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

[Robertb]

Dear All:

I have been phoning and emailing CNET for a week and cannot get them to answer my request to review Astak Products. Anybody that feels like venting a little rage can call them at: 1-415-344-2000.

Last night in my hometown paper they did a review of the Cool-Er and gave it a 6.0 mentioning that "it feels like a budget e-reader, the buttons are stiff and unlabeled,and there is a slow screen refresh while turning pages". Obviously they need to meet the EZ Reader and Pocket PRO.

Anyway, I am calling the twenty editors several times a day.

Ebook Reader Review does not even list a phone number. I have emailed them several times and will continue emailing them.

[slayda]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Any worthwhile pirate would have a treasure chest of gold pieces of eight. Obviously, Griffonwing has found Arkansas to be a bit lacking in buried treasure.

Do not worry. Astak is controlling all the slate blue Pocket PROs and Mr. Griffonwing will get ONE when he buys it. His parrot already has a slate blue prototype that he keeps well hidden.

With today's inflation, he'll need gold pieces of 9 or 10.

[griffonwing]

ya know, I really do not deserve all of this slander. *sniff* i mean, i TRY my best. *sigh*. I think I'll take a walk along the beach and kick a seal. I'm experiencing PTS (Pre Tidal Syndrome)

Robertb - Do you have any more (buried treasure) news about other features of the pocketpro? Or have you divulged everything already?

[AJ Starr]

When these places review the EZ Reader, do they keep them? If so, do you have enough to spread around for these reviews?

When you get the brochure and, hopefully, the booksmarks, done, I volunteer to spread them around my city.

AJ

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by AJ Starr

When these places review the EZ Reader, do they keep them? If so, do you have enough to spread around for these reviews?

When you get the brochure and, hopefully, the booksmarks, done, I volunteer to spread them around my city.

AJ

some places, like magazines, have to send them back. I know engadget and gizmodo often have daily/ semi-weekly giveaways of stuff they've been sent for review. not sure what their rules are in reviews.

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

ya know, I really do not deserve all of this slander. *sniff* i mean, i TRY my best. *sigh*. I think I'll take a walk along the beach and kick a seal. I'm experiencing PTS (Pre Tidal Syndrome)

Robertb - Do you have any more (buried treasure) news about other features of the pocketpro? Or have you divulged everything already?

Do not cry, Mister Pirate!! We like you!!

I am waiting for the User Manual to come over from Jinke. IF there is anything I have not mentioned it would be found in there. Of course it will be in "small English" until I rewrite it... but let me see.

You already know about the Text-To-Speech and the Epson and the 400 MHz processor. You already know it comes with a wonderful crush resistent case and ear buds included. You know it has Adobe Digital Editions preloaded. You know about the MP3 with Equalizer. You picked the colors.

Let me do a little exploring when the User Manual comes to my desk!

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by AJ Starr

When these places review the EZ Reader, do they keep them? If so, do you have enough to spread around for these reviews?

When you get the brochure and, hopefully, the booksmarks, done, I volunteer to spread them around my city.

AJ

Dear AJ:

99% are done on a 30-60 day eval period. Almost nobody keeps the devices. That means they can go out again and again. 15% of my time is calling to track them down and get them back in house.

Thank you for volunteering. You are fast becoming a friend here. I really enjoy your posts!!

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear AJ:

99% are done on a 30-60 day eval period. Almost nobody keeps the devices. That means they can go out again and again. 15% of my time is calling to track them down and get them back in house.

Thank you for volunteering. You are fast becoming a friend here. I really enjoy your posts!!

I volunteer to evaluate the reader. I'll be in the 1% that does not return it after 30-60 days

[AJ Starr]

I will assume that everyone else has thought of this, but since Barnes & Noble is partnered with Astak (did I get that right?) you could probably advertise in their physical stores with the brochures and bookmarks, and possibly displays. And probably at their on-line store also.

AJ

[slayda]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

ya know, I really do not deserve all of this slander. *sniff* i mean, i TRY my best. *sigh*. I think I'll take a walk along the beach and kick a seal. I'm experiencing PTS (Pre Tidal Syndrome)

Robertb - Do you have any more (buried treasure) news about other features of the pocketpro? Or have you divulged everything already?

At least you have a beach. Some of us only have planks.

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by slayda

At least you have a beach. Some of us only have planks.

You sure know the right thing to say to cheer up a pirate feeling down.

Thanks slayda! You gots Karma from me!

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

ya know, I really do not deserve all of this slander. *sniff* i mean, i TRY my best. *sigh*. I think I'll take a walk along the beach and kick a seal. I'm experiencing PTS (Pre Tidal Syndrome)

Robertb - Do you have any more (buried treasure) news about other features of the pocketpro? Or have you divulged everything already?

Dear Griffonwing:

I finally did get to plow thru the User Manual while rewriting it into good English.

There were no huge surprises but here is what I found:

It does have 8 levels of Greyscale.

You can adjust the contrast and brightness of .pdf documents readily.

For .pdf and epub documents you get FIVE (5) levels of font size adjustment. Other documents get three choices.

The Pocket PRO is much more robust on Font Type than the EZ Reader Basic. You get quite a number of good font choices already preloaded. Yes, you can easily add more.

The scroll wheel does more than just up or down page... you can push in on it and bring up the menu.

The headphone jack is still 3.5mm and is located on the bottom edge of the device.

The USB plug, however, has been moved up to the top edge by the SD card. I like this and see it a better spot for it. Jinke removed that pain in the butt rubber cover off it.

The Music Zone has been redone and the volume control now has a graphic!!

I hope that this helps!!

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by AJ Starr

I will assume that everyone else has thought of this, but since Barnes & Noble is partnered with Astak (did I get that right?) you could probably advertise in their physical stores with the brochures and bookmarks, and possibly displays. And probably at their on-line store also.

AJ

Dear AJ:
Technically, we are not partnered with Barnes & Noble. We are very close with Fictionwise. Despite that Barnes & Noble owns Fictionwise... we remain pretty much doing all thru Fictionwise's great people.

Your idea is a good one and remotely possible. The problem is that B&N MAY come out with their own eBook Reader. It may or may not be one we build for them.

There is no real tie between B&N and us yet except thru Fictionwise.

Good thought, though!!

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

I volunteer to evaluate the reader. I'll be in the 1% that does not return it after 30-60 days

Dear Griffonwing:

Did I mention that Astak has an 82 cannon frigate docked outside of Arkansas? We also use robotic parrots that can hunt down evals and drop dung on the heads of testers over the time limit!

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear Griffonwing:

Did I mention that Astak has an 82 cannon frigate docked outside of Arkansas? We also use robotic parrots that can hunt down evals and drop dung on the heads of testers over the time limit!

Ok, admit it, you are making that up.

BOb