Digital Book Readers: e-readers guide and review

E-book Orsio b721 – the first device for us on the basis of E-Ink technologies under the price less than $300. The sample which passed test, is while working out, only a prototype of that will appear on sale. We deliberately do not consider given article as the high-grade review, and only preliminary acquaintance, handicapping that to the developer of the device.

We hope that in some months, and can and earlier, the device will be issued also set of our wishes can be realised or considered. We also urge our reader to be indulgent and not to perceive a word in this review solving in the choice. In our hands only a device prototype. For now we will dream that upon termination of working out of the device we will have a possibility to test the serial sample to be convinced, how much Orsio ebook became better and stabler. Therefore the review will not be the classical description of possibilities of the device.

The first acquaintance:

In packing there are no branches, valves or polyfoam that at transportation the device did not dangle inside. SD a card in the complete set in capacity 2Gb, but anonymous.  The consumer himself will solve «what to read», the main thing – to push in the necessary direction.

Also in the complete set – a power unit and cord USB. Ear-phones. A smart cover for the device! For the first time we see a cover with the folding valve-support for reading on a table. Such covers can be sold and for other devices, demand it will be obvious, for it was pleasant to us, the consumer too can also will be happy with such decision?

At shortage of a food the device all time showed a flash card error: it can frighten the consumer that the card “is spoilt or inaccessible”. It would be desirable to replace this inscription with something of type «charge the device».

To the touch the device very thin and pleasant. The case has a rubber covering. During gymnastics, with periodicity 30 minutes the screen blinks. That it the device – not clearly wishes to tell. Differences at reading *.FB2 and FB2.ZIP practically are not present. For the speed листания pages it did not influence at testing, or the difference was insignificant and we simply have not noticed it.

In the first day the accumulator was discharged for 14 hours. Even at inclusion it was necessary to press button Reset, differently the device a charge did not respond. After repeated gymnastics the device was discharged for 4 days. Thus not clearly – it is necessary to switch off the device or not? How it will affect operation time? It is obvious that while Orsio cannot compete on an operating time with devices, which for a long time in the market of electronic books. If Orsio not to switch off, that is to leave on the screen the text, it also промаргивает, as well as at device gymnastics. In a working quiet condition the device does not leave in a dream: by button pressing «the following page» occurs repeated opening of the book and then it is not clear – what for the device blinks at work expectation if there is a repeated opening of the book?

Thoughts:

The charge indicator is absent, charge level is inexact and there is no alarm system of the termination of a total charge of the device.
Completely there are no text options, except a font size which, actually, to adjust there is no necessity: the size can be increased or reduced during reading. Unfortunately, buttons of increase in a font are in the same place, where buttons листания. From our point of view it is useful to transfer increase at buttons (+) and (-) which are on right to a device side. For example, let they in “the Player” mode are used for loudness, and in a mode “Reading” for increase or font reduction. By the way in the status of an operating mode of the device all time is visible only an inscription “Player”. It is required to change the status depending on a device operating mode.
The insertion obviously in a crude condition and the device future depends directly on it. Well to open insertion codes that the community of readers could finish possibilities and speed of the device. Also very much it would be desirable to have carryings over, possibility to operate in the width of a text window and spaces from screen borders.

Button “Return” irritates with that is not on the place. But it is iron whims of company PVI created an iron basis of the device. We also observe the same buttons and an arrangement in TXT.Book Explay which is sister or brother Orsio, but costs on $100 more expensively. Even the rare reference to button “Return” or “Menu” upsets with inconvenience of an arrangement. We think, it will not affect in any way the device future as in 99.99 % of cases the consumer will use one button – «list pages» and anything more. Unfortunately “Bookmarks” are set not by the button, but  a combination through “Menu”.

Well to make a mode «to hide system files». We believe, their display in the list of files will frighten not skilled consumers, they will ask unnecessary questions to service department.

We also wait for occurrence in the future insertions of “book shelf” instead of the standard file manager. Also it would be desirable thought more over interface as “list”, instead of navigation on large icons. Navigation should be in one party – «upwards and downwards», and any moving «to the left and to the right» should be excluded or changed to «change of options». Ideally, we would like to have possibility to move only «upwards and downwards», and a choice to confirm with button “ОК”.

