Aluratek Libre... confused about SD card

jezebel · 06-09-2010, 07:41 PM

I happened to be near a KMart today (NOT near my home) and picked up an Aluratek Libre. The Quick Start guide tells me there is a pre-installed 2 GB card that contains 100 books. The books are there, but there is no SD card in the slot. Thinking maybe the card is installed inside the hardware I checked the memory available by plugging it in. The books take up less than 90 MB and there is less than 20 MB available. Do they indeed come with a separate SD card that is removable?

Is it possible someone loaded the books onto the unit and swiped the card? I realize SD cards are cheap, but that ain't right. What should I do? I can't go back there for several weeks.

DJHARKAVY · 06-09-2010, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jezebel

I happened to be near a KMart today (NOT near my home) and picked up an Aluratek Libre. The Quick Start guide tells me there is a pre-installed 2 GB card that contains 100 books. The books are there, but there is no SD card in the slot. Thinking maybe the card is installed inside the hardware I checked the memory available by plugging it in. The books take up less than 90 MB and there is less than 20 MB available. Do they indeed come with a separate SD card that is removable?

Is it possible someone loaded the books onto the unit and swiped the card? I realize SD cards are cheap, but that ain't right. What should I do? I can't go back there for several weeks.

Call them, and then get a card from whoever is having a sale this week...

jezebel · 06-09-2010, 08:10 PM

Yeah, I will. I was just checking to see if I understood it correctly. I'm just peeved. I could have gotten the thing from somewhere else for less when you factor in the price of the card.

Mahmud · 06-09-2010, 10:27 PM

I picked one up at a KMart today and could not find an SD card. I thought it was just me, but I think they must have two ways they sell this reader. I saw a webpage where they had the package and it prominently says "Included 2GB SD card/100 ebooks".http://the-gadgeteer.com/2010/02/02/...er-pro-review/ But my package simply says "Included 100 ebooks."

Yeah, I'm peeved too. But since the KMart ad doesn't say it comes with an SD card, I doubt they'll do anything about it.

jezebel · 06-09-2010, 10:33 PM

Mahmud, was your box shrink-wrapped?

The box doesn't say anything about a card and it's not in the drawings of what's included, but it does say very clearly in the quick start guide that one is included. I'm gonna call and speak with a manager tomorrow.

Mahmud · 06-09-2010, 11:04 PM

No, my box wasn't shrink-wrapped but it had those circular tapes on each end. The instructions do say, "we have included a 2GB SD card that is pre-loaded with 100 eBooks." I really don't understand the company cutting corners to remove an SD card that costs a few dollars. Let us know what you find out from talking to a manager. The store I got it from is more than 30 miles away.

jezebel · 06-09-2010, 11:17 PM

Yeah, my store is about that distance from me, plus a $4 toll bridge. Not worth the trip just for that.

jblitereader · 06-10-2010, 12:19 AM

Good lord, you people sure travel a lot of distances to buy these toys.

Xanthe · 06-10-2010, 12:29 AM

I've noticed that some of the ads mention the existence of the card, and some just mention the 100 books. I'm wondering if the lower priced/sale Libres are cheaper because the card is not included.

Mahmud · 06-10-2010, 12:31 AM

Ha. I had to make a grocery run, and that's also my closest supermarket.

I created a support ticket at Aluratek about the missing SD card. Let's see what they say.

jezebel · 06-10-2010, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by livingenzyme

Good lord, you people sure travel a lot of distances to buy these toys.

I guess it depends on where you live. The Kmart near me closed last month. I happened to have other things to do in the area of the one I went to yesterday. I wouldn't have gone that far just for a toy.

Mahmud · 06-10-2010, 01:12 PM

I heard back from Aluratek. They wrote: "If you purchased your LIBRE ebook reader PRO from K-Mart, an SD card is not included with the LIBRE. The 100 free ebooks are saved to the LIBRE's internal memory, not on an SD card. The box does not state that an SD card is included. The quick start guide or instructions may refer to an SD card but that is an error. K-Mart's current LIBRE promotion does not include an SD card. Other retailers may include the SD card but their price may be higher that what K-Mart is charging."

I figured this was the case. I've been reading on the Libre and am impressed by the range of formats it displays, especially my own RTF documents and even PDFs. I can also easily read ebooks borrowed from the public library. These were my main interests anyway. If nothing changes with how the reader works, I think I'll keep it and get a cheap SD card.

jezebel · 06-10-2010, 04:03 PM

I wrote them and got a similar reply. I picked up a 2 GB SD card from Staples today for $8. If I decide to return the reader I can always use it in another or in my camera.

char10 · 06-11-2010, 09:23 PM

I recently bought an Aluratek Libre from Sears for $99.It had the SD card with it so there must be 2 different packages available. I wanted an ereader that used folders and read multiple formats.I'm really happy with it and haven't run into any problems,so far.

jezebel · 06-12-2010, 10:27 AM

I have been kicking myself daily for missing that Sears deal. I missed it by one day!

06-09-2010, 07:41 PM	#1
jezebel Fanatic Posts: 528 Karma: 131098 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: a ferry ride from Seattle Device: Kindle Fire (5th Gen), Nook Color	Aluratek Libre... confused about SD card I happened to be near a KMart today (NOT near my home) and picked up an Aluratek Libre. The Quick Start guide tells me there is a pre-installed 2 GB card that contains 100 books. The books are there, but there is no SD card in the slot. Thinking maybe the card is installed inside the hardware I checked the memory available by plugging it in. The books take up less than 90 MB and there is less than 20 MB available. Do they indeed come with a separate SD card that is removable? Is it possible someone loaded the books onto the unit and swiped the card? I realize SD cards are cheap, but that ain't right. What should I do? I can't go back there for several weeks.

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06-09-2010, 08:10 PM	#3
jezebel Fanatic Posts: 528 Karma: 131098 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: a ferry ride from Seattle Device: Kindle Fire (5th Gen), Nook Color	Yeah, I will. I was just checking to see if I understood it correctly. I'm just peeved. I could have gotten the thing from somewhere else for less when you factor in the price of the card.

06-09-2010, 10:27 PM	#4
Mahmud Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Aluratek Libre	I picked one up at a KMart today and could not find an SD card. I thought it was just me, but I think they must have two ways they sell this reader. I saw a webpage where they had the package and it prominently says "Included 2GB SD card/100 ebooks".http://the-gadgeteer.com/2010/02/02/...er-pro-review/ But my package simply says "Included 100 ebooks." Yeah, I'm peeved too. But since the KMart ad doesn't say it comes with an SD card, I doubt they'll do anything about it.

06-09-2010, 10:33 PM	#5
jezebel Fanatic Posts: 528 Karma: 131098 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: a ferry ride from Seattle Device: Kindle Fire (5th Gen), Nook Color	Mahmud, was your box shrink-wrapped? The box doesn't say anything about a card and it's not in the drawings of what's included, but it does say very clearly in the quick start guide that one is included. I'm gonna call and speak with a manager tomorrow.

06-09-2010, 11:04 PM	#6
Mahmud Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Aluratek Libre	No, my box wasn't shrink-wrapped but it had those circular tapes on each end. The instructions do say, "we have included a 2GB SD card that is pre-loaded with 100 eBooks." I really don't understand the company cutting corners to remove an SD card that costs a few dollars. Let us know what you find out from talking to a manager. The store I got it from is more than 30 miles away.

06-09-2010, 11:17 PM	#7
jezebel Fanatic Posts: 528 Karma: 131098 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: a ferry ride from Seattle Device: Kindle Fire (5th Gen), Nook Color	Yeah, my store is about that distance from me, plus a $4 toll bridge. Not worth the trip just for that.

06-10-2010, 12:19 AM	#8
jblitereader Addict Posts: 248 Karma: 1312 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: jetbook lite	Good lord, you people sure travel a lot of distances to buy these toys.

06-10-2010, 12:29 AM	#9
Xanthe Plan B Is Now In Force Posts: 1,894 Karma: 8086979 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surebleak Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2	I've noticed that some of the ads mention the existence of the card, and some just mention the 100 books. I'm wondering if the lower priced/sale Libres are cheaper because the card is not included.

06-10-2010, 12:31 AM	#10
Mahmud Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Aluratek Libre	Ha. I had to make a grocery run, and that's also my closest supermarket. I created a support ticket at Aluratek about the missing SD card. Let's see what they say.

06-10-2010, 01:12 PM	#12
Mahmud Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Aluratek Libre	I heard back from Aluratek. They wrote: "If you purchased your LIBRE ebook reader PRO from K-Mart, an SD card is not included with the LIBRE. The 100 free ebooks are saved to the LIBRE's internal memory, not on an SD card. The box does not state that an SD card is included. The quick start guide or instructions may refer to an SD card but that is an error. K-Mart's current LIBRE promotion does not include an SD card. Other retailers may include the SD card but their price may be higher that what K-Mart is charging." I figured this was the case. I've been reading on the Libre and am impressed by the range of formats it displays, especially my own RTF documents and even PDFs. I can also easily read ebooks borrowed from the public library. These were my main interests anyway. If nothing changes with how the reader works, I think I'll keep it and get a cheap SD card.

06-10-2010, 04:03 PM	#13
jezebel Fanatic Posts: 528 Karma: 131098 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: a ferry ride from Seattle Device: Kindle Fire (5th Gen), Nook Color	I wrote them and got a similar reply. I picked up a 2 GB SD card from Staples today for $8. If I decide to return the reader I can always use it in another or in my camera.

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06-11-2010, 09:23 PM	#14
char10 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana Device: ebookwise , aluratek libre , ipod touch	I recently bought an Aluratek Libre from Sears for $99.It had the SD card with it so there must be 2 different packages available. I wanted an ereader that used folders and read multiple formats.I'm really happy with it and haven't run into any problems,so far.

06-12-2010, 10:27 AM	#15
jezebel Fanatic Posts: 528 Karma: 131098 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: a ferry ride from Seattle Device: Kindle Fire (5th Gen), Nook Color	I have been kicking myself daily for missing that Sears deal. I missed it by one day!