E-Reader Advice - Astak 6" or 5"

[Freddy Bastiat]

I've been debating purchasing an e-reader for a few months now. My search has led me to this forum, which has been great in helping to me to narrow my choices so thanks to everyone that contributes here on a regular basis. I'm pretty sold on the Astak EZ Reader Pocket Pro for the following reasons:

• It's not tied to one particular book seller - most of what I read is free anyhow. The books I usually read are older and aren't offered for sale online anyhow.
• Removable battery
• Memory card slot
• Can handle more formats than any other device I've seen
• Seemingly good customer service and continued product development
• Comes with protective cover
  

I don't care that it doesn't have mobile capabilites. Not a big selling point for me. If it were about $50 cheaper I probably would have bought it already without much further thought. However, I do have a few questions of those of you who own one.

1. I've got my eye on the 5" Pocket Pro, but have since seen discussions of the 6" model recieving a number of "enhancements". Portability is of some importance for me, but readability is probably ranked higher in my evaluation. Is the 6" reader more "readable" than the 5"? Readable for me is comfort of viewing, how it feels in your hand, flow of text on screen, page turns, etc. I will do most of my reading at home (inside or outside on my deck) or at kid's soccer games. I may, on occasion, even throw it in my backpack for an extended trip into the backcountry.

2. I noticed that the new 6" model handles hyperlinks. Does the 5" model not handle hyperlinks? I need more background on this feature.

3. Will the 6" model come with it's own cover like the 5"?

4. I read a lot of pdfs currently on my computer - well, actually I usually end up just printing them off and binding them...part of the reason I'm considering getting an e-reader in the first place because I'm starting to have this stuff pile up. How well does each model handle pdfs where the text is from a scan (older books)? I don't expect much from this because I understand how scanned pdfs are displayed and can't really be reflowed as text. But are e-readers a good option for reading these types of files at all?

5. What is the best way to recieve RSS feeds from websites and then reformat them to place them on the device?

6. Given my questions, which model would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your help with these questions.

[DaleDe]

The two (3) EZ Readers have very similar capabilities and work essentially the same. I am talking about: EZ Reader basic (oldest 6" model), EZ Reader Plus (newest 6" model), EZ Read Pocket Pro (5" model). The hardware is similar with the same buttons except, the Pocket Pro has a scroll wheel on the right hand side than many like while the 6" has a volume control for sound on the right hand side (two buttons). Only the Pocket Pro comes in 6 colors. Both has the same exact screen resolution 600x800 pixels but of course the text itself will be smaller if it use the same amount of pixels since the screen is smaller. This is most evident in the menu sizes and otherwise text is somewhat adjustable. Both have covers.

The older 6" does not handle hyperlinks in ePUB but hopefully this will be fixed at some point. Both of the newer models handle hyperlinks in some formats but not all. Of course not all formats even have hyperlinks. This feature is primarily used in ePUB so follow links to other portions of a book like web pages do. Most books don't have them anyway but reference books sometimes do.

PDF's can come in two flavors, some are images that look like text and some are reflowable text. Reflowable text means the text lines change length based on the size of the font to fit on the page. If the PDF uses images the 6" has a better chance of being able to be large enough to read but even it is likely too small. PDF's are usually designed for printing on large lettersized paper, not reading devices. Perhaps a 9" screen or larger would be more suitable if you need to read these. The typical way to read these is to turn the viewer sideways and read 1/2, or 1/3 of a page at a time as landscape mode. All of these reader have a landscape mode.

You cannot directly receive RSS feeds on the eBook Reader but you can convert them on a PC and then read the results. This can be done using a free program called Calibre or the PC version of MobiPocket Reader.

