ebook readers

[DontSayBanana]

Uh, what?  PNG comes in much smaller than JPEG and anti-aliases a lot nicer because PNG supports an alpha channel.  If you wanna stick with dithered, newspaper-quality JPEGs, be my guest.  I'm just saying that PNG would make for better illustrations.  In terms of quality, it's RAW>BMP>TIFF>PNG>JPEG>GIF.

[Ed Anger]

Got my jetbook today. I need to charge it overnight before I can give it a whirl.

[Slargos]

Keep us posted.

I don't think I'm getting one until the technology matures and they sort out all the ass-retarded DRM bullshit.

[Ed Anger]

The jetbook has no DRM issues. It can't play DRM files. 

Which isn't a problem, I've stored up ebooks for the past 5-6 years, squirreling them away.

[Ed Anger]

Also, there will be no "unboxing" video, as that is one of the stupidest things on the internet.

MAH FLESHLIGHT IS HERE! LET ME FILM THE UNBOXING!

[Ed Anger]

The fucker is quite readable, I'll give it that.

Also, the Pdf support seems okay. I popped a pdf of Gates of Fire on it, and it still seems snappy. Unlike the Sony Reader which seems to choke on PDF files.

[Ed Anger]

Alrighty, quickie impressions of the ECTACO Jetbook:

Nice LCD 4"x 3" screen. Very readable in good light. No backlight. Doesn't flash when you turn the page like on e-ink readers.
Is held easily in my hand. Chicks and small handed homos may have to use both hands.
The bar you can use to turn the page on the left of the device is useless. Thankfully, there is a turn page button on the front.
Only 2 fonts. I WANT COMIC SANS.  You can boost the size to 32 though.
Only seen it choke a bit on the front cover and maps.
Any book with maps would be useless, as the maps are unreadable.
The adapter is a switch adapter, meaning I can charge this in commie Euroland. So instead of watching cheese making shows in my hotel room, I can read mediocre sci-fi.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Also, there will be no "unboxing" video, as that is one of the stupidest things on the internet.

MAH FLESHLIGHT IS HERE! LET ME FILM THE UNBOXING!

Wait, so people actually film themselves taking shit out of a box and post it on the internet? What the hell?

Any book with maps would be useless, as the maps are unreadable.

As in the resolution is too crappy to display them properly? I guess images have the same problem?

[Ed Anger]

As in the resolution is too crappy to display them properly? I guess images have the same problem?

I didn't even try the image viewer, since the machine isn't color.

The maps in the freebie version of Pournelle's Falkenberg's Legion was unreadable, as the print inside the map was tiny.

[Ed Anger]

Battery life is about 12 hours, 8 hours shorter than the 20 promised. That was expected, as the manufacturer battery life is always a fantasy.

I give the device a 7.5 out of 10.

[derspiess]

Wait, so people actually film themselves taking shit out of a box and post it on the internet? What the hell?

Oh yeah.  What's best is when they had already opened it up & played around with the device, and are pretending like they're opening it for the first time.  I guess it shipping with all the greasy fingerprints, then?

Anyway, Ed: Does your Ecto-taco have an LCD display, then?  I assumed it would have e-ink.  How does it compare to e-ink, other than not having the refresh delay?

[Ed Anger]

Wait, so people actually film themselves taking shit out of a box and post it on the internet? What the hell?

Oh yeah.  What's best is when they had already opened it up & played around with the device, and are pretending like they're opening it for the first time.  I guess it shipping with all the greasy fingerprints, then?

Anyway, Ed: Does your Ecto-taco have an LCD display, then?  I assumed it would have e-ink.  How does it compare to e-ink, other than not having the refresh delay?

It is LCD. It is less white than the e-ink screens and more gray. Personally, I think it might be a bit more readable than e-ink.

As long as you have good light it is fine, since there is no backlight.

[crazy canuck]

I have really enjoyed the Sony PRS-505 I got last year.  This year for Xmas I got a new cover with a built in light.

[Ed Anger]

I wish I had bought one earlier. it would be great for business trips.

[crazy canuck]

I wish I had bought one earlier. it would be great for business trips.

Good for not only reading on planes but also, when I have to give presentations, I can download the text into the reader and I can review my notes without taking a bulking laptop.

edit: another big bonus is downloading magazine articles directly without having wait for the delivery - partcularly for things like the Economist which seems to take days to get delivered.