
The power consumption
of an
eInk display is so small you can go for days without having recharge your
eInk reader.
All that said, an
eInk reader wasn't an option, regardless
of price, battery life, or superior value for «just reading.»
People say Apple is now a strong competitor in the
Reader field, which makes me think that
eInk is beginning to be less
of a key feature.
In fact, the K3 wi - fi only is one
of the cheapest (if not the cheapest) 6 ″
eink reader on the market.
Of course all seem a bit heavy when compared to an
eInk reader.
Next week it is anticipated that BN will announce a color
eink reader in the price range
of around $ 249.
The real drawback for
eink readers is a) the time it takes for the pages to turn and b) lack
of an integrated light.
The Barnes & Noble NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight (hereinafter «NOOK GlowLight») is the latest addition to the
eInk family
of readers.
Kindle DX will most likely get software version 2.3 that is now standard for the entire line - up
of Amazon
eInk readers.