eReader Outfitters News

Initiative aims to give aircrews newer 'paperless' option

Mon, 19 May 2008 19:16:32 GMT

by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Public Affairs 4/29/2008 - FORT DIX, N.J. (AFPN) -- Whether it's referencing Air Force instructions or a flight manual, aircrews are required to have documents on hand when completing their mission. The Air Mobility Battlelab, located in the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center at Fort Dix, developed an initiative to make document reference lighter and leaner in the future with the Paperless Aircrew Publications e-Reader, or PAPeR, initiative. Spearheaded by the battlelab's Maj. Dan Adler, project officer, the PAPeR initiative looks into providing a standard, convenient method for aircrews to view electronic documents different than the standard laptop computer currently used by the Air Force. "Our proposed solution to this is a portable aircrew publications reader that allows aircrews to access their publications anywhere, anytime," Major Adler said. "Through numerous personal interviews, we learned that having something more portable and lighter than a laptop could amplify mission success for aircrews. " Enter the iRex Iliad e-Reader, a "commercial-off-the-shelf" portable publications reader able to store data and read data from USB-compatible flash drives. This device was selected for use by the AMB for the demonstration on the initiative. "Aircrew personnel were given the e-readers for a multi-day period of time to use and evaluate the systems," Major Adler said. "The demonstration also included members using the e-readers in and out of aircraft during day and night operations." As part of the demonstration, Major Adler set out with seven main objectives for the e-readers. First and foremost was ensuring electro-magnetic interference, or EMI, compliance established in Air Force regulations. To do this, Major Adler sent the device to Concurrent Technologies Corporation, a Department of Defense-approved test facility, for an EMI test. "The results show the device's EMI transmissions were well below specified limits," Major Adler said. Other objectives focused on evaluating impact on emergency egress, suitability for approaches and departures and assessing night vision imaging system compatibility, data update procedures, network security measures and functionality and ease of use. "From our feedback, it was determined by a large percentage of those who used the e-reader that it was easy to use, read and control," Major Adler said. "A large percentage also said using the e-readers would make it easier them to do their jobs." The demonstration feedback also indicated some possible improvements that would help durability and readability, Major Adler said. However, overall, the demonstration proved the initiative as a success. "PAPeR successfully demonstrated the ability to store and display electronic publications on a commercial-off-the-shelf device," Major Adler said. "It showed that a small portable device, other than a laptop computer, could replace the majority of individual issue aircrew publications and Air Force instructions." Lt. Col. Jeffrey Lathrop, Air Mobility Battlelab commander, said in his recommendation for the device that it can help aircrews perform their mission with more ease and capability. "Aircrews look for every edge to improve their work environment and perform the mission better," Colonel Lathrop said. "Through further study and analysis, I believe a suitable device can be chosen for this effort." The Air Mobility Battlelab was established in 2001 to identify and demonstrate the utility of innovative concepts with potential to enhance Air Force capabilities. AMB will deactivate in September 2008 as part of an Air Force cost-savings initiative.

Best of Breed ePaper Devices

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 22:25:54 GMT

Untitled Document

iRex iLiad vs. Amazon Kindle
November 21, 2007
Jeff Paleczny, President eReader Outfitters

The iRex iLiad and Amazon Kindle are �Best of Breed� ePaper devices. The future of ePaper is secure with these devices strengthening the portable reading marketplace. Their ePaper displays make for comfortable portable reading.

The Kindle is an impressive portable reader. Its salient features include EVDO wireless connectivity and a personal account at the �Kindle Store.� Your Kindle is personalized and associated with the credit card information used to purchase the Kindle from Amazon. The Kindle Store media purchase is simple. Select a book from Kindle�s screen and it immediately downloads to the device anywhere there is an EVDO connection which includes most metropolitan areas in the US only. About an hour later the book purchase is confirmed via an email to your associated email account with a message �The following item is auto-delivered wirelessly to your Kindle�.� The Kindle Store has books, newspapers, magazines and blogs. There is a simple, experimental web browser and you can indeed browse the web. The value in this product is the simplicity to browse, purchase, and read content.

The iRex iLiad in comparison features a larger display, zoom and drag tools for reading pdfs, and a Mobipocket viewer where books are purchased from many stores like eReader Outfitters. There is a wifi connection on the device for downloads of subscribed content and software updates from a public wifi. If you�re looking to read pdfs the iLiad is the way to go. The iLiad is an open system. Many eBook stores support content for the iLiad including free eBooks from Manybooks.net. Pdf documents created from your PC are viewable on the iLiad. Its Linux operating system keeps the system open to developers for creating new applications for the iLiad.

My choice is the iLIad for its larger, higher resolution screen, and the ability to annotate pdfs using its stylus. Book purchase requires more steps but those books can be displayed on many devices. Readers will enjoy these products and rest assured this is no fad. The eReader is here to stay.

Still Waiting for Amazon's Kindle

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:56:34 GMT

Back in early September, I predicted an October debut for Amazon�s Kindle e-book reader. So today, the last day of the month, has rather ominous overtones for those of us who like to be right all the time. According to publishing industry executives back then, Amazon had promised delivery of its keyboard-equipped electronic book reader during the second week of October. Now, those same people say that the company has pushed back that date and is aiming for a launch by the end of this year. Take that with a grain of salt. Amazon and its chief executive, Jeff Bezos, are notoriously persnickety. For example, they delayed their digital music service for two years, trying to find the best customer proposition in a rapidly changing competitive environment, before launching the DRM-free Amazon MP3 store last month. Amazon�s introduction of the Kindle, and its associated e-book hub on Amazon.com, has followed the same path. Word of the device first leaked over a year ago on the tech site Engadget. Since then, Sony has rolled out two well-received versions of its Reader, while Amazon has toiled silently on the Kindle. Still, e-books have yet to capture the public imagination and represent only a fraction of the $35-billion-a-year book business. Publishing executives say Amazon is trying to work out technology kinks in the Kindle and bring as many titles � books, magazines and newspapers � onto the service as possible before launch. One other related bit of Kindle news: In the first story, we reported that the Kindle would wirelessly connect to its e-book store on Amazon.com using an EVDO modem. A person who has seen the Kindle says that the device will connect via the Sprint network. * Link * E-mail this * * * Consumer Electronics, Internet, amazon, ebooks, Sony Related * Black Friday Alert: Big Plasma Sets on Sale * What Goes Down Sometimes Goes Up * Sir Howard�s Download Mess * Quick Bits: Sony Tries to Get Back in the Race

Dutch Bookstore has Scoop with iRex Technologies

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:37:16 GMT

After the French leading newspaper in electronic newspaper publishing Les Echos, which started earlier this month as the first in the world with a daily newspaper on electronic paper, the book industry is next. This will be realized thanks to the innovative electronic paper display technology. Based on electronic paper, iRex offers solutions to read digital content as if it is printed on regular paper, without compromising the reading comfort, like unwanted light reflection. Daylight or a simple reading light is already sufficient to offer a perfect readability. The e-reader costs � 649. Selexyz will provide the first devices with the latest book from Max Westerman, �In alle staten.� Via the website of the bookstore chain, www.selexyz.nl , over 100 titles are available as free downloads. In addition over 49.000 commercial titles are already available via Mobipocket, the e-book format from Amazon. The portable reader from iRex has a built in WiFi module that allows you to download updates and new content wireless. At anytime, anywhere, it is now possible to receive and read digital content. Just like with a paper book the reader can make annotations. But unlike a paper book the reader can transfer the text with the annotations to his PC or forward and share them with friends and colleagues.