Hands On With Netronix 13.3″ Android eReader (video)

Posted on 16 June, 2015 by Nate Hoffelder in e-Reading Hardware // 14 Comments

Destined to be the perennial show floor demo but never the shipped product, Netronix's 13.3" Android-powered writing slate made another public appearance this week in Taipei.

Charbax caught up with Netronix at Computex a few days ago and shot a video of the latest pre-production model. Like the one I saw at CES 2015, this device is based on a 13.3" Mobius screen (1600 x 1200 resolution). It has a dual touchscreen (capacitive and electromagnetic stylus) and runs Android 4.0.

It's a nifty device and it would make a great competitor to the DPt-S1 from Sony, but as I pointed out before this device is no where close to landing on a store shelf. Netronix needs a customer before they can start production, and with a cost of over $600 per unit and a MoQ of 1,000, we're looking at close to a million dollar investment.

Only a company like Sony, which cares as much about flagship products as profitable ones, can afford that kind of a boondoggle.

Netronix 13.3" eReader Specs

Screen: 13.3" Mobius E-ink
Resolution: 1200 x 1600
Touchscreen: Capacitive, electromagnetic stylus
OS: Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich
Formats supported: JPG, PNG, PDF, ePub, MOBI, FB2, HTML, TXT, RTF, Doc.
Print documents from your PC to Notepad
MicroSD card slot
Battery: 1.5 Ah Li-polymer
Connectivity: Wifi
Dimensions: 310 mm x 233 mm x 6.6 mm
Weight: approximately 400 grams

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About Nate Hoffelder (9908 Articles)

Nate Hoffelder is the founder and editor of The Digital Reader:"I've been into reading ebooks since forever, but I only got my first ereader in July 2007. Everything quickly spiraled out of control from there. Before I started this blog in January 2010 I covered ebooks, ebook readers, and digital publishing for about 2 years as a part of MobileRead Forums. It's a great community, and being a member is a joy. But I thought I could make something out of how I covered the news for MobileRead, so I started this blog."

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13 Comments on Hands On With Netronix 13.3″ Android eReader (video)

user // 16 June, 2015 at 9:41 pm // Reply
Kickstarter?
- Nate Hoffelder // 16 June, 2015 at 9:47 pm // Reply
  We’d have to raise a million dollars. Do you think that could be done?
  - uih // 17 June, 2015 at 7:37 am // Reply
    Since a prototype device does already exist, I don’t understand how there can be a minimum order quantity of 1000 units. Wouldn’t it be feasible to simply increase the price per unit to lower the MOQ? I don’t see the problem with individually hand-assembled units that would cost 200 dollars more. These are prices for early adopters anyway.
    Sony managed to find buyers at double that 600 dollars for a seriously functionality-limited product. If this comes with an open Android, programmable for hackers, there might be enough interest from the croud.
    Netronix not being a bloody amateur in the business also means low risk for potential buyers. What am I missing?
netronix13 // 17 June, 2015 at 11:32 am // Reply
You haven’t worked in anything related to mass production environment, have you?
To build a prototype and to mass produce something is vastly different, it’s not just about “individually hand-assembled” (I assume you meant that mass production = handle by robot). Think about the logistics, purchasing, stocking, etc… It’s simply not workable for a design-oriented company to do it.
BTW, for a thousand units I’m sure it will still be assembled by hand, let’s talk about hundreds of thousands of units before thinking having it assembled by robots”. Heck, Foxconn is still using manual labour to assemble millions of iPhones each year!
- Nate Hoffelder // 17 June, 2015 at 11:42 am // Reply
  I don’t know why you’re lecturing me; I don’t see how you’re disproving anything I wrote in the post.
  - netronix13 // 18 June, 2015 at 7:35 am // Reply
    I was not responding to you, sorry.
  - netronix13 // 18 June, 2015 at 7:45 am // Reply
    For instance, please go for Kickstarter, I may jump in if the price is indeed 600USD.
    The software is really crude though, at least from the video. I’d worry about aftersales support. The hardware looks okay.
    This is a reply to you. : )
netronix13 // 17 June, 2015 at 11:38 am // Reply
Also, with Sony at just $799. If they figure out EPUB support, this will be DOA.
Rem // 17 June, 2015 at 10:28 pm // Reply
many Kickstarter projects have raised several millions and with crappier products. Go for kickstarter! Besides, you put a minimum of units. If that minimum isn’t met, you simply don’t do it. It’s a win-win situation for you. Besides, you will raise way more.
anothername // 22 June, 2015 at 9:48 am // Reply
Pitch it clearly as an e-ink monitor. Include the tested functionality out of the box. This will multiply sales. People with sore eyes are crying out for an e-ink monitor.
Phil // 27 June, 2015 at 9:51 am // Reply
The world is screaming out for this product every school , every work place and every person that reads a newspaper or book would use this i are very interest to invest in this technology if it can be manufactured and sold at a realistic price there is no reason why
this wouldn’t sell as many units per year as apples ipad please let me know if you are looking for investors
Anil Kumar // 21 February, 2016 at 10:14 pm // Reply
sir,
Do you design and develop customized version of tablet pc with e ink display , freescale processor, 8 mp camera, finger print scanner, 12.1 inch display, barcode reader, . what is the design and development cost for this specification . thank you
- Nate Hoffelder // 22 February, 2016 at 9:51 am // Reply
  I am a journalist, not a product designer, sorry.