E-readers

[Spacecadet]

Bought one of the Cobolt eBook Readers from Sams Warehouse last friday week for $79. I must say it seems to compare well with the more expensive ones with 9 hours on a full charge. It does about half a dozen book formats - pity it doesn't do .lit though. Also does Pics, Music and Movies. Does do DRM as well.

Read 5 books so far and am very happy with it. Especially happy not to have to shell out several hundred dollars for one.

As for e-ink lasting weeks, well - I don't think it's worth the extra cash at the moment. Of course I haven't actually seen one, but i'm really happy with the cobolt right now.

[rec]

colour eInk displays using the new Triton screens will be hitting the market mid-year - though I wouldn't shell out for one just yet, they'll handle mags and comics no troubles.

Static magazines and comics, sure. But nobody wants those anymore. I'm talking about interactive editions of both; embedded in video and animated presentations, interactive elements, pans and zooms from cell to cell in comics etc.

The draw time on e-ink is still far too slow for any of the above.

[Aegis]

Static magazines and comics, sure. But nobody wants those anymore. I'm talking about interactive editions of both; embedded in video and animated presentations, interactive elements, pans and zooms from cell to cell in comics etc.

the majority of eMags I've seen that actually use video only use it in adverts. As for pans and zooms from cell to cell in comics, I really can't think of anything more annoying (short of having chad read it out to you)

[Harbinger]

To clarify a point I made in my first post, the reason I want this device is for travel. So battery life is a key ingredient. Yes tablets etc etc. Different purposes blah blah.

I need something to read books on, for a long period of time. Nothing else compares except for carrying around 8 kg of actual dead tree.

E-ink displays have travel reading hands down. Until buses/trains/planes come with USB recharging sockets on every seat. Which I can see happening in the not too distant future.

[rec]

the majority of eMags I've seen that actually use video only use it in adverts. As for pans and zooms from cell to cell in comics, I really can't think of anything more annoying (short of having chad read it out to you)

You clearly haven't checked out many e-mags on an iPad, then. Go have a look at Wired, PC Authority, APC, T3, VIV, Project etc. etc.

And it's more than strictly "video"; it's motion covers, animated presentations, interactive 3D views of places and products, and so much more.

As for pans and zooms in comics; it's brilliant. I won't go back to reading my digital comics page-by-page. But of course that's a matter of preference.

[Knight Of Nih]

mrs had a kindle, its cool but its functionality is limited to what its for, reading books, mags, etc. battery life is tip top though,it will go for a week or so without needing a charge. she got a leather case for it with a flip out light so reading can be done int he dark with no issues.

a ipad on the other hand is a few hundred more, but you have better web browsers, games, skpye, email and other things that might interest you on travel. battery life is as you said limited.

personally i think the price of ebooks are far to high, especially for the books i read (mainly books to help me learn IT things). and there is no way to sell them off when done. although i think you can rent ebooks on some formats but i dont know what pricing is like.

[Aegis]

You clearly haven't checked out many e-mags on an iPad, then. Go have a look at Wired, PC Authority, APC, T3, VIV, Project etc. etc.

And it's more than strictly "video"; it's motion covers, animated presentations, interactive 3D views of places and products, and so much more.

As for pans and zooms in comics; it's brilliant. I won't go back to reading my digital comics page-by-page. But of course that's a matter of preference.

I will have a look, but that'll require reading magazines - which i just don't do nowadays: can't see the point of issue-based information releases anymore.

[rec]

I know most of the details and facts magazines are reporting on by the time I'm reading them, but that's not why I read them. It's everything beyond the information itself.

Most of what is found online is disposable. Sure it's great for knowing first, but there are few online publications that deliver the same fleshed out editorial content that a good magazine does.

And now it's also about the experience. Thanks to those aforementioned interactive features, it's far more engaging and interesting than any website.

[Aegis]

mmm not convinced. But I'll give Wired or T3's emag a shot just to be sure.

[Jay]

You don't want a backlit screen for reading, unless you hate your eyes. Otherwise in that case I recommend a fork.

With magazines having interactive and video media, I don't see that being mainstream outside of magazine hype for a while yet. It'd increase production costs, time and the murder rate of men of whom their missus works in the magazine industry.

[rec]

mmm not convinced. But I'll give Wired or T3's emag a shot just to be sure.

Convincing you was never my intention - I don't actually care what you read, or don't.

I'm just explaining my opinion on the pros of new media, and subsequent cons of e-ink screens. And basing that on having actually spent a good amount of time with the subject matter. As opposed to not, and having a strong opinion anyway.

PS. also check out Project.

[Aegis]

well... clearly you DO care or you wouldn't have devoted so many posts to it

but fucking hell, not gonna bother with this shit - 500mb for one magazine? i have a fair idea of what's going to be in it - ie: nothing that hasn't already been seen on the net media-wise: so from that I will assume I DO have a decent knowledge of the subject matter, thanks. So yeah. Not interested still. Even I can read faster than presentations, videos of products are things I only care about when I'm sitting down to buy something (if then), animated graphs are slow, and audio overlays are just plain distracting. call me again when that's all resolved, by which time I expect eInk to have hit 60hz + colour at the least.

PS: Project website made me feel like i should buy sanitary napkins - maybe it's the background looking like a tiled kitchen splash back? not sure. but it's disturbing.

[rec]

I didn't say you don't have knowledge with the subject matter (digital magazines), I said you haven't spent a good amount of time with it. And since you haven't even downloaded a magazine (because 500mb is a big deal in Darwin), that statement remains true.

None of your "issues" will be resolved, as they're not issues, they're your preference in relation to digesting media. Although I've never heard any audio overlays, or seen animated graphs - I guess this comes back to you having not actually read through any of those interactive mags.

Also; when I said check out Project, I meant the digital mag, not the digital mag's website. Checking out the website of a magazine doesn't count towards "a good amount of time" with the subject matter.

[Aegis]

give me an example of something in one of these digital mags that i wont have seen done elsewhere before - otherwise accept that I have had just as much exposure to the 'new media' contents of them as you have.

[Harbinger]

so noone else actually has an e-reader? just people with opinions about them?

shocking.