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Is $699 Too Much For a 13.3-inch Android E-ink Reader?

Posted by timothy on from the to-each-according-to-his-needs dept.

Robotech_Master writes: GoodEReader editor Michael Kozlowski is running an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to sell a $699 13.3" Android e-ink tablet. The campaign seeks $42,000--enough to fund the 60-device minimum order set by the OEM. But is it really a good deal for that much money? As an early-adopter or business-class device, it very well might be.

7 of 195 comments (clear)

  1. Yes it's too much by ickleberry · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I could build a decent PC for that and it will last me years, the Android reader will probably stop getting updates after a year or two and then become a paperweight

    1. Re:Yes it's too much by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      A better comparison would be the large format eReaders that Brother used to make. Maybe 8 years ago when epaper was brand new, Brother produced an A4 format device for business use. Cost about $500 as I recall. Probably only ever sold in Japan.

      So based on the fact that that device was cheaper 8 years ago and failed in the market place, I'd say this is overpriced. The low volume is probably the reason why.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    2. Re:Yes it's too much by thegarbz · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Oh noes, someone will get at my books!

      Speaking of aren't those same people not running windows 10 also not running windows update?

      Quite frankly the security concerns for a device calling itself an e-reader are somewhat overblown.

    3. Re:Yes it's too much by chihowa · · Score: 3, Insightful

      E-readers are replacement for paperback books.

      That's a little myopic. E-readers could serve many purposes and there is definitely a market for more than just replacing paperbacks.

      I'd love to be able to read all of my scientific papers on an e-ink display instead of printing (and carrying) reams of paper or having the weight, low battery life, and transmissive screens inherent in tablets and laptops. Many students would love to replace all of the textbooks that they lug around with a lightweight, battery-sipping e-reader. These uses would greatly benefit from a letter/A4 sized screen as they have fixed layouts.

      --
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  2. No color by slashping · · Score: 4, Insightful

    13 inches is nice for reading PDFs and technical documentation, but for a lot of those documents you need full color. So I'd rather get a regular tablet.

  3. Re: Yes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    When Chinese companies are making e-ink Android tablets for a fifth of that, yes. It's ridiculous. People need to stop pretending e-ink is a premium product - it doesn't cost that much to manufacture, and it's inferior in every way except battery life and contrast. Eventually these companies are going to conclude nobody wants e-ink instead of concluding there's a market at smaller margins, and that'll be the end of e-ink.

  4. Re: Yes by Nethead · · Score: 3, Insightful

    That's a lot of work to replace a paper map and compass.

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