Recently Purchased a Cool-ER

[dazcox]

Just took delivery of the Tuff-Luv case for the Cool-er from Amazon UK.

Takes away the issue of the build quality, and adds a nice feel to the reader.

Should also stop the back of the device getting scratched (mines already looking rough after a week - not left the house yet!) and hide the awful logo on the back

One thing I was wondering, as Kindle launches here (UK) next week, and Amazon's selection of books will no doubt blow Waterstones/borders/WHSmith away is there a way to get kindle books onto the cool-er?

I was thinking I could use my iPhone or Ipod Touch to register using a script from this forum to generate the pid(uid? whatever) then MobiDeDrm the file and use Calibre to convert to epub.

Anyone think this'll work?

[dazcox]

As I just suggested this worked brilliantly!

I'm in UK, and I hope this is allowed to be discussed here, sorry if not.

I used my US itunes account to download the Kindle app, and signed in on my ipod touch.

Then used the kindlepid script to get my PID, as amazon hide it now.

Then looked for a book, chose Wolf Hall (Booker prize winner) as it is £13 in most UK EBook stores, however $8.84 on Amazon, so £5.50ish!

Bought it, downloaded to ipod (if you don't have a kindle you cant download to your computer)

Then used iphonebackupextractor to get the prc file for the book.

Couple of scripts later (you know the ones) and a conversion to epub in Calibre and I'm happily reading on my Cool-er.

Great, open device and able to access most of the Kindle store. (I know TOPAZ files are a no-go as yet)

[DiggerG]

I'm still looking for my first ereader and I must say I'm tempted by the Cool-er. Everything about it seems straightforward and simple. I do have two questions though:
1. Can I buy ePub books from the Sony store and read them in the Cool-er? Sony's prices look a lot better than those at Coolerbooks.
2. Does anyone know of a case other than the Tuf-Luv case referred to above - preferably one that opens like a book?

[mtravellerh]

Originally Posted by DiggerG

I'm still looking for my first ereader and I must say I'm tempted by the Cool-er. Everything about it seems straightforward and simple. I do have two questions though:
1. Can I buy ePub books from the Sony store and read them in the Cool-er? Sony's prices look a lot better than those at Coolerbooks.
2. Does anyone know of a case other than the Tuf-Luv case referred to above - preferably one that opens like a book?

1. Yes

2 I don't know of any so far. I would love one with integrated light!

[sassanik]

Originally Posted by DiggerG

I'm still looking for my first ereader and I must say I'm tempted by the Cool-er. Everything about it seems straightforward and simple. I do have two questions though:
1. Can I buy ePub books from the Sony store and read them in the Cool-er? Sony's prices look a lot better than those at Coolerbooks.
2. Does anyone know of a case other than the Tuf-Luv case referred to above - preferably one that opens like a book?

You can also buy ebooks from other online retailers, such as Books on Board and Fictionwise. Not just the Sony store or Coolerbooks.

Not sure on the cases thing, I don't currently have one yet.

Cool-er has been having some software issues, but it appears that most of them have been resolved with this new firmware release? I might wait a bit to make sure that the firmware is really fixed, then again as long as you are patient Interead has been very good about providing replacements if your Cool-er bites the dust.

Amy

[DiggerG]

Thanks for the good info from both responders. I probably will wait awhile. I have lots of unread treebooks, and maybe a new case will pop up.

[dordale]

Actually, Sony's store does not sell books in epub format YET (unless somethings changed recently). They still sell LRF formatted books. As I understand, they're planning on switching to epub by the end of the year, and as long as they use the Adobe DE form of DRM as anticipated, their books should work on the Cool-er.

dordale

[codeMonkey]

I've had a few problems with the Cool-er, and the company is beginning to seem a bit dodgy to me.

I may be slightly biased against them - I bought the reader for my holidays and it broke on the very first day...

It was the usual gradient problem that quite a few people are reporting - some are able to do the firmware upgrade at this stage and fix it, but I wasn't so had to send it back to Interead to get it upgraded.

At the same time I also reported a couple of other problems with the reader - namely the audio and screen of the device weren't functioning correctly.

In bright sunlight when you turn a page my particular reader demonstrates a really horrible refresh - the eink particles must be reacting with the heat/sunlight and not staying put toward the screen - I'll try to get a picture on the next sunny day.
If the screen is in shadow it looks fine, but for reading on the beach the device really isn't suitable. This isn't to say that all of the cool-er devices have this same problem, from what I've read it's a defect in the screen that can occur on almost any type, Sony, Kindle or Cool-er, but it is a defect nonetheless.
After examining my cool-er and updating the firmware they sent the device back with a note saying that there was nothing wrong with it, and that the problem with the screen occurs with every reader, I know it's not the case because my girlfriend has a sony reader and we've tested them side-by-side.
As for the audio, it was only coming out in Mono unless the headphones were half in the slot. They commented that maybe I wasn't pushing the audio jack in fully, and then sent a replacement audio jack which works perfectly.

My main problem is the screen, but they won't give me a replacement because apparently there's nothing wrong with it, they won't give me a refund because I bought it through Argos, and Argos won't give a refund because it's outside of their electronic warranty period.

It's left me feeling pretty disatisfied with Interead, my guess is they've had a lot of returns.

