iRex DR1000S Pressreader Review

[keng2000]

1. exporting to iRex- is slow conversting,.
2. File is quite big. due to Format structure as many comoinents,
3. Navigator on DR1000S with Stylus is not friendly, I have to use many keys to help.

Suggest usage:
1. Read with press reader on PC much better.
2. Print to PDF or any format reading by FBREADER seems works better

[allovertheglobe]

Finally got some time to try this out.

- Mac version unusable: if you can get past the authorization, there's no support for the DR1000. On to Bootcamp & XP...

- Windows version quite usable, downloads are fast enough. But exporting to the DR1000, even via a USB2 hi-speed cardreader, not so much. Huge filesize, larger than most PDF versions of newspapers.

- Print pages to DR1000 (PDF format, via driver) craptacular. Low resolution, bad scaling. Pressreader uses its own PDF converter, but even with "Best Quality" preset no joy.

- On the DR1000: snappy, but limited functionality as per previous posts. In addition to the already noted issues, there is no fullscreen mode. Why not, since the remaining bar doesn't have any functionality beyond the menu shortcut?

On the upside, the key implementation is better: if the page doesn't fit height-wise, you can scroll up and down with the side keys, but still page forward & back with the bottom keys. The side "enter" keys switch zoom mode.

Unfortunately, there is no way (that I have found) to read the articles fullscreen as text by tapping on the headline (like you can in the desktop app) Interestingly, the export function exports in 2 parts, first pages, then extra "components", sometimes significantly more than the preceding pages.
This leads me to believe that the text equivalent (as noted above) is actually included in the files, but not accessible (as of yet)

The downloads apparently expire after 90 days, we'll have to see what actually happens when the time comes. Don't like that much.

Overall, if you are a newsjunkie and PressReader continues to improve and support their DR1000 module (and releases a functional Mac version for those concerned), it might be worth it. For me personally, since I have too many other things on my (reading) plate, the occasional newspaper PDF will do for the time being.

[harryE123]

Am I right in assuming from post of previous users here that the pressdisplay app. won't let you keep the issues you've downloaded on your computer, despite their drm already encrypted format? I can't really stomach this, I mean you buy a newspaper, you are supposed to be able to keep the material for archiving or future reference or pretty much for any damn reason you choose...

[pthwaite]

Well you can print it out or print to pdf so you could keep it that way.

[harryE123]

I c, ok, but isnt the quality degraded if you print it out to pdf as other posters have claimed?

[pitcher23]

Has anyone heard any rumors that Pressreader will one day be available on the Iliad? I bought the first generation Iliad when it first came out and while the DR1000S looks like a great reader, I really don't want to spend upwards of another $700+.

I have used Pressreader on my PC and it is a great service. I had originally purchased my Iliad for the purpose of using it as a news reader because of it's larger (than most ereaders) screen, but RSS feeds aren't as good as having the actual paper.

[Adam B.]

I'd say it's very doubtful. The DR1000 and the iLiad are two different machines and require different customizations to function.

I would assume that if PressReader was going to over an iLiad version, they would have done so by now.

[pitcher23]

Thanks for the reply. That's too bad though.