Libre ebook reader Pro - Dell Canada $169.99 (Oct 15 only)

manyoo99 · 10-15-2009, 09:12 AM

Dell Canada has the Libre ebook reader for $169.99 as a part of its Days of deals. Not sure how good this reader is. Screen is LCD and not eInk.

http://accessories.dell.com/sna/prod...1&sku=A2845831

NOTE: Deal is valid for Oct 15 ONLY.

Reviews here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21913

=========================
What's Included:
# Libre Ebook Reader Pro with a 2GB SD Memory Card
# AC Power Adapter
# USB 2.0 Cable for connecting to a PC or Mac - The Libre can also be recharged using the USB port of a computer
# Storage Pouch
# User Manual
# Earphones

Technical Specifications

* CPU : ARM9 200MHZ
* Audio : Built-in MP3 Player with background playback support
* Memory : a 2GB SD card with over 100 ebooks preloaded is included. The SD/SDHC card slot supports up to a 32GB SD/SDHC Memory Card
* Display : 5-inch, Monochrome reflective display, e-paper with screen rotation support (portrait and landscape modes)
* Resolution and Color : VGA 640X480, 16-gray scale display
* Usability : Content Search, Bookmark and Auto Page Turn functionality
* Battery : 2800mAh Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Polymer, up to 22 hour of battery life (continuous use), up to 30 day stand-by time. The Libre includes a battery level indicator and low level warning functionality.
* Battery Charge Time : 4 hours through included AC charger, 7 hours using the USB port of a computer
* OS : Linux
* Dimensions : 154mm Height x 110mm Width x 13.5mm Depth
* Weight : 0.5 Lbs, 227 grams
* Formats Supported : Electronic book formats supported are PDF, TXT, RTF, FB2, HTML, EPUB, MOBI, PRC. Picture formats supported are BMP, JPG, GIF, Animated GIF. Audio format supported is MP3
* Earphone Jack: 3.5mm, stereo (earphones are included)
* Connectivity : USB
* Warranty : 1 Year
=========================

AnemicOak · 10-15-2009, 09:28 AM

Same thing as the Jetbook right? Do they use the same firmware?

manyoo99 · 10-15-2009, 09:38 AM

Looks exactly the same as the Jetbook. It might be running the same firmware

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...hlight=jetbook

JSWolf · 10-15-2009, 09:57 AM

Great way to take a name of a reader that's now discontinued. The Libre was Sony's first reader. It was released in Japan only.

kenmark · 10-15-2009, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manyoo99

Dell Canada has the Libre ebook reader for $169.99 as a part of its Days of deals. Not sure how good this reader is. Screen is LCD and not eInk.

http://accessories.dell.com/sna/prod...1&sku=A2845831
...

Shows out of stock, so probably a pre-order.

manyoo99 · 10-15-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenmark

Shows out of stock, so probably a pre-order.

Shows in stock to me....

kenmark · 10-15-2009, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manyoo99

Shows in stock to me....

Site has been updated and now shows "Usually Ships: 1-2 Days".

astra · 10-16-2009, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Great way to take a name of a reader that's now discontinued. The Libre was Sony's first reader. It was released in Japan only.

I thought my memory fails me.
Real chutzpah.

What about display?

Quote:

5-inch, Monochrome reflective display, e-paper

It is either TFT screen with up to 22 hour of battery life, or it is e-paper with a bare minimum of a week of (continuous use)

qtq · 10-18-2009, 10:54 AM

I bought the Aluratek for 169 Cdn from Dell.ca too. It is reflective LCD screen, not eInk but I found the screen looks good enough for me. Boot up and page refresh seems faster than the Sony PRS505. I also bought a Sony PRS505 for 219 Cdn recently. Although I have not put them side by side for comparison, at first glance the Aluratek (rebranded Jetbook, M218A?) screen is not much worse than the Sony PRS505 in terms of clarity but I do need to tilt to avoid the slight glare.

Plan to look for a case for the Aluratek.

When I am more comfortable with the Aluratek, I also plan to explore how to add the dictionaries and might try the Chinese firmware from M218A or Jetbook later.

Does anyone know what do I need to do to read Chinese eBooks on Aluratek/Jetbook. Is it by adding fonts or language? Any helpful information is appreciated.

minsight · 10-18-2009, 10:35 PM

I flashed mine with Jetbook firmware and it worked fine.

This was necessary because the firmware that came on my libre was old and awful. They claimed that it supported SDHC, but it didn't. After flashing with Jetbook's latest firmware, it does...

