Slog - Comments on Is This the E-Book We're Waiting For? http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for Laptop Magazine has a first look, with video, of the next generation of the One Laptop Per Child project, which is possibly due in 2010. It would be composed of two touch screens, so you can use it as a keypad. But one of the major goals of the initial OLPC was to make it an energy-efficient and, most importantly, eye-friendly e-reader. Setting the thing up to look like a book is a major deal; I'm surprised that more laptop manufacturers haven't done this. I was intrigued by the OLPC, but I actually bought an Asus EEE as my... Copyright 2008 Thu, 22 May 2008 12:00:00 -0800 Thu, 22 May 2008 20:32:52 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Mr. Poe Who is waiting for one?

By 2050, we're all going to have eye tumors.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030006 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030006 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 12:19:18 -0800 Comment by cmaceachen no one has done this before because typing on a surface that does "give" under pressure is painful and difficult. Also, it should be noted that one of the goals of the OLPC project was a sub-$100 laptop. It's now nearly $400. OLPC is trying for a $75 price-point with this one. No freaking way.

]]> cmaceachen http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030024 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030024 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 12:27:22 -0800 Comment by Preston @2, if by $400 you actually mean $188, then yes, you're right. Now I realize that you're probably speaking about the "Buy-One, Give-One" program in which you pay for two computers and one gets sent to a child in need, but for the sake of your argument, you're not on point. I agree that the $75 price point is unrealistic, but if it's below $200, I would expect the device to sell quite well.

]]> Preston http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030038 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030038 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 12:35:29 -0800 Comment by Fnarf That's the problem with OLPC: It doesn't actually exist. Nick Negroponte is totally full of shit. He can't deliver ANY of his pie-in-the-sky brainclouds -- never has, never will.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030043 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030043 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 12:36:50 -0800 Comment by mattymatt A neat idea if they can ever pull it off. OLPC's track record is not exactly encouraging.

]]> mattymatt http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030053 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030053 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 12:39:55 -0800 Comment by cmaceachen @3, you're right, i misspoke regarding the price of the current OLPC. However, I still don't see this as a viable notebook or e-reader. Typing for any meaningful amount of time would require an external keyboard and battery life wouldn't allow it to be a useful e-reader.

]]> cmaceachen http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030077 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030077 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 12:54:48 -0800 Comment by Bellevue Ave Asus isn't bankrupt yet?

]]> Bellevue Ave http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030095 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030095 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 13:07:07 -0800 Comment by The CHZA E-readers are never going to catch on. Books are supposed to be things, not files.

]]> The CHZA http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030103 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030103 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 13:11:41 -0800 Comment by asus owner I got my eee for $295 with a Linux OS pre-installed. That pc pictured looks pretty cool though.

]]> asus owner http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030104 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030104 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 13:12:12 -0800 Comment by Anon I believe any e-reader that uses E-ink such as the Amazon Kindle or Sony Reader feels pretty good to my eyes. No refresh rate flicker, just etch-a-sketch style solid grey/black.

]]> Anon http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030148 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030148 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 13:39:06 -0800 Comment by cmaceachen @10. e-ink is currently the only viable e-reader solution because it only uses power when changing pages, and is often rated at 1000's of page changes per charge (as opposed to 2-6 hours for most notebooks). You're right, it also looks pretty good.
@8. If I could get non-DRM e-books at lower price than a physical book, I'd switch immediately. Given that most people don't seem to mind DRM, I think we'll see a decent surge in e-book sales in the next 5 years. It used to be that people wanted physical media when they bought music. Now mp3s are huge.

]]> cmaceachen http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030161 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030161 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 13:50:55 -0800 Comment by mattro2.0 Asus Eee, it comes with Linux. Just tried Linux for the first time a few weeks ago (ubuntu.com), gotta say, not going back to the old boys. Bye bye windows, nice knowing you osx.

]]> mattro2.0 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030295 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030295 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 15:27:01 -0800 Comment by Shawn Fassett Negroponte...as in the younger brother of John Negroponte. Just fucking great.

]]> Shawn Fassett http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030329 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030329 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 15:58:54 -0800 Comment by celyn I've found that I really like reading ebooks on my Tablet PC. Unlike a regular laptop which is a pain to balance, I can hold the tablet like I would a pad of paper. I can read at night without having to have a lamp on keeping anyone else awake, and the last time I flew cross-country I fit 1500 pages of text in an inch of space in my bag.

]]> celyn http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030503 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/is_this_the_ebook_were_waiting_for#c1030503 Books Thu, 22 May 2008 20:32:52 -0800