iRex Digital Reader 1000S gets the hands on treatment

iRex's Digital Reader 1000S didn't exactly do a whole lot to distinguish itself when it debuted alongside its two other 1000 series counterparts a few months back but, judging from Engadget Chinese's hands-on of the unit, it seems to at least hold its own against your average e-book reader, even if it may not be able to justify its premium price tag ($749). On the upside the 10.2-inch, 160 dpi display appears to deliver as expected, with it provided a fairly comfortable reading experience, although some small text may have you reaching for the zoom function. Unfortunately, the device as a whole seems to be a tad on the sluggish side, and there is that small matter of the price, which puts the iRex well above the likes of the Kindle and some other upstart e-book readers. Still undecided? Hit up the link below for a closer look.

[Shinigami @ Jan 1st 2009 2:08PM]

IMO it will have to repeat the fate of other overpriced products - large price-cuts. With half of its price it would make sense to look at this device, with 1/4 price I'd definitely get it. With current price it is just not worth spending time on, IMO.

[benny @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:30PM]

Overpriced ?! There is nothing to compare it with.
It's funny how people never question the price of 19" LCD screens compared to that of 15" screens but do object when 10"2 inch E-ink readers cost more (to make and thus sell) than 6" screens...

So spend 600Euro on an iPhone then :-)

[Inane_Asylum @ Jan 1st 2009 2:11PM]

I dream of the day when companies stop slapping a lowercase I on the front of their products to fit in...

[Dani Reader @ Jan 1st 2009 2:46PM]

I dream of the day people stop giving such a crap about a product/company name, since, you know, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

[Inane_Asylum @ Jan 1st 2009 3:16PM]

Dani:

You know, that's funny, because I always figured if I had a company, and named it "Shoddy Technologies" and released my line of products called "CrapPods," I wouldn't be very successful in the industry.

If names don't mean anything, then why is everyone plastering an "i" before their product's name now that iPods are extremely popular?

[weg @ Jan 1st 2009 2:12PM]

I don't really understand what they are saying about the battery life of the device:

"Other problems, such as not supporting any of the standby and sleep mode, allowing the use of battery Many times, is really a lot! Finally, the charge is."

??? Can somebody provide a proper translation?

[Richard @ Jan 1st 2009 2:41PM]

All these new ebook readers probably don't work as well as my old HP tc1100. It has a regular screen so I can read in the dark with Stanza or Mobipocket. I can configure everything on it and get to the Internet. It might be obsolete as a laptop/tablet but it kills as a ebook/internet device. Pick one up on ebay for $300. HP needs to make an updated version with the same form factor.

[Dani Reader @ Jan 1st 2009 2:45PM]

I don't speak babelfish translations, but my guess will be that you'll get between 6 and 8 thousand page turns before it gives up and has to be charged. That's pretty much the stanard for ebook readers right now

[gonintendo @ Jan 1st 2009 3:03PM]

I've actually got my eyes on that same tablet. how is it speed wise? the most I'd do on it is play videos and use Firefox.

[roach @ Jan 1st 2009 3:27PM]

@Richard
I hear your pain. I'm also a TC1100 user (and 3 other friends) for 4 years now and I'm dieing for HP to update it so I can purchase another one. If HP only knew it "had" a goldmine design. From what I heard because it didn't too good in the business world, they think the design is a failure...that place is run by bunch of business minded idiots. It's the perfect design for artist, students and everyday use. Luckily I upgrade my HD to 7200 speed, bump memory to 1.5 and added Vista (which runs awesome) so I should be able to get another 3 years out of this machine. My keyboard is dead so I'm all pen input, but if the whole thing dies...looks like my money is going to some chap from eBay for another TC1100.

[Plothole @ Jan 1st 2009 7:20PM]

One major reason why ebook readers like the Kindle and Sony Reader get such long battery lives is because the the hardware goes into an extremely low powered state when not refreshing. They can do this since eInk is bistable, meaning that it doesn't need a constant data signal or power supply to retain the image.

For whatever reason iRex devices aren't designed this way. As a result the battery life tends to be lacking comparatively.

[RichardBronosky @ Jan 1st 2009 7:50PM]

I got confused on the first sentence: "do a whole a to to" WTF? Was this story so time sensitive that they couldn't afford to proofread?

[nicholaelaw @ Jan 1st 2009 9:53PM]

What the reviewer really said: this damn thing has many problems, such as there's no standby or sleep mode/functions and as a result the battery life is very short, VERY. Finally, there's the charging problem. This device is said to sip 150mAh per hour, it won't charge when connected to my laptop until I disconnect everything else. This most likely requires a firmware update.

[Mike10010100 @ Jan 1st 2009 2:38PM]

I'm happy with my Kindle right now. If anything, I'll be waiting anxiously for the Plastic Logic e-reader. That's going to be interesting.

[Game_playa @ Jan 1st 2009 3:41PM]

Why even bother when there are much better Sony Ebook readers and the Kindle for half the price?
I mean c'mon, No one who knows about the Kindle or Sony Readers will buy this

[dennis @ Jan 1st 2009 3:54PM]

I love this translation towards the end:

"Because of the screen or only to A5 size, would like to completely replace the paper to read and write above, a bit reluctantly, and unless you can use the stylus to write the word ants.:

[gonintendo @ Jan 1st 2009 4:58PM]

Damn it Dennis, you made me shoot water though my nose.

[cointreau @ Jan 1st 2009 8:13PM]

I like the idea of the stylus allowing one to write on the screen.... if that's what this means. It would def be worth the extra cash if you could use it as a notebook, throw in script to text and I'm all over this thing (or any device that does it) like flies on stink!

[Pau| Chapel @ Jan 1st 2009 4:45PM]

I'm guessing no color e-ink screen yet?

[Plothole @ Jan 1st 2009 7:30PM]

Nope. The eInk corp. would make an announcement of a color version of their technology entering production before we actually saw it in any device. And without a doubt that's still a ways off.

[esporenthead @ Jan 1st 2009 8:05PM]

it looks like the old apple messagepad

[Cargo Jack @ Jan 1st 2009 9:23PM]

Amazon American, Kindle good.
iRiver French.

[Riverhead @ Jan 1st 2009 11:40PM]

WTF are you smoking? Seriously.

[Plothole @ Jan 1st 2009 11:48PM]

Rehearsing for the role of Tarzan are we?

[weg @ Jan 2nd 2009 7:07AM]

iRiver South-Korean, not same company iRex, Dutch.
Cargo Jack (probably) American, no clue about geography; grammar, not good.

[baobab77 @ Jan 3rd 2009 12:36PM]

Actually this isn't $750 anymore. iRex raised the price to $859 today. Overpriced before, insanely-overpriced now.