» Review

Ectaco Jetbook review

Ellen Hage — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:24:23 +0000

Earlier this month my husband and I went on our first cruise. In my effort to pack lightly I only took one tech gadget with me and of course that was an e-book reader. I wanted something small, light, but with enough screen space. I decided to take me latest acquisition the Jetbook. Here’s my take on the reader along with some photos:

What in the box: Besides the reader itself, you get a neoprene pouch that has a Velcro closure. The case has what feels like a hard, but flexible plastic sheet for added protection. I also got an AC adapter, and USB cord. A Windows CD (by Livingsoft) with phrase books, flashcards, and dictionaries is included. No software for the reader is included or needed.

TIP: On the reader there is a pdf with a listing of places to download free books. Some I have never come across and plan to check them out.

Features:

This reader is small as well as thin. I have taken a picture of it next to the Ebookman and Sony reader to give some perspective. Still, the screen size is really nice at 5 inches. For me the screen was the biggest selling point. The reader measures in at 6″ x 4.25″ x 3/8″. It easily fits in any of my purses and weighs only 7.5 ounces. Like most e-book readers these days, the Jetbook has MP3 capabilities. All of the features in this section are user friendly. I loaded one song and one podcast to test it out. Barry White sounds pretty good, but not as good as hearing it on my iPod. The spoken word is a lot better. I listened to TWIT (Leo LaPorte). One of the features of the device is that you listen while you read. This could be great for kids who are beginning to read. You could add the audio of the book so that he/she could read along. I see children books with CDs in the dollar stores all the time. Of course this could work for adults too. You could listen to your book while driving (using a FM transmitter) and then later pick it back up and read when you can. Of course you would have to find your place if you don’t stop at the end of a chapter. Settings include return to Playlist, the ability to turn off the LCD, Playmodes, Background Music, and Hot Keys. I saw no way to bookmark, but you can pause but when I returned to what I was listening to it went back to the beginning instead of where I left off. I doubt if I ever will use the audio with any frequency. The reader only accepts up to a 2gb SD card. That is more than enough for simple text, but audio books can eat up space quick.

There is also a picture viewer, but to me that makes no sense. The reader is not color and the reader is text only. So why a picture viewer when I can’t include the book cover, photos, and drawings in my book? The sample picture included looked like a pdf converted to jpg. It was hard to read, but I could zoom and then pan across and down. This may be useful to some. I was thinking of converting some of my craft patterns to jpg images for a easy reference when traveling outside the house.

In the user setting you can set language, dictionary, volume, fonts (Ariel and Verdana), auto power off, and auto page turn. Auto page turns can be set to never, 5 seconds, and 10 second increments up to one minute.

Battery life: I am charging the reader about once a week. I suggest actually turning the unit off if you are not coming back to it with a day or so. Standby drains the battery and in two days of the Jetbook in standby I got a low bat warning. I haven’t tested the battery for audio in background or simple audio listening. Turning of the LCD when listening should prolong battery life.

Durability: The reader feels solid in my hands. The housing is plastic, but not flimsy in the least. I have dropped the reader a few times from a few feet and it seems ok. I think the Jetbook should hold up to normal use.

Loading text: This is easy. Just drag and drop. I made additional folders for easier file management. You can chose to list books by author or title. Don’t worry this choice can be changed any time.

TIP: When adding titles rename them as follows:

Author_Name#Title_of_Book

So it will look like this: Herman_ Melville#Moby_Dick_or_The_White_Whale

I am not the best when reformatting books for a reader. I want to read and if I took the time to really clean up text, I doubt if I would ever get around to the book. So there are times that there is a lot of space between words and breaks in the middle of a sentence. With that said I think my books looked better on the Jetbook than other readers I have, even after I change the font size. I found that changing the alignment setting from left to justify works nicely. I like reading in portrait mode, but there is a button that lets you change orientation. I like that better than having to go into settings. There are only two rotation choices: 0 degrees and 90 degrees. The landscape mode at 90 degrees is harder for me to hold and keep from pressing the numbers along side by mistake. Page turning is different and I wish that I could change the setting on the slider and buttons. If there is a way I haven’t found it yet. My only other problem is that sometimes I get it mixed up with the settings button that is directly above rotation. There is also a button that lets you zoom without going into the menu.

