New Librie-style machine from China: E Ink and up to G of plug-in memory from SD/MMC card
A Librie-type machine is coming out–from Tianjin Jinke Electronics Company–complete with a six-inch screen with E-Ink technology. That should mean low power consumption and screen visibility in strong sunlight.
The Tianjin e-book device, which includes a Librie-type fold out cover, could be a harbinger for $150 Librie clones, especially since E-Ink is releasing a display kit for developers. Besides having 64M storage inside, this baby supports SD/MMC memory cards up to a gig rather than confining you to Sony-blessed memory sticks. Plus, the Model V8 in the “Hanlin eBook” series reads TXT, HTML, PDF, DOC, PPT and even Excel. Size is 194mm(L) by 133.6mm (w) by 13.4mm (H). Oh, and notice the subscreen in the photo? Is there interaction via a stylus? I’m just hoping that the screen contrast is better than the Librie–and that we’ll soon see an affordable and reliable U.S. version with an English-language OS!
More photos
Via just-received photos you can see a front shot, another front shot, a cover shot and a side shot. I won’t shrink the photographs, so you can enjoy all the details. Big thanks–for the information and the forwarded photos–to Vladimir Levchenko at LBook and MUK’s Department of Mobile Computers in the Ukraine.
Along with OpenReader‘s alliance with OSoft, this potentially could be catnip for the global e-book industry.
About the company behind the machine–and U.S. stupidity
Maker of the machine is Tianjin Jinke, a Hong Kong-based company. See? Told you China is becoming E-Book Central, assuming it isn’t that already. Hats off to the Chinese for being more visionary than we Yanks have been. Remember, E Ink originated here in the States, but the Fortune 500 and U.S. pols so far have blown it. I wouldn’t be surprised if zillions of Tianjin machines or the equivalents from another company appeared in Chinese schools and libraries. Something to think about in the States, where some of our textbooks are decades old. Talk about national priorities!
Translation help: Can one of TeleRead’s Chinese-speaking readers translate what’s on the screen in the photo below?
Update, 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Washington, D.C., time: The vision for the Tianjin machines goes back a way. See old People’s Daily clip from 2002. I’d love to find out the extent to which E-Ink has relied on Chinese research. A big lesson could be that no single country has a monopoly on the enabling technology and that it will advance faster through open exchanges of knowledge. What is frustrating is the backwardness of American policymakers in understanding the technology’s importance. Not to mention American cutbacks in R&D that will pave the way for future technologies such as E-Ink. (Thanks to “Infosquawk” for the pointer to the old clip.)
In other hardware news: New miniature Windows PC model from OQO, via BobR at MobileRead.
September 27th, 2005 at 10:35 am
Is this reader an update of this?:
http://english.people.com.cn/english/200010/17/eng20001017_52846.html
September 27th, 2005 at 12:08 pm
More evidence the Chinese will rule the world.
Nokia doesn’t have to worry about Microsoft trying to steal their Internet Tablet. It’s China that’s the threat.
Japanese I could pick up. Chinese — about the only sound I can make out is “schway.” My tongue can never make those maneuvers…
September 27th, 2005 at 12:19 pm
aww man so a libre that can actually read ebooks? What type of genuis decided to release this… damn… i can drive to shanghai to pick one of these ups at this rate. here’s hoping it hits korea next week or so so I can finally have a decent portable ebook reader.
peace,
a
September 27th, 2005 at 2:52 pm
My questions:
1)how big are the ebook binaries?
2)does it read HTML files? Or does it provide a conversion program for their ebook program for the HTML/txt?
3)I’d really like to know about the price they are trying for? I wouldn’t surprise if the price for the English version is significantly higher.
I remember with Zaurus they took a long time making a English language version. Americans are going to have to face the fact sometime that cutting edge devices are no longer going to come out initially in English.
I look forward to a hands on review, David.
September 27th, 2005 at 2:59 pm
This looks pretty cool (as does the e-ink developer kit).
I don’t think those are truly photos of the unit but rather computer generated design drawings. Take a good look at one of the philips-head screws in the cover image.
September 27th, 2005 at 3:20 pm
I’ve made the point before that the Chinese government would probably restrict devices that allow unrestricted ability to copy/distribute subversive content via SD memory or other sneakerware. In this current political climate, it is unrealistic to think a device like this could remain legal for very long in China. I’m not saying that centralized authentication or DRM will work either. But the flash memory reader might work only on an export-only product.
Look on the bright side. Maybe this product will be stay off the radar screen of the Communist Party for long enough for it to gain market share in the West.
