iRex iLiad demo at O’Reilly TOC
In the exhibit hall at this week’s O’Reilly “Tools of Change” conference, I had a rep for iRex give me a demo of the iLiad eBook device (clip is above). It’s a nice looking device, although at $699 I think it’s too expensive. Also, it’s not yet found in any major stores, but iRex is working with retailers to make it more widely available. The video was shot with my new Flip Video camera.
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I don’t get the allure of an eReader, especially at that price. All these silly colorless readers will be obsolete once the ultra portable laptops hit the markets and decent prices. The eReader i think will be akin to the laserdisc; and who the hell uses those!
I agree that eBook readers are not as attractive as an integrated device where you can do much more than just read books (i.e. e-mail, web browser, etc.). Plus, $700 is WAY too much. That’s even more than an iPhone!
[…] have met to discuss how technology is changing the world of print publishing. Related: Jeff Gomez presents a video of the Linux-based, B&W-screen iLiad eBook reader being demonstrated. (Last […]
The entire _point_ of the eInk, eReader device is missed if one thinks an LCD based computer can cover the entire market of portable readers. eInk _must_ be seen before judgement is passed on it. It is so easy on the eyes. It really is no different then paper reading. I can’t read for more then an hour straight on my laptop. For some reason I can code longer, something to do with more activity. However, I can read for hours on my iLiad and it’s very enjoyable. Afterwards, my eyes are less strained then if I had read a real book, because the iLiad has adjustable text sizes for the mobipocket books I read.
I agree with everyone on price. It is a little steep. However, this is a limited production device with very new technology for the screen. Also, it is packed full of features. Full touch screen, three different memory expansion slots, WiFi… Future devices with higher production will drop the price significantly.
I totally agree that eInk is amazing technology. The screen indeed looks just like paper. But the response time of eInk, in terms of refreshing itself, and the ghosting issue, plus the fact that it’s only black and white right now, are big issues when evaluating a device and lead to negative appraisals from many people.
I have read many, many thousands of pages of books, newspapers, journals, etc. in black and white and have never regretted the lack of colored fonts. Many of those pages have been adequately, often beautifully, illustrated with black and white drawings, graphs, charts, etc. In fact, color, except for certain limited purposes, seems quite unnecessary, even when possible. E-ink technology has been seriously hindered by the common wisdom that lack of color is a deal breaker. If I could afford it, I’d buy the iLiad in less time than it’s very momentary refresh rate…
I purchased an iLiad 2nd Edition two weeks ago and am absolutely delighted with the device. It weights no more than a paperback, I can store hundreds of eBooks, as well as my own documents, on it, and if you search the forums at iRex you can find out how to open up its WiFi connection for more than just device updates so you can access the internet. Admittedly, running the web on it is slow, but for checking email it’s fine.
The eInk screen also has to be seen to be believed. Can you read a laptop or a PDA screen in bright sunlight? Can you read them at an angle? Also, eye strain is a big issue. On my iLiad I can read when it’s bright, it looks just like paper when viewed at a slight (or steep!) angle, and you get no more eye strain than reading a paperback, meaning you can read all day if you want. Also, I don’t see the black and white screen as an issue because the majority novels, once you get past the front cover, are black and white anyway; the screen design suits its purpose perfectly.
An iLiad is more expensive that other eReaders, however, I certainly think you get more for your money–especially when you consider that it is an electronic notepad as well.