Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
Dominoes
Sep 20, 2007

I'd like to try it, but I'm suspicious the lack of colors would be a dealbreaker. I write notes on a Surface tablet for math/science classes and general thoughts, and differentiating things by color's a key part of my organization. Things like differentiating parts of a problem by changing color, or marking pairs of parenthesis with like colors, or coloring numbers and operators differently. Makes reading easier.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Pham Nuwen
Oct 30, 2010



Shart Carbuncle posted:

I want a Remarkable 2 for reading and annotating roleplaying game pdfs. How does the current one handle files that are crammed with an unnecessary amount of high resolution raster graphics?

When I tried a first-gen remarkable, I loaded up the Dying Earth RPG rulebook to test. Lots of images but it still rendered fast. I ended up returning it because a particular scientific journal's papers would make it crash, and the primary reason we got it was so my wife could read papers (afraid I've forgotten which journal)

taqueso
Mar 8, 2004


:911:
:wookie: :thermidor: :wookie:
:dehumanize:

:pirate::hf::tinfoil:
It has really nice grayscale for an eink screen, but if you need color you need color.

LionArcher
Mar 29, 2010


Any rumors on a new oasis, because I’m kind of tempted to get one, but I’m waiting for one that has USB-C.

8-bit Miniboss
May 24, 2005

CORPO COPS CAME FOR MY :filez:
Only new device I've heard recently is the Kobo Nia from FCC filings and the documents mention another device with micro USB.

rufius
Feb 27, 2011

Clear alcohols are for rich women on diets.

LionArcher posted:

Any rumors on a new oasis, because I’m kind of tempted to get one, but I’m waiting for one that has USB-C.

I mean isn’t the Oasis warm backlight model only a few months old at this point? I wouldn’t expect anything until shortly before holiday buying season maybe?

binaryhermit
Mar 29, 2015
Given that Amazon's release cycle for kindles seems to be 2-3 years these days, I'd expect a new Paperwhite and possibly basic Kindle first. In my estimation, the new Paperwhite was a longshot to hit this year before COVID-19 and now that COVID-19 happened, I'd be shocked if any of the kindles got refreshed this year.

Also, Amazon has tended to lag behind other manufacturers on new technologies such as frontlighting and warm lighting, so given that just about nobody's released an eReader with USB type c...

8-bit Miniboss
May 24, 2005

CORPO COPS CAME FOR MY :filez:

binaryhermit posted:

Given that Amazon's release cycle for kindles seems to be 2-3 years these days, I'd expect a new Paperwhite and possibly basic Kindle first. In my estimation, the new Paperwhite was a longshot to hit this year before COVID-19 and now that COVID-19 happened, I'd be shocked if any of the kindles got refreshed this year.

Also, Amazon has tended to lag behind other manufacturers on new technologies such as frontlighting and warm lighting, so given that just about nobody's released an eReader with USB type c...

There's a couple smaller marketshare companies with USB Type C connectors on their ereaders. ONYX BOOX is one them.

8-bit Miniboss
May 24, 2005

CORPO COPS CAME FOR MY :filez:
Speaking of ONYX, here's their first color ereader:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRkAAc4x-JI

Enjoy that sweet 100 dpi in color. :eyepop:

Edit: Oh huh, PocketBook has one too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKRNlxNhkuk

8-bit Miniboss fucked around with this message at 03:00 on Apr 27, 2020

Silly Burrito
Nov 27, 2007

8-bit Miniboss posted:

Speaking of ONYX, here's their first color ereader:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRkAAc4x-JI

Enjoy that sweet 100 dpi in color. :eyepop:

Edit: Oh huh, PocketBook has one too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKRNlxNhkuk

I don't know if the technology scales up, but if you're trying to read comics on a normal Kindle sized device, I find that really hard to do. Make one comic/paper sized and now you're talking.

binaryhermit
Mar 29, 2015

8-bit Miniboss posted:

Speaking of ONYX, here's their first color ereader:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRkAAc4x-JI

Enjoy that sweet 100 dpi in color. :eyepop:

Edit: Oh huh, PocketBook has one too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKRNlxNhkuk

It sounds like color eInk leaves something to be desired color-wise, the colors are kinda washed-out (and obviously 100 ppi ain't good).

