First week with the STAReBOOK

CommanderROR · 01-30-2007, 02:44 PM

As most of you probably remember, I received a review sample of the STAReBOOK last monday.
I have posted pictures, a video and a review so far.

Now I've had some more time to evaluate the device and would like to add a few things to my previous review.

Ergonomics:

I have done quite a lot of reading this past week, as much as my limited spare time allowed. I used the STAReBOOK in a number of situations, reading on the couch, in bed, while eating and while installing software on my computer...more about that later...

The device is very comfortable to hold, it's weight is the main helper here. You can even use it left-handed (although the controls are on the wrong side for that) because it's small form-factor and the 176g weight help you hold it in ways that would cause you a lot of discomfort if it were heavier.
In all scenarios I tested the device was easy and secure to hold. The slightly rubberized backside also helps more than you would think at first, giving you a more secure grip without using a lot of finger pressure. Unlike the Iliad, I seldom rested the STAReBOOK on anything for additional support.

Durability:

Of course it's hard to talk about durabilty after such a short time, so I'll make it short. I have found no obvious reasons why this device should not last quite some time. The keys seem to be well constructed, the frame feels solid (and it does not creak quite as ominously as the Iliad does if you twist it slightly...

) and nothing rattles as far as I could discover. I also dropped it (not on purpose!!!) yesterday evening and it still works just like before (it fell from my hand to the (hard) carpet floor) and has no sign of damage to either casing or screen. I never dropped the Iliad so far, so I can't really say how that device would have survived the fall.

Reading Experience:

Now this is the main point...

I finished two books and am well into my third right now. During this week I noticed just how much the Iliad with it's slow booting times and miserable battery-life has disrupted my reading habits.
I'm not really somebody who reserves two hours a day for reading. I prefer to just pick up a book whenever I have a moment, read a few pages and then put it away again. With the Iliad this is not possible. If I leave it on all day, then it'll be out of battery before I go to bed.
I left the STAReBOOK on from Monday to Saturday, I did not even switch it off during the night. The battery did not last as long as I had hoped, it stopped working on Saturday morning (I had charged it fully on Monday around 2:00 PM). On Saturday morning it then switched itself off. Apparently, the STAReBOOK is not using Suspend mode, it seems to be doing "low-power-mode" between pageturns and thus runs out of juice a lot faster than the Sony Reader (as far as I've heard, I don't have one unfortunately).
I asked staretek about the possibility of adding Suspend mode to the STAReBOOK, but so far have not received a reply. I'll keep you posted on the progress here.
Even without Suspend, the device does well enough, if you turn it off overnight you only have to boot it once a day and it should last almost two weeks, so I guess that's good enough for most.
Now let's get back to the reading experience...
Even though it uses ugly fonts and bad formatting, I enjoyed reading on the STAReBOOK a lot more than I did reading on the Iliad. The keyword here is Simplicity. I read, put the book down with the last-read page displaying (it loses a bit of contrast over time, but the text is always readable) and then I just grab it again as soon as I have a moment and can continue from where I was, not restart, no delay at all. That is what really sets this device apart from the Iliad in my eyes. It is a lot more paper-like and comfortable. If they manage to bring more formats, improve the fonts and line-breaking and maybe add suspend then this could very well be the ultimate device, now it's not quite there yet, but for reading purposes it beats the Iliad any day. Technical documents with illustrations, annotations and similar purposes, here the crown goes to the Iliad, even in it's unfinished state, but for a ficion-reader I would never hesitate to recommend this one.

Summary:

The STAReBOOK is a very nice device. The design is cool, it feels good and is easy to hold, even for longer reading sessions. It's battery life could be better, but it's OK as it is if you are willing to accept the compromise.
There is still work to be done when it comes to format support and formatting (and perhaps a Suspend mode could be added?) but it is already a very comfortable eReading solution. Added benefits like mp3 playack (I still have not tested, sorry) and nice little features like bookmarks, last-read book, favourites (list of last read books) and auto-refresh for the menus (I guess to prevent heavier ghosting after longer inactivity) make it even nicer. It's not quite there yet, but it's close. I would like to see the STAReBOOK with improved software go up against the SonyReader sometime...that would be a really interesting match since they are both fighting for the same market. The Iliad is a very different device, I'm pretty sure it will never even come close to matching the STAReBOOK, even in it's current state, as an ebook, but if iRex ever manage to use the features their hardware promises, then I guess it can still turn into a good infopad, newspaper reader or PDA.

NatCh · 01-31-2007, 05:39 PM

Say, CommanderROR, is there a manual available for this rascal? It would be of some interest.

CommanderROR · 01-31-2007, 05:44 PM

There is a manual...it's pretty thin, but it is there.
If you like, I can scan the english part for you...just let me know. I doubt whether you will find any deeper meaning in it though...

