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iRex iLiad e-Reader: Linux's Answer to the Kindle? (informIT)iRex iLiad e-Reader: Linux's Answer to the Kindle? (informIT)Posted Aug 29, 2008 19:56 UTC (Fri) by dlang (✭ supporter ✭, #313)Parent article: iRex iLiad e-Reader: Linux's Answer to the Kindle? (informIT)
this can't be the linux answer to the Kindle since the Kindle is also running linux.
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iRex iLiad e-Reader: Linux's Answer to the Kindle? (informIT) Posted Aug 29, 2008 20:17 UTC (Fri) by bronson (subscriber, #4806) [Link]
The Kindle is locked down pretty tight and has no developer community to speak of. It could be running VXWorks for how hackable it is. That said, my impression might be out of date...? If people have figured out how to hack it, I might have to buy one.
I love the look of the iLiad. It's all screen -- tiny bezel and buttons. And with the Wacom digitizer, talk about a slick notetaking device!
For 2X the price of the Kindle, though, its price is awful hard to swallow. Also, the software sounds pretty rough. Nowhere near the OLPC, of course, but lacking polish like good power management and quick boots.
So I could really REALLY use one but I guess I'll stay on the fence for now.
iRex iLiad e-Reader: Linux's Answer to the Kindle? (informIT) Posted Aug 29, 2008 20:30 UTC (Fri) by dlang (✭ supporter ✭, #313) [Link]
the price is pretty steep.
I have seen sites about hacking the Kindle (I haven't taken the time to go through it in detail)
unfortunantly they seem to be in the same trap as many other folks (including OLPC) where they design good hardware (in some cases _very_ good hardware), but then don't spend nearly as much effort on the software. the fact that they use opensource software means that it can improve drasticly, with or without cooperation of the manufacturer, but the poor initial version should not be sold as a finished product, it needs to be advertised to geeks as a beta product (finished hardware, beta-quality software) and then after a couple of rounds of improvements make the formal launch.
iRex iLiad e-Reader: Linux's Answer to the Kindle? (informIT) Posted Aug 29, 2008 23:24 UTC (Fri) by JoeBuck (subscriber, #2330) [Link] I wouldn't be surprised if the Kindle price is subsidized (they can sell it at or below cost and make up for it from the money you spend on locked-down e-books).
iRex iLiad e-Reader: Linux's Answer to the Kindle? (informIT) Posted Aug 30, 2008 5:26 UTC (Sat) by rahvin (subscriber, #16953) [Link]
You mean, non-transferable, DRM loaded ebooks you don't actually own.
iRex iLiad e-Reader: Linux's Answer to the Kindle? (informIT) Posted Aug 30, 2008 13:31 UTC (Sat) by chsnyder (subscriber, #52714) [Link]
Kindle price has everything to do with the Sprint EVDO subscription it comes with--that's how Amazon puts the books in. You can also browse the net from anywhere, which is nice. The unit is also physically sound and remarkably easy to use and bug-free for a first-generation product from an inexperienced manufacturer.
DRM is a big issue, though, as is availability of e-books: with Amazon as the dominant player, selling directly through their proprietary channel, what luck do Iliad adopters have of finding books?
iRex iLiad e-Reader: Linux's Answer to the Kindle? (informIT) Posted Sep 1, 2008 15:01 UTC (Mon) by jamesh (subscriber, #1159) [Link]
From the article and the iRex site, it sounds like the iLiad is also locked down when you buy it. The difference compared to the Kindle is that they are offering to unlock the device for private developers (which presumably they could discontinue in the future).
Note that any software you produce on an unlocked device will only be usable by others who have signed up for the program. If you want to sell software that runs on unmodified iLiads, it looks like you need iRex's permission.
So while the device is more hackable than the Kindle at the moment, I wouldn't call it open.
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