Tech From an E-booker’s Viewpoint

While I will always have a soft spot for my Rocket e-book, my Cybook from Bookeen is my favorite reader.  Yes, it is a bit heavy compared to my Sony reader, but it is so versatile in that there is more than one reader application to choose from.  Too bad it is no longer for sale.  The good news is that Bookeen will soon be releasing Cybook 2 (September 2007).  Their site claims that it “will definitively give you the experience of reading from paper.”  The new Cybook is an e-ink device and will have a better screen (Vizplex) than the Sony reader. Vizplex screens report faster refresh rates, so turning pages should be much like turning a page in a paper book.  Page turning with the Sony reader takes a couple seconds which some people find annoying.  Another good thing is that Bookeen has a history of being multi-format friendly.  It has been confirmed that it will have Mobipocket’s reader on board.  Mobipocket will allow us access to DRM’d best sellers , non-DRM titles, as well as public domain titles.  Another plus is that there are so many titles already available in the Mobi format. I have many books in this format that I can’t read on my Sony reader. Often while e-book browsing I have noticed that e-books in Mobi format are often cheaper and come out sooner than other formats.  I am hoping that it will also include µBook . µBook is a great multi-format reader which among many things allows you to read files that are in a zipped folder.  That means that you can carry more books and take up less space on you Secure Digital (SD) card.  My only concern is if there will be a dictionary function, mainly because the new Cybook has no stylus.  Other versions of Mobipocket as well as uBook have dictonary functions.  It is so nice to be able to look up a word in a book without losing your place.  Not too long ago I was reading Deep Storm by Lincoln Child and came across a word that I had no idea what it meant. I didn’t have paper and pen with me at the time, forgot to bookmark the page and have yet to find that word again.

The new Cybook should also be a plus for those new to e-books.  Accordingly to Laurent Picard, co-founder of Bookeen, “On the Cybook, you don’t need to convert your files to an exotic format or upload them to any proprietary web site. You simply transfer your files directly to the device and read them natively.”  Let’s hope this is true.  I find that if I have to fix, reformat, then convert books to read, I never get around to reading the book.  It can be a lot of work and soon your hobby is not reading, but converting.

The only down side to this is that Bookeen is based in France.  That means that we will have to buy sight unseen, no local support, and pay international shipping fees.  If something goes wrong with the reader it will have to go back to France. When I bought my Cybook I believe the shipping cost was around $63.00.  Since the new Cybook is only about 6 ounces compared to almost 3 pounds, shipping should be significantly cheaper.  Despite the distance I am not worried about technical support.  Bookeen has proven time and time again that they are a dedicated company and have bent over backwards for me to make sure I was satisfied with my purchase.  Yes, I am definitely looking forward to the future.

References: 

1.  Mobileread

2.  Bookeen