Pros:

Dictionary: I love the dictionary included. All I have to do is press the menu button, then select dictionary. This highlights the first word on the page and then all you have to do is to navigate using the jog pad to the word you want and press ok. It was almost like have my Rocket book back, but without the touch screen.

Screen: I was worried that the screen would be green like the Ebookman or Kolin reader. I was worried for nothing. In regular light reading is great, but the brighter the better. In the Sun the screen is better than e-ink, but then again I am not a real big fan of e-ink. Page turns are so much quicker which really enhances my reading experience. I am glad that someone out there is creating alternative devices.

File Management: Users can manage both internal and external memory. I can delete books, create folders, copy books from one folder to another, and rename files.

Choice of font size: There are six choices from 12 to 32. So for people with vision disabilities this is a plus.

Page turning: There are three ways to turn pages in addition to auto page turn. There is a slide bar on the left, a toggle button on the bottom left, and a jog pad on the bottom right.

Cons:

No html, doc, rtf format support. But there is hope via this site message:

It seems that JetBook does not support some e-book formats, why is that?
We are working on additional e-book format support, but at the same time we have found that 90% of free sources (sources containing almost every needed book on Internet) use either TXT or DOC format.

No way to add additional fonts

No backlight. This is an LCD screen not e-ink so this was doable. I read this on their website:

On/off/standby Switch: This button depends on how long you push the button. This took some time for me to catch on to and sometimes I put the device in standby when I want it off. So it can take me a few tries to get the device to turn on when I come back to it.

Why is there no backlight in JetBook?
We deliberately removed the backlight from JetBook’s original specification after a lengthy consultation with ophthalmologists in the US. We were advised that if we wanted to make JetBook closer to a sense of a regular book, we should not use any backlight. Similar to a computer monitor, if you read by looking at a source of light your eyes get tired within 1-2 hours and you need a longer rest to recover. As for a regular paper book, we all read in reflected light where the eyes do not get tired (if you get tired just switch the font to a next, larger size and you may continue to enjoy your reading). This is the main reason why the backlight was not implemented. Next month we will offer you a clip on light that will allow reading under limited light conditions without getting your eyes strained. Shouldn’t I be the one to chose?

Final Thoughts: This is one of the easiest-to-use e-book readers I have come across. There are cons to the reader, but I wouldn’t let that be a show stopper. I think that the Jetbook is excellent as a second reader and compliments the on-the-go person. Too bad that the price tag is $349, but you can easily buy it for $50 off. Simply click on “Learn about Discounts” and fill in what you would like to pay for the reader. I entered $280, but their only counter offer was $299. So I took it. Now I wish I had waited because the reader comes in two more colors now: White and Grey. One of the reason why I never bought the newest Cybook is that I wanted the reader in white. I also noticed that Ectaco has a English/Chinese reader (M218B) in white. The M218B has the extra bonus of HTML format support. So would I buy again? Certainly. I have been really happy using the device to for my summer reading.

Here’s my Cover Solution. It is a photo brag book. I found it at an outlet type store and the photo pages were gone. I got it cause it looked like I could use it one day with wither a PDA or e-book.

