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Open-source, DRM-free Kindle alternative

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Re: Open-source, DRM-free Kindle alternative

#91

Post by int_19h »

criddell wrote: post #34
cherioo wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

None of those appears to be Android, which IMO makes them have less utility value. There's definitely pros and cons though, and one should research which is right for them.

Android sucks on tablets. I had a Nexus 7 which is probably the last and only decent Android tablet. I know the Remarkable has some third party software for it because it's running a version of Linux. The others probably do as well.

Huawei M5 8.4" is an excellent Android tablet very much in the spirit of Nexus 7 (but with better screen and other hardware).

Re: Open-source, DRM-free Kindle alternative

#92

Post by int_19h »

cherioo wrote: post #5
Wowfunhappy wrote: post #3

I want an e-ink web browsing tablet. I want to be able to go to nytimes.com, or Vox, or Hacker News, and read the articles and comment threads on a high-contrast screen that doesn't hurt my eyes. I don't want to use some read-later service that sends specific articles to my e-reader, I want to just navigate to the sites directly. There would be trade-offs for sure, but it seems like the benefits would outweigh the do…

Those exists now, in the form of eink Android phone/tablet. The refresh rate of eink makes their experience suboptimal, but some find it usable enough. You can search for Boox tablet, or Hisense A5 phone.

Also Kingrow K1, although I'm not sure they're available for sale anywhere yet - I got mine from the crowdfunding campaign. It makes for a very convenient eInk reader with the corresponding apps installed (and it comes with Kindle out of the box).

Unfortunately, there's no Google Play Store on it. But that doesn't preclude web browsing with Chromium or Firefox.

Re: Open-source, DRM-free Kindle alternative

#93

Post by int_19h »

mmm_grayons wrote: post #49
Wowfunhappy wrote: post #3

I want an e-ink web browsing tablet. I want to be able to go to nytimes.com, or Vox, or Hacker News, and read the articles and comment threads on a high-contrast screen that doesn't hurt my eyes. I don't want to use some read-later service that sends specific articles to my e-reader, I want to just navigate to the sites directly. There would be trade-offs for sure, but it seems like the benefits would outweigh the do…

I've tried it a few times on my kindle, and it sounds like a nice things to have. However, the screen's refresh rate is crazy low. I'm guessing that can be improved, but that would likely come with a battery life hit. More importantly, good luck scrolling on a webpage where it takes you a second to see how far you've scrolled. Same issue were you to respond to a comment: typing with that sort of latency is absolutely…

Just as you've said, it's a battery life / refresh rate trade-off. Dasung makes some e-ink tablets and external displays that have a dedicated hardware button to switch between various modes - in "fast mode", it's good enough to type text and use the mouse. But, of course, don't expect anything like Kindle battery life.

Re: Open-source, DRM-free Kindle alternative

#94

Post by Jaruzel »

kelnos wrote: post #52
GekkePrutser wrote: post #20

This isn't really equivalent to a kindle though. The fonts are basic, there's no enclosure. Fonts are a huge thing for eReaders and Amazon has spent a lot of time perfecting them. It's also important to remember that it's perfectly possible to use the Kindle without DRM. You can just put your own books on it with a cable, though you'll have to convert them to MOBI as it doesn't do ePub. The same can be done with othe…

The other issue I have with the enclosure is it looks like the page-turn buttons are in the center on the bottom. Who would ever feel comfortable holding the thing like that? The buttons should be on the sides, and not at the bottom. Regardless, though, it's a really cool project and I could see it morphing into something just as good or better than a commercial e-reader after a few iterations.

> The buttons should be on the sides.

Both sides please. the 10% of the population that are left handers will thank you.

Re: Open-source, DRM-free Kindle alternative

#95

Post by profsnuggles »

eldelshell wrote: post #6
Wowfunhappy wrote: post #3

I want an e-ink web browsing tablet. I want to be able to go to nytimes.com, or Vox, or Hacker News, and read the articles and comment threads on a high-contrast screen that doesn't hurt my eyes. I don't want to use some read-later service that sends specific articles to my e-reader, I want to just navigate to the sites directly. There would be trade-offs for sure, but it seems like the benefits would outweigh the do…

I really wanted the Pixel Qi to release something and succeed but they are gone now.