Dale

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by Freddy Bastiat

I've been debating purchasing an e-reader for a few months now. My search has led me to this forum, which has been great in helping to me to narrow my choices so thanks to everyone that contributes here on a regular basis. I'm pretty sold on the Astak EZ Reader Pocket Pro for the following reasons:

• It's not tied to one particular book seller - most of what I read is free anyhow. The books I usually read are older and aren't offered for sale online anyhow.
• Removable battery
• Memory card slot
• Can handle more formats than any other device I've seen
• Seemingly good customer service and continued product development
• Comes with protective cover
  

I have both the Hanlin V3 (EZReader) and the Hanlin V5 (PocketPRO) and use both of them fairly regularly. I use the Hanlin V5 when traveling and the Hanlin V3 at home. The V5 is much more easily portable due to it's smaller size, but the V3 display looks much better with it's higher contrast ratio and larger size. Of course, in regard to contrast ratio, I only have my own two samples to go by. They both have the same resolution. The V5 has a proprietary, but user replaceable battery, while the V3 uses a more easily replaceable generic cell phone battery. You did not mention it, but Hanlin also has the V3+ out now, which is a much enhanced version of the V3( at the same price I believe). If I could have only one it would definitely be the V3, but now, of course, the V3+.
Another nice feature of the Hanlin readers is that there are lots of firmware developers producing software for them, so you can try different firmware packages if you like. For instance, I am currently using Vadim Lopatin's latest firmware build based on the Lbook base firmware and featuring his newest CoolReader, on both my V3 and my V5.

[Davimee]

Originally Posted by Freddy Bastiat

I've been debating purchasing an e-reader for a few months now. My search has led me to this forum, which has been great in helping to me to narrow my choices so thanks to everyone that contributes here on a regular basis. I'm pretty sold on the Astak EZ Reader Pocket Pro for the following reasons:

• It's not tied to one particular book seller - most of what I read is free anyhow. The books I usually read are older and aren't offered for sale online anyhow.
• Removable battery
• Memory card slot
• Can handle more formats than any other device I've seen
• Seemingly good customer service and continued product development
• Comes with protective cover
  

I don't care that it doesn't have mobile capabilites. Not a big selling point for me. If it were about $50 cheaper I probably would have bought it already without much further thought. However, I do have a few questions of those of you who own one.

1. I've got my eye on the 5" Pocket Pro, but have since seen discussions of the 6" model recieving a number of "enhancements". Portability is of some importance for me, but readability is probably ranked higher in my evaluation. Is the 6" reader more "readable" than the 5"? Readable for me is comfort of viewing, how it feels in your hand, flow of text on screen, page turns, etc. I will do most of my reading at home (inside or outside on my deck) or at kid's soccer games. I may, on occasion, even throw it in my backpack for an extended trip into the backcountry.

2. I noticed that the new 6" model handles hyperlinks. Does the 5" model not handle hyperlinks? I need more background on this feature.

3. Will the 6" model come with it's own cover like the 5"?

4. I read a lot of pdfs currently on my computer - well, actually I usually end up just printing them off and binding them...part of the reason I'm considering getting an e-reader in the first place because I'm starting to have this stuff pile up. How well does each model handle pdfs where the text is from a scan (older books)? I don't expect much from this because I understand how scanned pdfs are displayed and can't really be reflowed as text. But are e-readers a good option for reading these types of files at all?

5. What is the best way to recieve RSS feeds from websites and then reformat them to place them on the device?

6. Given my questions, which model would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your help with these questions.

Hi Freddy, and welcome to the forums! I'm anxious to see how others who are more knowledgeable will answer your questions.

I have the 5", and I really love it! It's very light and easy to hold, although I pretty much always keep it in the case. And the 3 different ways of turning pages is great, so it doesn't matter which hand you're using to hold it. So far all I've read are epubs, but they look very good on the 5" screen. I went to Borders one day and compared the Sony 5" and 6", and there really wasn't that much difference in the screen size. But I really like the compact footprint of the Pocket Pro.

For RSS feed, I've seen that you can use a free program called Calibre to download the RSS feed into ebook form. I've tried it once, and it works pretty well. I don't use it regularly, it was more just out of curiosity that I tried it.

I don't really know much about the hyperlinks. I had a book that used hyperlinks for chapters instead of the standard way of having chapters listed, and I really didn't like it. It took too long to navigate to the hyperlink I was trying to get to. And eventually the Pocket Pro just locked up. I don't think this was a problem with the pocket pro, but with the book. It was a HUGE book, and I had to navigate through the pages of hyperlinks... it just wasn't set up very well for an ebook reader. It would have done better with a touch screen device. But I don't want touch screen, so I just deleted the book.