And regarding USB type C, I'd expect there to be a Kobo and possibly a Nook (if B&N doesn't die or someone buys Nook from B&N's corpse in the likely event they do die and actually continues the product line) with USB type C before there's a Kindle.

Fly Ricky
May 7, 2009

The Wine Taster

Silly Burrito posted:

I don't know if the technology scales up, but if you're trying to read comics on a normal Kindle sized device, I find that really hard to do. Make one comic/paper sized and now you're talking.

This is my concern as well. Honestly on a regular size iPad I find comics a bit too small in full-screen. It’s not that far off from a regular issue, but just enough to make it noticeable.

A Kindle works well for manga, but those are usually B&W anyway.

8-bit Miniboss
May 24, 2005

CORPO COPS CAME FOR MY :filez:
I'm a heavy manga reader on the Forma. Seems to be the sweet spot, even on the Oasis things like translation and editor notes in between panels can be a bit hard to read but clear on the Forma.

chippy
Aug 16, 2006

OK I DON'T GET IT

LionArcher posted:

Any rumors on a new oasis, because I’m kind of tempted to get one, but I’m waiting for one that has USB-C.

I'm curious as to why?

effika
Jun 19, 2005
Birds do not want you to know any more than you already do.

chippy posted:

I'm curious as to why?

Not op, but I wouldn't mind one with USB C just to save on the number of charging cables I have to bring on a trip.

wolrah
May 8, 2006
what?

chippy posted:

I'm curious as to why?
Pluses of USB-C:
- More durable connector
- Reversible insertion
- Compatible with the same cables your other newer devices should be using
- Higher speeds/charge rates (though not particularly useful for e-readers)
- Alternative modes (most not useful for e-readers, but maybe audio device mode)

Pluses of Micro-B:
- Compatible with the same cables your older devices use

---

There really isn't a great excuse for new devices to continue to come out with Micro-B sockets on them unless they're specifically designed to be physically compatible with a dock or similar accessory that already exists for a previous product. Anything that doesn't have that sort of a constraint is just doing it to save a few cents.

binaryhermit
Mar 29, 2015
Cons of USB C, dodgy cables can fry your device.

(Not sure that's really an issue if the device doesn't even try to implement USB-C PD or draw more than the standard 5V .5A or whatever, though)

chippy
Aug 16, 2006

OK I DON'T GET IT

wolrah posted:

Pluses of USB-C:
- More durable connector
- Reversible insertion
- Compatible with the same cables your other newer devices should be using
- Higher speeds/charge rates (though not particularly useful for e-readers)
- Alternative modes (most not useful for e-readers, but maybe audio device mode)

Pluses of Micro-B:
- Compatible with the same cables your older devices use

---

There really isn't a great excuse for new devices to continue to come out with Micro-B sockets on them unless they're specifically designed to be physically compatible with a dock or similar accessory that already exists for a previous product. Anything that doesn't have that sort of a constraint is just doing it to save a few cents.

I agree/am aware of all of that, I was curious because I wouldn't have considered any of them significant enough to delay purchasing a device over. Like OK, it's more durable, but I've personally never had a micro-USB port fail on me, including on Kindles (once of which is over 10 years old) so that kind of seems moot. Reversible insertion is nice I guess, and compatibility is good but at this point I still have more micro-USB devices than USB-C ones so again it seems moot, and the last two parts are (as you mentioned) not applicable to e-readers.

smackfu
Jun 7, 2004

In an ideal world, I want all my new devices to have USB-C, especially ones like Kindle that have a long lifetime.

Guilty
May 3, 2003
Ask me about how people having a bad reaction to MSG makes them racist, because I've never heard of gluten sensitivity

binaryhermit posted:

Cons of USB C, dodgy cables can fry your device.

(Not sure that's really an issue if the device doesn't even try to implement USB-C PD or draw more than the standard 5V .5A or whatever, though)

This is literally the first time I've heard anyone say this and I've been using usb C devices for years, laptops, phones, Nintendo switch.

