Cool-er: light, trendy, inexpensive e-book reader

[klikklak]

Apologies if this was answered.

Did it have directory support? .. If it has that, I'm buying one, and even if it doesn't I still might, when it's sold in europe. $=€ conversion was near decent, as the € price was only 225€.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Godzil

All netronix hardware clone have a user replaceable battery, the design looks great, but I have doubt about the netronix software... We will see

I very much doubt that the software is written by Netronix. Generally, the "application level" software for Netronix clones is written by the licensee; all that Netronix supply is the core o/s.

[Godzil]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I very much doubt that the software is written by Netronix. Generally, the "application level" software for Netronix clones is written by the licensee; all that Netronix supply is the core o/s.

But so why does the Netronix EB600 seems to have the same software, and netronix have a contract with Adobe for the Digital Edition SDK, so it is really likely the Cool-er software is the basic netronix one. And if licensee use other software, it could be simply because de netronix' one is not so good?

[kacir]

The question is, will we be able to flash it with the legendary firmware from the pocketbook which seems to be using very, very similar hardware. I have read somewhere that developers of Pocketbook firmware are preparing version for sale that will be flashable to other devices. PocketBook firmware DOES support things like folders, on-screen keyboard, ...
Play the video at the bottom of the pocketbook homepage.

[Godzil]

Another proof that Cool-er seems to use the Netronix software:



Seen here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46347
http://www.mielibro.com/

If this not generic software, why mielibro and Cool-er have exactly the same interface? I doubt that they are the same company

(and the iLiber have the same support of formats:
- Soporta los formatos de ebook: .pdf, .epub, .txt, .html, .chm
- Soporta los formatos de imagen: .bmp, .jpg y .gif
)

[wallcraft]

I agree that the hardware (and most likely the software) is the same, but the built-in storage and memory of the iLiber and the COOL-ER are different:

From iLiber Tech Specs

- Memory: 512Mb (*) with expandable SD
- SDRAM: 32MB
(*) Approximate memory used by user 470 Mb

From COOL-ER Tech Specs

Storage 1GB
Memory 128

Neither one has been proof read well, since Mb means mega-bits but should presumably be MB (mega-bytes), and COOR-ER does not have MB or Mb on its memory size (and 128 Mb would only be 16 MB).

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Generally, the "application level" software for Netronix clones is written by the licensee; all that Netronix supply is the core o/s.

That has been true in the past, but the cost of an Adobe Digital Editions license seems to have changed the equation. In any case, Netronix is now offering Reader software and seems to be drawing closer to the Jinke distribution model. The companies using Netrionix hardware, but with their own application software will presumably continue to use it.

[Godzil]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

I agree that the hardware (and most likely the software) is the same, but the built-in storage and memory of the iLiber and the COOL-ER are different:

From iLiber Tech Specs

From COOL-ER Tech Specs

Neither one has been proof read well, since Mb means mega-bits but should presumably be MB (mega-bytes), and COOR-ER does not have MB or Mb on its memory size (and 128 Mb would only be 16 MB).

Ho ? This seems interesting for the RAM part, but look the Cybook, the first Gen3 has 64MB of Flash, and now have 512MB, so it's possible that the EB600 can come with 512MB or 1GB of NAND Flash.

[taosaur]

Originally Posted by soilwork

Techcrunch posted a short video walkthrough of Cool-er. It looks pretty decent and I like that it has user-replaceable battery.

That vid gives me a positive impression of the form factor and durability--this is the first reader I've seen that remotely tempts me away from just using my netbook. The super-clicky nav button looks less than ergonomic, but every interface takes some getting used to.

I think the reviewers have it backwards saying it's for the "less tech savvy." Generally it's the "less tech savvy" who take the 'gadget with the most features wins' approach. If I were buying for my mom, who got her first computer from me last Xmas and is still mastering things like saving files and copy-paste, it would be a K2, no question. What strike me as limitations in the store and overkill on the features would actually make it easier for her to use.