My take on the Kindle Part 1

Ellen Hage — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:08:26 +0000

This weekend I finally got around to using the Kindle. The packaging it comes in is really nice. It looks like a book. I could have lived without all that though. Maybe if Amazon had used a plainer package it could have knocked a few bucks off the Kindle’s price tag. Yes the Kindle is still homely looking, but softer on the eyes in person. I like the way the device feels in my hand. I have rather large hands with long fingers. I also have nails, but I try to keep them short. I was concerned about finger placement on the reader, but my fingers naturally fell in the right place. The Kindle is also quite light and I had no problems using it with one hand. I am not a fan of rubber grips and it has been one of my few dislikes reference the EBW1150. That said, the one on the kindle is not too thick, and not too much of a rubbery feeling.I purposely did not read any user guides. I wanted to see just how user friendly the Kindle is straight out of the box. It took me a few hours to figure out how to get to the SD card slot underneath the gray rubberize back. Then, when I wasn’t trying to remove the cover, it just popped off. Go figure. I was surprised to see what looks like a user replaceable battery. I hope that Amazon will start selling these separately. It would be a real plus if they come out with a battery charger. The reset button is also located under the rubber backing. I don’t like having to remove the backing just to do a reset. It shouts potential hassle. I hated the location of the reset button on the Sony reader. I was so afraid I was going to break the reader snapping that cover on and off. I can also see the little slot inserts getting broken too.

The case looks like a moleskin notebook. It is leather, but it feels bulky and is cumbersome when trying to use the Kindle. The power switch for the Kindle is on the back and it is hard to get to it with the case on. I have gotten to the point where I store the reader in its case and then remove it when I am using it. I was at M-edge and they are coming out with a case for the Kindle in January 2008. So I won’t have too long to wait. The site says that the case will be available in a variety of colors. No word on pricing though.

The screen is no better or worse than any other e-ink device I have. I like the keyboard and the scroll wheel. The keys feel solid, but I won’t be speed typing on it. It took me more than a minute to realize that the scroll wheel has a window. The window is directly above it and runs the length of the screen. The position indicator is hard to see. It’s a light silver color and blends in. At first I had to hold the device a certain way to see it, but that could just be me. It’s not so bad now, so I must be getting use to it. I am just glad the scroll wheel is there. It makes it so much easier to navigate. Hopefully tomorrow, I will cover my Kindle set up and book purchase experience.

A Kid’s take on the Eee PC

Ellen Hage — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 02:30:07 +0000

“Mommy the screen is just too small for me” was the final statement from my son Kellen. At first he was drawn to the small size. It’s funny because he thought the entire top of the laptop was the screen. So when he turned the laptop on he thought he did something wrong. After I explained that the speakers were on the side he asked why. I didn’t have an answer and quite honestly I would like to know why too. Maybe it was the only place the speakers could go. I wouldn’t be surprise if the next generation Eee has a larger screen in the same place and the speakers located on either side of the touch pad. While Kellen did like the laptop, he was taken a back by its different interface. He kept expecting it to be like Windows. The big difference was Yahoo! Messenger versus Pidgin. He uses it to send messages to his sister, who is away at college. Pidgin just doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that Yahoo! has. He was also disappointed when he found out that the webcam doesn’t work in Pidgin. Still, I think that over time he will get use it.

I gave the Eee PC to Kellen without explanation. He immediately knew what to do. The only thing I had to point out was the tab layout. Of course he quickly found the Play section. The first day he played some of the games, but became somewhat bored after a few minutes. He wanted me to add more software and was disappointed when I told him I couldn’t. I suggested the learning software and he promptly quit that after a couple of minutes.

I think that main reason why Kellen hasn’t taken a shine to the Eee PC is because of his Internet experience. He likes playing a couple of the games on Cartoon Network’s site. One of them he told me would keep freezing up. I don’t know if my son is the typical child that Asus is targeting. He’s a tech kid, because he has a tech mom. I still have to wonder though. Even if the target group has no computer, certainly these children are exposed to them at school or the library. Would it be enough? I am sure that as time goes on there will be more software available. All I know for sure is that now I really like it.

Related: WSJ article The First-Grader’s First PC

Comparing the N770 to the N800

Ellen Hage — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 19:25:30 +0000

After I bought the Nokia N770 for my husband, I found it hard to put in down. When I told him I was going to get one for myself, he suggested that I buy the N800 since we already had a N770 in the house. I was somewhat hesitant given the price difference, but I am glad that I took my husband’s advice. So how do they compare?

