Archive for the ‘Devices’ Category

I am still in shock.  I tried updating my Sony reader and instead of new features I ended up with a bricked device.  I don’t know why.  So I called Sony support and they were nice and the tech guy I had spoken with transferred me to escalated tech support.  Since I bought my reader in October the 90 day warranty has expired.  That means that I would have to pay the labor to get my reader fixed.  He told me that he would try to get authorization from his supervisor to waive that fee.  Unfortunately I was out when he called and my husband simply told him  that I was out.  So, I will call again today when they open to follow up on this.  Meanwhile I have tried a hard reset, soft reset, uninstall drivers, software, you name it to get this to work.  I have never hacked my reader, and I can’t remember an update on any device going South like this.  If anyone has any suggestions let me know.  I really don’t want to send my reader in.  I got mine engraved and something tells me that I won’t get mine back, but instead a refurbished reader.  Maybe I’ll hit the message boards and see if I can unbrick my device.

I have been out of the net for awhile, but I am now back and hopefully I will be able to dedicate more time to this blog.  I am sorry that I have not been posting as much as I had hoped when I started this website.  I have a couple of reviews I am working on and I hope to have my first one up within the next few days. 

Meanwhile, it looks like things are heating up in the e-book stratosphere.  Today, I just downloaded Sony’s update.  I haven’t had a chance yet to update the device, but will report back once I do either tomorrow or Saturday.  The update notice popped up when I opened the library software.  Mobileread has all the info on the new features.  Here are the highlights:

• Supports secure and non-secure e-books in the EPUB format
• Supports  DRM Adobe eBooks
• Adds the capability to reflow standard text-based PDF files
• The update does not work with the original Sony reader (PRS-500)

Then, in one of the comments I read that Sony now has a digital book cover with light (pictured).  The light looks really promising.  The cost is $69, a bit steep, but when I think about all the inadequate book lights I have bought in the past, this could be considered a bargain.  It’s even a better deal when you consider that you can pay 40 dollars for a Sony reader cover alone.  It will certainly enable users to read at night and I think should break a strong barrier to sales.  From what I can tell the light cannot be used with any of the covers you may have already bought.  So you will have to use it with the cover it comes with.  That’s a downer since the lighted cover comes in black only.  Also it will add almost 8.5 ounces in weight to your reader.  At any rate, we are getting updates, new accessories, access to more books and that is great.

Overstock has the Sony Reader available for just under 205 dollars.  The reader’s model number is PRS-500U2, which is Sony’s first generation e-book reader and is a refurbished device.  Yes it is a refurb, but I would let that stop me from getting if I was in the market for a reader.  In fact you can get a two-year extended warranty for $29.99.  It doesn’t cover accidental damage to the screen from what I read, but it does cover common mechanical or electrical failures, including normal wear and tear as well as a no-lemon guarantee.  The good thing is that now those who have been hesitant about trying an e-ink device or any e-book reader can join in on the fun at a cheaper price. 

When I first saw the MiBook on Mobileread, all I could think was, “Why is this new? The MiBook looks exactly like Kodak’s Easyshare digital photo frame (Model #PTC   7XLT).   Just look at the two photos and judge for yourself.  The optimist in me thought that someone had finally hacked a digital photo frame into an e-book reader.   No, but this is close. 

Just last year I started to buy this photo frame.  It was marketed as a portable device, but I felt that it was a little too much to just whip out of my purse to bore others with pictures of my children.  I ended up sticking to my smaller 2.5″ wallet friendly photo viewer. Then I started thinking that maybe I could find a way to make it into an e-book.  The light weight of the frame, the button placements, lighting, color, just screamed to be made an e-book.  I changed my mind since, well, I had no idea about how to go about hacking the device.

Needless to say I have ordered a MiBook.  From what I can tell, it will read text.  I am hoping that it will read html or at least rtf files.  It would be a shame to waste the color screen.  At $112 from QVC, I think that it is worth the risk.  At the least, I will finally have the photo frame I couldn’t make up my mind about. 