I am very happy with my Pocket Pro, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an ebook reader. This is my first, and I don't foresee myself getting another any time soon. It's a great little device! From what I've seen about the new 6" (which isn't much, I haven't been around on the forums much the past couple weeks), the main difference is the screen size. So if portability is a big thing to you, you might consider the 5". Oh, and when I was looking, I looked up the dimensions of all the readers I was interested in, then drew them out on paper so I could compare the different sizes. That helped me see the difference between the Pocket Pro and the Sony Pocket, which were the two main ones I was looking at. I also drew out the Nook, but that was monstrous!

Good luck with your research, and eventually your decision!

[polly]

Originally Posted by Freddy Bastiat

1. I've got my eye on the 5" Pocket Pro, but have since seen discussions of the 6" model recieving a number of "enhancements". Portability is of some importance for me, but readability is probably ranked higher in my evaluation. Is the 6" reader more "readable" than the 5"? Readable for me is comfort of viewing, how it feels in your hand, flow of text on screen, page turns, etc. I will do most of my reading at home (inside or outside on my deck) or at kid's soccer games. I may, on occasion, even throw it in my backpack for an extended trip into the backcountry.

Both size screens are equally readable. You need to change pages a bit more frequently with the 5", but not enough to be a nuisance. Weight of the reader is certainly a factor, as is ease of page turns. I really like the fact that my 5" fits in my pocket and has a handy scroll wheel on the side for turning pages.

2. I noticed that the new 6" model handles hyperlinks. Does the 5" model not handle hyperlinks? I need more background on this feature.

The 5" model handles hyperlinks just fine. In books and magazines, hyperlinks are most frequently used for the table of contents. On the 5", the page forward button (the #0) moves you through the hyperlinks.

3. Will the 6" model come with it's own cover like the 5"?

According to the Astak release, it will come with a cover.

4. I read a lot of pdfs currently on my computer - well, actually I usually end up just printing them off and binding them...part of the reason I'm considering getting an e-reader in the first place because I'm starting to have this stuff pile up. How well does each model handle pdfs where the text is from a scan (older books)? I don't expect much from this because I understand how scanned pdfs are displayed and can't really be reflowed as text. But are e-readers a good option for reading these types of files at all?

Take a look at whether your pdfs were scanned as images or OCRed as text. If they were scanned as images, you might have a hard time with them on a reader, because they are seen as pictures. If they were OCRed, they might reflow without any problems. Charts, graphs, diagrams, and tables don't reflow in any way that's useful on a 5 or 6" reader. To see what yours are, open them in Adobe Acrobat, click on Select in the toolbar and see if you can copy and paste words from that document. If you can, it was probably OCRed. If you can't, it's seen as an image unless you run it through OCR yourself.

Alternatively, run them through Calibre and convert them to another format, like ePub. If the resulting document is readable on your computer, it will probably work just fine on a 5 or 6" screen.

If you do want to read pdfs with complex text, lots of graphics, etc, you'd probably be better off with a 9" model.

5. What is the best way to recieve RSS feeds from websites and then reformat them to place them on the device?

The best way is with Calibre. It has "recipes" that are designed to scrape the free stuff from hundreds of different websites and then reformat what comes out into books that you can put on the device. The resulting magazines tend to have lots of hyperlinks.

Not meaning to plug Calibre too much, but it's also an excellent program for organizing your books and loading them on a reader.

6. Given my questions, which model would you recommend?

That's a tough question. You said early on that you value readability over portability. In that case, you might be happier with a 6". I went for the 5" mostly because I wanted something that I could easily carry in my pocket and because I didn't especially like any of the 6" models available then. My plan has been to wait until the new generation of readers comes out this year to supplement the 5" with a 6". The 5" was a portable stopgap that I could carry around after I got a "real" reader with a clear touch screen. I've found that the smaller screen doesn't bother me if I read it in landscape mode.

I'd recommend going somewhere with Sony 5" and 6" on display. They should give you a feel for screen size and how often you would have to change pages. The 5" PEz is almost exactly the same size as the Sony 5"

[Dan21]

I have the 5". I got it over the 6" because it has more features, is a newer model, and was cheaper. If I were you, I would wait the 5-10 weeks for the newest 6" model that will have a faster processor, 16 shades of grey, with the same price tag. Patience is a virtue.