NatCh · 01-31-2007, 05:47 PM

Only if it wouldn't be much trouble -- some of the Baen folks are wondering what the manual for the bookeen clone they're looking at might be like, and since the hardware is nominally identical.... (shrug)

I checked the STAR and Bookeen sites, and of course they have no manuals posted.

CommanderROR · 01-31-2007, 07:54 PM

Here you go...I haven't done a very careful job, so it's a bit crooked, but it should serve the purpose. Unfortunately the little booklet fell apart when I placed it on the scanner, so I have quite a few loose pages in there now, hence the sometimes incorrect page-numbers in the scanned version...

NatCh · 01-31-2007, 10:13 PM

Cool, thanks, CommanderROR!

RWood · 01-31-2007, 10:28 PM

It is interesting that one item many of the Sony Reader users have asked for -- the ability to delete files -- is already part of the STAReBOOK system.

Ebook lover · 02-01-2007, 02:28 AM

Why can't Stareread develop a PDF reader? I would consider getting one if there is a PDF reader. The device looks great!

CommanderROR · 02-01-2007, 04:02 AM

They wanted to talk to Scotty1024 about the PDf viewer...maybe something can be worked out.
I'm a bit short on news right now since I have not received a single reply from my contacts at staretek all week...I wonder what is going on there...

mill0r · 02-01-2007, 04:24 AM

Reading the several review from you about the STAReBOOK I cant help but thinking about the Microsoft stunt. I was hoping for a more objective review to be honest, and it is very noticable when you are expressing your personal subjective feeling about the iLiad. For many of us the iLiad is a great device. I am not defending the iLiad here I am just saying that I find the review not as objective as I hoped.

Anyway good work it was nice to learn about the STAReBook in the process.

tribble · 02-01-2007, 04:36 AM

I think CommanderRORs is trying to be quite objective for a subjective impression

I can totally understand his frustration with the iLiad. I can see, how the battery life is one of the most important factors of an ereader.

I like the design of the starereader. I would not want to miss the flipbar and the screensize of the iliad.

So it just depends on your needs and the size of your wallet

Thanks for the reviews CommanderROR

CommanderROR · 02-01-2007, 09:33 AM

@mill0r

I'm sorry to hear that you find my Review to not be objective because that was what I was trying to be.
That is also why I repeatedly pointed out the faults I found with the device, even with pictures , and what I thought/think still has to be done to make this device even better.

I also went out of my way to put the "but the Iliad is made for other uses, ..." bits all over the place.
A thing I can't and won't deny however is that the STAReBOOK is really far better as a reading device than the Iliad, at least that's my feeling after this time. I had been reading on my Iliad for half a year, I was one of the very first people worldwide to buy an Iliad actually, before I got the STAReBOOK, and I have not switched it on since...that must mean something surely? And that is exactly what I am trying to convey with my review.
If I had a Sony Reader to compare with the STAReBOOK I would probably favour that over the STAReBOOK since it has apparently got even better battery life and the format-support is also a lot broader (and the text-formatting is bettery I guess).

Please, you and all others, keep in mind that (as I pointed out in my initial review) I am comparing two totally different devices if I compare the Iliad and the STAReBOOK.
They do however have the same function in my usage-environment:

READING FICTION

and in that respect, I just can't find any reason to recommend the Iliad over the STAReBOOK. Even the benefits of the larger screen can't even start to sway the balance in this case.
A review like this is always going to be slightly subjective, there is always a human factor, but I have really tried my best to present you all with the closest to objectivity I could manage.

I was actually very sceptical about the STAReBOOK, that is why I requested the review Sample in the first place actually. I am deeply hurt by your comparison to the "microsoft stunt", I sincerely hope that you are the only one here thinking I am so easy to buy...

jæd · 02-01-2007, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CommanderROR

@mill0r
I'm sorry to hear that you find my Review to not be objective because that was what I was trying to be.

Yep, but why make comments like:

Quote:

Originally Posted by CommanderROR

The keys seem to be well constructed, the frame feels solid (and it does not creak quite as ominously as the Iliad does if you twist it slightly

It *does* sound that you are directly comparing the Starbook with the Iliad. I realise that you have invested a lot of time and money into the Iliad, but the side-comments about the devices failings don't make your review sound that objective. What is wrong with (say):

Quote:

Originally Posted by Objective CommanderROR

The keys seem to be well constructed, the frame feels solid.

Tells us all we need to know, doesn't it...?

TadW · 02-01-2007, 10:52 AM

Personally I enjoy reading CommanderROR's reviews. I don't think he claimed to be objective, and it's quite natural to draw comparisons to another e-reader device if you got one in your hands.

