eBookWise eb-1150 hands-on review - Page 2

DiscoLeia · 05-03-2005, 02:17 PM

Since I have not yet downloaded books from actual ebooks sites my files are only in html, lit, txt, pdf, and rtf (wordpad). But it's good to know which software will do RB conversions. Thanks

DiscoLeia · 05-05-2005, 03:22 PM

YAHOOOOOOOOOOO!!

Fed Ex just came by.... I got the eBook reader!!!

Now to spend the rest of the day figuring out how to use it.

Bob Russell · 05-05-2005, 04:02 PM

Congrats! Let us know how you like it.

DiscoLeia · 05-05-2005, 06:19 PM

Thank goodness for rmeister0's detailed review. Without it I may not have been successful in loading the files.

For some reason I could load files to my bookshelf using the Ebooks Librarian program. It would convert the file but nothing would show up in online library. I had to go online to the Ebookwise site and log into the Personal Content Server. It worked like a charm and now I can happily read the last book in the Star Wars The Thrawn Trilogy.

The reader is nice. Just the right size and not too heavy to hold. The text is easy enough to read. The buttons and settings are fairly easy to figure out.

CINCNORAD · 05-13-2005, 02:13 PM

Mine's on the way too!

Quick newbie question: I understand this thing supports various open file formats, as well as ebookwise purchased ebooks. But is it possible to buy ebooks from other vendors and convert them to formats usable by the ebookwise?

Alexander Turcic · 05-13-2005, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CINCNORAD

Mine's on the way too!

Quick newbie question: I understand this thing supports various open file formats, as well as ebookwise purchased ebooks. But is it possible to buy ebooks from other vendors and convert them to formats usable by the ebookwise?

The official answer is no. There are some formats (e.g. .LIT) for which inofficial tools (e.g. Convert Lit) exist allowing you to convert the purchased book back to HTML, which you can then reconvert to any format that is supported by the ebookwise.

rmeister0 · 05-13-2005, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CINCNORAD

Mine's on the way too!

Quick newbie question: I understand this thing supports various open file formats, as well as ebookwise purchased ebooks. But is it possible to buy ebooks from other vendors and convert them to formats usable by the ebookwise?

Not to be too picky, but the EB-1150 does not support *ANY* open file formats; it doesn't even support any proprietary file formats except for its own IMP format. Everything other type of file must be converted first, and you have a few routes available to go on that one.

FictionWise sells some non-encrypted e-books in the IMP format (they call it OEP 1/2 vga); BlackMask has converted at least part of their catalog. Some vendors, such as Renaissance Books, sell plain HTML books that you can convert.

That is my biggest gripe about the device - not being able to load an HTML or RB file directly onto a media card and loading it up.

CINCNORAD · 05-13-2005, 04:36 PM

Thanks for the info. Man, I wish they'd just come out with a simple tablet that incorporated all the obvious features we want. Why can't it be easier to download the morning paper into this thing. I checked out that sitescooper program and it looks impossible.

Ret · 05-17-2005, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmeister0

; BlackMask has converted at least part of their catalog. Some vendors, such as Renaissance Books, sell plain HTML books that you can convert.

That is my biggest gripe about the device - not being able to load an HTML or RB file directly onto a media card and loading it up.

I think the convertion program that Blackmask uses doesn't work properly. I tried downloading some books in french and all accents and special characters were illegible. They should try to fix that.

I don't know why they tie the ebookwise 1150 to only the IMP format. If they let you upload and read unencrypted content why not let us use just plain HTML for that. I say this because I know this device has a built-in HTML reader. I've coded a little software that let's you surf the web with this device and it was great to see all the screen was used to render webpages (the top toolbar and the page count bar were not shown!). Some HTML tags and/or Javascript are not supported, so not all websites are rendered as expected.

Does anyone know anything about their firmware content? I know nothing about that, but it'd be great to try to change it.

Nandokin · 05-24-2005, 09:31 AM

I'm new to this forum, and I'm considering buying this device, as it seems to be the best available at the moment. But, is this exactly the same as the modified RCA REB 1100, or has anything changed? The reason I ask, is because the latter seems to be considerably cheaper on ebay. Does anyone know?

Edited: Forget it. I though it was cheaper cause I looked in the wrong place.

rmeister0 · 05-24-2005, 11:05 AM

Quote:

I think the convertion program that Blackmask uses doesn't work properly. I tried downloading some books in french and all accents and special characters were illegible.

I suspect that the original files contained extended ASCII codes rather than proper Unicode mark up. It's too bad to hear that, but it goes straight to the heart of the matter I've complained about repeatedly - poor proof-reading, or in this case even just opening the bleeding file and checking to see if it looks okay.

I agree that a straight up html reader would be an excellent feature. On the FW Yahoo group, though, all you'll ever hear is "Use the librarian" (I'm on OS X) or "use the content server" (I don't want to be dependant on a service that could go away at any time).

The goal of making the eb-1150 easy to use for one purpose has made it far more difficult to use for the many things people really want to use it for.

Nandokin · 05-26-2005, 06:40 AM

Hi, I've ended up buying it, thanks to your review. I should receive it in a week or so. There's something that worries me, though. I have more books in my hard drive than I will be able to read in my lifetime, and I will be using the ebookwise a lot more often to read those books than to buy new ones.

