Oct 07
Sample Cybook bricked
I just read Derek’s latest blog post and it seems that he has a “bricked” Cybook 3 (Derek has a sample device). This is hot on the heels of the latest firmware release. He doesn’t really go into detail on how his device got in this mess. Was it the update or a corrupted file? That doesn’t matter. The question that needs to be answered is if the Cybook is really ready for prime time? If someone like Derek who is no newbie to e-books can have this happen so easily, what are the chances that the average consumer will be able to avoid such problems and how to troubleshoot them? We all know that things do occasionally go wrong with technology, but that doesn’t help keep first impressions favorable. One of the main points of e-book devices these days is the ability to load personal documents. If loading documents can cause such problems, then Bookeen needs to fix this quick. We know that the Cybook 3 has been delayed from being released in September to make adjustments in the final steps of mass production. We were to be pacified that at least pdf capabilities would be included upon release rather than a later update. Today, on Bookeen’s blog it was announced that, the design has now been modified to change the surface treatment. So now the Cybook 3 will not be glossy, but still soft to the touch. Another modification is that the navigation will be easier to press. I have to ask why there was ever an announcement for a September release. Are these really minor changes? Maybe so, but it still suggests that the device was obviously not ready for a September release. I think that it would have been better to have had a release date of 4th Quarter 2007. That would have given Bookeen more wiggle room. After all, if it came out earlier it would have been a nice surprise. Still Bookeen says that the official release date will be before the end of this month, with a confirmed $350 price tag. At any rate, I hope Derek’s problem can be fixed and that it was just a freak incident.
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