Same here. Every once in a while I look at the OLPC sitting in my closet and wish I had the electronics knowledge to be able to hook the screen up to a raspberry pi.

Re: Open-source, DRM-free Kindle alternative

#96

Post by wegs »

bittercynic wrote: post #55
wegs wrote: post #46

I'd buy one if: 1) It was prebuilt, plug-and-play. 2) It comes as a kit. I can do it as a project with my kid. Once assembled, it's as above. Kit is consumer-friendly. Digikey parts list and PCB is a little over my laziness tolerance. People confuse free-as-in-freedom with free-as-in-not-making-a-profit. I've done free-as-in-freedom businesses, successfully. I wish others did too. A lot of manufacturers underestimate…

Digikey parts list + pcb can be a reasonably convenient way to put your own kit together - you can upload a csv to digikey and have them fill your shopping cart automatically, and it works pretty well. They even suggest alternatives like if your list had 8x an item, but it is actually cheaper to buy 10x the item it will suggest that.

One big difference is that if I order a parts list and PCB based on your web site, if you've made an error or have a part missing, I'm stuck debugging. If you're putting together a kit, you've (presumably) gone through and made sure it's all there and all works together. That includes the auxiliary stuff, like firmware, or having a case.

Another big difference is if I place three orders, and one comes up out-of-stuck or delayed by months, I get stuck with a useless 2/3 of a kit. I can't return the useless 2/3, since those vendors didn't mess up. If you're selling me a kit, you're doing logistics for me.

Even with things with standard parts, like putting a computer or bicycle together from standardized parts, I've had issues. With DIY, this thing can explode.

Re: Open-source, DRM-free Kindle alternative

#97

Post by skyfaller »

jonahbenton wrote: post #74
skyfaller wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you sure it's accurate to say the Remarkable uses open source software? Their website says it runs on "Codex — A purposely designed Linux-based operating system for low-latency digital paper displays", so at least the Linux kernel is open source, but look at their EULA: https://support.remarkable.com/hc/en-us/articles/36000028275... "You are not entitled to modify or distribute the Software." Doesn't sound like o…

I take the point, but two responses- 1) in practical terms, what you get is essentially an open, hackable platform. The CTO is a former KDE dev, you get root on the device, much of the product is being developed in the open- https://github.com/reMarkable And there are recipes for getting UI and background components running on the device. I have not done this, but do use the API in my own workflow to get content on t…

Thanks for the link, the Github repos greatly strengthen your case that we should consider this to be using open source software.

I'd just like to say that I searched their website and wasn't able to find any link to these repos. I think that open source is something that should be touted as a feature, not something hidden in shame. Perhaps their target audience doesn't care about source code, but would it kill them to mention it somewhere?

In short, I think one factor in deciding whether a product is open source is whether it is advertised as open source (and has the repos to back that up). It's harder to get collaborators and benefit from open source if nobody knows that the source code has been published.

Re: Open-source, DRM-free Kindle alternative

#98

Post by skyfaller »

jonahbenton wrote: post #74
skyfaller wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you sure it's accurate to say the Remarkable uses open source software? Their website says it runs on "Codex — A purposely designed Linux-based operating system for low-latency digital paper displays", so at least the Linux kernel is open source, but look at their EULA: https://support.remarkable.com/hc/en-us/articles/36000028275... "You are not entitled to modify or distribute the Software." Doesn't sound like o…

I take the point, but two responses- 1) in practical terms, what you get is essentially an open, hackable platform. The CTO is a former KDE dev, you get root on the device, much of the product is being developed in the open- https://github.com/reMarkable And there are recipes for getting UI and background components running on the device. I have not done this, but do use the API in my own workflow to get content on t…

I'd also like to push back on your cynicism about open hardware products. I must admit that history is full of open hardware failures, like the adorable Chumby (what went wrong?), but times have changed and I think you will find that the open hardware is building significant momentum today, I'd encourage you to take another look.

The purchase that turned me into an open hardware evangelist was the Planck EZ mechanical keyboard: https://ergodox-ez.com/pages/planck

It's a joy to use. The layers feature of the open QMK firmware blew my mind and changed how I think about typing. The keyswitches take seconds to replace so it's extremely easy to repair/maintain, which is great for the planet. It's tiny and portable, which was perfect for my needs before the pandemic hit and I stopped going outside. And perhaps most importantly, the company seems pretty successful, they seem to be a competent business that is in it for the long haul.