CommanderROR · 02-01-2007, 12:53 PM

@jaed

The reason I put that in is because the creaking was something I always wondered about in the Iliad.
When it comes to stability and quality it should be more than fair to compare a 650€device to a 350 (or similar)€ device.

Also, I can distinctly remember doing it the other way round as well...like "the keys of the STAReBOOK are okay although I prefer the pagebar of the Iliad"
I can distinctly remember putting that in somewhere...

But never mind...I hope the review is still OK for the majority of users here.

01-30-2007, 02:44 PM	#1
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	First week with the STAReBOOK As most of you probably remember, I received a review sample of the STAReBOOK last monday. I have posted pictures, a video and a review so far. Now I've had some more time to evaluate the device and would like to add a few things to my previous review. Ergonomics: I have done quite a lot of reading this past week, as much as my limited spare time allowed. I used the STAReBOOK in a number of situations, reading on the couch, in bed, while eating and while installing software on my computer...more about that later... The device is very comfortable to hold, it's weight is the main helper here. You can even use it left-handed (although the controls are on the wrong side for that) because it's small form-factor and the 176g weight help you hold it in ways that would cause you a lot of discomfort if it were heavier. In all scenarios I tested the device was easy and secure to hold. The slightly rubberized backside also helps more than you would think at first, giving you a more secure grip without using a lot of finger pressure. Unlike the Iliad, I seldom rested the STAReBOOK on anything for additional support. Durability: Of course it's hard to talk about durabilty after such a short time, so I'll make it short. I have found no obvious reasons why this device should not last quite some time. The keys seem to be well constructed, the frame feels solid (and it does not creak quite as ominously as the Iliad does if you twist it slightly... ) and nothing rattles as far as I could discover. I also dropped it (not on purpose!!!) yesterday evening and it still works just like before (it fell from my hand to the (hard) carpet floor) and has no sign of damage to either casing or screen. I never dropped the Iliad so far, so I can't really say how that device would have survived the fall. Reading Experience: Now this is the main point... I finished two books and am well into my third right now. During this week I noticed just how much the Iliad with it's slow booting times and miserable battery-life has disrupted my reading habits. I'm not really somebody who reserves two hours a day for reading. I prefer to just pick up a book whenever I have a moment, read a few pages and then put it away again. With the Iliad this is not possible. If I leave it on all day, then it'll be out of battery before I go to bed. I left the STAReBOOK on from Monday to Saturday, I did not even switch it off during the night. The battery did not last as long as I had hoped, it stopped working on Saturday morning (I had charged it fully on Monday around 2:00 PM). On Saturday morning it then switched itself off. Apparently, the STAReBOOK is not using Suspend mode, it seems to be doing "low-power-mode" between pageturns and thus runs out of juice a lot faster than the Sony Reader (as far as I've heard, I don't have one unfortunately). I asked staretek about the possibility of adding Suspend mode to the STAReBOOK, but so far have not received a reply. I'll keep you posted on the progress here. Even without Suspend, the device does well enough, if you turn it off overnight you only have to boot it once a day and it should last almost two weeks, so I guess that's good enough for most. Now let's get back to the reading experience... Even though it uses ugly fonts and bad formatting, I enjoyed reading on the STAReBOOK a lot more than I did reading on the Iliad. The keyword here is Simplicity. I read, put the book down with the last-read page displaying (it loses a bit of contrast over time, but the text is always readable) and then I just grab it again as soon as I have a moment and can continue from where I was, not restart, no delay at all. That is what really sets this device apart from the Iliad in my eyes. It is a lot more paper-like and comfortable. If they manage to bring more formats, improve the fonts and line-breaking and maybe add suspend then this could very well be the ultimate device, now it's not quite there yet, but for reading purposes it beats the Iliad any day. Technical documents with illustrations, annotations and similar purposes, here the crown goes to the Iliad, even in it's unfinished state, but for a ficion-reader I would never hesitate to recommend this one. Summary: The STAReBOOK is a very nice device. The design is cool, it feels good and is easy to hold, even for longer reading sessions. It's battery life could be better, but it's OK as it is if you are willing to accept the compromise. There is still work to be done when it comes to format support and formatting (and perhaps a Suspend mode could be added?) but it is already a very comfortable eReading solution. Added benefits like mp3 playack (I still have not tested, sorry) and nice little features like bookmarks, last-read book, favourites (list of last read books) and auto-refresh for the menus (I guess to prevent heavier ghosting after longer inactivity) make it even nicer. It's not quite there yet, but it's close. I would like to see the STAReBOOK with improved software go up against the SonyReader sometime...that would be a really interesting match since they are both fighting for the same market. The Iliad is a very different device, I'm pretty sure it will never even come close to matching the STAReBOOK, even in it's current state, as an ebook, but if iRex ever manage to use the features their hardware promises, then I guess it can still turn into a good infopad, newspaper reader or PDA.