September 27th, 2005 at 3:38 pm
Doug: Given that E-Ink is releasing developer’s kits, I don’t think the actual unit is that far off even if those are computer-created photos.
Robert: I totally agree with your concerns about freedom of expression. That said, despite the risks, there are powerful reasons for the Chinese government to popularize the device one way or another. The government can save a ton by using e- rather than p-books in schools. Let’s hope D.C. can learn here.
Thanks,
David
September 27th, 2005 at 5:57 pm
[...] Teleread preview look at a Chinese ebookreader. In other news, slashdot covers China’s censorship policies. [...]
September 27th, 2005 at 7:03 pm
Tianjin Jinke Electronics Company – website: looks like maximum is 128mb mmc card not 1gig !
September 27th, 2005 at 7:30 pm
Cutting-edge tech might not come out first in the US (or even the West; Sony has shown this, as have other Japanese companies) — but you can be sure it will be the US/West that buggers the hell out of that tech to strip out the stupid restrictions.
It’s already beginning to happen with the 2.0 PSP ROM! Up yours, Sony!
September 27th, 2005 at 9:30 pm
[...] A Librie for the rest of us Hong Kong-based Tianjin Jinke Electronics Co., LTD will be releasing their Sony Librie-like Hanlin V8 e-book reader. This device has a 6 inch 800X600 pixel E-Ink display just like the Librie, 64MB of internal memory, SD/MMC memory card expansion up to 1GB, a 254X96 auxiliary display, and supports TXT, HTML, PDF, DOC, PPT and Excel formats. No word yet on pricing, English language support, or availability. You can drool over more photos here. Considering the fact that the Sony Librie converted to English by Dynamism will currently set you back about $479 USD, an affordably priced V8 could be the first dedicated e-book reader for the masses with the exceptional readability E-Ink provides. While it remains to be seen whether or not dedicated e-book devices will appeal to mass markets or will be limited to education, libraries and e-book enthusiasts, a platform like the V8 will mean more devices that could create the incentive for publishers to offer their content in friendly, open, electronic formats. David Rothman at TeleRead has more details. [via TeleRead] __________________ Reading: Revolution in the Valley Listening: eBoys : The First Inside Account of Venture Capitalists at Work [...]
September 28th, 2005 at 1:25 am
Sweet, I want it.
September 28th, 2005 at 4:44 am
Howard: The site says, “SD/MMC card (Support 1G capability ).” As my post made clear, we’re talking about plug-in capacity.
Robert: Excellent questions. Hard to say if the HTML is built-in, but my guess is that it is. Can’t wait for a hands-on if one is possible.
Thanks,
David
September 28th, 2005 at 6:32 am
I don’t see why this device couldn’t be brought to market rather quickly. It shares a similar form factor and the same technology as the Sony Librie (minus the proprietary formats), which has been out in Japan for about a year.
The big question: Will it be exported in Japanese, English and other language versions?
If economies of scale come into play here, this could easily become a sub-$150 device as David suggests. Where can I pre-order a unit??
September 28th, 2005 at 7:37 am
Googling for Hanlin ebook conjures up more questions than it answers. The former lead software developer for Jinke is specialized in wireless sensor networks. Hanlin means Forrest of Pencils. Contrary to some comment Jinke and its ebook device seem to be chummy with the Chinese gubmint. And if anybody here does speak Chinese, please try and decode what the Shanghai library means by “Hanlin ebook can project people’s eyes“.
September 28th, 2005 at 11:32 am
FWIW, the E-Ink developer kit costs 3000 smackers, so not something you’ll order just to mod your own case around. Interestingly, an E-Ink engineer made a GNU/Linux based ebook/mp3-player that, IIRC, cost around 50 dollar to make. Perhaps that was without the E-Ink screen.
September 28th, 2005 at 12:07 pm
What makes this a darkhorse for school e-textbooks is that it obviates the internet-IM-email discipline issue that school administrators and teachers won’t be able to manage.
All you’ll get is something to read from, not use to create or research with.
September 28th, 2005 at 7:19 pm
It probably means “protect your eyes.” *Every* company operating in China is pitty-pat with the warlords — or else.
>>>All you’ll get is something to read from, not use to create or research with.
>snort
September 28th, 2005 at 7:22 pm
Oh you bloody commentware! You don’t *like* the “less than sign” in comments. Replicating…
*snort* You’ll change your tune when someone has hacked it to use a WiFi SD and cobbled together a browser for it. I didn’t know you were such a pessimist, Roger. Hasn’t what’s been done with the *PSP* taught you anything?
