New frontlit HD reader with MP3 & page turn buttons

xendula · 09-20-2013, 11:47 PM

The Icarus Illumina HD e-reader with front light is a new, Dutch 6 inch eink reader with page turn buttons, frontlight, MP3 playback with 3.5 headphone jack, and gyroscope (it auto rotates)

EURO 110 including taxes or for 129 on amazon.de (see more pics there)

The product pictures are a bit bizarre, with gigantic font on them, so maybe they are targetting seniors who often have worse eyesight?

Image and article found on lesen.net

Yolina · 09-21-2013, 02:57 AM

Not too keen on the design, but full points for the page turn buttons and touch screen combination, plus SD card slot

Amazon please take note

And yes think you're right about the target consumer group given the product pictures. The floor stand accessory is also, erm, interesting.

Edit £109.95 on Amazon UK via third-party seller

Teknikal · 09-21-2013, 04:33 AM

Doesn't look bad I'd consider it as long as it lets you use much smaller fonts.

owly · 09-21-2013, 05:25 AM

Quite heavy at 230 g.

soulfuldog · 09-21-2013, 06:56 AM

It seems to match up well to the others in terms of processor speed and screen resolution (as well as the price), but I think I like the more slimline style of the PW and Kobo Aura enough to edge out my desire for page turn buttons.

If only they'd made it a little smaller by doing away with the d-pad at the bottom it would have been very tempting, but as it is, it's only 11mm shorter than the Kindle Keyboard.

Kindle Keyboard
191 mm (H) x 122 mm (W) x 9 mm (D) - 247 g

Icarus Illumina HD
180mm x 123mm x 10mm - 229 g

Kindle PW
169 mm x 117 mm x 9.1 mm - 206 g

Kobo Aura
150 x 114 x 8.1 mm - 174 g

I've been happy with my Kindle but the diminutive size and weight of the Aura is tempting me most right now.

jlynton · 09-21-2013, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teknikal

Doesn't look bad I'd consider it as long as it lets you use much smaller fonts.

According to the manual, http://www.totalereaders.com/icarus/...ser_manual.pdf there is a wide range of font sizes, and you can install your own fonts.
Despite being on the heavy side, this looks like a great reader to me, as long as the frontlight quality is good (ie. better than the kobo glo).

Istvan diVega · 09-21-2013, 09:44 AM

I think I may just have found my next device. What clinches it for me is the fact that you can access a regular folder structure, rather than having to rely on collections, which I positively detest. The fact that it's also inexpensive is just icing on an already very tasty cake.

Thanks for posting this!

xendula · 09-21-2013, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Istvan diVega

I think I may just have found my next device. What clinches it for me is the fact that you can access a regular folder structure, rather than having to rely on collections, which I positively detest. The fact that it's also inexpensive is just icing on an already very tasty cake.

Thanks for posting this!

You're welcome. The Frankfurt International Bookshow is going on at the moment, so I've been stalking the German ebook sites

maslow · 09-21-2013, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xendula

The Icarus Illumina HD e-reader with front light is a new, Dutch 6 inch eink reader with page turn buttons, frontlight, MP3 playback with 3.5 headphone jack, and gyroscope (it auto rotates)

EURO 110 including taxes or for 129 on amazon.de (see more pics there)

On amazon.fr it is also EUR 110 and also Icarus itself.

There is a ICARUS Pocket in the house somewhere. It looks quite the same I guess; not fancy like my KOBO GLO, but solid (dropped it a few times on our concrete floor and still alive and kicking). I really was looking for a POCKETBOOK TOUCH LUX which has about the same features, also the mp3, which has a very good press in France.

The thing that bothers me most is the after sales support. KOBO is a mess, the other two I cannot really discover. Maybe that is a good sign?

Istvan diVega · 09-22-2013, 06:56 AM

In my experience it does tend to be a good sign. It is certainly better than googling "some_device + problem_description" and immediately getting thousands of hits.

Barty · 09-22-2013, 12:46 PM

If only it didn't have the giant bevels!

Ravensknight · 09-22-2013, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barty

If only it didn't have the giant bevels!

I concur. BUT, the fact that it has pageturn buttons makes up for that in my eyes.

I think I'm going to go check this out...

Mivo · 09-23-2013, 08:49 AM

Page turn buttons and MP3 support are pretty strong features, and it's inexpensive, too. The placement of the buttons seems a bit off, and the device looks a tad bulky, but overall it interests me more than any of the other offerings this autumn. Then again, I'm still in my Nexus 7 phase where I use it for everything, including all my reading.

JakesFriend · 09-23-2013, 08:56 AM

Yolina,
I bought a stand similar to the one shown (for my Sony and Kindle). It's great (and kind of strange looking)! I have a larger model, and it holds my readers while I sit in my recliner.

Here's a link (mine is slightly different):

http://www.ergovancouver.net/images_...levo_ebook.htm

Katsunami · 09-23-2013, 11:45 AM

This reader basically covers all bases.

Touchscreen for navigation: check
Buttons for navigation: check
Buttons for turning pages: check
Frontlight: check
Large(er) memory of 4GB: check
SD-card slot: check
Custom fonts: check
Good price: check

If the software is advanced enough and stable, I can see why people waiting for a frontlit reader with buttons are excited about this device.

edit: a floor stand for a 200gr e-reader? Wow. People are getting REALLY lazy nowadays. Maybe they should also add a function that turns pages at exactly the speed you read with. Maybe they should integrate a "talking book feature" so you don't even need to read at all.