[theducks]

I am one of the fans of the Scroll wheel on the 5".

When I first got my PEz, I had never used a e-reader before and tended to use the turn keys on the Left. Somewhere I found, being Right Handed, that the scroll wheel was easier to use.

I also tend to read at home without the cover (Travel=cover in place) and find the light weight very comfortable.

I suspect the reason Polly does more page turns on the PEz is, like me, she runs at a slight higher Zoom level because of the smaller screen.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Freddy Bastiat

I've been debating purchasing an e-reader for a few months now. My search has led me to this forum, which has been great in helping to me to narrow my choices so thanks to everyone that contributes here on a regular basis. I'm pretty sold on the Astak EZ Reader Pocket Pro for the following reasons:

• It's not tied to one particular book seller - most of what I read is free anyhow. The books I usually read are older and aren't offered for sale online anyhow.
• Removable battery
• Memory card slot
• Can handle more formats than any other device I've seen
• Seemingly good customer service and continued product development
• Comes with protective cover
  

I don't care that it doesn't have mobile capabilites. Not a big selling point for me. If it were about $50 cheaper I probably would have bought it already without much further thought. However, I do have a few questions of those of you who own one.

1. I've got my eye on the 5" Pocket Pro, but have since seen discussions of the 6" model recieving a number of "enhancements". Portability is of some importance for me, but readability is probably ranked higher in my evaluation. Is the 6" reader more "readable" than the 5"? Readable for me is comfort of viewing, how it feels in your hand, flow of text on screen, page turns, etc. I will do most of my reading at home (inside or outside on my deck) or at kid's soccer games. I may, on occasion, even throw it in my backpack for an extended trip into the backcountry.

2. I noticed that the new 6" model handles hyperlinks. Does the 5" model not handle hyperlinks? I need more background on this feature.

3. Will the 6" model come with it's own cover like the 5"?

4. I read a lot of pdfs currently on my computer - well, actually I usually end up just printing them off and binding them...part of the reason I'm considering getting an e-reader in the first place because I'm starting to have this stuff pile up. How well does each model handle pdfs where the text is from a scan (older books)? I don't expect much from this because I understand how scanned pdfs are displayed and can't really be reflowed as text. But are e-readers a good option for reading these types of files at all?

5. What is the best way to recieve RSS feeds from websites and then reformat them to place them on the device?

6. Given my questions, which model would you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your help with these questions.

Dear Freddy:

I work for Astak.

Thank you for the post and welcome to our forum. Think of the EZ Reader PLUS as an EZ Reader Basic on steroids! They have gone from a 4 level grey scale to 16 level grey scale. The PLUS has exactly the same great Epson Controller with 400MHz processor as the Pocket PRO... which is very fast on page turns and bringing up books. The PLUS has USB 2.0. The PLUS has 64MB SD RAM. Both the Pocket PRO and the PLUS support 16GB of SD card... enough for about 8,000 eBooks and your music!

When the Pocket PRO first came out it did not support Hyperlinks or have a search function or a visible clock. All that was added later with firmware upgrades. New buyers of the Pocket PRO still have to do the firmware upgrade to gain those features.... but it is simple to do. The PLUS will have it all on there already and embedded!

ALL Astak devices ONLY come out with 20 formats, 26 langauges, and the USER-Replaceable rechargeable battery. Having such an easy access to the battery allows you to carry a second battery on a trip, fully charged, and pop it in as a spare in about 50 seconds. It is just one of the PLUSES that are inherent in Astak product.

ALL Astak devices come with a crush resistant leather case (although we will all forever argue if it is real leather or close to it). The EZ Reader line comes with ear buds included too.

Dale is right, one major advantage of the Pocket PRO is that it has a scroll wheel. This little wheel, hardly even mentioned when it came out, has become a wonderful way to turn pages and adjust music volume while you read. The Pocket PRO has 8 level grey scale and the PLUS has 16 level. Only the Pocket PRO comes in 6 colors!

So, you have a hard choice. BOTH the PLUS and Pocket PRO are exceptional devices that (in MY opinion) makes them far better than any other device on the market. I LOVE my product! In about 6 weeks there will no longer be an EZ Reader Basic... the PLUS will replace it and yet at NO increase in price!! That, to me, is astonishing!

