Verse Pro Review?

[blorgon76]

Hi,

I'm looking to replace my Kindle PW3 with a Pocketbook after seeing a friend's Pocketbook Touch Lux 5.

I was about to make the order when I saw they just released the Verse and Verse Pro and they're already on sale on Amazon. I would order but I don't see any user reviews about it, only a few posts/videos that just go over the spec.

I was wondering if anyone got one of them (preferably the Pro) and can share their impressions?

Thanks :-)

[Cyfranek]

Well, Verse Pro is Touch HD 3 in a new housing. So you can read Touch HD 3 review as well.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by blorgon76

I was wondering if anyone got one of them (preferably the Pro) and can share their impressions?

I don't think anyone has gotten them yet but, as Cyfranek mentions, the Verse Pro looks to be a repackaged HD 3 with a USB C port instead of a microUSB port. Same thing with the Verse, except it's replacing the Touch Lux 5.

That said, the PocketBook HD 3 is my favorite reader. So the Verse Pro basically being an HD 3 in new clothes is a good thing in my opinion.

[Amalthia]

I'm just baffled as to why the Verse Pro doesn't have a microSD slot for expanding memory. For me that's a deal breaker. But the regular Verse has potential, or maybe I should look into the Touch Lux 5.

[neil_swann80]

Originally Posted by Amalthia

I'm just baffled as to why the Verse Pro doesn't have a microSD slot for expanding memory. For me that's a deal breaker. But the regular Verse has potential, or maybe I should look into the Touch Lux 5.

I think it's in order to keep the device watertight for it's IPX8 rating. The Verse Pro like the HD3 can survive being submerged. The less ports in the device, the easier it is to keep watertight.

I would have liked to have seen a much larger internal storage with this in mind however.

[Amalthia]

Originally Posted by neil_swann80

I think it's in order to keep the device watertight for it's IPX8 rating. The Verse Pro like the HD3 can survive being submerged. The less ports in the device, the easier it is to keep watertight.

I would have liked to have seen a much larger internal storage with this in mind however.

Okay the waterproofing is a good reason.

However, for those that don't plan on reading in the bathtub it would be nice if they had a 300 DPI version of a ebook reader with a microSD slot. Ebooks with artwork eat up so much space!

I'm not sure if 212DPI is that big of a difference, but I'm leaning towards buying the regular Verse reader to replace my Pocketbook HD2. Or I could look around and see about buying a replacement Pocketbook HD2.

That device has the 300 DPI and a microSD card slot. From what I can tell the newer readers have more processing speed but otherwise they feel like a downgrade from the HD2 ereader.

[neil_swann80]

I don't think there's anything in the 6" category (Lux, HD3, Verse pro etc) with both 300PPI and microsd.

There is the larger 8" Inkpad 3 though

There are various cloud storage solutions you can link to the device. With a mobile phone in hotspot mode you can easily transfer books even on-the-go if storage is a problem.

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by Amalthia

Okay the waterproofing is a good reason.

However, for those that don't plan on reading in the bathtub it would be nice if they had a 300 DPI version of a ebook reader with a microSD slot. Ebooks with artwork eat up so much space!

I'm not sure if 212DPI is that big of a difference, but I'm leaning towards buying the regular Verse reader to replace my Pocketbook HD2. Or I could look around and see about buying a replacement Pocketbook HD2.

That device has the 300 DPI and a microSD card slot. From what I can tell the newer readers have more processing speed but otherwise they feel like a downgrade from the HD2 ereader.

If you like the Touch HD 2 (with its infrared screen that makes fonts very sharp and its old-fashioned design, not as nice as the current ones but more efficient), it will be difficult to find a replacement that matches it. For me it is still the best PocketBook device and the one I still use the most (and I hope it lasts for many years). But if you need to replace it, you'll have to choose from what's currently available. I'd go for the latest models even if they don't have all the features you're looking for.

[nhedgehog]

Same for me, best reader ever!

PB631+

Originally Posted by cellaris

If you like the Touch HD 2 (with its infrared screen that makes fonts very sharp and its old-fashioned design, not as nice as the current ones but more efficient), it will be difficult to find a replacement that matches it. For me it is still the best PocketBook device and the one I still use the most (and I hope it lasts for many years). But if you need to replace it, you'll have to choose from what's currently available. I'd go for the latest models even if they don't have all the features you're looking for.

[Amalthia]

Originally Posted by cellaris

If you like the Touch HD 2 (with its infrared screen that makes fonts very sharp and its old-fashioned design, not as nice as the current ones but more efficient), it will be difficult to find a replacement that matches it. For me it is still the best PocketBook device and the one I still use the most (and I hope it lasts for many years). But if you need to replace it, you'll have to choose from what's currently available. I'd go for the latest models even if they don't have all the features you're looking for.

I think you may be right, I may have to give up the microSD card and rely more on emailing ebooks to my device and curate my current list a little better. Right now I'm putting everything on my ebook reader because I have the space, so why not?

My husband has the Pocketbook HD3 and I like the HD2 better in terms of feel and function.

Do you know if the Verse Pro has infrared screen?

Thanks,
Amalthia

[neil_swann80]

Originally Posted by Amalthia

Do you know if the Verse Pro has infrared screen?

No, it's capacitive, as are most/all new e-ink devices. e-ink screen manufacturers seem to have made that decision.

[Amalthia]

Originally Posted by neil_swann80

Mo, it's capacitive, as are most/all new e-ink devices. e-ink screen manufacturers seem to have made that decision.

I'm going to need to google to find out the difference between these screen technologies.

[neil_swann80]

Originally Posted by Amalthia

I'm going to need to google to find out the difference between these screen technologies.

"Capacitive and IR touchscreens function in completely different ways. With capacitive touchscreens, a uniform electrostatic charge is applied to the top layer. Because the human body is conducts electricity, touching the display will absorb some of this current, which the devices uses to detect touch commands.

In comparison, IR touchscreens don’t use an electrostatic charge to detect touch commands. Instead, they use a combination of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and sensors to detect touch commands. IR touchscreens are designed with LEDs that emit light to corresponding sensors across the surface of the display. If you touch the display, you’ll disrupt the LED light in that area, which the device uses to detect your touch command."

IR screens basically shine IR light across the surface of the screen, thus the need for bezel and sunken screen. Capacitive screens have an additional layer to the screen itself which allows for the possibility of a bezel flush with the screen; however the extra layer can reduce clarity a little.

If the screen is flush with the bezel it's definitely capacitive. If the screen is lower than the bezel it may be either type. A gloved hand should work on an IR screen, whereas it wouldn't on a capacitive.

[Amalthia]

Originally Posted by neil_swann80

"Capacitive and IR touchscreens function in completely different ways. With capacitive touchscreens, a uniform electrostatic charge is applied to the top layer. Because the human body is conducts electricity, touching the display will absorb some of this current, which the devices uses to detect touch commands.

In comparison, IR touchscreens don’t use an electrostatic charge to detect touch commands. Instead, they use a combination of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and sensors to detect touch commands. IR touchscreens are designed with LEDs that emit light to corresponding sensors across the surface of the display. If you touch the display, you’ll disrupt the LED light in that area, which the device uses to detect your touch command."

Okay you were much faster than my initial google search results! I was going through articles to find out how these relate to ebook devices. Thank so much for the explanation.

[HvdB]

I compared the specs of the Touch HD3 with those of the new Verse Pro. I think it' s almost the same. Micro usb- usb C.
I thought that the Verse Pro would have the dark mode, like my Era has. But today there were firmware updates for both my PB devices and my Touch HD3 now also has the dark mode. :-)