Astak Mentor eBook readers with WiFi and Touchscreen (read-only) - Page 62

NeweReader · 10-09-2008, 01:34 PM

Robert,

The Astak Website that shows the EZ Reader information states: It comes formatted with MOBIPOCKET!!

I am a novice ebook Reader user, so this question might reflect that, but I am still curious. If the EZ Reader is formatted with Mobipocket, does that mean it will display any .prc file, regardless of where it comes from? I read some free fanfiction that doesn't come from the major ebook sellers, but is still a .prc file. Will I be able to upload the file to the EZ Reader and read it?

Thanks for answering.

pilotbob · 10-09-2008, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeweReader

Robert,

The Astak Website that shows the EZ Reader information states: It comes formatted with MOBIPOCKET!!

I am a novice ebook Reader user, so this question might reflect that, but I am still curious. If the EZ Reader is formatted with Mobipocket, does that mean it will display any .prc file, regardless of where it comes from? I read some free fanfiction that doesn't come from the major ebook sellers, but is still a .prc file. Will I be able to upload the file to the EZ Reader and read it?

Thanks for answering.

Yes... well as long as the .prc file is really a mobipocket formated ebook. You can rename any file to .prc if you want. I've also seen .mobi used too.

BOb

Slite · 10-09-2008, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Yes... well as long as the .prc file is really a mobipocket formated ebook. You can rename any file to .prc if you want. I've also seen .mobi used too.

BOb

I have also been able to read a bunch of .pdb files on my BeBook, but they are more "hit-n-miss" though. Sometimes they work, and somtimes they don't

DaleDe · 10-09-2008, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slite

I have also been able to read a bunch of .pdb files on my BeBook, but they are more "hit-n-miss" though. Sometimes they work, and somtimes they don't

That is because there are all kinds of files that have the pdb extension. Read the wiki article on PDB and find out why.

Dale

HarryT · 10-10-2008, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeweReader

If the EZ Reader is formatted with Mobipocket, does that mean it will display any .prc file, regardless of where it comes from?

No, only those that contain mobipocket books. A PRC file is a general-purpose "container", like a "ZIP" file. It can contain any sort of data at all. MobiPocket books often use a "PRC" extension, but so do a hundred other types of file, too.

Pachuco · 10-12-2008, 12:29 AM

Hi Robertb,

I am curious about the promised Astak Pro Mentor 9.7" which appears to be the same advertised by Netronix, Inc. at http://www.netronixinc.com/product_EB900.htm.

The specs seem to be the same. Another common denominator is their elusiveness.

In an earlier mail you said the Mentors would be presented at the IDPF Trade Show in New York 14 May 2008. Any photos and review you want to share with us?

Regards,

Pachuco

NeweReader · 10-16-2008, 02:14 PM

Has this forum ended, or are people just quiet?

I was really enjoying this.

pilotbob · 10-16-2008, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeweReader

Has this forum ended, or are people just quiet?

I was really enjoying this.

you know when the crowd at a sports game gets really quiet when the away team gets really far ahead and there is pretty much no hope of the home team winning.

Well, Astak released/announced the EZ Reader and the crowd hushed. I guess reality set in.

BOb

DaleDe · 10-16-2008, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

you know when the crowd at a sports game gets really quite when the away team gets really far ahead and there is pretty much no hope of the home team winning.

Well, Astak released/announced the EZ Reader and the crowd hushed. I guess reality set in.

BOb

Astak is still working on a release in November I believe. Watch http://www.mobiebook.com/ for more details on this. I would also expect they are still looking at the Mentor product but it will probably use Jinke hardware and come later, after the first of the year.

Dale

kacir · 10-16-2008, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeweReader

Has this forum ended, or are people just quiet?

It looks like the announcement of the EZ-reader was a kind of anticlimax.
I just hope Astak did not abandon Mentor line entirely.

PLUS
There is a new and exciting PRS-700 from Sony being released,
there is battery consumption of iRex newest Digital reader
and last but not least there is reader from Plastic Logic to look forward to ...

ddimick · 10-16-2008, 06:15 PM

Yup, a Hanlin OEM in the US is good news but not really something the people here can get too excited about; we know all about the Hanlins and so the Astak isn't new to this site and forum.

I do hope they proceed with their original goal, eventually.

