h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/synaptics-shows-off-multitouch-screens-for-multitouch-tablets-up/

Up to 10" multi-touch screens available, I smell a tablet application for some of them.

Hmmm... The Kindle.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/new-amazon-kindle-announced-139-wifi-only-version-and-189-3g/

I *might* think about getting a wifi only version. (I'd never tie myself to AT&T, or any single 3G carrier for that matter.) But, again, only as a stepping stone to what I really want... A Guide.

If you have an Android phone, there's a Kindle app for that...

Also, an iBook app for Apple devices (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and Mac) and for the Android phones. Might tide you over nicely. I read books all the time on my iPod Touch.

Just sayin'.

I do wonder though if reading a book on a backlit screen might be a bit much? One thing reading t'interweb and that, but it might be a little hardero n the old eyes reading a book.

Which I guess is the USP of the kindle et al. The whole digital ink shebang.

FB

BTW interesting news about the Desire Menthol, though as mine is network locked I imagine I am going to have a long old wait unless I want to do the old rootkit stuff myself....

.... Which I suspect is beyond my level of technical expertise as well as invalidating ones warranty.

FB

Just came across a link to this article from SiliconValley.com

Does anyone know about this tablet?

http://www.thestreet.com/story/10818504/1/kmart-touts-150-tablet.html

I use my Sony e-reader to read books. I travel quite regularly and stay away for a couple of weeks. In that time I can get through a few books.
I have a leather cover so it feels nice to hold. The 'ink' type screen is a pleasure to use. The battery lasts long enough.
It is just a very convenient way to transport and read books.
I browse and download from Waterstones ( other retailers are available) using that adobe reader thingy.
I don't think I will go back to buying books again. They take up space and collect dust.
I use a computer to access the web, a camera for taking decent photos, a mobile phone to talk to people. I don't think I will ever be in the position of needing to read, take photos, talk and surf all at the same time on a device which will never be very good at any of them.
KISS

sceptic

http://notionink.wordpress.com/

Adam maybe shippping with 3.0, although they've been designing their own UI so whether that would be another delay to get the new UI on 3.0 or whether they'd just leave their new UI out I'm not sure.

From the same link, I was glad to read this:

________________________________________

This is not a kind of post which you all might be expecting, but a few would be happy to read this.

Everything in India starts with some sort of Pooja. In the minds of current generations, its a kind of Go-Go permission from the Lords up stairs. Thats our Go-Go seeking for the new facility.

We recently moved to Bangalore with our team, the facility is up and running and we had this small opening ceremony there.

And thats Adam you see a bananas and a rose on!

....
I am in China right now, sitting on the tables of the manufacturers, confirming the quality and timing of the product. We are proof reading the test reports of the HALT tests and a lot more.

Conditions of workers here is good, not like the one even I heard in the reports. May be it depends from manufacturer to manufacturer.
____________________________________________

That makes me more confident that the Adam will soon see the light of day.



Concerning that $150 tablet at Kmart; Ferretbadger mentioned it yesterday. I agree that it probably doesn't have the specs I'd want and there seems to be few details about it available. It was a bit of a surprise to everyone. I might drop by my local Kmart (if I can find one that hasn't been shuttered) and give it a look. For the same price as a wifi kindle, I'd probably go with the Kindle for now and wait for an Adam, personally. I wouldn't mind having a dedicated e-reader AND a tablet if I could easily transfer books between the two. I think I could do that with the Kindle as long as I use the right format, maybe EPUB or the Adobe one. I really should do some quick research on the various formats...

http://www.overclock.net/hardware-news/788502-techreport-150-android-tablet-pops-up.html

Some points worth reading on the first page and then on the second page user "xguntherc" has bought one and is posting his/her thoughts on it.

http://www.overclock.net/mobile-phones-smartphones-pocket-pcs/788856-augen-gentouch78-android-2-1-7-a.html#post10176817

Dedicated thread set up about it, same person using it as it was in the first thread.

Even at the price I cannot say it is something I would buy. When you start getting higher res ones, with Froyo (or gingerbread when out) and 512 ram then I shall be interested.

FB

As a proof that it can be done it's good, but I'm similar to you and want something with a bit more power.


Dual core Arm - 1Ghz
Decent GPU
1gb Ram
8g onboard storage
expansion card slot
3+ USB ports
10"
multi-touch
Dual cameras with dual xenon flash
Bluetooth
Wi-fi
3g (maybe)
1024.768 res (or higher)
Android 2.2/3.0
accelerometer
compass
gyroscope
min-projector
sms
Android Market

probably more as well

We are talking north of 500 dabs for something like that though I'd imagine. Would probably be out of my price range.

FB

Definitely out of my price range, I can dream though

Mind you it's interesting looking at the Bill of Materials for stuff like the iPhone and iPad, it's nowhere near how much you pay for the phone, although it doesn't take into account marketing/research etc. So I wonder how much the hardware would actually cost.

Yeah and Android tablets are always going to be a bit cheaper because none of the Apple factor and that Andoird is open source.

FB

Just seen this

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/30/official-htc-rolling-out-android-2-2-and-720p-video-capture-to/

2.2 update for unlocked Desires available this weekend, "several weeks" for locked desires.

I believe the only bit you have to pay for with Android is the Marketplace.

Yeah mine is locked to three.

Not sure if I can wait, on the other hand not sure I want to do the rootkit thing, seems quite complicated.

FB

It seems almost like I'm taunting you by posting these updates that you can't get yet.

I don't know much about the rootkit process, I think that the process itself is fairly simple but YMMV. I don't have an Android phone so I can't try anything like this out. Although I am tempted to try and install android o the old XDA that I have lying around.

There is of course always the chance that rooting your phone will brick it.

Personally I'd wait a bit longer and then if it still seems if it's not coming root it then.

A bit of news regarding the Adam tablet: It will ship with Android 2.2 and should be upgradable to 3.0 when it's released. Also it will have a SIM card slot. Here's a spec sheet.
http://ht.ly/18oNmx