

Que (PlasticLogic): $649 / $799 to read. - boredguy8
http://buyque.barnesandnoble.com/specifications/

======
kqr2
Just for clarification, the Que is not Barnes and Noble's ebook reader. It
will, however, be sold in their store next to the nook.

[http://gizmodo.com/5390858/plastic-logic-que-is-going-to-
nuz...](http://gizmodo.com/5390858/plastic-logic-que-is-going-to-nuzzle-nook-
in-barnes--noble-stores-and-why-you-care)

~~~
Mark_B
Huh! I wonder why they just don't call the Que something like "Nook XL".
Seriously, why the two brands?

~~~
mbrubeck
It's the same as Amazon selling both the Amazon Kindle and the Sony Reader:
[http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Digital-Reader-Touch-
PRS600BC/dp/...](http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Digital-Reader-Touch-
PRS600BC/dp/B002MWYUFU)

Different products, different makers, different brands. One brand is owned by
the retailer, the other by a third party that sells through multiple channels.

------
jamiequint
I think its interesting to see the features they are pushing here:

    
    
      *Work with the documents you use every day at work
    
      *Put you in control of your documents
    
      *Let you quickly transfer files from your computer or BlackBerry® smartphone
    
      *Connect via WiFi and Bluetooth®
    
      *Access the QUE store. Complete with the best business section around
    
      *Feature the largest touchscreen in the industry
    
    

The iTouch/iSlate is going to kill this thing on all these features. It seems
like a device that is confused about whether its a book reader or a tablet PC
and instead of being good at one, it fails at both.

~~~
tjic
> The iTouch/iSlate is going to kill this thing on all these features.

{{This article does not cite any references or sources.}}

~~~
jamiequint
Ok fine, not even Apple, any generic tablet device wins here.

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nirmal
I'd like to see a demo video at least. This would give more information about
responsiveness of screen, speed of eink and relative size to human hands.

EDIT: Some video is available on the site but I can't find any "hands on"
video. I do love the schedule at a glance feature. It's something I've been
trying to get work between iCal and my KindleDX

~~~
pclark
Engadget has coverage: [http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/07/plastic-logic-que-
proread...](http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/07/plastic-logic-que-proreader-
first-hands-on/)

The screen response is around 1 second.

~~~
stcredzero
_The screen response is around 1 second._

Fail!

If a selling point is to be able to display the "documents you use at work"
then you need to be able to _interact_ with them. THis means searching,
zooming, and scrolling at a minimum. 1 second response time is way too slow to
do that well.

~~~
pclark
this is the fundamental flaw in e-ink.

the que does allow you to search, zoom, scroll and manipulate. You can even
type or draw annotations.

------
benatkin
The size of its display is less impressive when you see how big the border is.
That thing's got to be _huge_.

~~~
mbrubeck
The external dimensions are 8.5" by 11" (same as US Letter paper) and 0.3"
thick. According to the nice charts at the MobileRead wiki, this is larger
than the Kindle DX but also slightly thinner and lighter (each is about 1
pound):

<http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix>

~~~
benatkin
Hmm, I thought the _screen_ was 8.5" x 11". Turns out the screen is 10.5"
diagonal. The Kindle DX screen, OTOH, is 9.7". So the screen's a little bit
less than an inch bigger, diagonally. Its width, however, is 1.3" bigger (8.5"
vs 7.2") than the Kindle DX's, though.

They're both small by textbook standards, but the QUE might be pushing it when
it comes to eBooks.

Edit: It has the biggest screen, and also the longest length and width, of the
products in its category. It is lighter than others, though. Its form factor
will appeal to some potential buyers, I think.

~~~
wmf
The Skiff is even larger, with an 11.5" screen. <http://www.skiff.com/skiff-
reader_tech-specs.html>

~~~
benatkin
Hmm...that one's not mentioned in the mobileread wiki. Thanks for mentioning
it. If I had the time and inclination, I'd add it.

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wensing
The site being designed in black and white just because the Que display is B/W
seems strange. Are they trying to indelibly impress the fact that this thing
is B/W?

~~~
Pahalial
I'm not sure the website is that well made in the first place. The results of
Ctrl+A amused me.

~~~
sev
An interesting way to deal with cross-browser compatibility issues.

------
zzzmarcus
Weird. Barnes and Noble announces another reader before the Nook has even had
a chance to ship? Seems like they could have timed this a little better and
maybe announced them under the same brand.

~~~
yan
They're targeted towards two different markets (personal e-book readers vs.
business), made by two companies utilizing two different display technologies.
(I think the Que has something designed specifically by PlasticLogic, not the
usual eInk displays the readers get)

~~~
pclark
Not quite. The Que is printed on plastic (or polymer transistors, i guess. I'm
no chemist), as opposed to traditional silicon. It uses the same e-ink
_display_ as every other reader, the Que also has no glass. There is a certain
amount of disparity in response times due to how good the firmware is on the
respective e-reader.

Plastic is cheaper, more rugged and easier to produce than silicon.

~~~
pclark
Am I mis-informed?

------
slapshot
Just me, or does it monkey with the "back" button?

------
tewks
Is the display E-Ink?

~~~
samwillis
Yes and no, it uses an E-Ink front pannel on Plastic Logics own plastic back
pannel. E-Ink make theirs on a glass pannel which is why people keep breaking
their Kindles. Plastic Logic have spent something like $300 million developing
their plastic back pannel.