And my concern is this one: How dependant is the device on the FictionWise web? Do you have any trouble with the Personal Content sever? Because if DiscoLeia said the ebookwise librarian did'nt work for her and she had to use the server, I don't feel comfortable with the idea that I depend on a web to read my ebooks, and if the site goes down for some reason, I will lose that ability and the device will be useless. Is the ebook Librerian software independent from the web? Or it forces you to connect some way? Again, I don't want to pay 15 bucks to register it, and then find out that I can't use it, or that, after all, it's still going to connect to the website.

Anyone to solve my doubts?

rmeister0 · 05-26-2005, 09:47 AM

You need to clarify what operating system you are using before I can really answer that question.

What format are your existing titles in?

Nandokin · 05-26-2005, 02:17 PM

It's a Pc with Windows XP Professional. And the files are different in format, most of them are pdf or word documents. I now the pdf files are particularly difficult to modify. I guess I'll have to change them to html before and then to other format.

Gatton · 05-26-2005, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nandokin

It's a Pc with Windows XP Professional. And the files are different in format, most of them are pdf or word documents. I now the pdf files are particularly difficult to modify. I guess I'll have to change them to html before and then to other format.

Well I only have one day of experience with my ebookwise reader but so far I'm pretty happy with it. I transferred four or five books with the GEB Librarian software and it worked great. Barring any major problems I'll register the software in a week or so.

Nandokin, so far I have converted mainly HTML files but I did try a Word doc and I had no trouble. So far they look very good on on the ebookwise.

I haven't used the online feature and doubt that I will unless I start having problems with the GEB Librarian software.

The device could definitely be easier to use. The USB driver/proxy isn't terribly intuitive but knowing what to do ahead of time thanks to rmeister and others definitely helps.

I'll post more thoughts on the device and software after I've had more time with them. So far I am happy with my purchase.

05-13-2005, 02:13 PM	#20
CINCNORAD Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 44 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Studio City, CA Device: Ebookwise//Sony Reader//Nokia N800	Mine's on the way too! Quick newbie question: I understand this thing supports various open file formats, as well as ebookwise purchased ebooks. But is it possible to buy ebooks from other vendors and convert them to formats usable by the ebookwise? Last edited by CINCNORAD; 05-13-2005 at 02:20 PM.

05-24-2005, 09:31 AM	#25
Nandokin Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2005	Hi, one question I'm new to this forum, and I'm considering buying this device, as it seems to be the best available at the moment. But, is this exactly the same as the modified RCA REB 1100, or has anything changed? The reason I ask, is because the latter seems to be considerably cheaper on ebay. Does anyone know? Edited: Forget it. I though it was cheaper cause I looked in the wrong place. Last edited by Nandokin; 05-24-2005 at 09:37 AM.

05-26-2005, 02:17 PM	#29
Nandokin Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2005	. It's a Pc with Windows XP Professional. And the files are different in format, most of them are pdf or word documents. I now the pdf files are particularly difficult to modify. I guess I'll have to change them to html before and then to other format.

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05-03-2005, 02:17 PM	#16
DiscoLeia Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2005	Since I have not yet downloaded books from actual ebooks sites my files are only in html, lit, txt, pdf, and rtf (wordpad). But it's good to know which software will do RB conversions. Thanks

05-05-2005, 03:22 PM	#17
DiscoLeia Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2005	YAHOOOOOOOOOOO!! Fed Ex just came by.... I got the eBook reader!!! Now to spend the rest of the day figuring out how to use it.

05-05-2005, 04:02 PM	#18
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Congrats! Let us know how you like it.

05-05-2005, 06:19 PM	#19
DiscoLeia Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2005	Thank goodness for rmeister0's detailed review. Without it I may not have been successful in loading the files. For some reason I could load files to my bookshelf using the Ebooks Librarian program. It would convert the file but nothing would show up in online library. I had to go online to the Ebookwise site and log into the Personal Content Server. It worked like a charm and now I can happily read the last book in the Star Wars The Thrawn Trilogy. The reader is nice. Just the right size and not too heavy to hold. The text is easy enough to read. The buttons and settings are fairly easy to figure out.

05-13-2005, 04:36 PM	#23
CINCNORAD Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 44 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Studio City, CA Device: Ebookwise//Sony Reader//Nokia N800	Thanks for the info. Man, I wish they'd just come out with a simple tablet that incorporated all the obvious features we want. Why can't it be easier to download the morning paper into this thing. I checked out that sitescooper program and it looks impossible.

05-26-2005, 06:40 AM	#27
Nandokin Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2005	Hi, I've ended up buying it, thanks to your review. I should receive it in a week or so. There's something that worries me, though. I have more books in my hard drive than I will be able to read in my lifetime, and I will be using the ebookwise a lot more often to read those books than to buy new ones. And my concern is this one: How dependant is the device on the FictionWise web? Do you have any trouble with the Personal Content sever? Because if DiscoLeia said the ebookwise librarian did'nt work for her and she had to use the server, I don't feel comfortable with the idea that I depend on a web to read my ebooks, and if the site goes down for some reason, I will lose that ability and the device will be useless. Is the ebook Librerian software independent from the web? Or it forces you to connect some way? Again, I don't want to pay 15 bucks to register it, and then find out that I can't use it, or that, after all, it's still going to connect to the website. Anyone to solve my doubts?

05-26-2005, 09:47 AM	#28
rmeister0 Addict Posts: 270 Karma: 298 Join Date: Mar 2005	You need to clarify what operating system you are using before I can really answer that question. What format are your existing titles in?