Cybook Gen3 to support ePub and PDF reflow

Bookeen, makers of Cybook Gen3 have just announced that the next firmware release, due in quarter 1 2009, will support the ePub format and PDF reflow.

ePub is a common format, said by some to be the future ebook standard format.

PDF reflow, as already offered on the Sony PRS505, makes the reading of PDF files on the 6 inch eink screen, easier.

These two additions make the already great Cybook Gen3 an even more fantastic buy .

Ebook readers versus netbooks?

I’ve been reading a post on the cheap netbooks blog that suggests a netbook is as good for reading on as a dedicated ebook reader.

Well I’m here to tell you that is not the case.

Look at the little fellow on the left who’s been reading on his netbook for an hour - and that’s what it will  do to you too!

But on a serious note, while a netbook makes a great computer, when it comes to reading for a couple of hours on end, there is no substitute for a dedicated ebook reader.

The reason is simple: it’s the fact that there’s no backlight.

Try it out for yourself and see. Put a PDF file on your netbook and however good the screen, if you read it for more than half an hour, it will feel as though your eyes have been sandpapered. Now turn on your ebook reader, start reading, and before you know where you are, you’ll be as relaxed and immersed in the book as if you were reading a real paper book. For real reading, e-ink wins over TFT every time.

What’s that? You don’t have a dedicated ebook reader? Well you’ve come to the right place. Just go to our home page and you’ll quickly find the perfect ebook reader for you. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Review of Kindle II ebook reader (US only)

Amazon in the US has just announced the launch of its Kindle II ebook reader. This is a replacement for the original Kindle ebook reader, the first ever ebook reader to hit the mass market.

The Kindle has never been available in the UK, and neither is the Kindle II, but it’s interesting to see that the changes to the original ebook reader are more or less cosmetic.

The 6 inch e-ink screen is exactly the same as on the original Kindle, the identical screen used on the Sony PRS505 and the Cybook Gen3.

Amazon has increased the internal memory to 2GB, but taken away the SD card slot - a move which limits your options for loading books to the reader. The wireless “whispernet” allows users to download purchased books from Amazon in the US as on the original Kindle and there is still a USB connection too. Also, for some strange reason, the battery, which was user-replaceable on the Kindle I can no longer be replaced by the user. A new feature is the option for the device to read ebooks aloud in a Satnav type voice, which may be useful to blind people.

The Kindle II is slightly thinner than its predecessor, but still thicker than the Sony PRS505, and MUCH thicker than the Cybook Gen3. But the body is slightly wider and longer than on the original to allow repositioning of some internals.

This ebook reader still has the ugly keyboard below the display and I for one think it is still the ugliest ebook reader available today. Thank goodness it’s only available in the US.

Sony PRS505 ebook reader - red

This is the exclusive red version of the renowned Sony PRS505 ebook reader that is normally sold in silver. Hold hundreds of books on the internal memory. Hold thousands of books on a separate SD card that you can plug into the ebook reader, so you can carry an entire library around with you.

This stylish ebook reader is ideal for those wanting to read novels, biographies and other books consisting mainly of text. It also uses PDF reflow to give a great PDF reading experience for books with diagrams, formulae and the like.

The Sony PRS 505 is a great ebook reader from a world-famous manufacturer, and is normally available in silver. But for that extra touch of style, express your personality with this exclusive RED model. The screen and electronics are identical to those in the silver PRS 505, but the  body is a fabulous metallic red. And many people find that the red screen surround makes the e-ink display clearer and bolder due to the added contrast over the silver model.

Go on, make a statement, get the colour that other people can’t find, buy your RED Sony PRS 505 ebook reader while you still can. It’s available exclusively  at the great special offer price of £149 including free delivery

Irex Iliad DR1000 ebook reader

Read and make notes on your e-documents with the Irex Iliad ebook reader.

The Irex Iliad ebook reader boasts the largest e-ink screen you can get. And using the special stylus supplied, you can annotate your texts with notes or drawings. The e-ink display can be read even in bright sunlight, so the Iliad ebook reader is ideal for working outdoors.

Professionals and academics will love the huge 8.1 inch display which is perfect for reading and annotating PDF documents, as well as reading and commenting on documents in HTML, TXT, JPG, BMP, and PNG formats.

The battery will charge in about three hours and normally give a full day’s use before you need to recharge it.

The built-in memory will hold a couple of hundred books, and can be expanded by (optional) memory card to hold practically a whole library. Thousands of books are available free on the internet, or you can purchase extra books for download. And of course you can easily load your own documents on to the Iliad ebook reader, or the documents  of your colleagues or students.