[turkey]

Maybe it's where I live (los Angeles) but I'm glad i don't deal with reading in the sun.  I would just avoid it, e ink, LCD, or paper.  Sincere question: do you guys Really read in the sun a lot?

I read all the time when I'm out fishing. I also read in the sun the last time I was in S America, and a heck of a lot closer to the Equator than LA is.

the iPad is more, but you do get more for your money.  Ive been able to post all of these msgs from my iPad.

I can get a netbook _and_ an e-book reader for the price of an iPad.

[Construct]

I read all the time when I'm out fishing. I also read in the sun the last time I was in S America, and a heck of a lot closer to the Equator than LA is.

I can get a netbook _and_ an e-book reader for the price of an iPad.

I have to agree.  My netbook can run full programs (and linux) the ipad can't.  That was $249.  An ereader is $149.  My grand total would be $400, or $100 less than just an ipad.  And yes, I want to read on my deck, or when the bass aren't biting...or on that long delay when we are waiting to arrive at the deep sea fishing point.

[ooheadsoo]

I guess I'm just not a sunshine guy.  To be honest, I bought the iPad for the $30/mo 3G plan, which is cheaper than what you can get for your netbook, and I would own an ebook reader as well, except...I don't need one any more!

[Construct]

I guess I'm just not a sunshine guy.  To be honest, I bought the iPad for the $30/mo 3G plan, which is cheaper than what you can get for your netbook, and I would own an ebook reader as well, except...I don't need one any more!

Free wifi is good enough for the netbook...and free.  Good thing I can run actual programs...I'd buy an ipad but I need to run office. And I like 320 gigs on onboard storage. 

[ooheadsoo]

That may be key for you.  I read on the run and would Like the option of browsing the web etc on the run as well.  It's my Toy.  I have procrastinated on getting a GPS, so is is a stand in for that as well, all possible via 3G.  Really, it's because i don't want to pay for a smart phone, but on the flip side, I have a larger screen without having to mess with data tethering.  I don't fancy running real programs on a netbook.  Maybe I'm a bit spoiled in that way.  Productivity isnt the ipad's strong suit either.  iT's a great toy.

The iPad is more than a reader.  If you just want a reader, I would go for the Kindle 3 with carry case and built in reading light.  Again, maybe that's just me, since i like to read indoors.

[Dan Driscoll]

I can read for long periods of time with no problem with my JBL.

Lucky you. Most people can't look at an LCD that close continuously for long periods, including me.

I only look at one page at a time, and then only one line of the page at a time. I just don't see your point.

If you don't mind having to do a page turn every 20-30 seconds, great for you. I do mind.

[ooheadsoo]

Lucky you. Most people can't look at an LCD that close continuously for long periods, including me.

If you don't mind having to do a page turn every 20-30 seconds, great for you. I do mind.

The jet book LCD does not have a backlight.  It's like a calculator LCD.

[Dan Driscoll]

The jet book LCD does not have a backlight.  It's like a calculator LCD.

Thanks for the info. I didn't know that, the one I tried belonged to a passenger sitting next to me on a plane. So eyestrain is not an issue, but it still doesn't look as good to me as eInk.

[ooheadsoo]

Thanks for the info. I didn't know that, the one I tried belonged to a passenger sitting next to me on a plane. So eyestrain is not an issue, but it still doesn't look as good to me as eInk.

No argument from me, there.  e-Ink is a phenomenal technology.

Have you ever used an old calculator where the numbers fade when you look at the calculator at an angle?  This happens on the jetbook except not in relation to your eyes, but in relation to the angle of incidence of the light source.  At night, I rarely get a satisfactory contrast ratio with the jetbook, because my lamp is off to the side.  The best results are when sitting in the shade and the light is more or less omnidirectional - that or in the sun!  Sure the light is directional out in the sun, but there's so much of it scattered about, it doesn't matter.  I guess Turkey has some way around this.  I know other people on an e-reader forum who are in love with their jetbooks, as well.  Not me.

[Dan Driscoll]

No argument from me, there.  e-Ink is a phenomenal technology.

Have you ever used an old calculator where the numbers fade when you look at the calculator at an angle?  This happens on the jetbook except not in relation to your eyes, but in relation to the angle of incidence of the light source.

I didn't notice that on the one I played with, but it was daytime and the plane was fully lit, so there was lots of light coming from many angles.

I agree, if it works for someone that's great, because there are a lot of things to like about the JetBook, such as all the formats it supports and that it is fully open. It just isn't right for me and as far as I can tell, quite a few others, as well.

