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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 20:30 UTC (Fri) by dlang (✭ supporter ✭, #313)In reply to: iRex iLiad e-Reader: Linux's Answer to the Kindle? (informIT) by bronson Parent article: iRex iLiad e-Reader: Linux's Answer to the Kindle? (informIT)
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.
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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?
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