I may try some of the Chinese firmware, but the ones I grabbed didn't work on the first try.

qtq · 10-27-2009, 09:13 PM

Thanks to Kralik's thread on Chinese firmware woes and redemption. I got the courage to flash my Aluratek using Chinese firmware. I used M218B v0.44 patch v1.3 from the manufacturer site (www.jcnip.com). It does take TWO flashes to get the Aluratek to boot up in the new M218B firmware. (There is another M218A++ firmware that also works on Jetbook, see Kralik's thread.)

The M218B firmware has three language settings. Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English. I can read Chinese but currently I have my reader set in English. The menus are very similar to the original Aluratek menus but with extra functions. I can now read English TXT and PDF books and EBA/EBAML Chinese books on the updated Aluratek.

The gain:
- Search function on book titles and book content
- Dictionary support (default is Chinese-English and Chinese-Chinese but I think it can be changed to English-English if I can locate the path to the dictionary files.)
- Supports EBA, EBAML, CEB, WOL (proprietary Chinese ebook formats), FLASH
(still supports TXT and PDF)
- Text to Speech on TXT and EBA, EBAML files. English or Chinese speech.
- Ability to change fonts when reading TXT and EBA/EBAML files.
- Book list now shows the type of file (TXT etc) and size of book in Kb
- Password protection on folders.
- Bootup password protection.

- I read somewhere on the manufacturer's site forums that if you try to access the wireless WiFi related functions on the menu the reader will hang and need a RESET (at back). This is due to the Aluratek / Jetbook does not have the WiFi hardware inside. I have not tried accessing the WiFi stuff on the menus to witness the hang.

- The Aluratek shows 112 Mb internal memory. I supposed hardware-wise Aluratek / Jetbook is the M218A or M218A+ model based on the manufacturer's spec on the memory capacity. (www.jcnip.com). The M218A / M218A+ has 128 mb flash memory. For the M218A++ or M218B(with WiFi) hardware they have 256 mb flash memory.

The loss:
- Lost French language setting on original Aluratek
- Lost support to FB2, EPUB, MOBI, PRC and RTF

I have downloaded some EBA, EBAML format Chinese ebooks from manufacturer site and able to read them now. However I still have trouble reading those Gutenberg Chinese TXT ebook (UTF-8). The reader shows Chinese characters but they are incorrect and does not make sense.

I have tried adding to the Aluratek reader the three font files meant to enable Sony PRS505 to read Chinese books without firmware change. It didn't work on the Aluratek. I also tried MingLiu font from my Windows directory. It didn't work either, still showing Chinese characters but incorrect content.

I have read somewhere in mobileread.com that Jetbook firmware v033 supports UTF-8 encoding I may give it a try later.

10-15-2009, 09:12 AM	#1
manyoo99 Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505	Libre ebook reader Pro (Jetbook) - Dell Canada $169.99 (Oct 15 only) Dell Canada has the Libre ebook reader for $169.99 as a part of its Days of deals. Not sure how good this reader is. Screen is LCD and not eInk. http://accessories.dell.com/sna/prod...1&sku=A2845831 NOTE: Deal is valid for Oct 15 ONLY. Reviews here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21913 ========================= What's Included: # Libre Ebook Reader Pro with a 2GB SD Memory Card # AC Power Adapter # USB 2.0 Cable for connecting to a PC or Mac - The Libre can also be recharged using the USB port of a computer # Storage Pouch # User Manual # Earphones Technical Specifications * CPU : ARM9 200MHZ * Audio : Built-in MP3 Player with background playback support * Memory : a 2GB SD card with over 100 ebooks preloaded is included. The SD/SDHC card slot supports up to a 32GB SD/SDHC Memory Card * Display : 5-inch, Monochrome reflective display, e-paper with screen rotation support (portrait and landscape modes) * Resolution and Color : VGA 640X480, 16-gray scale display * Usability : Content Search, Bookmark and Auto Page Turn functionality * Battery : 2800mAh Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Polymer, up to 22 hour of battery life (continuous use), up to 30 day stand-by time. The Libre includes a battery level indicator and low level warning functionality. * Battery Charge Time : 4 hours through included AC charger, 7 hours using the USB port of a computer * OS : Linux * Dimensions : 154mm Height x 110mm Width x 13.5mm Depth * Weight : 0.5 Lbs, 227 grams * Formats Supported : Electronic book formats supported are PDF, TXT, RTF, FB2, HTML, EPUB, MOBI, PRC. Picture formats supported are BMP, JPG, GIF, Animated GIF. Audio format supported is MP3 * Earphone Jack: 3.5mm, stereo (earphones are included) * Connectivity : USB * Warranty : 1 Year ========================= Last edited by manyoo99; 10-15-2009 at 09:45 AM.

