Subject: Re: ebooks Resent-Date: Tue, 08 Feb 2000 15:59:30 -0500 Resent-From: Geoffrey Fox Resent-To: p_gcf@npac.syr.edu Date: Tue, 08 Feb 2000 15:55:55 -0500 From: "David E. Bernholdt" To: Geoffrey Fox CC: bernhold@npac.syr.edu Current generation of tools (as Louis points out, this is the very beginning of this product) is essentially solid state storage, a (monochrome) LCD panel, and a dedicated viewer of some kind (i.e. simple HTML or PDF). One could presumably do the same with a CD/DVD drive instead of or augmenting memory. (Incidentally, I recall that one or two vendors mentioned audio capability, but it was not clear if user could author audio.) For ebook publishers/stores, being able to direct software downloads instead of burning, stocking, shipping CDs is an obvious advantage. Rocket eBook talked about an infrared port, which is also somewhat interesting as short-range wireless connectivity. I have not seen anything about programmability, though presumably if you were a big company, these vendors would work with you on specialized applications that could include such capabilities. SoftBook web site talks explicitly about enterprise information solutions. I don't know what all OSes are like, but certainly EveryBook with embedded Linux is not shabby. Unless you're asking for a very specific & limited programmability, you're blurring the line between ebooks and wireless tablet devices (also in Louis's talk) which sound more like "real" computers with "real" web browsers, etc. With EveryBook price ~$1600, I think price line may be pretty blurry too. For $200-300 (Rocket eBook), you can't expect huge functionality -- perhaps like Palm, which is not bad but not sufficient to run Mozilla :-) -- David E. Bernholdt | Email: bernhold@npac.syr.edu Northeast Parallel Architectures Center | Phone: +1 315 443 3857 111 College Place, Syracuse University | Fax: +1 315 443 1973 Syracuse, NY 13244-4100 | URL: http://www.npac.syr.edu