Comments on: What’s the best PC for the Amazon Kindle PC software?

By: Oettinger

Oettinger — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:23:10 +0000

Couple of weeks ago i stepped on my beloved Dell Axim X30i – which i jused for ebook reading only.
People dont believe me, but it was great reading on this little device – and i dont wanna go back to “hardware” books.

Right now i am looking (or waiting) for a new device:
5″ oder 7″, lightweight, gps, 3g, 64gb ssd – for a price around the archos 5.
Android oder Windows (CE) doesnt matter.

It will be used mainly as an ebook reader and as an umpc when i am on the way.

I know i am dreaming when you look at my dreamprice right know, but i want to wait until early 2010 – hope there will be a proper device available.

Regards

By: anon

anon — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:15:21 +0000

It is the Bebook Mini sold by the Dutch company Endless Ideas BV; it is a clone of Hanlin eReader V5 (made by Jinke). Americans and Canadians can also find it under the name EZ Reader Pocket PRO, sold by Astak.

By: Don Lloyd

Don Lloyd — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:49:31 +0000

With text size and pdf capability primary concerns, I waited for the Kindle DX, and found that its pdf capability, along with its keyboard, were abysmal. In fact it would have been better without the pdf capability, since its presence prevented the pdf file conversion service from functioning. It did work very well for best-seller fiction, however, where you can buy, download, read and discard quickly.

While it’s possible that a dedicated ebook reader could handle pdf files well, there is little incentive to worry much about pdf at the design stage.

It seems to be much better to start with a superior Windows pdf reader program, such as Foxit for Windows, and run it on the kind of machine you mention above. I have a Viliv X70, and it works well.

One plus of this approach is that the Foxit reader program can be preferenced for different text/background color combinations. Both white text on a blue background and yellow text on a black background are simply gorgeous.

Regards, Don

By: ssagg

ssagg — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:17:01 +0000

I have an Oqo 02 and really love it but I think an Everun (the original one) would be better
The Oqo is too expensive and the rotation needs the screen to be opened.
Also the wacom pen while very good for most actions are a little odd while reading

By: johnkzin

johnkzin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:10:44 +0000

Which brand of ebook did you get?

By: anon

anon — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:52:24 +0000

I recently received my 5″ ebook reader with an E Ink screen. With a 200 dpi resolution (600×800) and 160 gram weight it is just excellent for displaying reflowable text and grey-scale images that aren’t too big. It is not usable for all PDF material without somehow preparing them beforehand and operation can be slow sometimes, but due to its bistable screen and specialized low-power hardware I expect it will need its second charge sometime *next month* instead of topping it up daily!

I have read some books on my desktop PC before, but not on my netbook. It just hasn’t got the right form factor and weight for ubiquitous usage. Pocketability and longevity is the key for me. Of the devices mentioned here, the Viliv S5 could be a contender, but the Archos 5 seems to be even better. For now though, I’ll be using my sub-200 euro E Ink reader that nearly eliminates the usual worry of battery life!

By: alslayer

alslayer — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:55:06 +0000

Great article. I have looked and wanted every one of these devices. I used to have a Samsung q1 1st gen and I loved it. I am having a difficult time deciding what I want to replace it with. I will use it mostly for reading.

By: johnkzin

johnkzin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:01:09 +0000

OH,and, if Apple would put out a 10″ tablet that runs real Mac OS X … Amazon confirmed (over on engadget) that they’re working on this same software for the Mac.

So … yeah, Amazon e-reader for Android, Ubuntu, Maemo, and/or OS X … on a 10″ tablet. That’s what I’d want.

By: Absolutely NoOne

Absolutely NoOne — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:38:45 +0000

What about the oqo? It had an active digitizer, sure, and they were expensive, but now that oqo’s out of business those things go for dirt cheap on e-bay!

By: johnkzin

johnkzin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:17:31 +0000

If I were a Windows person, I’d probably go for Acer’s new convetible table (1420p or something like that). Under $1000, convertible tablet, good hardware options, HDMI _and_ VGA out, 12″ screen (slightly larger than I want, but could work). That’s probably what I’d pick for running the Amazon software.

Though … I’d rather have that device, in a 10″ screen size, with dual-booting Android and Ubuntu … and Amazon software for Android and/or Ubuntu. Or maybe Android and Maemo.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:04:53 +0000

Isn’t amazing how many Steves we have here! . . .
I have tried several times to get used to reading magazines and books on a electronic device. I have found Kindle to be my fav for books but I just cannot get used to reading color mags on any UMPC, tablet, etc.
I guess that is mainly because I carry out nearly all of my book/mag reading in bed and, apart from the Kindle, I have not found anything that suits me.
I am waiting for the ‘new’ tablets to come out.
Th CrunchPad look like it might be great but with so much hype followed by so much silence, I am not sure we will ever see this device.
I am looking for a light, touch device about the size of a foolscap sheet of paper. Certainly not miniature but certainly portable.
I have written about my idea tablet at: http://nanosnotes.blogspot.com/2009/10/whats-in-tablet.html for anyone interested.
PS. Great article, Chippy!

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:29:14 +0000

I think the Archos 9 is looking like a great Kindle computer. At $500 US it is twice the cost of the Kindle but you get a pull pc that is still relatively small and light. Now if only it had multi touch…