[Stormchild]

I have both the V3 and V5 models (BeBooks) and I much prefer my V5. My wife also has both and she also prefers the V5. I might also add that I have a BeBook Neo but still prefer my V5 for reading. So I guess I am recommending the V5.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by Stormchild

I have both the V3 and V5 models (BeBooks) and I much prefer my V5.

Ahhhhhhh, somebody else who has both devices!!!

Since I much prefer my V3 to my V5 for at home reading, I have a question for you. Do you see a difference in the contrast ratio between the V3 and the V5? As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I find the contrast ratio to be much better on my V3 than on my V5, and I was wondering if that was universal OR if it was just my own pair. I can believe that it *could* be just my V5 that is suffering a poorer contrast ratio (not bad, but just not as black text) because it was a bit of a dog in other respects too, with peeling paint and a defective USB port. That said, I would much rather travel with the V5.

[Freddy Bastiat]

Excellent responses! Thank you all very much. I think I'm starting to lean more toward the PLUS model...and 6 weeks is not too long to wait (well, actually, yes it is ). However, it sounds like the PP is very solid and I would be happy with it also. As with most things, price may be the final deciding factor. Decisions, decisions.

I downloaded a copy of Calibre to play around with it a bit on my PC and it looks like it can handle a lot of what I'm looking for with RSS feeds...as well as organize my books. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by Freddy Bastiat

Excellent responses! Thank you all very much. I think I'm starting to lean more toward the PLUS model...and 6 weeks is not too long to wait (well, actually, yes it is ). However, it sounds like the PP is very solid and I would be happy with it also. As with most things, price may be the final deciding factor. Decisions, decisions.

I downloaded a copy of Calibre to play around with it a bit on my PC and it looks like it can handle a lot of what I'm looking for with RSS feeds...as well as organize my books. Thanks for the recommendation.

Dear Freddy:

You might find some useful tips on our FAQ sheet. That is on:

www.theEZreader.com under "support".

Also, there is info on the PLUS on my blog: www.robertbEZ.blogspot.com

[bob1xxx]

Honestly the choice between 5" and 6" models has more to do with what you like to read. I just want a read books novels , biography's , sci fic, and most library books, etc.... with little or no graphics so 5" e reader works great. If you want to download new papers, magazines, more graphic intense reading 6" or larger would be the better choice my 5" libre is perfect size for my uses. Enjoy!

[Freddy Bastiat]

I will mostly just be reading text, with a random scanned pdf thrown in, but it sounds like the 6" doesn't offer many improvements for viewing those either, so I may just continue to print those out.

Another question: One feature that I've read about the PP that I like is the non-slip coating on the cover. It seems the PLUS does not have this. Those of you who have the PP, what do you think of the texture of it in your hand?

[Davimee]

Originally Posted by Freddy Bastiat

I will mostly just be reading text, with a random scanned pdf thrown in, but it sounds like the 6" doesn't offer many improvements for viewing those either, so I may just continue to print those out.

Another question: One feature that I've read about the PP that I like is the non-slip coating on the cover. It seems the PLUS does not have this. Those of you who have the PP, what do you think of the texture of it in your hand?

I really like the texture of the Pocket Pro, but.... I've had mine less than a month, and the paint is starting to wrinkle. I had heard this was a problem, but I thought it was no longer an issue. I don't want to send it back, I had too many troubles getting mine (that was not the fault of Astak! I first tried getting mine through a 3rd party vendor, and it did not go so well. I finally ordered directly from Astak, and it arrived very quickly, with no problems. So get it directly from Astak or EZReader, and you won't have any trouble) but that is the one thing I'm disappointed in. I'm noticing it on most of the buttons, and the bottom right corner. Even knowing that now, it still wouldn't prevent me from doing it all over again - I really like my Pocket Pro! The wrinkling paint is more of an annoyance, than anything. Other than that, I really do like the texture. It's not wrinkling a lot, so it's not terribly noticeable. I still prefer the texture of the Pocket Pro to that of the Sony. The Sony Pocket is just too hard and cold, for me.