Endless Mike
Aug 13, 2003



Guilty posted:

This is literally the first time I've heard anyone say this and I've been using usb C devices for years, laptops, phones, Nintendo switch.

You haven't been paying attention, then. It's probably less an issue now than it was when USB-C first started appearing, though.

Humerus
Jul 7, 2009

Rule of acquisition #111:
Treat people in your debt like family...exploit them.


Endless Mike posted:

You haven't been paying attention, then. It's probably less an issue now than it was when USB-C first started appearing, though.

When I got the Nexus 6P this was a serious concern. It didn't help that the OnePlus One shipped with dodgy cables and it was one of the first USB C devices.

sweart gliwere
Jul 5, 2005

better to die an evil wizard,
than to live as a grand one.
Pillbug

Guilty posted:

This is literally the first time I've heard anyone say this and I've been using usb C devices for years, laptops, phones, Nintendo switch.

Benson Leung (iirc a Google engineer) actually kept a spreadsheet or records of professional testing and would post Amazon reviews. I think it was spurred by a bad usb-c charger rig killing a $2000 laptop.

Ineffiable
Feb 16, 2008

Some say that his politics are terrifying, and that he once punched a horse to the ground...


There are also stories of Nintendo switches killed by third party docks. My phone uses a fast charger and I'm afraid of using it for anything else so I have to carry multiple cables anyway or carry a slower USB c for everything.

taqueso
Mar 8, 2004


:911:
:wookie: :thermidor: :wookie:
:dehumanize:

:pirate::hf::tinfoil:
There were (are?) also bad chargers back when fast charging was becoming a thing for mini/micro USB. The ICs to support USB-C w/ PD are getting to be quite cheap and capable so it should be getting harder to make a bad PD charger if you are trying at all.

Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud
Apr 7, 2003
Probation
Can't post for 3 hours!

LionArcher posted:

Any rumors on a new oasis, because I’m kind of tempted to get one, but I’m waiting for one that has USB-C.

How does USB-C tangibly improve the product?

I've seen this statement given for not buying something in the past and it's honestly baffling.

Clark Nova
Jul 18, 2004

It could conceivably charge faster* and if you don't own any other micro-usb poo poo anymore that's one more cable/adapter you can purge from your life.

*mine fully charges in a couple of hours. I'd be more excited for longer battery life than a new connector, honestly

Endless Mike
Aug 13, 2003



Ineffiable posted:

There are also stories of Nintendo switches killed by third party docks. My phone uses a fast charger and I'm afraid of using it for anything else so I have to carry multiple cables anyway or carry a slower USB c for everything.

This is because Nintendo, in their infinite wisdom, made the Switch's port not *quite* to spec (it's slightly narrower or shallower or something iirc), but didn't bother to tell anyone, so third-party docks were made to spec and hosed up Switches.

taqueso
Mar 8, 2004


:911:
:wookie: :thermidor: :wookie:
:dehumanize:

:pirate::hf::tinfoil:
The biggest plus of usbc is getting all my devices on one connector instead of having two types for another decade

wolrah
May 8, 2006
what?

Guilty posted:

This is literally the first time I've heard anyone say this and I've been using usb C devices for years, laptops, phones, Nintendo switch.
It's true, with an asterisk.

There are a number of cheap USB-A to C cords intended for charging purposes that include an incorrect resistor that indicates the ability to deliver 3 amps. If you use one of these cords with a charger that is not capable of delivering 3 amps to power a device that is happy to consume it, the charger will likely fail. Why they've done this I don't know, my best guess is the cables were originally intended to be paired with chargers that were already built to deliver over-spec power on USB-A, then that same design ended up getting sold standalone. As I understand it that issue can't happen with cables designed to connect data because the resistor would sit across the data lines. If you only buy USB-A 3.0 to USB-C cables that have all the data lines you should be fine.

There was also a well-publicized case where a particular cable was so hosed up it fried a laptop and two USB analyzers that a Google engineer was using to test for these exact problems: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/02/google-engineer-finds-usb-type-c-cable-thats-so-bad-it-fried-his-chromebook-pixel/

That was one particularly hosed up cable, assembled pretty much entirely wrong.