I believe the device is really meant to be a personal digital assistant of sorts for DIY projects like cooking, parenting, gardening etc.  So Instead of just reading a recipe or how to replace a washer on your faucet, you can watch a step by step video in conjuction with text. I like that idea.  Many times when watching crafts shows they go so fast that I am lost after the first step, and I feel like written recipes always leave out something.  I just have a few observations.  Why couldn’t a person:

1. Tape clips from TV and play them in the digital frame they already have (if it has the ability to play video files with sound)

2. Download videos from the Internet from various sites and play them either on their laptop, digital frame, PMP, etc.

3.  Forget about the MiBook and buy the MiBook SD cards and play them via the above methods?

4.  Is the MiBook simply a rebranded Kodak Easyshare or are the insides really different?  Are there any other digital frames that can read text?  Some time ago I did see one that was 10″ and could read pdf files, but it was way out of my price range, and too bulky.

 Now all I need is for someone to find a way to make a swivel portable DVD player into an e-book reader.

If e-ink e-book devices aren’t your thing or if you are looking for a smaller, pocket friendly device to read books, consider a PDA.  Get High Tech has refurbished Palm T5′s available for $99.99.  Here are some the features listed:

•  Palm OS® 5.4, 416MHz Intel XScale416MHz Intel XScale, Extra-large 320×480 Transflective TFT color display supports more than 65,000 colors in both landscape and portrait modes.
• 256MB (215MB actual storage capacity: 160MB internal flash drive, 55MB program memory for applications and data.)
  Supports SD, SDIO and Multi-Media Cards
• 320×480 Color Display
• Bluetooth® Wireless

I have a T5 and from what I can tell it has everything the TX has except the T5 doesn’t have integrated Wifi.  I have never purchased a refurb from this site, but I have ordered parts. As with all purchases take care and call/email  the store if you have questions before you buy. I think that at 100 bucks it’s an inexpensive way to dip your toes in the water.

Three years ago I bought a dedicated e-book reader called Kolin from Argosy.  I wanted something that could hold my reference material.   I was spending my days at the library writing my comprehensives while my daughter was taking summer courses at a local college. I was tired of printing so many pdf files and lugging them back and forth only to find that I had left one at home that I really needed.  The Kolin seemed to fit the bill; it was small, but had a nice size screen, it could read pdf files, and used AA batteries. It was reasonably priced at about $180.  I thought that I had researched the reader thoroughly and was excited to receive my new device.  This week I came across a post I had submitted to the Ebook Community forum:

Thought I’d add my take on the Easyreader. The model I have is the EB683 that includes MP3 capabilities. The on screen says Kolin as well as the carry case that came with it. I was looking for something light and inexpensive with the ability to read pdf files. I contacted Argosy and they were very helpful. The price I paid was $183 plus shipping (via UPS). It came with batteries, the external storage card, headphones, software, and the English OS was preinstalled for me. If you purchase one make sure you tell them that you want the English OS. 

I have also tried listening to a MP3 on it, but it is not stereo. Besides the storage card is only 16mb and from what their support center wrote me, the cards are not sold separately (At least through Argosy). The body of the device is a light pearl white and comfortable to hold. Functions have a short learning curve for the most part. An English user guide is on the device, but it only has the bare basics. The screen reminds me of the Hiebook, but is so much easier to read from and larger view area. There’s no backlight so no reading in the dark, but it very readable in daylight. The real problem is content. That is if you want to read a best seller. Otherwise you can keep yourself busy with your own content and the free stuff on the net. If someone knows how to get the zoom feature to work, please let me know.”

The software could be better, but it is understandable. I found it hard to change the format of the books to my liking. Some text formats better than others. When I convert a pdf file it was effortless, however much too small to read. The device is supposed to have a zoom feature, but I have yet to be able to access it. It also allows you to make simple bookmarks, but no annotations and highlighting. The device also allows you to flip through pages.  Transferring the books to the device can be tricky. Sometimes the software has a hard time connecting to the device. What I really don’t like about it is that the memory card looks like a CF card in everyway except that it isn’t. So you can’t use a card reader to transfer books directly to the device.

So, needless to say, this purchase turned out to be a disappointment. I never got the zoom feature to work.  This week, I decided to give the reader another chance since my skills at formatting and conversion skills have improved and once again I was served another big dish of disappointment.  I can’t find the USB cord that connects the reader to my PC.  As stated above the CF card is not really a CF card so using an external card reader is not an option.  So now the reader is essentially unless I can either find the cord or buy another.  So the moral to this story is to beware of proprietary accessories not just proprietary formats.