Obliterating an eBook reader in one easy holiday

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

Back in May I wrote a blog post outlining my plans to live with an eBook reader for a month as I ploughed through a digital copy of War and Peace. My aim, as I wrote at the time, was to put the eBook reader “through the wringer… It’s going to be flung in my bag, dropped in my pocket and keeping me company on the bus.”

As it turns out, eBook readers aren’t big fans of wringers, bags, pockets or buses.

Before I delve into my tale, I’d like to preface it with a couple of caveats. The first is that the eBook reader I chose was a production sample of a Cool-er. This means that my experiences were fairly specific to the device I was using. The second caveat has to do with the testing grounds. I took it backpacking with me around Cuba, which is hardly common usage. Given that I barely survived the trip – think caves, climbs, storms, humidity and blood – I’m not particularly surprised the Cool-er didn’t. Erm… I’ve rather given away the ending there.

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New E Ink turns up with speed-up

Wednesday, October 29th, 2008

I was disappointed earlier this month when an eBook reader landed on my desk to be reviewed. Every time I turned the page, so to speak, there was a second or two’s lag. It was irritating, and it led to me ranting about the need for a new screen technology that can refresh instantly, if eBook readers are ever to take off.

This morning I saw a video that made me re-think all that. The new AM 300 developer’s kit from E Ink can handle animation pretty smoothly, and instant page turns, too. It uses the same technology as previous versions – little balls, black on one side and white on the other, which physically rotate to create areas of colour – but handles it all a lot faster.

This is down to the chips and firmware that control it. The importance of this is often underestimated; rival television manufacturers may use the same panel from the same factory, but the image quality of a TV is largely down to software. Even the performance of Formula One cars is largely down to their engine management and braking control software.

I’m waiting eagerly for the first reader to use the new kit. I just hope that the next generation of models won’t mess up all of this hard work by putting the buttons where I can’t reach them.

WHSmith’s strange idea of security

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

I’ve been attempting to buy an Ebook reader from WHSmith over the past couple of days… with “attempting” being the operative word.

The WHSmith website sensibly allows you to enter a delivery and billing address for your goods, and so I opted to have the reader sent here to PC Pro Towers.  The website took my order, the confirmation email duly arrived, and all was well and good.

Until a day after I placed the order, I received an email saying:

“Unfortunately we have been unable to obtain name and address verification from the card issuer for this transaction. As such I would appreciate your assistance by faxing to us a copy of your bank statement. (Please note that we do not need to see your current balance).”

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Why eBook readers need a few more years yet

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

I’m reviewing the BeBook eBook reader at the moment, and it’s already wound me up – after just an hour’s use. That’s not good; reading is supposed to be fun.

Unlike a traditional book, where I can turn a page with a quick, well-practiced swish of the thumb and forefinger, I instead need to press a plasticky little button and wait two seconds while the screen panics for a second or two, before finally delivering the next few hundred words. It’s not a pleasant experience, and I’ve already learned to hit the next-page button at the start of the final sentence, so as to minimise plot-destroying gaps in flow. (more…)

Kindle Killer stalks eBook market

Thursday, September 11th, 2008

Jon blogged about the Sony eBook Reader yesterday, which arrived in the office on a bed of rose petals and angel feathers, carried aloft by chanting Seraphim bedecked all in white. Or by grubby postal courier, one or the other, I wasn’t here to check.

 Well I’ve finally managed to wrench it from his cold dead hands after some surprisingly challenging gladitorial comabt and will be writing up a review in the next couple of days. But almost to the second I laid the killing blow on Jon, my wandering eye caught sight of a potential rival, the Plastic Logic reading device, and I’ll be honest I’m already worried for my lovely little Sony.

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Can Sony turn us into a nation of e-readers?

Wednesday, September 10th, 2008

I spent yesterday’s tube journey home, and my usual half an hour reading time before bed, getting to grips with Sony’s new eBook reader – the snappily-named PRS-505.

I’ve not used an eBook reader before – I’ve never felt the need – but I was pleasantly surprised by the readability of the screen. It uses an incredibly clear monochrome E Ink display that’s about as close to ink-on-paper as I imagine it’s possible to get.

E Ink is a passive, reflective technology so once there’s text on the screen, there’s no refresh or backlight to annoy the eyes. It consumes so little power, in fact, that battery life is measured in page turns (6,500 in this instance) rather than minutes, hours or days.

It’s robust too – rather than the liquid crystal screens that adorn our laptops and mobile phones, E Ink displays are constructed of ink capsules printed onto a plastic sheet that is then laminated to a layer of circuitry, so it should withstand the sort of abuse you’d normally subject a book to.

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