Question Pocketbook Era Lite / Versa Pro

[HerrRossi]

Hi,
I have a question: is the Pocketbook Era Lite in handling in the menu faster than the Verse Pro ?
(I`m thinking to buy an Era Lite...)

[apastuszak]

Best I can say is Maybe?

Spec           | Verse Pro (2023)               | Era Lite (2026)
---------------+--------------------------------+--------------------------------
Display        | 6" Carta HD, 1072x1448         | 7" Carta 1300, 1264x1680
Density        | 300 PPI                        | 300 PPI
Frontlight     | SMARTlight (adj. color temp)   | SMARTlight (adj. color temp)
Buttons        | Page-turn, home, menu          | Page-turn, home, menu
CPU / RAM      | Dual-core 1 GHz / 512 MB       | Dual-core 1 GHz / 1 GB
Storage        | 16 GB, no microSD              | 16 GB, no microSD
Battery        | 1500 mAh                       | 1700 mAh
Wi-Fi / BT     | 2.4 GHz / BT 4.0               | 2.4 GHz / BT
Audio          | TTS, audiobooks, BT + adapter  | TTS, audiobooks, BT + adapter
Speaker        | No                             | No
Water rating   | IPX8                           | IPX4
Size           | 15.6 x 10.8 x 0.76 cm          | 15.5 x 13.4 x 0.78 cm
Weight         | 186 g                          | 204.5 g
Launch price   | $169.99                        | $199 US / EUR 199

So, the Era Lite has twice as much RAM, and my guess would be the Versa Pro has a Carta 1200 panel and the Era Lite has a Carta 1300 panel. That should give, in theory, a 25% responsiveness increase over the older Carta 1200 display.

They advertize Era Lite as having a Carta 1300 panel. They don't specify for the Versa Pro.

I will say that my Era Lite is nowhere near as responsive as my Kindle PaperWhite 11th Gen is.

I think at this point it might be worth it to just wait for for the new Verta Pro that's due out before the end of the year. That's getting a quad-core 1.8 GHz CPU, as opposed to the current dual core 1 GHz CPU.

[HerrRossi]

@apastuszak: Thank you !

[bluepeter]

Originally Posted by HerrRossi

Hi,
I have a question: is the Pocketbook Era Lite in handling in the menu faster than the Verse Pro ?
(I`m thinking to buy an Era Lite...)

No. I have both, and have just run a quick test. If anything, I'd say that the Era Lite is marginally slower. That is, of course, an entirely subjective judgement based on a not-very-scientific experiment.

[apastuszak]

Originally Posted by bluepeter

No. I have both, and have just run a quick test. If anything, I'd say that the Era Lite is marginally slower. That is, of course, an entirely subjective judgement based on a not-very-scientific experiment.

That's disappointing. I guess that shows that the CPU matters. Hopefully, the new Verta is better with its much faster CPU.

[HerrRossi]

Originally Posted by bluepeter

No. I have both, and have just run a quick test. If anything, I'd say that the Era Lite is marginally slower. That is, of course, an entirely subjective judgement based on a not-very-scientific experiment.

...so I better avoid the Era Lite...?

[bluepeter]

Originally Posted by HerrRossi

...so I better avoid the Era Lite...?

Why? As I said, the difference is only marginal. The Era Lite is a perfectly good e-reader. (Well, it is if you can stand the not-very-good reading software or load an alternative with which you're comfortable.)

[HerrRossi]

Okay (I would always install koreader).

[apastuszak]

Originally Posted by HerrRossi

Okay (I would always install koreader).

IMHO, KOReader is a slightly better experience on a Kindle or Kobo vs a PocketBook. But there are some plugins that make the experience a little better.

And really the only "annoyance" is that you need to go out of KOReader and go into the PocketBook OS to set some of the settings.

[bluepeter]

I wouldn't bother to instal KOReader on a Kobo, 'cos I'm perfectly happy with Kobo's stock reader. But, like HerrRossi, I use it on my PocketBooks.

As for Kindle, I don't bother to use mine - why would I when I have Kobo, Boox, PocketBook and XTEINK devices?