Aesthetics: The N800 certainly has a slicker look to it compare to the understated finish of the N770. I think the screens are the same size and from the specs they also have the same resolution. However, in use I feel like the N800 seems a bit bigger. Since the N800 also has a built in camera it doesn’t lie flat. This makes it a bit more bulky.

Hardware: I like the finish on the N770 more. My hand doesn’t slide as much as it does on the N800. The only time I notice it though is when I am reading in portrait mode. I also think that the N770 is made sturdier. The buttons don’t feel like Chiclets. The separation of the Home, menu drop down, and escape key makes it easier to use. The same thing goes for the zoom, power, and full screen buttons on top of the tablet. I really think that I have more control with the N770. I have nails (not long ones) and often on the N800 I slip and end up pushing the wrong key. The N800 has dual speakers and the sound is much better when listening without earphones. The N770 has a separate stand, which means another thing to carry. It’s built into the N800, but it covers the USB port. I use Velcro to attach mine to a case, so that means that I have to remove my tablet to hook it up to my PC. That can be a pain. Another thing that Nokia dropped when they came out with the N800 is the slide on cover. The hard cover on the N770 puts the device in suspend mode and protects the screen. There’s no need to get a case. I hope that the next generation tablet includes the hard cover and either has a separate stand or moves the USB connection port. The only gripe I have about the N770 is that it only uses RS-MMC cards. That limits me to 2 gb. The N800 has two memory slots, that means that I can have up to 16 gb of space, fantastic for storing movies and music.

Use: I mainly use my N800 for reading. Since I like reading in portrait mode, I think that I would rather read using the N770. It’s just easier to grip and feels better in my hand. I recently got a Bluetooth keyboard so now I also use my N800 to take notes in class (for some reason people ask me if it is a Blackberry or iPhone). I also downloaded Maemo WordPy. It’s a WordPress client that allows users to create blog entries and post directly from the tablet. The N800 is definitely faster, but not noticeable when reading e-books.

I can’t recommend one over the other. They are both great devices. I think that it all depends on how you plan to use the tablet. If you are looking for something to read e-books then you can save some money and just go for the N770.

Newspapers on the Go

Ellen Hage — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 13:34:25 +0000

E-book Impressions: Books in Adobe, MS Reader, and Mobipocket formats. They also have a user forum. One thing I found interesting is their categories. They have a few that I don’t see often such as Juvenile Fiction, Academic, Art and Culture, and Magazines to name a few. E-book Impressions also offers about 100 free e-books. For those who are new to e-books the site offers a primer that includes a comparison of the three formats that they offer.

Read Newspapers Another surprise was their link to Press Display, an online Newspaper Stand. Press Display offers online newspapers from around the world. Newspapers are not free of course. Readers can buy one issue or subcribe monthly. Single issues cost $2.75. A better deal and probably the best option is to subscribe to a monthly plan. The Economy play is $9.95 per month and includeds 31 issues, 7 days back issues and 200 book marks. For what I can tell these issues can be any papers that you want. So you are not stuck with just one paper. The other plans are quite expensive starting at $29.95 per month and topping off at $199.95 monthly. No software is needed if you plan to only view your papers online. Just open your browser and go directly to their site and log in. If you want to download your issues then you will need to download their reader software which is free. Currently they support, Win 2000/XP/Vista, Mobile Devices such as PDAs and Smartphones, and Mac OS X. Unfortunately I saw nothing on Palm OS, so I don’t know if Palm’s Browser is supported for downloads. The only browsers I saw that they support are Win IE, Firefox, and, Netscape. You may be able to access through their RSS feeds. Plans are in the works for Safari support, so that’s good news for iphone users. It seems like they have a good variety of newspapers and offer the full issue to include ads, instead of just selected articles. I plan to try this out by buying one issue to see how it goes and report back here.

