Did B&N Pass On the 6.8" E-ink Screen That Kobo Snapped Up? 132
Nate the greatest writes "Rumor has it that the new high resolution E-ink screen on the Kobo Aura HD was originally intended for another ereader maker. Inside sources have told me that B&N had first claim on the initial production run of 300,000 6.8' screens, only B&N decided to pass. If this rumor is true then this was the screen that B&N would have used on their new ereader this year. Can you imagine what a Nook Glow HD would have been like? I think it would be the next best thing to a 7" Android tablet with an E-ink screen. It's a shame we might never see it." While flying cars are still on my wishlist, daylight readable screens for more portable devices are even higher up the list.
6 foot screens! (Score:2, Interesting)
Well I can certainly understand by Barnes & Noble would have trouble seeing the marketability of a an e-reader one has to use a pickup truck to transport.
And since I doubt it was a color e-ink display, even as a small billboard it wouldn't be popular.
Still lacking (Score:5, Interesting)
The current landscape of eReaders is incredibly frustrating to me. Your choice is to go for either the superior platform or the superior hardware. Amazon has, by far, the best platform. It is ridiculously easy to side load to your devices, be it via USB, email (with each registered device having its own address), or the Send to Kindle app. Not only that, but it syncs your current position across devices, even for side loaded documents. Then there's Whispersync for Voice, which works impressively well (and provides a cheap means to get audiobooks, as well). The problem is that the hardware is just a rectangular slab with no ergonomics.
Contrast this with Kobo and B&N. Their hardware looks and feels great. The Aura even has a higher res screen 265dpi, the same as a retina iPad). The problem, though, is that their stores are smaller and have worse prices, and no syncing for side loading (and less easy to accomplish, as well). Both Kobo and B&N have nicer firmware/reading software, as well.
Amazon's advantages are, for me, strong enough that it makes the Kindle the better choice of the three. This irritates me, because the Aura HD looks fantastic. I may get one just for the hell of it.
Re:Kobo (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Death of e-ink... (Score:5, Interesting)
While my iPad3 has a much prettier display than my Paperwhite, the backlight at the lowest setting is still blazing bright on the iPad.
The iPad is waaay too big to be comfortable reading in bed and it's too heavy to hold up for an extended period of time.
I get tired of turning Do Not Disturb mode on and off but if I don't toggle it I get notified every damm time CNN thinks something noteworthy comes up or I get an email.
Even with all this I wouldn't have gotten a dedicated reader except for the power issue. If that iPad isn't plugged in when I go to bed I'll be in dire straits the next day. Even if tablet power improves tremendously, it'll have a tough time matching my Paperwhite's battery life of 2-3 weeks heavy reading with the backlight on.
If you're just looking at readers in the store a backlit screen looks superior in all ways. In practice where you really just care about reading the text of a book, well, YMMV.
Re:6 foot screens! (Score:4, Interesting)
As a happy B&N Nook owner I can tell you I would gladly replace my trusty e-reader if they come out with an HD version. To be honest, the lack of font sharpness is the only fault I can find with the device when I compare it to books.
And I have lived in a couple of different countries in the past 4 years, so having my library around with me all the time is a godsend.