Posted on 11/3/2009, 10:49:20 PM by Ernest_at_the_Beach
2010 is supposed to be the year of many things. I’ve heard it called the year of Android and more recently, the year of the ebook reader.
I used to read a lot when I was a kid at the behest of my parents. My mom always tried to enforce a balance between video games and books. That unfortunately stopped as AnandTech took off. Most of my recreational reading turned into trying to understand datasheets or reading other reviews, the rest of the time was spent writing.
My first and only ebook reader was Amazon’s Kindle 2, and while it didn’t reinvigorate my passion for reading, it did a lot better than expected.**************************************snip*********************************
A couple of weeks ago Marvell announced its ARMADA line of ARM-based SoCs, among them was the ARMADA 166E. Based on Marvell’s PJ1 ARM CPU core, the 166E is designed for applications with low performance requirements like digital photo frames and ebook readers. The 166E is also the world’s first application processor with an integrated EPD controller. Not only does the integrated EPD controller reduce board size (you integrate one more controller), but it also reduces cost: you don’t need another package with an integrated NAND flash and you don’t need another DRAM.
(Excerpt) Read more at anandtech.com ...
Marvell's ARMADA: Custom Designed ARM SoCs Break 1GHz
*******************************EXCERPT********************************
Marvell is introducing a fleet of new SoCs (system on a chip) and the brand is called ARMADA. Get it?
Marvell is introducing four series of ARMADA and their target markets are below:
| SoC | Market |
| ARMADA 100 Series | eBook Readers, digital photo frames, portable NAV devices, etc... |
| ARMADA 500 Series | MIDs, netbooks |
| ARMADA 600 Series | Smartphones, MIDs |
| ARMADA 1000 Series | Blu-ray players, TVs, set-top boxes |
These are SoCs so they’ve got CPU, GPU, I/O and networking all included on a single chip. The entire ARMADA line is built on TSMC’s 55nm process. The 100 is super low performance, useful in eBook readers, digital photo frames, IP cameras, etc... The 1000 is a multi-core version of the 100 with additional blocks designed for Blu-ray players, digital TVs and HD set-top boxes.
fyi
The Technology wave continues....
Making circuits small has some amazing paybacks in new kinds of devices.
Even so, I still don’t think we’ll see e-ink based e-readers drop below MSRP $199 before 2011. Even with the decreasing cost of processors and e-ink displays, manufacturers keep adding other things like touch screens and wifi.
With that written, I love nothing more than to have a real book in my hands as I read. Just like I love having a real newspaper in my hands and a cup of coffee in the morning.
Maybe I am just too old but I really enjoy that “comfortable” feel of the book/paper in my hands as I read.
mark
I saw Sony’s e-reader at Walmart recently.... anyone know if it is any good?
It’s something I would never buy for myself, but would love to have (an e-reader).
I was tempted by the Kindle 2, until I researched the options. There is a free portable solution, if you have the proper toys.
One of the best kept secrets, on this subject, is that if you have an Ipod Touch, or Iphone, there is a free application, called Stanza, that gives you access to purchase ebooks. It’s available at the Apple Store (free).
Even more desirable it gives you the ability to download a whole slew of Gutenberg texts. Did I mention that these are free? Personally, I find the ability to access the Gutenberg Project texts to be more desirable than the contemporary (paid) texts.
Lots of titles to choose from. It could be as high as 25,000. Just looking at my current reads on the Touch I see, “Anthem”, “Moby Dick”, “Just So Stories”, “Relativity”, “The Autobiography of Ben Franklin”, “The Basis of Early Christian Theism”, “The Federalist Papers, “The Illiad”, “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson”, “The US Bill of Rights”.
Well, that’s just the stuff I’ve read over the last week, all free. This free app is going to save me a fortune in library fines!
Plus, it's a lot faster/easier to pop in a book marker and close the book at the end of a chapter than it is to exit and shutdown a Kindle, I'll wager.
Now that is informative....thanks.
My husband bought me a Kindle when they first came out. It cost about $400. I loved it. We travel a lot and I have it filled with all sorts of books that I have downloaded from Amazon and books that I got off other websites that have free books. I have expanded the types of books I read. When I travel, I put my Kindle into my purse and have hundreds of of thick books at the ready. I even have a dictionary and a Bible. Also, I can get on the web, (limited) and check out freerepublic and wikipidia, google etc. It is not as good as a computer, but it is great on a trip. I now have the Kindle 2 and he has my old one. We share books.
I like it so much that I find that when I read a book in bed, the book is always closing on me. I’m a gal and love to read the Kindle hands free while I blow my hair dry or do some other task hands free. I also like being able to make the font larger at night when my eyes get tired. I could go on and on. I can’t imagine being without my Kindle.
Speaking of the dictionary, when I come across a word I don’t know, I just “highlight” it and there is the definition right there. Reminds me of when we got our TIVO. I didn’t miss it until I got it. It changed the way we watched television.
One more thing, I can do a word find and search through the book I am reading, the dictionary, wikipedia and google to get information. How great is that?!
When I finish a chapter on my Kindle, I put it down and it hibernates. I rarely turn it off. The battery lasts for weeks. When I open it, I can go to any of the books I have been reading and it opens to the last place I was reading in that book. I don’t need bookmarks, but I can bookmark any page I want and then find those pages later.
I download Gutenberg to my Kindle and also use freebooks.com
I felt like you about books. When we moved down here it took the biggest Mayflower van to move my library,,we had a two story library at our former house.
So I got a sony ereader then a kindlel and I love it better than any toy I ever had. I carry it in my purse loaded with books, the London Times, mags and read non stop. I hate to read paper books now and am giving my library away slowly.
I still collect certain books but the kindle 2 is the best tech I have every had in my life.
Get it and you won’t have a single regret, it takes five minutes to get used to it and best of all you can change the size of the font as your eyes tire. I love it more than anything and read non stop. Going away, no longer do I have half a suitcase full of books.
I loved the elegance of the sony but the sony site is crap. The kindle 2 is far better but there is a new sony coming soon.
I like the wireless downloading wherever I am. ANd you can get free pirated books on a couple of sites I go to. One has a great library and if you pay them like 80 bucks all the books are formatted for kindle.
Hubby can format any book for either kindle or sony. I leave the sony in Maryland and it is full of classics, all free from sony. But I don’t buy many books.
And newspapers are good for kindle, not for sony.
You said everything I feel about my kindle!! I love it, love it.
I droppped it in the bathtub and it survived!
Based on Marvell’s PJ1 ARM CPU core, the 166E is designed for applications with low performance requirements like digital photo frames and ebook readers. The 166E is also the world’s first application processor with an integrated EPD controller.Oh, Marvell... heh... I thought it was "Marvel" as in the comic books, and thought, ZOWIE, great idea! Thanks Ernest.
I wondered about that. So the Kindle is able to access Gutenberg from an open wireless network? If it could do that, it would make it very desirable. That makes any of these boxes so very useful. It sounds like the Kindle is the best of the batch (not trying to step on any toes here).
I am so tempted about the Kindle after using the Ipod Touch. Though the touch is handier (at least smaller), I think I see a Kindle in my future. I've heard the new Kindle is pretty nice, but I'm hazy as to how much better and why.
Thank you for your commentary. Since I will be doing a little bit of traveling over the next six months, the Kindle might be able to find room in my carry on. Is it sturdy?
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