First impressions of my iLiad

Ellen Hage — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 14:39:47 +0000

I got off on a rocky start. It took me a couple of minutes just to figure out how to plug in the charger to the reader. In order to charge the reader it has to be connected to the dock/hub assembly. This makes it somewhat cumbersome. It would be better if the charging cable could be plugged into the reader directly. While I was figuring all this out, I got a chance to really look at the screen. It’s a generous 8.1 inches and while it is heavier than the Sony reader it feels better in my hands and easier to grip. It also has fewer buttons than the Sony making it much simpler. I also think that the iLiad looks much more professional than the Sony. It made me feel like I should be using it for either the betterment of mankind or at a job working on some super mega project. The canvas case is okay, just okay. It has a hard backing and a shoulder strap, but for $700 I think I should have gotten a free M-edge leather case. I bought one of these cases when I ordered the iLiad and it is very well made, soft and decadent looking. Here are my Pros and Cons:
Pros: Screen Size: Great size. I really like the way Mobipocket looks. Available Software: Being able to read DRM Mobi is a good thing. Good only because I have a lot of Mobi e-books I bought a few years ago. I no longer buy e-books in this format. Another software program is Daily Comics. I like certain comics like Dilbert, but I don’t always have time to read it on my laptop. This application downloads a variety of current comics and then opens the file in FBreader. My only complaint is that some of the print is small and difficult for me to read. I also have Sudoku puzzles so that make things kind of fun. PIM Program: I like PIMs and although the iLiad is not a PDA, that should mean that I can’t use it as one. In fact this application is what put me in favor of buying the iLiad in the first place. Page forward/Back toggle switch Uses CF and MMC cards
Cons: Ease of use: Navigation is not intuitive enough. I am still having problems getting to where I want to be. Sometimes when I press a button it is non-responsive. This is probably my fault. Slow: It takes a long time for it to start up and open applications. Even within applications it can take a while to move. I keep making the mistake of thinking that I didn’t press correctly with the stylus and pressing again only makes it act screwy. Ghosting: I get a lot of that, but mainly when using add in applications. Battery: Battery life is poor. I have to charge it after each use. The first day I played around with it for about 3 hours and almost half the battery was used. No physical user manual: All I got was a small square piece of paper that had short descriptions and some universal type graphics on it. The user manual is on the device, but if I don’t know how to use the device, then how am I ever going to get to the manual? If I had a better quick start guide, I think I could have avoided some of my initial problems. Contrast: I find it inadequate for my needs. For example, when using FBreader I could hardly see the icons and had to guess. The icons just appeared much too light and small. I looked for some sort of contrast setting and didn’t find it. Again, probably my fault, but I don’t thnk that it should be hard to find. Expensive, easy to lose Stylus
Is it worth the money? No. Do I regret buying it? Kind of. I just love e-book devices, so it is a welcomed addition. Although I was able to install what I wanted after much help from Harry on the Mobileread Forum, I don’t use the reader. I think my initial problems have turned me off. I have never bought a device that caused me so much angst. I think the moral of the story is that the iLiad is just not the device for me, at least not yet. It took too long in my opinion to it get it up and running. I am going to just forget about it for a month and come back to it and see what happens. Hopefully my iLiad won’t end up sitting between my Kolin reader and Sony Librie.

Non-dedicated devices week: Oldies can be goodies

Ellen Hage — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:54:46 +0000

One of my e-book obsessions is to find the cheapest ultimate reader. As a result of my search I have accumulated lot of gadgets. This week I’d like to review some of them. Some are still available for sale from time to time on EBay. First up is the DT375. I first read about it on Teleread and it seemed like a good device. My only hesitance was that it is a Win CE device. However, after visiting Andy’s site, I decided to go ahead. I bought it from Andy when he had one for sale on EBay.

Advantages:

The device is quite light when comparing it to my Cybook. At first, I thought that the extra battery attached would be cumbersome, but it actually makes it easier to hold the tablet. The greatest advantage is that all four of my major reading software applications are available. Currently, I have MS Reader, Palm’s reader, µBook, and Mobipocket. I found the learning curve to be non-existent since I am already familiar with Win CE. I can also surf the Internet using the same Ambicom wireless card that I use for my Cybook. Drivers are available at Ambicom’s site. Surfing is slow, but I knew that going into it. I also like the screen size at 8.4″. It’s bright and settings can be adjusted. Resolution is nice at 800 x 600. This is the same as the defaut setting on my UMPC.