Oh, wait...

09-20-2013, 11:47 PM	#1
xendula eBookworm Posts: 2,300 Karma: 4525746 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: East Coast brrrrr Device: Kindle 4B/K ~ Nexus 7 ~ Kindle Paperwhite 1&2 ~ iPad Air	New frontlit HD reader with MP3 & page turn buttons The Icarus Illumina HD e-reader with front light is a new, Dutch 6 inch eink reader with page turn buttons, frontlight, MP3 playback with 3.5 headphone jack, and gyroscope (it auto rotates) EURO 110 including taxes or for 129 on amazon.de (see more pics there) The product pictures are a bit bizarre, with gigantic font on them, so maybe they are targetting seniors who often have worse eyesight? Image and article found on lesen.net Last edited by xendula; 09-20-2013 at 11:54 PM.

09-21-2013, 02:57 AM	#2
Yolina Wizard Posts: 1,179 Karma: 11573197 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: London, UK Device: Voyage	Not too keen on the design, but full points for the page turn buttons and touch screen combination, plus SD card slot Amazon please take note And yes think you're right about the target consumer group given the product pictures. The floor stand accessory is also, erm, interesting. Edit £109.95 on Amazon UK via third-party seller Last edited by Yolina; 09-21-2013 at 03:01 AM.

09-23-2013, 08:56 AM	#14
JakesFriend Jakes Friend Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Washington, DC Device: Kindle Paperwhite1	Yolina, I bought a stand similar to the one shown (for my Sony and Kindle). It's great (and kind of strange looking)! I have a larger model, and it holds my readers while I sit in my recliner. Here's a link (mine is slightly different): http://www.ergovancouver.net/images_...levo_ebook.htm Last edited by JakesFriend; 09-23-2013 at 08:58 AM.

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09-21-2013, 04:33 AM	#3
Teknikal Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 5264318 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belfast Device: Sony T1, Note Pro 12.2, Honor 10	Doesn't look bad I'd consider it as long as it lets you use much smaller fonts.

09-21-2013, 05:25 AM	#4
owly Guru Posts: 729 Karma: 3822612 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sweden Device: Paperwhite 2, Kobo Aura H2O	Quite heavy at 230 g.

09-21-2013, 06:56 AM	#5
soulfuldog I ♥ Calibre Posts: 2,073 Karma: 5678911 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Voyage, Sony PRS-350, Hudl2	It seems to match up well to the others in terms of processor speed and screen resolution (as well as the price), but I think I like the more slimline style of the PW and Kobo Aura enough to edge out my desire for page turn buttons. If only they'd made it a little smaller by doing away with the d-pad at the bottom it would have been very tempting, but as it is, it's only 11mm shorter than the Kindle Keyboard. Kindle Keyboard 191 mm (H) x 122 mm (W) x 9 mm (D) - 247 g Icarus Illumina HD 180mm x 123mm x 10mm - 229 g Kindle PW 169 mm x 117 mm x 9.1 mm - 206 g Kobo Aura 150 x 114 x 8.1 mm - 174 g I've been happy with my Kindle but the diminutive size and weight of the Aura is tempting me most right now.

09-21-2013, 09:44 AM	#7
Istvan diVega Inharmonious Posts: 416 Karma: 2157616 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: Sony PRS-950, Galaxy Tab 2 10.1	I think I may just have found my next device. What clinches it for me is the fact that you can access a regular folder structure, rather than having to rely on collections, which I positively detest. The fact that it's also inexpensive is just icing on an already very tasty cake. Thanks for posting this!

09-22-2013, 06:56 AM	#10
Istvan diVega Inharmonious Posts: 416 Karma: 2157616 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: Sony PRS-950, Galaxy Tab 2 10.1	In my experience it does tend to be a good sign. It is certainly better than googling "some_device + problem_description" and immediately getting thousands of hits.

09-22-2013, 12:46 PM	#11
Barty doofus Posts: 2,543 Karma: 13089041 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage	If only it didn't have the giant bevels!

09-23-2013, 08:49 AM	#13
Mivo Fanatic Posts: 556 Karma: 3531054 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Germany Device: In use: Pocketbook InkPad 3, Kobo Glo, iPad Air 2	Page turn buttons and MP3 support are pretty strong features, and it's inexpensive, too. The placement of the buttons seems a bit off, and the device looks a tad bulky, but overall it interests me more than any of the other offerings this autumn. Then again, I'm still in my Nexus 7 phase where I use it for everything, including all my reading.

09-23-2013, 11:45 AM	#15
Katsunami Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,111 Karma: 34000001 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: KPW1, KA1	This reader basically covers all bases. Touchscreen for navigation: check Buttons for navigation: check Buttons for turning pages: check Frontlight: check Large(er) memory of 4GB: check SD-card slot: check Custom fonts: check Good price: check If the software is advanced enough and stable, I can see why people waiting for a frontlit reader with buttons are excited about this device. edit: a floor stand for a 200gr e-reader? Wow. People are getting REALLY lazy nowadays. Maybe they should also add a function that turns pages at exactly the speed you read with. Maybe they should integrate a "talking book feature" so you don't even need to read at all. Oh, wait...

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