Entourage eDGe Dual-Screen Reader on Video
There may be e-book readers showing up all over the place but the Entourage eDGe has more mojo than most. This reader has two screens, one e-Ink for reading books and the other LCD for working in Android. I’m not sure how heavy this thing will be, and that will affect how easy it is to carry around, but it is an interesting concept.
The eDGe will be released early next year, but we don’t have to wait to get a glimpse of it in action. Our friends at Netbook News got to spend a few minutes with the eDGe, and have shared that experience on video. It’s a good look at what might end up being the most useful e-book reader. The video shows it sporting what seems to be a full build of Android, and that could make this a true multi-purpose device.
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Looks interesting, and thick haha. Certainly is a cool concept, and with some polish (like getting the touchscreen to actually work) could be on my “DO WANT” list…
The thinner one looks pretty nice. The main one that they showed though is too clunky, I think.
Who is going to get this tablet thing right first? Apple? I hope not considering it will probably cost a pretty penny for an Apple tablet.
I have been in dual screen tablet lust since Gizmodo posted about the infamous Microsoft Courier a couple of months ago. That is what I want. Something like that would be absolutely perfect and compelling for students like me! This thing is getting there, but not really there… know what I mean?
Nice to see this device continuing to move forward. It’s the device I’m most excited about right now. Still, there’s some things I would improve on it, if I was Entourage:
1) right next to the USB ports (toward the volume control buttons), I’d put a DVI-I output (for use with exporting the LCD display). Probably too late, in their build cycle, for that modification, though. But, DVI-I gives the most flexibility (adapters exist for DVI-I to VGA, SD TV, and HDMI). So, you’d be able to use it to control the widest range of external displays and projectors. I’d also want it to support external resolutions for displays that are 640×480 (for SD TV and VGA monitors/projectors), 800×480 or 854×480 (HD TV 480p), 800×600 (for SVGA monitors/projectors), 1024×600, 1024×768 (letter boxed 1024×600, for XGA monitors/projectors), and if they were able to follow what I say below in #4, also 1280×720 (HD TV) or 1280×800, and 1280×1024 (letter boxed 1280×720 or 1280×800, for non-widescreen monitors/projectors).
2) the Android x86 project, and Acer’s Android netbook, have a build of Firefox for Android. I’d include that browser (in addition to the Android browser).
3) In the video, the prototype has a joystick nub (where the reference design does not). I hate that type of joystick nub (Nokia phones from a generation or two ago (E62) had them, they were awful compared to the dpads they started to use instead). I’d put a dpad on both sides (the reference unit appears to have a well for a trackball on the android side — I don’t like trackballs, either).
4) Probably way too late for this … but I’d use PixelQi hybrid LCD/e-paper displays, instead of 1 LCD and 1 e-paper. Both 10″, 1280×720 or 1280×800. I’d also use a touch-screen on both sides, with a touch-screen friendly stylus (they exist — the Nokia N800 and N810 had stylus friendly touch screens, and I’ve even found a stylus that works with an iPod Touch).
5) they talk about SD cards on their web site, but don’t appear to have an actual SD card slot. So I assume they mean that you have to use a USB SD card reader. I’d include a SD card slot in the device (between the volume control, and my proposed DVI-I display port).
6) they mention not having a DVD reader built in. Hopefully it will work with USB DVD/CD devices (so you can play those DVDs and CDs directly). Not a big deal if it can’t, but I’d make the effort to get it working if it’s not too extensive.
The current Entourage eDGe isn’t yet my ideal, but it’s the closest thing that has a near-term release date (the Moto AMP 10 might be closer to my ideal, but it’s 2 years away … and that’s assuming they find a company to buy their reference design). And, those above changes, would just about make it perfect, in my mind.
If the eDGe sells, I’d also make a “lite” unit that only has one PixelQi screen (with the other panel being replaced by a thinner aluminum screen protector cover, so it still looks like 2 panels). But, I’d probably still buy the 2 panel version :-)
Another idea, if they’re able to make multiple models, is a 6″ or 7″ single panel version might put them into a product space for competing with 7″ android tablets and 6″ e-readers (for those people who don’t want something bigger than that — as opposed to myself, who only wants a 9″ or 10″ design).
Definitely agree with items 1-3. (Could you even close the case with that joystick? I think it’d be difficult.) The Amazon Kindle has its SD card slot inside the battery cover, so maybe that’s where Entourage has hidden one. It’d be less convenient than an external slot on the case, but it surely beats not having one at all.
If not, then you could probably get one of those little microSDHC card readers that fit INSIDE the USB plug. It’ll consume one of the two USB slots, but at least you get user storage expansion :-}
I’d prefer a real (and full size) SDHC card though…
There’s a more functional walkthrough up now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MzLx0HJPlI. It also looks at the available ports on the production version, which *does* have an externally-accessible SD card slot (see @ 3:20).
Oh. The other thing they should do:
License the swype technology from swypeinc.com … that would be a great way to do text input on this thing.