Potential Disadvantages:

My biggest problem with the DT375 is the power button. If I don’t push just right it will reset the tablet. Once this happens I have to reinstall my programs. I now have everything installed on the CF card. So now when it resets I still have to reinstall the shortcuts to the menu and some other personal preferences. This can be quite frustrating and I have to admit I no longer use it as much as I use to. The obvious disadvantage in my opinion is that it is Win CE 4.2. and if you want to add more applications, they are hard to find, if they exist. Fortunately, Andy’s website has a nice selection to get you started. I have written him and he responds quickly and with easy to understand information. About a week after I received my tablet I thought that I had bricked it, but as usual he came to my rescue. Currently he has posted a backup program which should help reset woes. I will give it a try and report back. Tomorrow I will continue my review of the DT375 along with some pictures and ways to maximize your use.

Sony ereader review update

Ellen Hage — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 07:13:08 +0000

Since I wrote my last review on the Sony reader, it stayed mostly untouched on my desk. While the device is portable it didn’t fit well in my purse and I found myself wishing more and more for a stylus and back light. That said my newest reader du jour was my HP Ipaq 4700 recommended by Dear Author. All that changed in May when I had Lasik surgery. Suddenly the glare of any PC or PDA screen wreaked havoc on my eyes. So I decided to dust off my Sony reader and give e-ink another try. Boy, did it do the trick. That is along as there were enough light in the room. Having no choice in reading devices for a while also afforded me the time to actually read the user manual. There were some features such as history that I never paid attention to. The only use I have for that feature is when my finger accidentally hits one of the number keys and the reader fast forwards to another section in the book. I can then use history to get back to where I was originally. I wish I had more good things to say, but I don’t.

Take the history feature. Is this because Sony knew that I would touch the number button and lose my place, and instead of moving or eliminating the buttons, they added this “feature” to help me out?

I still don’t buy books from Sony. I buy elsewhere and then convert. Yes it is a hassle, but I am getting a lot better at it. I do browse whenever I get their newsletter. The Connect Store is still as clumsy as ever. Browsing for books should be fun, not an exercise in hide and seek. Maybe now that Sony has closed its music store they will be able to concentrate more on on the e-book front. I hope so, but I have learned not to hold my breath. Another feature I have been looking at is the ability to add RSS feeds to the reader. Sony offers very few feeds. In their defense they do state that theirs is a small offering. My complaint is not about what they offer, but the inability to add my own feeds. Some folks over at Mobileread have devised a way to add your own feeds to the device, but I have not had the time to delve into it. Once I do read through the thread and give it a try, I will report back here. My Connect software still gives me frequent “not responding” messages and even when it works, it is so slow. No, it’s not my computer, it is the software. I only say this because new users will often automatically assume that something is wrong on their end and start doing all sorts of things on their PC that can change something that didn’t need changing. This can lead to frustration and possible rejection of the reader.

I feel that in their effort to make their reader simple to use, Sony ended up making the reader too simple. It irritates me that it can’t be adjusted suite individiual needs. In other words, it is impossible to customize this reader. This may be fine for first timers, but sooner or later they too will want to customize settings. Really sooner since there really isn’t much of a learning curve to the device. By allowing the user to make changes, Sony can increase perceived usefulness. Then again, maybe that’s on purpose. Afterall, if we had a reader that truly grew with us, then why buy a new reader when the next generation comes out?

So after all this I have to admit I bought a second reader. Why? Because this reader does exactly what it says it does. It allows me to read and access hundreds of books wherever I go. It will never be my favorite reader, but to date this reader has never failed me. In that it is a quality reader that I do like.