[mtravellerh]

Originally Posted by codeMonkey

It's left me feeling pretty disatisfied with Interead, my guess is they've had a lot of returns.

Yes, with the faulty firmware, they had a lot of returns. Nearly all the Cool-er owners that I know did have the boot-problem, so that adds up to a lot of problems. Support has been great, though, in my experience and most of the problems are ironed out now!

As for your screen problem: Probably the Interead people just could'nt find a problem because they could'nt read in full sunshine (as there was no sunshine). Just show us all (and Interead, who are reading this passively) what the problem is. i have heard of this kind of problems from one Kindle and one Sony, so far, so I do not think it really is a frequent problem. Alternatively, there may be not a lot of people thinking of reading in full sunshine

[sassanik]

I have used my Cool-er outside and in the sunshine. I admit I would not call it "full sun" as I was under an umbrella pool side, but I did not have a problem or at least I did not notice a issue with the screen.

Interead is also in England... so do they actually even have full sunny days there?

I imagine interead has been busy with all the returns that they have had, but the new firmware is an improvement and so far it has not gotten stuck on the greyscale screen (which is what happened to my last one).

I need to check out the mp3 thing, I have not been listening to music while reading with my Cool-er.

I was playing with the settings today and found a menu option that changes the way your folder list is displayed, shrinking the icons for the folders which then allows each page to display a much longer list of folders, and/or books. I am probably just slow in figuring out that the option was there.

Amy

[codeMonkey]

Originally Posted by sassanik

I have used my Cool-er outside and in the sunshine. I admit I would not call it "full sun" as I was under an umbrella pool side, but I did not have a problem or at least I did not notice a issue with the screen.

Yeah, I'm convinced that it's my cool-er's screen that is the problem, I think in general the screens are probably fine.

Originally Posted by sassanik

Interead is also in England... so do they actually even have full sunny days there?

We do sometimes - it was on a rare sunny day in England that I first noticed the problem. I'd only just got to my hotel when the device stopped booting so I couldn't actually try it on the beach itself.

Originally Posted by mtravellerh

As for your screen problem: Probably the Interead people just could'nt find a problem because they could'nt read in full sunshine (as there was no sunshine). Just show us all (and Interead, who are reading this passively) what the problem is. i have heard of this kind of problems from one Kindle and one Sony, so far, so I do not think it really is a frequent problem. Alternatively, there may be not a lot of people thinking of reading in full sunshine

That's a very good point, thanks!
Now to wait for another sunny enough day.

[dazcox]

Originally Posted by codeMonkey

My main problem is the screen, but they won't give me a replacement because apparently there's nothing wrong with it, they won't give me a refund because I bought it through Argos, and Argos won't give a refund because it's outside of their electronic warranty period.

It's left me feeling pretty disatisfied with Interead, my guess is they've had a lot of returns.

I bought my Cool-ER from Argos, and although it is excluded from the 30day guarantee they exchanged my faulty device right away - they do stipulate that faulty items are still covered for one year for exchange or refund...

If i ended up hating my cool-er it was going to 'break' and I'll get it refunded as it's the second time it'll have broken, and probably get the sony prs300...

If you're having issues remind Argos of the wording on their own policy - If it's within a year and the item is faulty they have to replace or refund. If you have to 'break' it, why not start a firmware upgrade and pull the SD card or hit reset halfway through, should ensure it sticks on the greyscale screen...

[mtravellerh]

Originally Posted by dazcox

I bought my Cool-ER from Argos, and although it is excluded from the 30day guarantee they exchanged my faulty device right away - they do stipulate that faulty items are still covered for one year for exchange or refund...

If i ended up hating my cool-er it was going to 'break' and I'll get it refunded as it's the second time it'll have broken, and probably get the sony prs300...

If you're having issues remind Argos of the wording on their own policy - If it's within a year and the item is faulty they have to replace or refund. If you have to 'break' it, why not start a firmware upgrade and pull the SD card or hit reset halfway through, should ensure it sticks on the greyscale screen...

This would be highly illegal! Please refrain from suggesting such action!

[dazcox]

Originally Posted by mtravellerh

This would be highly illegal! Please refrain from suggesting such action!

It's hardly murder!

Anyway, they will exchange or refund a faulty device. If it develops a fault within a year its covered, however that fault happened...

Think mines going back as battery life is a POS compared to the sony's

[neilmarr]

I'm more than happy with my reader and love the whole ereading experience. Ain't gonna jump through hoops backwards or break laws to buy books, though. I can't even be bothered to work out what all this fancy tech-talk means.

Imagine having to tread through that minefield if you want to phone out for a pizza: Sorry, sir, the sans anchovies pizza is not available to anyone in a street beginning with the letter 'T'; sure we'll deliver immediately, but I'm afraid the pizza box is locked and you don't have the right to a key because you live in a bungalow; Our pizzas are a different shape to your table. Sorry. Sure we have the pizza you want, but if you opt for the microwave 7.4 re-heatable-but-crusty version, that'll be an extra five bucks. You kiddin' ... you want to share your pizza with a friend! You mad or wot?

Ereader manufacturers and ebook retailers (who should be separate entities) must come to their senses and realise that simple sells books and delivery devices. You can't expect to drive a reading revolution if you make ebooks tough to buy and encourage innocent readers to adopt shady practices to get around greed-built roadblocks.

Neil