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10-15-2009, 09:28 AM	#2
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Same thing as the Jetbook right? Do they use the same firmware?

10-15-2009, 09:38 AM	#3
manyoo99 Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505	Looks exactly the same as the Jetbook. It might be running the same firmware https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...hlight=jetbook

10-15-2009, 09:57 AM	#4
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,957 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Great way to take a name of a reader that's now discontinued. The Libre was Sony's first reader. It was released in Japan only.

10-18-2009, 10:54 AM	#9
qtq Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Sony PRS505, Aluratek Libre	I bought the Aluratek for 169 Cdn from Dell.ca too. It is reflective LCD screen, not eInk but I found the screen looks good enough for me. Boot up and page refresh seems faster than the Sony PRS505. I also bought a Sony PRS505 for 219 Cdn recently. Although I have not put them side by side for comparison, at first glance the Aluratek (rebranded Jetbook, M218A?) screen is not much worse than the Sony PRS505 in terms of clarity but I do need to tilt to avoid the slight glare. Plan to look for a case for the Aluratek. When I am more comfortable with the Aluratek, I also plan to explore how to add the dictionaries and might try the Chinese firmware from M218A or Jetbook later. Does anyone know what do I need to do to read Chinese eBooks on Aluratek/Jetbook. Is it by adding fonts or language? Any helpful information is appreciated.

10-18-2009, 10:35 PM	#10
minsight Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Aluratek Libre	I flashed mine with Jetbook firmware and it worked fine. This was necessary because the firmware that came on my libre was old and awful. They claimed that it supported SDHC, but it didn't. After flashing with Jetbook's latest firmware, it does... I may try some of the Chinese firmware, but the ones I grabbed didn't work on the first try.

10-27-2009, 09:13 PM	#11
qtq Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Sony PRS505, Aluratek Libre	Thanks to Kralik's thread on Chinese firmware woes and redemption. I got the courage to flash my Aluratek using Chinese firmware. I used M218B v0.44 patch v1.3 from the manufacturer site (www.jcnip.com). It does take TWO flashes to get the Aluratek to boot up in the new M218B firmware. (There is another M218A++ firmware that also works on Jetbook, see Kralik's thread.) The M218B firmware has three language settings. Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English. I can read Chinese but currently I have my reader set in English. The menus are very similar to the original Aluratek menus but with extra functions. I can now read English TXT and PDF books and EBA/EBAML Chinese books on the updated Aluratek. The gain: - Search function on book titles and book content - Dictionary support (default is Chinese-English and Chinese-Chinese but I think it can be changed to English-English if I can locate the path to the dictionary files.) - Supports EBA, EBAML, CEB, WOL (proprietary Chinese ebook formats), FLASH (still supports TXT and PDF) - Text to Speech on TXT and EBA, EBAML files. English or Chinese speech. - Ability to change fonts when reading TXT and EBA/EBAML files. - Book list now shows the type of file (TXT etc) and size of book in Kb - Password protection on folders. - Bootup password protection. - I read somewhere on the manufacturer's site forums that if you try to access the wireless WiFi related functions on the menu the reader will hang and need a RESET (at back). This is due to the Aluratek / Jetbook does not have the WiFi hardware inside. I have not tried accessing the WiFi stuff on the menus to witness the hang. - The Aluratek shows 112 Mb internal memory. I supposed hardware-wise Aluratek / Jetbook is the M218A or M218A+ model based on the manufacturer's spec on the memory capacity. (www.jcnip.com). The M218A / M218A+ has 128 mb flash memory. For the M218A++ or M218B(with WiFi) hardware they have 256 mb flash memory. The loss: - Lost French language setting on original Aluratek - Lost support to FB2, EPUB, MOBI, PRC and RTF I have downloaded some EBA, EBAML format Chinese ebooks from manufacturer site and able to read them now. However I still have trouble reading those Gutenberg Chinese TXT ebook (UTF-8). The reader shows Chinese characters but they are incorrect and does not make sense. I have tried adding to the Aluratek reader the three font files meant to enable Sony PRS505 to read Chinese books without firmware change. It didn't work on the Aluratek. I also tried MingLiu font from my Windows directory. It didn't work either, still showing Chinese characters but incorrect content. I have read somewhere in mobileread.com that Jetbook firmware v033 supports UTF-8 encoding I may give it a try later.