I’ve been wanting to get an e-reader pretty much since they came out.  Initially, I thought the price point of these devices were just too much.  Then there were rumours of colour e-ink, then double page readers.

May 19th this year Borders Australia released the Kobo.  Finally at a price point I could accept ($199 at the time).  My Father went out and bought the ‘no frills’ e-reader, well no frills compared to the Kindle, and he absolutely loves it.  He’s read a number of books on it and it’s done quite a few kilometres on bus rides and even holidays.  At the time I didn’t have the extra money to spare, so I decided to wait a month or so.  In that month, there was a technology showcase called Computex.  ASUS introduced 3 new devices (granted there was also a new phone, gaming laptop, all in one monitor etc, but I’m keeping this post about what I’m looking at).  2 new tablet computers and an ebook device (to call it a reader I think is understating it).

Slightly off topic of this post, their tablets are quite impressive and I am looking to purchase the 12 inch one (pictured above).  This device will be replacing my beloved ASUS eeePC 900.  I will be giving that netbook to my soon to be 4 year old, who is showing a natural ability with computers.  The screen being 3 inches bigger (than the 900), touch interface (which will make it easier for me to use on the bus), and is DUAL CORE and Windows 7, not Android like their smaller 10 inch model announced the same day.  The dual core processor is quite a big thing for me when it comes to my working on websites.  Running XAMPP and a web browsers, PLUS firewall brings the 900 to an almost grinding halt.  I think the new ASUS EP121 with docking station will suit me to a tee.  (And yes I buy other ASUS hardware, I’m writing this post on an older ASUS laptop, and I’ve got desktops with ASUS Motherboard’s in them).

Now their e-reader e-notebook, was the stand out for me.  Firstly, let’s look at the spec’s (we know of) it’s offering:

• 2450 dpi touch screen (ok it’s sensitive + has a pen interface.. nice!)
• 0.1 second page turns (because it’s not e-ink)
• 64 levels of grey (that’s 4-8 times more than other devices!)
• 2MP camera (for taking photos of notes etc.. not sure if it’s B&W or colour.. have only see the images on the device)
• 8″ screen (again, most other devices are 6″)
• 1024 x 768 screen resolution
• SD card slot
• 10 hours battery (from memory)

Now, with the spec’s above, it stands out above a lot of e-readers, if not all! (even with the initial $199-299 ($USD?) launch).  Some people might argue that the 10 hour battery (compared to the greater than 2-3 week of an e-ink device) is a disadvantage, however taking in to account that you are looking at an LCD vs e-ink device WHICH CAN TAKE NOTES, I believe puts it in a different category compared to the other e-ink devices.

How would I use this device?  Firstly, it’s going to be my e-reader.  I don’t mind that it’s 10 hours of use between charges.  I will read on the way to work, lunch, the trip home and of an evening.  Charging at home and/or at work.  I plan on studying for my MCSE and this will allow me to annote my text etc.  I would also use it as a Songwriters note pad.  I’ve been moving away from my note book in preference for writing at the computer.  This would allow me to make my transition to the digital domain.  The ability to the compose on it (all be it on a notepad, but I can have a template) and even use it for live performances with chord progression / lyrics on screen!

At the time of the announcement, ASUS were saying it was going to be available GLOBALLY come September.  Since May, I’ve been searching every few days for more information on this device.  In August, PC World reported (after talking directly with Asustek product engineers) that it was going to be released in October with reviewers getting a preview in mid September.  The name possible changed from Eee Tablet to Eee Note (which IMHO I think is a much better name, even Eee Notebook).  Their spiel seems to aim the market at students who want to go to class, record the lecture (with built in microphone), take notes, then take a photo of the whiteboard so they don’t have to write all those notes down.

It has been torture for me to walk past Borders and not walk in to buy one of the Kobo Readers (and at the time of posting this, they have just announced an upgraded version of the Kobo).

Great, so come the end of September I don’t see any reviews of this products so I decide to call up ASUS Australia to ask them, querying the fact that it was a GLOBAL release.  The representative indicated that it’s not on the list of products to be released, and ASUS Australia might not even release it.  Available Globally? that doesn’t sound right to me.

I got My Wife, who had had some luck that day, to give ASUS a call for me.  She spoke with someone who sounded like they were wanting to help more.  They were going to send a few emails to find out if anything was happening.  The email which she got back the next day was that “These is no release date for this product in Australia as yet. I have been advised that it might be next year.”  Whilst she was talking on the phone, the sales person indicated that a “Global” release for ASUS Australia was 3 months after the “Global”?????

Has the world (or at least ASUS) forgotten about the definition of Global: involving the entire earth; not limited or provincial in scope.

Even Apple at least give release dates for provinces close to announcements… and then sell then.  Mind you, they also don’t leave 4-5 months (or in the case of their Tablet PC’s 7-10 months) between announcement and the device being released.

So ASUS Australia (and yes I hope other Aussies find this post and comment on it to share their feelings with ASUS Australia) please consider your consumers in Australia and release this at the same time your parent company is releasing it “Globally”.  The Sales Representative I spoke to indicated that they were trying to work out if there was a market in Australia.  I’ve been telling a number of people about this devices and just at my work there are more than 3 sales!  I personally believe that there is a market for this device.  I would hate to see it released 3 months later than the rest of the world and there be consumers in Australia who either purchase a different e-reader (which I’m getting closer to every day as the release get’s pushed back further and further), or look to overseas to purchase this device (like the “Fanboys” would) so we can get it when it’s released.  I just hope it doesn’t get to this and then ASUS not getting the pick up they hoped for.  (For the record, when Borders started selling the Kobo, they couldn’t keep up with supplies!)

And yes.. all of this sight unseen I’m that confident about the device!

So in other words, ASUS, please keep your Australia supports up to date with your Global release dates, or this might be one customer you will miss out on.