I can see jillions and jillions of these being bought by companies here to replace their paper/online (online as in desktop PC on corporate server) manuals. And if it evers allows input, your next parking ticket will be done on this.
What’s that I smell? Ah, the future!
September 28th, 2005 at 8:35 pm
Case closed!
PSP crackers break console ‘wide open’
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/28/psp_firmware_crack/
Read that, Roger, old bean.
September 28th, 2005 at 9:46 pm
[...] Hanlin V8 e-book reader Very similar to the Sony Librie, the Hanlin V8 e-book reader features a 6″ 800×600 pixel E-Ink display (just like the Librie’s), 64MB of internal memory, SD/MMC memory card expansion, and supports a number of different formats (TXT, HTML, DOC, PDF, Excel, PPT, and HTML). No word on pricing, availablity, or English language support. [...]
September 30th, 2005 at 8:33 am
Visited the Hanlin’s company site this morning and this evening, and I noticed something that piqued my interest: the image of the reader is now displaying the information on the mockup screen in English. Does this mean that they are going to be making this, and marketing it, in an English language format? Here’s hoping. And here’s hoping that I can get one here in Japan! I’d definitely take this over the Librie.
October 1st, 2005 at 11:58 am
Have you seen the Linux-based version (V2): http://www.jinke.com.cn/english/v2/index.asp ?
It’s also mentioned on the Contact Us page as having an SDK (for custom file formats): http://www.jinke.com.cn/v8/contactus.asp
October 2nd, 2005 at 10:42 pm
There is a huge amount of electronic text online that most people dont read because its too difficult. I never read Gutenberg texts because its too difficult on my eyes for any length of time. Same with long essays. I just buy the paper copies, its cheaper and easier than printing. An eReader would open up the world.
October 4th, 2005 at 5:14 am
I don’t think China producing some top notch e-book technology means they will rule the world. In any case, I think the world needs developments like this to be spread out across its four corners.
But back to the e-book – is there any indication of the length of battery life?
October 5th, 2005 at 2:14 pm
E-books reading will be much easier. Now I use mobile phone with smart java app. (made in Ukraine) and its very easy and comfortable. Same font size as on the paper just more pages. Huge selection of books, many languages…
October 18th, 2005 at 1:43 am
I got a Chinese teacher colleague of mine to tell me what’s on the screen: it is a famous Chinese romantic novel entitled ‘Dream of the Red Mansion’. At the bottom is a utility screen with five options: ‘Dictionary’ (currently in view), ‘Music’, ‘Search’, ‘Picture’ and ‘Tools’. The dictionary is displaying the selected character, (‘jin’ in PinYin), which is used to describe the front opening part of a jacket or shirt.
October 18th, 2005 at 3:58 am
Hey, Ross, thanks for cracking the mystery! – David
October 20th, 2005 at 5:46 am
[...] Via Teleread, noticias sobre dos supuestos modelos chinos, mismo hardware, pero OS a elegir: modelo V8 con un OS propio llamado “WOLF”, modelo V2 con Linux [...]
November 3rd, 2005 at 5:02 am
In the Shanghai Library Watch article, the “Hanlin ebook can project people’s eyes“ should be a reference to an idiom that basically means to expand one’s vision and knowledge of the world, as in how the Internet has changed the accessibility of all kinds of information across the globe or how a trip to a foreign country can open one’s eyes to an entirely different yet functional way of behavior.
Just in case you’re wondering.
November 15th, 2005 at 6:27 pm
From an e-mail conversation I had with Quanli Liu at Tianjin Jinke:
“About our products, the end of 2005 will launch V8, and V2 will be launched in May of 2006. We will have distributors or agents in Europe and America, when the products are released. The English edition of the eBook device will be released for Europe and America customers. The expected retail price of V8 will be 299 US$, and V2 349US$.”
November 15th, 2005 at 7:39 pm
Thanks for the update, Christopher.
November 24th, 2005 at 9:57 am
Protects the eyes
The “book” has solved the problem of vision tiredness, which is easily to occur when reading by the traditional screen. As the screen adopts the technology of full reflection display, you can view the contents clearly on the screen even when you are reading under the sunshine.
Sometimes the obvious answer may be the answer
January 3rd, 2006 at 9:56 pm
well jinke finally updated their website with an english FAQ.
http://www.jinke.com.cn/compagesql/English/service/index.asp
new eta is this month on the V8 with the V2 set for may still.