Sony ereader review

Ellen Hage — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 07:38:53 +0000

The following is my first assessment of the Sony reader. It was first published on Teleread. I thought I’d post it here for comparison for how I feel about the reader now. My updated review will be posted tomorrow. Will my opinion change for the better? Stay tuned.

My Thoughts on Owning a Sony Reader (Dec 2006)

I have had my reader now for two months and I still have mixed feelings. For some reason it has taken me awhile to warm up to it, but I do like it. Is it my favorite of all e-book devices? Certainly not and I will explain later. First, what I do like about the reader. Battery life is excellent. I have had to recharge only twice since it arrived. The display is not what I had expected. I thought that the background would be whiter. Instead it is grey, but much better than the Sony Librie. The text is clear and easy to read. Changing the text size is simple and the font size choices should please most people. Most of the functions I was able to figure out right away without having to read the manual. I really like the Bookmark button. It makes it very easy to mark my place without going through menu choices. Screen size is adequate and the reader is light and easy to carry. The lightness of the reader makes it easy for me to read for hours without straining my wrists. Since it is e-ink I haven’t experienced any eye strain either. When traveling to take my daughter back to college after Thanksgiving, I was able to read comfortably in the car in bright daylight. This is definitely an advantage over my other readers. Before I forget, redeeming the$50 credit was painless. Well, that’s about it for the good stuff.

What wasn’t so good was apparent from the start. The cover for the reader has to be snapped on and is attached from the back of the unit. Thank goodness for the Mobileread Forum. They had some great tips on how to attach the cover. Without that I think I would have broken the device, because the cover can be difficult to snap on. That got worse when I received the leather cover I had ordered from Sony Style. It took me almost an hour to get it on, mainly because it kept coming off. Then I realized that the groves on the cover and the device didn’t match. So my reader looked off kilter. The bottom right edge stuck out. After a couple of days, I couldn’t stand it and sent the cover back. For $40 it should fit as expected. Later, when I was in Austin, TX I bought another cover and it does fit better, but I had to strap bands around it to make the leather stretch.

Next up is the Connect Software to include the Connect Book Store. To say I am disappointed would be an understatement. This is a small gripe, but in order to buy books, you have to have the software. In order to get the software you have to have the reader. Why can’t the software be downloaded for free online, you know like iTunes? I don’t have to have an iPod to buy from their store. The software has locked up on me twice and I had a time to get it to work again. The store is not that easy to navigate and seems rather clumsy. Sometimes the search brings up odd results. Still, once I found a book it was easy to purchase and download. Another annoyance is that when you register on the site you must give a credit card number that they keep on file. Then they went on to charge a dollar to my account. I got a quick response when I inquired. Apparently it was a test to make sure the card was valid, and I got my meager buck back. I’m upset because they didn’t tell me this up front. Maybe they did, but it must have been in the very very fine print. I doubt if I will be buying much from their store since the book selection is poor at best. I can find more, better, and definitely cheaper books from other sources.

So if I don’t buy from them, what are my choices? None, unless I convert from another format. So far I have had less than satisfactory results. It is a hassle. Why should I have to use two or more programs and spend more than 30 minutes to format a book to look right on the reader? I’m not a programmer, but I am not stupid either. There should be a better way to put public domain stuff on the reader, and have a Table of Contents (TOC), pictures, and show both the Author and Title in the main menu, without tearing my hair out!

I am hoping that the software and user features will improve. Again, I must thank the many people on the Mobileread Forum. Without their insight and knowledge I would be lost. That said, why must customers rely on peer support for a product? What about the first time users who are not familiar with such forums?

Personally my biggest complaint about the reader is why many love it. It is exactly like reading a book. There is no built in dictionary, no searching, and no hyperlinks. I understand why there is no back light (e-ink), and yes paper books (p-books) don’t have built in lights. But, then again I don’t pay hundreds of dollars to read a paper book. I pay big money to have a digital reading experience. That means that it shouldn’t be just like reading a traditional book. It should be more. In fact a whole lot more.