For me, however, file management, format shifting, and shopping around for my ebooks are not a big deal. Pocketability and expandable storage are a far bigger draw than touchscreens and text0r-net, and the pricepoint falls just this side of justifiable expense. Also, I like the green one

That said, I doubt I'll be in the market for a reader in the next year, by which time it will probably be a whole different ballgame.

[JSWolf]

Godzil, my guess is that the status bar is part of the base software and they decided to keep it as is.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Godzil

the first Gen3 has 64MB of Flash, and now have 512MB, so it's possible that the EB600 can come with 512MB or 1GB of NAND Flash.

Yes. The RAM and Flash amounts (within a range of options) are set by the Reader vendor, not by Netronix. The interesting part is that COOL-ER does not seem to be skimping in that area despite its low price (I assume it has 128 MB of RAM).

[ny10522]

Contrast looks better than the Kindle.

Lack of dictionary support is a dealkiller:

http://blogs.ft.com/techblog/2009/05...on-the-kindle/

[Elfwreck]

I sent off an email asking some questions. (Some of which are apparently answered in the flash video.)

1) Filetypes:
> I'd like to know exactly what ebook formats it can read. The FAQ says
> "JPEG, PDF, or TXT document, or any EPUB"--but JPG isn't an ebook format,
> and the FAQ doesn't indicate whether it reads DRM'd books, or whether
> those involve extra software.
>
> Can it read RTF/DOC, HTML, Mobi, or PalmDOC files?

None of these at present

Which is what I expected, but wanted confirmed. I'm still confused at the idea of JPG being an "ebook format." Does that mean it reads .cbz/.cbr files? Or does it just mean "it's got a jpg viewer?"

> 2) Interface Software
> How does the interface work--Does it support folders?
> Does it sort by title/author, or by most recently added, or have multiple
> options? Is there additional software that's needed (or wanted), or does
> it just work like a flash drive--drag & drop files on & off?

Yes sort by title Author not most recently added

Erm. Only answered one of three questions. Bad sign. I think I'm going to write back, and ask that they put me in touch with someone who works in the technical department. (Techspeak gets over my head quick... but at least they'll answer questions like "Does it support folders?")

> 3) Reading
> How many font size options does it have, and how many shades of grayscale
> does it support?

8 font sizes - really bi to really small. No grayscale

Another sign that questions are being answered by sales reps, not technicians. If it's e-Ink, it supports grayscale.

> 4) Coolerbooks.com
> The FAQ states that Coolerbooks has over 750,000 titles, paid and free,
> but when I searched for titles beginning with each letter of the
> alphabet, I got a total of less than 90,000 ebooks. Are the rest of them
> not available through a search by title?

We are not fully launched yet. coolerbooks.com will officially launch at
BookExpo America at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City at the
end of this month. The full ebook inventory for coolerbooks.com will be
available at this time.

Ah. So the current FAQ is lying. I just love it when companies launch with "here's the hype for the features we're going to provide soon! Only we're not going to tell you they're not ready yet!"

(Anyone else suspect they're working on a way to import Google's 500,000 free epub books to their site?)

The questions that were totally ignored:

> Are the ebooks DRM'd, or not? If some of them are DRM'd, which formats?
>
> The reader says that purchasing it gets "25% off on ebooks at
> coolerBOOKS.com"--is this a permanent or limited-time discount?

Overall, it looks like a decent-but-limited device, but the combination of lack of technical info on the site, and lack of initial tech support, is daunting.

[Godzil]

Do you have the name of the person who answer you?

(And If I'm correct and they only sell "all made product" from netronics (ie without internal development) I think you will never be able to reach any technician...)

[godelocs]

I was wondering why the ebw 1150 has the jack for headphones and the icons on the bottom that symbolizes music but you cannot listen to music on it. Why would they do that?