MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Foxit eSlick Hands-Off Review

Nate the great · 05-03-2009, 12:10 AM

I would love to do a hands on review, but Foxit has not followed through on their promise to send me one. I was told at least 3 different times that the unit would ship shortly. I seriously doubt that Foxit has shipped _any_ review units. The only review I have found is by Gear Diary, who had the good sense to buy one rather than wait for a review unit.

The eSlick is selling for $259+shipping, and includes an SD card, case, and a suite of Foxit software. It has no support for a DRM ebook format, although eReader support is promised in a future firmware. The delete function doesn't work.

When the eSlick was first announced, I thought that it could be a great device. At its price point it was a serious competitor in the ebook market. But, the market has changed since then. Ectaco's Jetbook has added support for 2 new ebook file formats, and can be had for under $200. A new firmware was recently announced for the Bookeen Cybook. And the price for the Sony 505 has continued to drop; it can now be bought for the same price as the eSlick.

And then there are the many problems that have been reported on Foxit's forum. There is a problem with the battery draining itself while off. There is a problem with the file history; the eSlick cannot remember your current location for more than 10 books, nor is the information saved if the eSlick reset. The delete function does not work. And then there is the fact that the eSlick doesn't have any bookmark functions. Considering it's an ebook reader, this last is mind boggling.

But there is light on the horizon. A firmware update is promised for Monday. It's supposed to fix most of the existing problems. Given Foxit's track record, I'll believe it when I see it.

My opinion: Keep looking. The eSlick can't compete on price, features, or reliability. I wouldn't get one until Foxit fixes at least 2 of them.

05-03-2009, 12:10 AM	#1
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	Foxit eSlick Hands-Off Review I would love to do a hands on review, but Foxit has not followed through on their promise to send me one. I was told at least 3 different times that the unit would ship shortly. I seriously doubt that Foxit has shipped _any_ review units. The only review I have found is by Gear Diary, who had the good sense to buy one rather than wait for a review unit. The eSlick is selling for $259+shipping, and includes an SD card, case, and a suite of Foxit software. It has no support for a DRM ebook format, although eReader support is promised in a future firmware. The delete function doesn't work. When the eSlick was first announced, I thought that it could be a great device. At its price point it was a serious competitor in the ebook market. But, the market has changed since then. Ectaco's Jetbook has added support for 2 new ebook file formats, and can be had for under $200. A new firmware was recently announced for the Bookeen Cybook. And the price for the Sony 505 has continued to drop; it can now be bought for the same price as the eSlick. And then there are the many problems that have been reported on Foxit's forum. There is a problem with the battery draining itself while off. There is a problem with the file history; the eSlick cannot remember your current location for more than 10 books, nor is the information saved if the eSlick reset. The delete function does not work. And then there is the fact that the eSlick doesn't have any bookmark functions. Considering it's an ebook reader, this last is mind boggling. But there is light on the horizon. A firmware update is promised for Monday. It's supposed to fix most of the existing problems. Given Foxit's track record, I'll believe it when I see it. My opinion: Keep looking. The eSlick can't compete on price, features, or reliability. I wouldn't get one until Foxit fixes at least 2 of them. Last edited by Nate the great; 05-03-2009 at 12:24 AM.