I am also very impressed with my Pinebook Pro: https://www.pine64.org/pinebook-pro/ The year of the Linux desktop may never come, but this shockingly cost-effective open hardware laptop convinced me to quit Apple products after a decade of loyalty. For my needs, which are mostly browsing the web, editing code, and SSH-ing into servers, it's good enough for like 1/10 of the price. I'll grant you that Pine64 is more of a hobbyist project than a business, but it seems extremely successful on its own terms and seems sustainable despite selling stuff basically at-cost.

I've now ordered a System76 Thelio desktop, also open hardware (although closer to Apple prices, performance costs money I guess). https://system76.com/desktops

I don't say all of this to suggest that Remarkable is bad, it seems pretty good. I'm just saying that it can be better on open source software and hardware, without it hurting the business or the product. It might even help.

Re: Open-source, DRM-free Kindle alternative

#99

Post by criddell »

coverband wrote: post #37
criddell wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Android sucks on tablets. I had a Nexus 7 which is probably the last and only decent Android tablet. I know the Remarkable has some third party software for it because it's running a version of Linux. The others probably do as well.

I used to think so too, until I tried and bought one of the recent Samsung Tabs. Excellent experience on par with iPad.

Sure, the hardware is great. Depending on what you do, it's the software that is miles behind. The Android app situation is worse to begin with and Android developers pay almost no attention to big screen tablets because so few people have them. The app situation on the iPad isn't amazing, but it is better. I think Procreate alone is responsible for a lot of iPad sales.

Plus Android tablets are deceptively expensive. They aren't going to receive updates for as long as the iPad and when you sell it, the resale value is as good.

Re: Open-source, DRM-free Kindle alternative

#100

Post by Brian_K_White »

wegs wrote: post #96
bittercynic wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Digikey parts list + pcb can be a reasonably convenient way to put your own kit together - you can upload a csv to digikey and have them fill your shopping cart automatically, and it works pretty well. They even suggest alternatives like if your list had 8x an item, but it is actually cheaper to buy 10x the item it will suggest that.

One big difference is that if I order a parts list and PCB based on your web site, if you've made an error or have a part missing, I'm stuck debugging. If you're putting together a kit, you've (presumably) gone through and made sure it's all there and all works together. That includes the auxiliary stuff, like firmware, or having a case. Another big difference is if I place three orders, and one comes up out-of-stuck…

As someone who has several pcb + digikey projects, I don't buy this.

It's literally 2 clicks instead of one click. 3 clicks to add the 3d-printed part fromShapeways.

It IS already exactly, a kit. You get a box in the mail that has everything in it, it just says DigiKey on the box instead of mydumbproject.org

That's 3 fully pre-loaded urls all together in one spot. No uploading a csv. Just click the link and up pops a pre-loaded shopping cart. If anything is out of stock, you see that before buying not after they ship 1/2 of it.

I'm exactly the same amount likely to "forget to include some parts" in my painstakingly crafted digikey cart as in any kit. It takes days sometimes to hunt down and figure out just what all should go in the cart because there are 500 versions of everything. You don't do that much work to leave things out.

I want to share my efforts for whoever wants it, or just for reference, not run a mail order business. I have a day job. The stuff is free, the knowledge and directions are written up into a followable recipe, in a wiki and github which I don't even have to be the only one who can improve over time, and you only have to pay the actual material suppliers, and fill out 3 order forms instead of one. And when I lose interest or die, it's all still there without me to keep providing it.

If you think it makes so much sense to provide that last little bit of service, and charge for it, feel free to start up and run that business. You can take all my stuff and produce and sell those kits. I bet you have no interest in that though because you have better things to do. Yeah, me too, and this ereader guy too. If you want anything more, you want a Kobo or any of the other 50 rootable no-names. Those already exist. You don't need this or a kit version of this for that.

Figuring out what all to put in that digikey cart was the 900x hard part, but clicking 2 links instead of one is just over your laziness threshhold? OK.

You have to buy the pcb from a different link? Well you have to buy batteries from somewhere else even for a complete finished product let alone a kit, and a protective cover, and a memory card, and a car charger, and headphones, any number of extra bits like that. The book reader didn't already come with the books I hate to surprise you with that outrageous ommission. This argument just doesn't wash on so many levels.

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