E-Ink The display:

What the characteristic «E-Ink the display» means for the user? First, even E-Ink displays different and their whiteness, in most cases, depends on the microprocessor and an insertion. In due course the screen becomes серее, than an original form. In a case with Orsio, from the manufacturer additional efforts for improvement of an insertion regarding updating of the screen and increase in an operating time from one charge be required. For descriptive reasons we will show a difference between displays Sony Reader and Orsio in the included and switched off condition.

How you can see, – the difference is, and is far from real (the ideal?) a whiteness, for example, in comparison with packing of chewing elastic band Wrigley’s Spearmint. It is not necessary to be upset, because also the usual paper lags behind on a whiteness cud packing! It is not necessary to pay on it special attention. In the switched off condition it is appreciable, how a lot of “dust” remains on screen Orsio in comparison with Sony Reader. There are traces from lines of the text and small points of a background. To eliminate it probably having changed algorithm of updating of the screen in core software.

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In the included condition the background practically does not vary on a whiteness, letters fragmentary in comparison with Sony Reader, have no such level of a smoothness, but look slightly more contrast.

The test was spent at a daylight, without additional illumination.

Opinion of potential consumers:

In most cases, the device has drawn attention appearance and special tactile sensations. We would like to inform typical opinion on the device at the first acquaintance of Club The-eBook:

Among advantages – Orsio thin, with ease reads format FB2, and also FB2.ZIP that speaks about adaptation possibility under new format FB3. The device does not slide in hands. The cover “makes look fat”, but is very convenient at the expense of a leaning back leg. Not the convenient button “return”. A card on 2Gb in the complete set. Buttons of management are not always pressed or it is necessary to get used to them, for a button course deep enough. Practically there are no options of appearance of the text.

The majority of the interrogated have taken pleasure at acquaintance with Orsio. Has afflicted “a book shelf” total absence, but has pleased that it is possible to move without restrictions on a tree of file system.

Advantages:
Through USB works under any computer system in a mode of reading of a flash card and the basic memory.
It is quickly charged – less than 2 hours.
There is no necessity to use computer program-client at the expense of work with format FB2 – enough to copy files on a flash card.
The most important advantage – the price. Orsio – the lung among E-Ink devices for reading (without a cover). Pleasant прорезиненный the case.

The basic lacks:
It is quickly discharged (we hope, only because of a crude insertion).
Though at a cover also there is an aperture for a food cable, to connect this cable through a cover it is impossible because of plug on case of Orsio. To open the plug in a cover it is almost impossible.
Senseless updating of the screen as at device gymnastics, and at rest.

The screen is badly updated, there is a lot of dust at the expense of what necessary level of a whiteness is not reached. At change of pages updating of the screen with effect промаргивания is used not, and the superseding effect is used: letters as though emerge on the screen. Pages are slowly thumbed through, but speed does not depend on a format of file FB2 or archieved FB2.ZIP

For whom this device:

Orsio opens the occurrence sector of inexpensive devices for reading. The price and appearance allow readers of any age category to use Orsio. As special preparation for device use it is not required. The obvious prize in the price for $100 in comparison with the nearest competitor whom the same is able approximately, but Orsio is able to read FB2 that puts it on a step above, than the device for reading only TXT books.

We recommend the device for all who not so would like to understand with knowledge of formats and ways of creation of books. Orsio b721 does the main thing – reads, of that it is quite enough for 80 % of consumers.

The device it is possible to be used in any conditions and at any time. For reading illumination – either standard room, or an additional mobile lamp-clothespin on light-emitting diodes at night is required. Own illumination in the device is not present, as well as in the paper book.

The declared characteristics:
The sizes: 188х118х8,5 mm
Weight: 176 г (without a cover)
Guarantee: 12 months
The screen: 6,4 ′ E-INK
The screen resilution: 600×800
Connection to the personal computer: USB 2.0
Operating system: LINUX 2.4.18
The accumulator: Li-ion 1000 mA/ch
The processor: Samsung S3C2410 ARM920T 200
Memory: external SD a card of 2 Gb and internal 2Mb
Supported formats:
Books: HTML, TXT, FB2, RTF, DjVu, PDF
Books of the listed formats in archives: ZIP
Images: JPG, PNG
Audio files: MP3