Comments on: Asus netbooks, refurbs—for $199: E-book reading possibilities?

By: Acer ebook reader

Acer ebook reader — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 23:27:09 +0000

Have been using an aspire one since Christmas to read ebooks. Most from Gutenberg or Manybooks.net I had been using FBReader but have switched to Mobipocket reader it is easier on the eyes. I am able to read for hours on it with no noticable eyestrain. I can easily flip the pages using ctrl+alt+ arrow to hold like book. I prefer the stanard set up on full screen.

I have a desktop pc and received the aspire one so I could read books. Living in Canada I cannot get a Kindle. In the future I might get a larger product to read newspapers. I am considering purchasing more current titles now that I am using Mobipocket. Does anyone know if you can buy ebooks from amazon.com in Canada?

By: LuYu

LuYu — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:27:31 +0000

I was afraid my comment might be taken that way, but that is not the way I meant it. I should have said:

“Those bloody refurbishers should be ashamed at themselves for charging such outrageous prices”

The truth is that the Eee line is excellent. I am typing this post on an Eee901 now. However, I bought it new for around US$400, and it has an Atom processor and a 20GB SSD (five times more than the 900). Further, the 901 is even such an “old” model that ASUS no longer sells it.

This reminds me of a time when I went to a used mobile phone seller, and he quoted me a price that was higher than if I had bought a new one (which was still possible at the time). The value of new electronic equipment depreciates very rapidly, and these crooks are asking for way too much.

I certainly do not object to any Eee as an e-book reader. My SO’s Eee701 is still an excellent reading and computing device. If someone asked me to pay US$100 for it, though, I would probably let that individual have a piece of my mind.

So, I am not saying that anyone here is a sucker. I am saying that the refurbishers believe that their customers are suckers, and people with that attitude are not worthy to do business with.

I apologise if anyone’s feelings were hurt by my ambiguity or the ferocity of my response.

By: David Rothman

David Rothman — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 07:06:43 +0000

Thanks, LuYu. So pass on some better alternatives–hardware that at the least would do justice to FBReader. That’s the idea. David

By: LuYu

LuYu — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:39:02 +0000

Let me get this straight: People are charging US$200 for computers that cost US$300 or less six months ago before they were taken off the market. Further, these are the pre-Atom versions which have neither the power savings nor the speed of the Eee901.

This is a joke, right? Why would anybody pay more than about 50 bucks for an Eee900? Anything higher than that is unreasonable.

There really is another sucker born every minute . . .

By: Felix Torres

Felix Torres — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:29:53 +0000

Better deals? Sure; look around and you’ll see plenty of Acer One’s with 120-160 GB HDD and Windows running $269-329, averaging $299.
Now, a better deal for ebook reading is a different thing; for that we’ll have to wait til may or thereabout for the Asus T91 tablet netbook to show up.
6 inches by 9 inches by one inch thick; two pounds. That should read any ebook format, in color, DRM’ed or not.
Should shut up those that want to turn eink devices into tablet PCs. Especially the ones that (brrr) like pretend-paper pdf.