AJ Starr · 10-16-2008, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddimick

Yup, a Hanlin OEM in the US is good news but not really something the people here can get too excited about; we know all about the Hanlins and so the Astak isn't new to this site and forum.

I do hope they proceed with their original goal, eventually.

Can someone explain why everyone seems so down about Astak using Hanlin instead of Jinke. Is Jinke inheritantly (or apparantly) better than Hanlin.

My impression was that Hanlin was pretty good. I'm very interested in the EZ reader versus the Mentor for several reasons, the replaceable battery being at the top. Also, MOBI DRM as second.

Any comments?

Lemurion · 10-16-2008, 07:45 PM

When the Astak was originally announced it was going to bring new functionality at a lower price point than other Eink readers. Most people were excited by the price, and many were excited by other features, including finally getting ereader on Eink.

Instead we're getting pretty much "same-old same-old." It's a good device but it's nothing new. It's essentially the same as the BeBook and even the Cybook Gen3. Same format support, same approximate price point, same basic screen.

That's all it is; it's the letdown after expecting something new and different and getting exactly the same thing as we're used to. It's nothing against Astak or the Hanlin.

pilotbob · 10-16-2008, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJ Starr

Can someone explain why everyone seems so down about Astak using Hanlin instead of Jinke. Is Jinke inheritantly (or apparantly) better than Hanlin.

Jinke is the company that makes the Hanlin. The Jinke device is also OEMed as other brand names such as the BeBook, lBook, and a couple others I can't remember.

If you've read the opening dozen of messages you will see that Astak was planning on a "NEW' device, that no one else had. The device was to have superior hardware features like touchscreen/wifi/bluetooth/built-in light... and software like file manager with folders, etc. options that no other 6inch device has. Also, the price point was originally announced at under $200.

The EZ Reader is none of the above. It is an OEMed Hanlin V3 branded by Astak as the EZ Reader for the US market.

While there is nothing wrong about this reader. It was nothing like what was originally being anticipated by all due to early annoucements and info in this thread. Also, we have threads on the Hanlin/BeBook so....

BOb

xor · 10-17-2008, 04:07 AM

Well, people, don't you feel as if you have been fooled by Astak with the Mentor now?

10-12-2008, 12:29 AM	#921
Pachuco Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Asus TF700T	To Robertb: (Astak) Pro Mentor versus EB-900 Hi Robertb, I am curious about the promised Astak Pro Mentor 9.7" which appears to be the same advertised by Netronix, Inc. at http://www.netronixinc.com/product_EB900.htm. The specs seem to be the same. Another common denominator is their elusiveness. In an earlier mail you said the Mentors would be presented at the IDPF Trade Show in New York 14 May 2008. Any photos and review you want to share with us? Regards, Pachuco

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10-09-2008, 01:34 PM	#916
NeweReader Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Nook Simple Touch	Robert, The Astak Website that shows the EZ Reader information states: It comes formatted with MOBIPOCKET!! I am a novice ebook Reader user, so this question might reflect that, but I am still curious. If the EZ Reader is formatted with Mobipocket, does that mean it will display any .prc file, regardless of where it comes from? I read some free fanfiction that doesn't come from the major ebook sellers, but is still a .prc file. Will I be able to upload the file to the EZ Reader and read it? Thanks for answering.

10-16-2008, 02:14 PM	#922
NeweReader Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 18 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Nook Simple Touch	Has this forum ended, or are people just quiet? I was really enjoying this.

10-16-2008, 06:15 PM	#926
ddimick Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2008 Device: PSP	Yup, a Hanlin OEM in the US is good news but not really something the people here can get too excited about; we know all about the Hanlins and so the Astak isn't new to this site and forum. I do hope they proceed with their original goal, eventually.

10-16-2008, 07:45 PM	#928
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	When the Astak was originally announced it was going to bring new functionality at a lower price point than other Eink readers. Most people were excited by the price, and many were excited by other features, including finally getting ereader on Eink. Instead we're getting pretty much "same-old same-old." It's a good device but it's nothing new. It's essentially the same as the BeBook and even the Cybook Gen3. Same format support, same approximate price point, same basic screen. That's all it is; it's the letdown after expecting something new and different and getting exactly the same thing as we're used to. It's nothing against Astak or the Hanlin.

10-17-2008, 04:07 AM	#930
xor Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: Pocketbook 360	Well, people, don't you feel as if you have been fooled by Astak with the Mentor now?