[cellaris]

Originally Posted by bluepeter

I wouldn't bother to instal KOReader on a Kobo, 'cos I'm perfectly happy with Kobo's stock reader. But, like HerrRossi, I use it on my PocketBooks.

As for Kindle, I don't bother to use mine - why would I when I have Kobo, Boox, PocketBook and XTEINK devices?

It occurs to me that battery life is a good reason to use KOReader on a Kindle. Kindle is by far the best optimised in that respect. In other respects, each brand has its own strengths: PocketBook, with the integration of KOReader into its system (which I see as an advantage, not a disadvantage, contrary to the view expressed above); Kobo, for its better overall optimisation; and Android e-readers, for the ability to use third-party apps. KOReader works in much the same way on all of them, but depending on your priorities (and what each brand offers in terms of features unrelated to KOReader), you might find it more appealing to use it on one type of device rather than another.

(Incidentally, apart from the S4, which is currently hard to come by, KOReader does not work on Xteink devices. I imagine that, beyond the use of KOReader, you are referring in this case to why one would use a Kindle in general when other brands’ devices are available. I can think of a few reasons myself, but they fall outside the scope of discussing the use of KOReader).

[bluepeter]

Originally Posted by cellaris

It occurs to me that battery life is a good reason to use KOReader on a Kindle. Kindle is by far the best optimised in that respect..

It is? I've not used KOReader to any great extent on anything other than PocketBooks. Using the native software, my experience has been that my Kobos have better battery life (i.e., time between charges) than Kindles.

Originally Posted by cellaris

I imagine that, beyond the use of KOReader, you are referring in this case to why one would use a Kindle in general when other brands’ devices are available.

Yes, that's right.

Once upon a time, I used Kindles pretty much exclusively, and was content with them. However, Amazon kept developing the UI, and every change made it (IMO) worse. Eventually, several years ago, it reached the point where I considered it so bad that I wasn't willing to continue with it. More recently, Amazon has been increasing its efforts to lock its customers into its ecosystem, with the result that I now hardly buy any e-books from them - the reverse of its intention!

Meanwhile, Kobo had been improving both its UI and the hardware, so I largely switched to their devices. In the last couple of years or so, I've been buying others, and finding that I like them, too.

I'm now at the point where I have seven e-readers, with a variety of software, in my living room. All get regular use. My two Kindles are tucked away in storage. I see no point in getting them out. I'm certainly not going to bother to jailbreak one in order to install KOReader.

Regarding the Xteink software, yes, those devices won't rum KOReader. I use CrossPoint on mine.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by apastuszak

Best I can say is Maybe?

They advertize Era Lite as having a Carta 1300 panel. They don't specify for the Versa Pro.

For what's worth, the reviewers say the Verta has a Carta 1300 screen as well.

[apastuszak]

I think the Kindle has 2 main selling points:

1. There are a ton of used Kindles all over the place. You can pick up an 11th Gen Paperwhite for under $100, jailbreak it and throw KOReader on it, at least in the US.
2. The Kindle (at least the 11th and 12th Gen Paperwhite) is a very snappy device. Amazon has heavily optimized the Linux code on the device. The Kindle OS is much faster on an 11th Gen Kindle Paperwhite, than, say the PocketBook OS is on a Era Lite that has a faster CPU in it. The Kindle is also much faster than the Nook.

If you're looking for a **new** device to run KOReader on, then I would never recommend a Kindle. The PocketBook and the Kobo are much better choices.

But the PocketBook comes with some limitations with KOReader:

• Stock KOReader can't cycle the Wi-Fi on and off on demand on PocketBook.
• You can only set the screesaver from the PocketBook OS.
• The sleep and power off settings are only accessible from the the PockerBook OS.

[neil_swann80]

Originally Posted by apastuszak

But the PocketBook comes with some limitations with KOReader:

• Stock KOReader can't cycle the Wi-Fi on and off on demand on PocketBook.
• You can only set the screesaver from the PocketBook OS.
• The sleep and power off settings are only accessible from the the PockerBook OS.

There are Koreader plugins for PocketBooks that let you set sleep, power-off and start-up screens.
Wifi and power off settings can be accessed at any time (including whilst in Koreader) by holding the home button to launch the Task Manager.