February 6th, 2006 at 5:24 pm
There is a new one from foundertech with bigger screen.
http://www.qdewind.com/html/200602/1421.html
February 14th, 2006 at 4:52 am
I found 2 short video clips of the v8
http://www.baizhan.com.cn/index.php?showtopic=59215
March 1st, 2006 at 2:56 pm
I was about to explain all mystery matters about Chinese until I saw someone had already laid the answer:) Accually, the China government is not doing any promotion for this e-ink based stuff. I don’t think the government realize the importance of the product. China is on her way changing, but not that fast.
Something interesting: the company produces V8 seems to be a joint venture or orginal firm in Tianjin, one of the four biggest cities in China, judging from its name. And in the name “Tianjin Jinke Electronics Company”, Tianjian only indicates the city the company locates in, while Jinke is the real name of it.
As metioned above, Hanlin originally means “the forest of pens”(there is story about this). But now, people always related this word with knowledge, and even high social status a well-educated person can attain.
BTW, the Foundertech E828 should be a OEM product by iRex, a spin-off from Philips.
see:
http://www.irextechnologies.com/shop/products/iliad.htm
Please feel free to contact me if you are interested or puzzled in anything relavant to China or Chinese:)
E-mail address: sunshinesea@yeah.net
March 1st, 2006 at 5:31 pm
How nice of you, Gongyu. I may well end up calling on you for help. Meanwhle please feel free to email me at drNOSPAMteleread.com if you make some interesting e-book discoveries. Or jump right into an existing discussion as you did above! Thanks. David
March 28th, 2006 at 10:58 am
If Ross is right, this is great news. Apparently Sony’s market research
imbeciles decided that “nobody” wants to be able to “search” an e-book.
So, Hanlin it is. Can’t wait for the US release.
April 29th, 2006 at 8:32 am
thank u guys.
we love u to break all the western high price innovation
myths to make it an affordable one.
July 27th, 2006 at 7:51 am
“Remember, E Ink originated here in the States”???
E-ink was developed by Philips in Eindhoven, The Netherlands
July 27th, 2006 at 9:14 am
While E Ink was originally developed here in the States, the machines using it are from companies elsewhere. Meanwhile, as for the origins of the core technology, here’s the word from Wikipedia, minus all the links:
July 27th, 2006 at 11:13 am
E Ink is the name of a company from Cambridge, Massachusets, USA. That’s no co-incidence; the Massachusets Institute of Technology is based in the same town. It was at MIT that the e-paper currently marketed by E Ink was invented.
October 6th, 2006 at 1:19 am
No, I invented e-ink. I live in Ohio and vote republican. I have secretly placed code in the e-ink voting screens to invalidate Democratic votes, again and place sentences like, “God, Pat you need more money.” and “We’ll give you more ‘Lost’ episodes if you vote for the next Thor.”
November 8th, 2006 at 8:17 pm
Is there a US release of this device? How about Japan? Anywhere?
November 9th, 2006 at 7:11 am
Martin, you might want to catch up with Jinke directly. I’ve heard of Jinke machines in the wild in Europe, but I’m not so sure about the States. Anywhere here with further information? The redone Jinke Web site certainly suggests that the company wants to get serious about the market in American market and the rest of the English-speaking world. Let’s see if it happens.
Thanks,
David
November 10th, 2006 at 12:59 am
There are available 2 versions for the American consumer at present. The V2 listed for $299 and the V8 listed at $349. They look impressive but my concern is the Wolf OS on the 2 and Linux OS on the 8. http://www.jinke.com.cn/compagesql/English/embedpro/index.asp
They do not say if they can sync with a Windows OS. Although I did see software to convert Windows.
http://www.jinke.com.cn/compagesql/English/service/index.asp?opeflag=1
I have queried them on these concerns because it’s nice that they convert to read these formats but imho, I am sick of converting to different formats to read a book. It gets tiresome and I don’t want to pay $350 so I can continue converting files to a different format like I currently do on my PDA. It is easier to read from my notebook but inconvenient because of the size but at least I can put any ereader software I want on my notebook. It’s frustrating but at this point it looks like the Ebookwise is the best bargain out there at $129 for a straight reaser. It is a decent reader and converts everyhting but PDF. I’ll probably buy an IPAC and convert to html what isn’t compatible to the reader software. Or maybe a Tablet? Expensive but I’ll have to replace the notebook at some point.
LF
November 10th, 2006 at 2:35 am
Lisa, what an informative post–thanks. Perhaps an actual Jinke owner will show up and share impressions. – David
September 20th, 2009 at 3:31 am
Ya,Chinese is the language of future and surely more n more technological breakthrough are going to come from China n India.
January 14th, 2010 at 6:09 am
In my opinion China is not producing any top notch e-book technology. In any case, I think the world needs developments like this to be spread out across its four corners.
Battery life is very poor in most cases.