Vegetable
Oct 22, 2010

Endless Mike posted:

This is because Nintendo, in their infinite wisdom, made the Switch's port not *quite* to spec (it's slightly narrower or shallower or something iirc), but didn't bother to tell anyone, so third-party docks were made to spec and hosed up Switches.
The actual circuitry is, like, different. It’s not just the size or shape. It’s the dumbest thing ever.

USB-C is a great idea but dumb poo poo like this really undercuts the promise.

Foxtrot_13
Oct 31, 2013
Ask me about my love of genocide denial!

Pittsburgh Fentanyl Cloud posted:

How does USB-C tangibly improve the product?

I've seen this statement given for not buying something in the past and it's honestly baffling.

USB-C has three advantages. It is double sided so can be inserted either way, it is stronger so can take more abuse (usb micro is quite delicate and many a device has been bricked by the port breaking), and can take more power.

Now for e-readers these advantages are not as important as they would be for phones are laptops so you won't see a refresh just to stick USB-C on them, like you saw with the iPad to move from the old 30pin to lightning.

When the models get refreshed in their natural lifepans then you will see the change but it is not work it at the moment with devices that don't need much power and don't get charged much (relative to phones)

8-bit Miniboss
May 24, 2005

CORPO COPS CAME FOR MY :filez:
Kobo Forma 8GB (32GB is sold out) is on sale for 200 bucks: https://us.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-forma?utm_source=Kobo&utm_medium=TopNav&utm_campaign=Forma

Kobo Clara HD is also on sale for 90 bucks: https://us.kobobooks.com/products/kobo-clara-hd

Stupid_Sexy_Flander
Mar 14, 2007

Is a man not entitled to the haw of his maw?
Grimey Drawer
Poop. I'd have probably got the 32gb one on sale. Dangit.

8-bit Miniboss
May 24, 2005

CORPO COPS CAME FOR MY :filez:

Stupid_Sexy_Flander posted:

Poop. I'd have probably got the 32gb one on sale. Dangit.

Bummer. It was on sale in March when I picked mine up.

Stupid_Sexy_Flander
Mar 14, 2007

Is a man not entitled to the haw of his maw?
Grimey Drawer
Mind if I ask what the price was?

8-bit Miniboss
May 24, 2005

CORPO COPS CAME FOR MY :filez:

Stupid_Sexy_Flander posted:

Mind if I ask what the price was?

$249.99 before taxes.

lllllllllllllllllll
Feb 28, 2010

Now the scene's lighting is perfect!
Around nine years ago I paid around 100EUR for my Kindle DX. The battery in that device is giving up the ghost and I am tempted to get another eReader for about the same price. Eyeing the PocketBook Touch Lux 4 at the moment, which looks neat. Requirements: ePub compatibility would be nice. I spent far too much time converting books into mobi. water resistance would be cool, but not necessary. An "open" system would be great too. I heard newer kindles lock you into the amazon environment with little alternative. So is the Lux 4 the best I can hope for? Would be grateful for some insight. Thanks! :-)

Foxtrot_13
Oct 31, 2013
Ask me about my love of genocide denial!
The Kobos are currently the top tier option against the Amazon juggernaut and the Clara HD is basically identical to the Paperwhite but an epub device. You will need something like Caliber to manage the content if you don't buy from Kobo though.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

sourdough
Apr 30, 2012

lllllllllllllllllll posted:

Around nine years ago I paid around 100EUR for my Kindle DX. The battery in that device is giving up the ghost and I am tempted to get another eReader for about the same price. Eyeing the PocketBook Touch Lux 4 at the moment, which looks neat. Requirements: ePub compatibility would be nice. I spent far too much time converting books into mobi. water resistance would be cool, but not necessary. An "open" system would be great too. I heard newer kindles lock you into the amazon environment with little alternative. So is the Lux 4 the best I can hope for? Would be grateful for some insight. Thanks! :-)

Looks like the newest Paperwhite has a decently higher resolution display than that Pocketbook thing, fwiw. It looks like there are some tangible downsides to getting epub support.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply