360 Plus suitable for elderly non techies?

[paola]

I was considering getting my parents (who live in Italy, while I am in the UK) a 360+ each. I could buy and configure the devices, but once I do that they'd be on their own. Dad is not scared by technology, but gets bored easily, but again I could set them up with Adobe, calibre and a good dustbuster and get them going.

However, checking on my own 360 (old model) i see Italian is not among the available languages: does anybody know if Italian support (for the menus) is available?

Also, Kindle would definitely be the lazy option, which however may be easier for them, or so may e.g. Kobo touch: has any of you try and convert a non techie to a PB, and if so are your friends/relatives still in talking terms with you ? Should I go for a 6'' screen instead?

[kacir]

Originally Posted by paola

has any of you try and convert a non techie to a PB, and if so are your friends/relatives still in talking terms with you ? Should I go for a 6'' screen instead?

I report several (allegedly very satisfied) non-techie PB360 and PB 602 users.
Most of them are close relatives of my good friends and coworkers. Said friends came to me because they know I am an e-book enthusiast. None of them read books, but their relatives do.
My friends still talk to me, and as far as I know their relatives talk to them ;-)

I have also a few friends that purchased PocketBook 302 after I recommended PocketBook brand. NOT the device.
They still talk to me. This shows, they were *really* good friends to begin with
But that is a different story.


I have installed FBReader180 and Coolreader for them and provided my very-techie friends with instructions for their role as support. So far I was told the support wasn't really necessary.
You need to show your parents how to use the device. PocketBook has many advanced functions, so when user activates, for example, notes function or dictionary they need to be aware what it is.
Higher number of features does bring more items to menu, so the control isn't as simple as with Kindle.
Menus on PB360+ are so similar to PB360, that you won't have problem providing long-distance support.

[marf]

How good is their eyesight? What do they intend to read, in particular what ebook formats? I find PDFs virtually unreadable on my 360+, even zoomed. Reading a document with color is sadly disappointing on a black & white device, but a text-based (rather than image-based such as PDF) format is (to me) quite good on the 360+. Battery life is awesome on the 360+, and it is very lightweight. Holding heavier devices does get tiring, especially for someone with arthritis. HTH.

[Billi]

Originally Posted by paola

Should I go for a 6'' screen instead?

Maybe. Do they have the possibility to try 5" and 6" readers in one of the big electronic markets? Or have they already played with yours once and felt comfortable with it?

My parents still struggle against letting me gifting them an ebook reader, but from their playing around with my readers I have the impression that (unfortunately) 8" would be perfect for them.

And don't forget: sd-cards are cheap, you can always prepare them a sdcard with new books and send it to them if they have problems with shopping or downloading.

[paola]

thank you all for your points: they do read a lot of novels, and this is what I suspect they will read on the device (no pdfs then). So epubs would not be a problem on the small screen, as they could scale up - the problem might be only if they have a psychological resistance to this "small thing".

I like the idea of a 5'' screen because I suspect it is much less breakable (at least, my 360 has taken quite a battering, and a year on is still going very strong - my husband regularly keeps his in his jeans backpocket, I shiver every time I see it, but the good old 360 seems to be copying ok, a year on), and the cover of course is a big plus.

Billi, I don't think they'd have a chance to try them (still pretty new in Italy), and I only have about a month to sort this out, but won't be able to go there before and show my reader to them (my dad looked interested, my mum did not, but I think she'd use it if she had it - well, I hope).

Problem is, although they both speak English, I think they'd be annoyed if the language setting could not be switched to Italian, does anybody know if it is supported?

[kacir]

Originally Posted by paola

I like the idea of a 5'' screen because I suspect it is much less breakable (at least, my 360 has taken quite a battering, and a year on is still going very strong - my husband regularly keeps his in his jeans backpocket, I shiver every time I see it, but the good old 360 seems to be copying ok, a year on), and the cover of course is a big plus.

A few days ago there was video on the-digital-reader site
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...eo/#more-31603
It shows a new reader PageOne HD with a screen that isn't backed by a glass pane but by a metal foil.
They demonstrate the display by throwing golf balls at the reader from quite a distance. You can see metal frame as it is bent after being hit by one of balls. And the reader still works.
Unfortunately there is no info when this is going to be available and how much it would cost. I also haven't found review of firmware of PageOne (non-HD version).

There is also better resolution of video available on youtube.

This is what I call tough device ;-)

[nausica]

Originally Posted by paola

Billi, I don't think they'd have a chance to try them (still pretty new in Italy), and I only have about a month to sort this out, but won't be able to go there before and show my reader to them (my dad looked interested, my mum did not, but I think she'd use it if she had it - well, I hope).

Problem is, although they both speak English, I think they'd be annoyed if the language setting could not be switched to Italian, does anybody know if it is supported?

Yes, it is supported, I have pb 360+ end menus are in Italian.
They may try some readers, in Euronics stores, UniEuro, Marco Polo, Media World, Saturn, Feltrinelli libraries etc.

[paola]

Originally Posted by kacir

This is what I call tough device ;-)

couldn't agree more
But it will take I while before it gets to Western Europe, it seems.

@nausica: excellent, many thanks for the info!