Pandigital Novel - white

jbcohen · 11-08-2010, 08:37 AM

A few months ago I bought one of these at Bed, Bath and Beyond for $160 - $30 dicount = $130 - $30 coupon = final price $100. Had it for a while before it got stollen and I was less then impressed by the reader, here are my impressions of the reader:

Pros:

Excellent ergronmics
Wi-fi
Quick to acces the novels
Dictionary
Can take notes in the margins

Cons

Slow to boot
Needs to be reset frequently

My impressions are that if one is so inclinded to buy this reader you are better off with another better known brand of touch screen read. The pandigital novel is not quite up to the task.

movieking · 11-09-2010, 07:37 AM

The reviews of this device were pretty bad at the beginning, but after a software update, many people said that it worked much better. This definitely looks like the type of thing that my wife would like for Christmas, but the reviews still scare me.

Has anyone used this lately after the software update?

jbcohen · 11-09-2010, 08:12 AM

Mine was stollen before I could upgrade the firmware so my assesment does not reflect the upgrade.

xhale · 12-06-2010, 12:06 PM

I have had mine for several months now and really enjoy it. I have used both the PDN firmware and third-party.

tlc · 12-10-2010, 02:56 PM

FWIW, the white one has been hacked to be a weak but more general Android tablet. Google if you're interested in that.

givitup2E · 12-16-2010, 08:49 AM

I have a black one. Seems like a decent enough device. Two things I am not liking about atm are the fact that Calibre doesn't make the thumbs when you import your library and I wish they had a better manager for your bookshelves. Is just fine if you have a few books, but when you have alot, its kinda clunky. Been searching for an app for that. So that may go away soon. I am guessing with the increasing popularity of the pandigital, Calibre will update it to support it 100% also.

exscentric · 12-16-2010, 04:15 PM

I have a pandigital white and run the open platform android on it. I find it to be as good if not superior to some of the other android tablets.

The biggest drawback is that it does not have android market so you have to pick up software from other sites which is no big deal.

There are several other modified operating systems that work well from all reports. You can see them at slatedroid.com.

The open platform android is available on pandigital's site.

airbus911 · 12-24-2010, 11:14 PM

Just picked up a Novel 7 and it has been bug free so far. I do agree that the book management software could be better.. Overall thought it has been a pretty good reader.

spaldingclan · 12-24-2010, 11:27 PM

I use the Kobo reader on my PDN

Eread Bill · 01-11-2011, 08:12 PM

I bought mine @ Kohls, no time limit return (save box and Receipt).
Had the 1st one for about 4 months, and it started needing a hard reset
multiple times daily. Returned it no problem. Bought another. $179 and
30% coupon and $15 rebate, total $110.
Both white. After talking to PD support, I upgarded the internal Micro SD
to 8g and it runs great. Takes a little longer to boot with all the memory.
No need for hard reset in 5 months. I have not hacked it yet, but will when
the real Market is available. I like it a lot and recommend it.

exscentric · 01-11-2011, 10:40 PM

You may wait a long time as pandigital has said that they will not have market. Their latest firmware does have slideme market if that interests you.

Wait a few days as there are several new firmwares on their download site today but nothing about them as yet on their page. I would guess that they will update their page soon.

cutterjohn42 · 01-21-2011, 09:56 AM

Custom firmwares based on the stock firmware, open platform firmware, OR the hackish froyo variant can all get you access to a decent amount of apps from the Google market, the "real" one.

I had heard the other week that they're supposedly on clearance(or were) at Kohls for $60 which is a relative steal. Unfortunately my nearby Kohls didn't have any, but as of the other week BBB had $30 mailin rebate, plus I had a 20% off coupon and $5 coupon so I decided to pick another one up for a little more(v. $60). I got lucky, and got the v2 hardware this time which is distinguished by the lack of stutter every 5s in video playback in firmware released after/including the 07/24 stock firmware update(also affects custom firmware based on any of those).