[ooheadsoo]

Oddly enough, the plane would be an ideal place to read on the jetbook.  The walls are all white, so there's plenty of diffuse omnidirectional light during the day.  At night, the reading light comes from straight overhead, which is just about the best you can ask for in terms of getting a small angle of incidence.

[timind]

My wife has been reading ebooks for years and tried a couple of the early readers, a Sony and one called a Bookman (i think). She purchased a net book as an interim to the Kindle but. No Kindle yet as the Netbook offers so much more flexibility. The only problem she has is trying to read in bright light situations.
She just downloaded a book to my ipod touch as an experiment. I couldn't read on anything that small.

[ooheadsoo]

I thought of getting a netbook as well, but it was the 3g plan that swayed me towards the ipad.  Not interested in 3g?  I guess the playing field is wide open.

[davidrs]

Just love our ingenuity and creativity.

Pasted from: dictionary.reference.com

in·ge·nu·i·ty   /ˌɪndʒəˈnuɪti, -ˈnyu-/  Show Spelled[in-juh-noo-i-tee, -nyoo-]  Show IPA
–noun, plural -ties for 3. 
1. the quality of being cleverly inventive or resourceful; inventiveness: a designer of great ingenuity.
2. cleverness or skillfulness of conception or design: a device of great ingenuity.
3. an ingenious contrivance or device.
4. Obsolete . ingenuousness.

Origin:
1590–1600; < L ingenuitās  innate virtue, etc. ( see ingenuous, -ity); current senses by assoc. with ingenious

—Related forms
hy·per·in·ge·nu·i·ty, noun
su·per·in·ge·nu·i·ty, noun, plural -ties.


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Wonderful ain't it: that there are products out there that are (more, sometimes less) meeting most of our individual needs and fit their respective niches well.

Then we moan and groan about what we would love to really have or have improved and so it goes. Slow progress towards that elusively perfect product that never quite delivers.

I was an original Newton user. Had only someone handed me an iPad at the same time....

Fuzzy green typeset on crts that were three times as deep as they were wide and blurred (& diminished) a healthy set of 18 year old eyeballs. Had only someone handed me an Air or Adamo at the same time....

Remember the college backpack filled with science textbooks like the hunchback remembers Notre Dame. Had only someone handed me a Kindle DX at that time....

Love what we have right now and look forward to everything that is coming down the pike!

[Construct]

Remember the college backpack filled with science textbooks like the hunchback remembers Notre Dame. Had only someone handed me a Kindle DX at that time....

Love what we have right now and look forward to everything that is coming down the pike!

That is a very good perspective.  We are spoiled by choices.  We have the agonizing decision to choose between very good, excellent or over-the-top.  Imagine if you had to pay $9.99 for psychology text in e-ink instead of $120 for the hardcover like I did. 

[ooheadsoo]

Don't kid yourself, text book prices will not drop significantly 

Anyone remember Sony announcing an ebook reader that would be able to access the public library?  I haven't heard anything about that product for a while.

[Construct]

Don't kid yourself, text book prices will not drop significantly 

Anyone remember Sony announcing an ebook reader that would be able to access the public library?  I haven't heard anything about that product for a while.

The sony readers seem to get mediocre ratings and are largely limited access.
Sadly, I have seen the scam Universities run.  My old Algebra text was obsoleted after only 2 terms!  The "revision"  was just to move crap around and omit some stuff.  No real improvement, just a required "revision"  to screw students out of the buy back or sale, and force new students to pay full price.  That scholastic scheme will never end. And oh yeah, why a $160 text book for a computer systems course that was all online and digital???  More crap to pay for and lug.

[ooheadsoo]

But imagine being able to electronically "check out" any book available at your library - FREE!  Now imagine doing it over 3G anywhere in the world.  It's a great idea but I don't know if it will see the light of day.

[Construct]

But imagine being able to electronically "check out" any book available at your library - FREE!  Now imagine doing it over 3G anywhere in the world.  It's a great idea but I don't know if it will see the light of day.

The other plan...was that Google has aimed at digitizing every book in existence.   

[ooheadsoo]

Right, but I was never under the impression that everyone would be able to access it for free.  You can only "sample" books, not read them from cover to cover.  You can search within books and access a handful of pages in either direction, but that's all.

Sorry if this is too OT, but I just stumbled across this: http://www.overdrive.com/default.asp

It seems to be a bit of a hassle to use, but maybe it has potential.