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iLiad

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For other uses, see Iliad (disambiguation).
iRex iLiad
ManufactureriRex Technologies
Compatible networksMyiRex account
Dimensions155x217x16 mm (WxHxD)
Weight389 g (13.7 oz)
Operating systemLinux, 2.4 kernel
CPU400 MHz Intel XScale
Memory64 MB RAM
Storage256 MB internal, 128 MB available
Expandable by USB, MMC, CF cards
BatteryLithium ion battery
Display124×152 mm (W×H),
768×1024 pixels,
160 ppi density,
16-level grayscale
Electronic paper
ConnectivityWiFi 802.11g,
10/100 Mbit/s Ethernet LAN (via travel hub),
USB port, audio jack
Data inputsWACOM touchscreen,
Graphical user interface,
next/prev/quick access buttons

The iLiad was an electronic handheld device, or e-Reader, which could be used for document reading and editing. Like the Barnes and Noble nook, Sony Reader or Amazon Kindle, the iLiad made use of an electronic paper display. In 2010, sales of the iLiad ended when its parent company, iRex Technologies, filed for bankruptcy. [1]

iLiad in sunlight
iLiad e-book reader equipped with e-paper display

Description

Main specifications:

  • 8.1-inch (21 cm) electronic paper display, area for displaying content is 124x165mm
  • resolution of 768x1024 pixels, 160 dpi
  • 16 levels of grayscale
  • USB connector for external storage
  • CompactFlash Type II slot for memory extension or other applications
  • MultiMediaCard slot for MMC memory cards
  • 3.5 mm stereo audio jack for a headset
  • WiFi 802.11g wireless LAN
  • 10/100 Mbit/s wired LAN
  • 390 grams (14 oz) weight
  • 400 MHz Intel XScale processor
  • 64 MB RAM
  • 256 MB internal flash memory, 128 for user, 128 for system
  • Linux-based operating system, 2.4 kernel
  • SDK provided, so functionality is easily extended[2]

It measures 155 × 216 × 16 mm (width × height × depth), the size of an A5 document, or roughly a 6"×9" steno notebook. The display used is an active matrix electrophoretic display, which uses E Ink Vizplex Imaging Film manufactured by E Ink Corporation. Underneath the E Ink screen is a digitizing tablet by WACOM which requires a stylus for input. When it was introduced, the Iliad had largest screen size of existing e-paper products, but the newer iRex Digital Reader 1000's 10.2-inch (26 cm) display is the largest sold as of early 2011.

The iLiad can display document files in several formats, including PDF, Mobipocket, XHTML and plain text. It can also display JPEG, BMP and PNG images, but not in color. As of May 3, 2007 Mobipocket is supported, making the mobipocket digital rights management (DRM) content available on this platform. iRex's product page for the iLiad states that "Support for additional E-book formats will become available over the coming months."

Through its wireless service, iDS, the iLiad can also directly download content. Les Echos, a French financial newspaper, is distributed this way, as is Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad. Users can connect to their computer over a wireless network to sync new data onto the iLiad's internal memory or an inserted MMC, SD, or CF card.

The distributor of the iLiad is iRex Technologies, a Philips spin-off company. It was initially advertised in December 2005, to be launched in April 2006, but was delayed until July, when it started to be sold as a beta product. It was released to the general public near the end of July, and since then has undergone considerable software revisions.

Its list price in Europe is €649, and in US $699, however it is no longer available in North America due to FCC regulation non-compliance.

Advanced features

One of the advanced features of the iLiad is the ability to add notes to existing documents. With the integrated Wacom tablet and stylus, it is possible to write directly on almost any document and those notes will remain on that document whenever it is viewed on the iLiad. Using the desktop software, those notes can be merged into the original document. This provides malleability, an important feature of physical books that is missing from most ebook products, allowing users to annotate, highlight, and personalize the text.

Third-party development

Because of its open Linux operating system, the iLiad is able to run third party applications created for it. Developers and users wishing to create or run third party applications can request shell access from the manufacturer.

Developers have been able to improve on the device's functionality by porting viewers such as FBReader, and programs such as abiword and stardict. Full screen PDF reading is made available by community-supported iPDF releases. Programs for recreation, including audio playback, sudoku, and calendars, are rapidly growing community content available for use on the iLiad. Independent users have also reported successful porting of mobile web browsers to iLiad's Linux platform, although with limited functionality and many bugs.

iRex as a company has had a lukewarm relationship with its Open Source developers. Most of the complaints toward iRex center around speed of release of SDKs and other information. They have, however, also been quite forthcoming on some projects and some of the changes the community has made have been integrated back into the company's software distribution, perhaps the most notable being that of stylus and input calibration, an external development project led by Jay Kuri and published as part of the main distribution in early 2008.

Version 2

In September 2007, iRex Technologies released an update to the iLiad. While officially called "iLiad 2nd Edition", it is generally noted as a minor update to the original.

The update includes:

  • Redesigned backplane
  • Increased battery capacity
  • Software version 2.11
  • Updated travel charger
  • Included case

The 2.11 software, which contains stylus calibration, extended battery life, and other things, is also available to first-generation iLiads.

Book edition

In May 2008, iRex Technologies added a third installment to the iLiad line of products, this time branded under the name iLiad Book Edition. This is the iLiad Version 2 without WiFi and a new silver look. The technical cutbacks reduce the price to $599 (€499), which is cheaper than the original. It also comes with 50 free classics, including works from well-known writers Jules Verne, Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, and Leo Tolstoy.

Bankruptcy

In early June 2010, iRex Technologies of the Netherlands filed for Bankruptcy protection. According to CEO Hans Brons (2010), the decline in sales were a direct result of a delayed response from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to approve the device. [3]

See also

References

  1. ^ http://paidcontent.org/article/419-e-reader-maker-irex-files-for-bankruptcy/
  2. ^ "http://support.irexnet.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=31"
  3. ^ iRex files for bankruptcy following lackluster sales, electronista, MNM Media, LLC, 9 June 2010
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