11-08-2010, 08:37 AM	#1
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	Pandigital Novel - white A few months ago I bought one of these at Bed, Bath and Beyond for $160 - $30 dicount = $130 - $30 coupon = final price $100. Had it for a while before it got stollen and I was less then impressed by the reader, here are my impressions of the reader: Pros: Excellent ergronmics Wi-fi Quick to acces the novels Dictionary Can take notes in the margins Cons Slow to boot Needs to be reset frequently My impressions are that if one is so inclinded to buy this reader you are better off with another better known brand of touch screen read. The pandigital novel is not quite up to the task. Last edited by jbcohen; 11-08-2010 at 02:42 PM.

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11-09-2010, 07:37 AM	#2
movieking Member Posts: 23 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony 505	The reviews of this device were pretty bad at the beginning, but after a software update, many people said that it worked much better. This definitely looks like the type of thing that my wife would like for Christmas, but the reviews still scare me. Has anyone used this lately after the software update?

11-09-2010, 08:12 AM	#3
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	Mine was stollen before I could upgrade the firmware so my assesment does not reflect the upgrade.

12-06-2010, 12:06 PM	#4
xhale Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	I have had mine for several months now and really enjoy it. I have used both the PDN firmware and third-party.

12-10-2010, 02:56 PM	#5
tlc Zealot Posts: 140 Karma: 50288 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: KK 3G, iPad	FWIW, the white one has been hacked to be a weak but more general Android tablet. Google if you're interested in that.

12-16-2010, 08:49 AM	#6
givitup2E Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 12 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Pandigital Novel	I have a black one. Seems like a decent enough device. Two things I am not liking about atm are the fact that Calibre doesn't make the thumbs when you import your library and I wish they had a better manager for your bookshelves. Is just fine if you have a few books, but when you have alot, its kinda clunky. Been searching for an app for that. So that may go away soon. I am guessing with the increasing popularity of the pandigital, Calibre will update it to support it 100% also.

12-16-2010, 04:15 PM	#7
exscentric Addict Posts: 379 Karma: 1033424 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: WY Device: Kindle keyboard	I have a pandigital white and run the open platform android on it. I find it to be as good if not superior to some of the other android tablets. The biggest drawback is that it does not have android market so you have to pick up software from other sites which is no big deal. There are several other modified operating systems that work well from all reports. You can see them at slatedroid.com. The open platform android is available on pandigital's site.

12-24-2010, 11:14 PM	#8
airbus911 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Pandigital	Just picked up a Novel 7 and it has been bug free so far. I do agree that the book management software could be better.. Overall thought it has been a pretty good reader.

12-24-2010, 11:27 PM	#9
spaldingclan Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Pandigital Novel	I use the Kobo reader on my PDN

01-11-2011, 08:12 PM	#10
Eread Bill Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Encinitas, Ca. Device: pandigital novel 7	I bought mine @ Kohls, no time limit return (save box and Receipt). Had the 1st one for about 4 months, and it started needing a hard reset multiple times daily. Returned it no problem. Bought another. $179 and 30% coupon and $15 rebate, total $110. Both white. After talking to PD support, I upgarded the internal Micro SD to 8g and it runs great. Takes a little longer to boot with all the memory. No need for hard reset in 5 months. I have not hacked it yet, but will when the real Market is available. I like it a lot and recommend it.

01-11-2011, 10:40 PM	#11
exscentric Addict Posts: 379 Karma: 1033424 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: WY Device: Kindle keyboard	You may wait a long time as pandigital has said that they will not have market. Their latest firmware does have slideme market if that interests you. Wait a few days as there are several new firmwares on their download site today but nothing about them as yet on their page. I would guess that they will update their page soon.

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01-21-2011, 09:56 AM	#12
cutterjohn42 Addict Posts: 274 Karma: 1029955 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Palm IIIx, EBM-911, REB-1100(dead), PRS-505	Custom firmwares based on the stock firmware, open platform firmware, OR the hackish froyo variant can all get you access to a decent amount of apps from the Google market, the "real" one. I had heard the other week that they're supposedly on clearance(or were) at Kohls for $60 which is a relative steal. Unfortunately my nearby Kohls didn't have any, but as of the other week BBB had $30 mailin rebate, plus I had a 20% off coupon and $5 coupon so I decided to pick another one up for a little more(v. $60). I got lucky, and got the v2 hardware this time which is distinguished by the lack of stutter every 5s in video playback in firmware released after/including the 07/24 stock firmware update(also affects custom firmware based on any of those).