Demo: Jetbook mini official demo

[MR. Pockets]

I've only used it a little but I have found fb2 to be better than txt but not any better than mobi (if it is that good). So not a great format, but I could live with it. Especially for only $100 and a really nice physical design.

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by MR. Pockets

I've only used it a little but I have found fb2 to be better than txt but not any better than mobi (if it is that good). So not a great format, but I could live with it. Especially for only $100 and a really nice physical design.

I would say the biggest problem with it is the limited support that most software gives for converting to fb2. I played around with that when I first got my Jetbook (at the time it didn't support much besides txt, fb2 and pdf). I ultimately found it easier to convert books from .lit or mobi to pdfs formatted for a 5" screen than to convert them into .fb2.

--
Bill

[jjm6383]

I wrote Ectaco to ask if they were planning on updating the Mini to read epub.

Their reply:

Thank you for your email.

No, we do not plan to expand Jetbook Mini now.


Best regards,
Leslie Green,
Ectaco Inc.,

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by jjm6383

I wrote Ectaco to ask if they were planning on updating the Mini to read epub.

Their reply:

Thank you for your email.

No, we do not plan to expand Jetbook Mini now.


Best regards,
Leslie Green,
Ectaco Inc.,

I wouldn't take that as the final answer. They often seem to have communication problems between customer service and the developers. I remember at one point they had started packaging firmware updates such that only Windows computers could unpack them without getting a third party product. Enough nagging by customers got them to fix the situation.

--
Bill

[bill_mchale]

It has occurred to me that probably the best thing we Jetbook fans can do is to write Ectaco and tell them how displeased we are with the lack of support for ePub or any DRM scheme.

--
Bill

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

It has occurred to me that probably the best thing we Jetbook fans can do is to write Ectaco and tell them how displeased we are with the lack of support for ePub or any DRM scheme.

--
Bill

I think Ectaco will continue to produce jetBook Lite for people who needs DRM support. I just placed the preorder for jetBook mini because I like the design of this unit and small size. I'll decide later to keep it or use as a x-mas gift for my friends.

[DLI]

I placed pre-order for 2 jetBook mini. Definately want to buy to my kids. Seem like a great gift. i will put there the books in TXT or FB2 i want them to read. Hopefully they will do it on a way to gymnastics and on vocation with me. BTW, Ectaco has New York State reading list with most of the non-copyrighted books in TXT format. I have requested one 5 month ago. Now will put it on mini

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by DLI

I placed pre-order for 2 jetBook mini. Definately want to buy to my kids. Seem like a great gift. i will put there the books in TXT or FB2 i want them to read. Hopefully they will do it on a way to gymnastics and on vocation with me. BTW, Ectaco has New York State reading list with most of the non-copyrighted books in TXT format. I have requested one 5 month ago. Now will put it on mini

Agree. I purchased several jetBook-Lite units and used it as a gift and all my friends like it. jetBook mini has a nice design and different colors so it will be a perfect gift too.
I'm also glad that jetBook mini has the same 5" screen as jetBook and jetBook-lite.

Thanks for information about New York State reading list. I will send them e-mail.

[LuBiB]

Originally Posted by DLI

I placed pre-order for 2 jetBook mini. Definately want to buy to my kids. Seem like a great gift. i will put there the books in TXT or FB2 i want them to read. Hopefully they will do it on a way to gymnastics and on vocation with me. BTW, Ectaco has New York State reading list with most of the non-copyrighted books in TXT format. I have requested one 5 month ago. Now will put it on mini

wow, i didnt know this, definiitely will be a great gift to my cousins here who are all in public school lol

at $99 its a steal no doubt, with that reading list its a great addiiton and if i look for it myself it might actually take days!

[LuBiB]

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

It has occurred to me that probably the best thing we Jetbook fans can do is to write Ectaco and tell them how displeased we are with the lack of support for ePub or any DRM scheme.

--
Bill

hey bill, u can always convert the epub books to txt or fb2 via calibre and they look really nice, ive been doing that for some time now on the regular jetbook.

they might be going back to their roots and then expanding from there as they've done with the jetbook, when it first came out there was no support for anything lol and now it supports everything you can imagine.

they might be working from the ground up but the design, functionality, and having the ability to order those school reading lists for free with the device is such a cool thing for 99 bucks which makes me stay with the jetbook.

[Flyingredgoat]

Originally Posted by imaredr

I am disappointed by the initial 2 color choices. I can understand the black mini, but the bright yellow is just too loud. Does anyone know when other color choices will be available?

Ellen

Oh yeah. What ever happened to the rainbow of colors? I'da though that they would release them all at once, or at least in short succession.

FRG

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by LuBiB

hey bill, u can always convert the epub books to txt or fb2 via calibre and they look really nice, ive been doing that for some time now on the regular jetbook.

they might be going back to their roots and then expanding from there as they've done with the jetbook, when it first came out there was no support for anything lol and now it supports everything you can imagine.

they might be working from the ground up but the design, functionality, and having the ability to order those school reading lists for free with the device is such a cool thing for 99 bucks which makes me stay with the jetbook.

Honestly, I can convert formats pretty easily. But conversion is usually lossy, since there won't be a one to one mapping of all the information in an ePub file to a .fb2 file.

Further the price does not impress me since for just a little bit more you can get other readers that support ePub and DRM.

I agree they may be going back to basics. I bought the original Jetbook when it didn't support much beyond txt, .fb2 and PDF, but that was also when the market was far less mature than it is now. These days if you are a reader whose name is not Kindle, you better support ePub.

--
Bill

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by Kris777

I think Ectaco will continue to produce jetBook Lite for people who needs DRM support. I just placed the preorder for jetBook mini because I like the design of this unit and small size. I'll decide later to keep it or use as a x-mas gift for my friends.

Honestly, I am not crazy about the form factor of the Jetbook Lite. I have the original Jetbook and the form factor is ok, but I think the battery back on the Jetbook Lite is just ugly. On the other hand, I really do like the form factor of the Mini. Honestly, if they even supported non DRM'd ePub I would probably buy it in a heartbeat.

--
Bill

[GA Russell]

I wonder what percentage of right handed people will hold the Mini with their left hand, with the buttons and batteries on the left. I hold the JBL with my left hand and think nothing of it.

[GhostHawk]

I read with my JBL in landscape mode. Normally holding it with my left hand with my thumb on the page turn button.