02-01-2007, 04:24 AM	#10
mill0r Member Posts: 15 Karma: 194 Join Date: Dec 2006 Device: Sony eReader, iRex iLiad	Reading the several review from you about the STAReBOOK I cant help but thinking about the Microsoft stunt. I was hoping for a more objective review to be honest, and it is very noticable when you are expressing your personal subjective feeling about the iLiad. For many of us the iLiad is a great device. I am not defending the iLiad here I am just saying that I find the review not as objective as I hoped. Anyway good work it was nice to learn about the STAReBook in the process. Last edited by mill0r; 02-01-2007 at 04:33 AM.

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01-31-2007, 05:39 PM	#2
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Say, CommanderROR, is there a manual available for this rascal? It would be of some interest.

01-31-2007, 05:44 PM	#3
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	There is a manual...it's pretty thin, but it is there. If you like, I can scan the english part for you...just let me know. I doubt whether you will find any deeper meaning in it though...

01-31-2007, 05:47 PM	#4
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Only if it wouldn't be much trouble -- some of the Baen folks are wondering what the manual for the bookeen clone they're looking at might be like, and since the hardware is nominally identical.... (shrug) I checked the STAR and Bookeen sites, and of course they have no manuals posted.

01-31-2007, 10:13 PM	#6
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Cool, thanks, CommanderROR!

01-31-2007, 10:28 PM	#7
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	It is interesting that one item many of the Sony Reader users have asked for -- the ability to delete files -- is already part of the STAReBOOK system.

02-01-2007, 02:28 AM	#8
Ebook lover NUUT, Cybook Device Posts: 49 Karma: 11 Join Date: Aug 2006 Device: O2	Why can't Stareread develop a PDF reader? I would consider getting one if there is a PDF reader. The device looks great!

02-01-2007, 04:02 AM	#9
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	They wanted to talk to Scotty1024 about the PDf viewer...maybe something can be worked out. I'm a bit short on news right now since I have not received a single reply from my contacts at staretek all week...I wonder what is going on there...

02-01-2007, 04:36 AM	#11
tribble iLiad Maniac Posts: 1,382 Karma: 2369 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Device: Bookeen Opus (i love that thing) and iPad (what an irony)	I think CommanderRORs is trying to be quite objective for a subjective impression I can totally understand his frustration with the iLiad. I can see, how the battery life is one of the most important factors of an ereader. I like the design of the starereader. I would not want to miss the flipbar and the screensize of the iliad. So it just depends on your needs and the size of your wallet Thanks for the reviews CommanderROR

02-01-2007, 09:33 AM	#12
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	@mill0r I'm sorry to hear that you find my Review to not be objective because that was what I was trying to be. That is also why I repeatedly pointed out the faults I found with the device, even with pictures , and what I thought/think still has to be done to make this device even better. I also went out of my way to put the "but the Iliad is made for other uses, ..." bits all over the place. A thing I can't and won't deny however is that the STAReBOOK is really far better as a reading device than the Iliad, at least that's my feeling after this time. I had been reading on my Iliad for half a year, I was one of the very first people worldwide to buy an Iliad actually, before I got the STAReBOOK, and I have not switched it on since...that must mean something surely? And that is exactly what I am trying to convey with my review. If I had a Sony Reader to compare with the STAReBOOK I would probably favour that over the STAReBOOK since it has apparently got even better battery life and the format-support is also a lot broader (and the text-formatting is bettery I guess). Please, you and all others, keep in mind that (as I pointed out in my initial review) I am comparing two totally different devices if I compare the Iliad and the STAReBOOK. They do however have the same function in my usage-environment: READING FICTION and in that respect, I just can't find any reason to recommend the Iliad over the STAReBOOK. Even the benefits of the larger screen can't even start to sway the balance in this case. A review like this is always going to be slightly subjective, there is always a human factor, but I have really tried my best to present you all with the closest to objectivity I could manage. I was actually very sceptical about the STAReBOOK, that is why I requested the review Sample in the first place actually. I am deeply hurt by your comparison to the "microsoft stunt", I sincerely hope that you are the only one here thinking I am so easy to buy...

02-01-2007, 10:52 AM	#14
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	Personally I enjoy reading CommanderROR's reviews. I don't think he claimed to be objective, and it's quite natural to draw comparisons to another e-reader device if you got one in your hands.

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02-01-2007, 12:53 PM	#15
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	@jaed The reason I put that in is because the creaking was something I always wondered about in the Iliad. When it comes to stability and quality it should be more than fair to compare a 650€device to a 350 (or similar)€ device. Also, I can distinctly remember doing it the other way round as well...like "the keys of the STAReBOOK are okay although I prefer the pagebar of the Iliad" I can distinctly remember putting that in somewhere... But never mind...I hope the review is still OK for the majority of users here.