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If the Sony Reader and Amazon Kindle ebook readers just aren’t doing it for you, now there’s a third choice, the Ectaco jetBook that rolled out today. While this $349.95 reader’s 5-inch screen is smaller than the Sony Reader or Kindle (both with 6-inch screens), its 7.5-ounce weight makes it easier to carry around than both the 9-oz Sony Reader and even heftier 10.3-oz Kindle.
Is that screen going to be big enough? A quick size assessment of a typical paperback book shows us a diagonal measurement of 8 inches, so we’re thinking the jetBook's 5-inch screen might seem a bit small. Its $349.95 price is lower than the $399 Kindle, but then the jetBook doesn’t have the Kindle's built-in wireless downloading, either. However, jetBook is pricier than the Sony Reader, which can be found for $280.
Then there’s that bright fire-engine red color, figuratively screaming, “I’M READING AN ELECTRONIC BOOK.” But we like red, so maybe that’s not so bad.
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Editor: Peter Pachal
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By Sheila Ruth at 6:32 PM ON 03/24/08
Just a couple of comments. First of all, I don't think that this is in the same class as the Sony Reader or the Amazon Kindle at all. According to the web site, this has a VGA reflective monochrome TFT display, whereas the Kindle and the Reader both have electronic paper displays. I also can't find anything about what formats the jetBook can read. Basically, this seems like a cheap imitation hoping to snare some people with its cheap price.
Also, there is already a third electronic paper e-book reader available: the iRex Technologies iLiad. The iLiad has some nice features, including a stylus that you can use to draw and annotate books, and it displays more levels of gray than the Kindle. Unfortunately, it's also a lot more expensive.
By Marinak50 at 2:34 PM ON 03/27/08
This ebook, the Jetbook is a great present. It is affordable and the screen is easy to read. It is very good for the eyes. Love it!
By Kris at 3:14 AM ON 04/12/08
I purchased Jetbook unit from Ectaco for my dad. He really love it. You can make fonts bigger, add many bookmarks and read books in txt and pdf formats plus it has english-english dictionary so you can get explanation for each word! Great product and not so expensive like iREX unit.