I just ordered a Jetbook lite from ECTACO

P.X. Fort · 01-13-2010, 04:11 PM

I watched the video just posted to our forum here https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69595

This is exactly what I wanted

a low cost, basic ebook reader.

I really want to have a reader for academic work but The publidhers and tech need to mature a little longer. So I still wanted a casual reader and this is it. I hope

Now for the milllion dollar question; How do I use it?

Actually I think it will workout. I plan to use Calibre. What format is best for the Jetbook lite?

gr8npwrfl · 01-13-2010, 04:35 PM

Calibre is the way to go. I format all my books for the Jetbook in epub because the page formating and the zooming of the Jetbook make that the best format.

I no longer plug in the port of my Jetbook it is just too slow being it is a USB 1.1 version.

I purchased two four gig SDHC cards for use with my reader. I have the interface for these cards built into my system and allow Calibre to copy to disk for loading the books.

Please make sure you ad or remove the SDHC card from your Jetbook with power on so the system recognizes the card has been changed. This will make sure your Jetbook sees the changes on the card.

I use the internal memory of the Jetbook to hold the books or references that I always want on my Jetbook. The Bible, reference manuals, etc....

Welcome to the club, I find I now do not go anywhere without my Jetbook and it seems I am less frustrated having to wait somewhere because I can just turn on the Jetbook and fill the time with filling my mind.

Roger

Linda! · 01-13-2010, 04:53 PM

I ordered a JBL on Sunday from NewEgg, which was onsale for $119 at the time. Just couldnt say no to the price...I took out my credit card, took a deep breath, and submitted the order. My first ebook reader device! Its still in transit to me. Hoping it works out.

P.X. Fort · 01-13-2010, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gr8npwrfl

Calibre is the way to go. I format all my books for the Jetbook in epub because the page formating and the zooming of the Jetbook make that the best format.

I no longer plug in the port of my Jetbook it is just too slow being it is a USB 1.1 version.

I purchased two four gig SDHC cards for use with my reader. I have the interface for these cards built into my system and allow Calibre to copy to disk for loading the books.

Please make sure you ad or remove the SDHC card from your Jetbook with power on so the system recognizes the card has been changed. This will make sure your Jetbook sees the changes on the card.

I use the internal memory of the Jetbook to hold the books or references that I always want on my Jetbook. The Bible, reference manuals, etc....

Welcome to the club, I find I now do not go anywhere without my Jetbook and it seems I am less frustrated having to wait somewhere because I can just turn on the Jetbook and fill the time with filling my mind.

Roger

Good to know. I was thinking of converting to txt but I'll try a few things. Also you made a good poind about the 1.0 usb and I figured I would do the same as you with the SD card.

But you mentioned " ....I have the interface for these cards built into my system and allow Calibre to copy to disk....." What do you mean you have the interface built in? Are you talking about the SD card reader itself being integrated into your harware. Or is this a software item?

I ask because I understand that the system on the JBL in Linux and I wasn't sure If I need do do something different siny I use Windows Vista.

I assume I can remove the SD card from the JBL (while it is on) and simply insert it into my SD reader and copy to disk in Calibre.

P.X. Fort · 01-13-2010, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda!

I ordered a JBL on Sunday from NewEgg, which was onsale for $119 at the time. Just couldnt say no to the price...I took out my credit card, took a deep breath, and submitted the order. My first ebook reader device! Its still in transit to me. Hoping it works out.

For the price I think it's a great way to start in the ebook reader world. I was going over all of the options and prices of the current readers on the market. I really liked the sony PRS 300 but I think its over priced at $199.

I was at the store just today looking at it. But it just lacked something. When I came home and watched the video of the Jetbook Lite, I said thats it! I read a few quick reviews to make sure it's not a total bust and went for it.

GhostHawk · 01-13-2010, 07:35 PM

I have not tried Calibre yet, one of these days I probably should.

Most of the books I have are public domain stuff that comes in either .lit, pdf or a format that jetbook supports.

While the Jetbook does support Pdf files, I convert mine to straight text files as I don't like scrolling for every page. PDF's that have a lot of images might be worth the scrolling however.

The 2 converters I use are ABC Amber Lit converter, and
Zilla PDF to text converter. Both free, both do a decent job.
Not fabulous, but for the price, certainly worth the download.

Its probably faster to load books onto an SD or SDHC card with a card reader or adapter.
Jetbook will do it, but its slower.

I would say I use .rtf and plain .txt the most, but that will vary widely I suspect between users.

I think a lot depends on where you want to get your books. The support for Epub and drm is going to bring a lot of new people to jetbook I think. Granted it doesn't have wireless but your not paying for it either.

gr8npwrfl · 01-13-2010, 09:41 PM

What I meant was use the "save to disk" output instead of the "send to device" output.

Having 3g or cell connection may be totally academic anyway as I have been working with a device that we have designed for another project I am working on. We have an cellular interface that allows it to be controlled by a usb slave device. This unit is the size of a normal cell phone and should be sold for under $100. Pop in a sim card that puts it on your "friends and family plan".

This could be used with any ereader that can accept the driver we have written.

LS650 · 01-14-2010, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda!

I ordered a JBL on Sunday from NewEgg, which was onsale for $119 at the time.

I also ordered a Jetbook Lite from Newegg.Ca on Monday. I didn't realize until I received the email invoice that it would ship from Los Angeles rather than from somewhere in Canada; I hope UPS doesn't try to charge me an exorbitant brokerage fee...

mitchwah · 01-16-2010, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P.X. Fort

I watched the video just posted to our forum here https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69595

This is exactly what I wanted

a low cost, basic ebook reader.

I really want to have a reader for academic work but The publidhers and tech need to mature a little longer. So I still wanted a casual reader and this is it. I hope

Now for the milllion dollar question; How do I use it?

Actually I think it will workout. I plan to use Calibre. What format is best for the Jetbook lite?

You will love the Jetbook lite!

I also find that epub is the best format to use on my Lite followed closely by RTF. I use Calibre to convert to epub. For my text-based PDFs, I find Nitro as the best software to convert to RTF. I downloaded the trial version of Nitro.

I am advised to bedrest by my doctor and my Jetbook lite saves my sanity.

Linda! · 01-17-2010, 01:07 AM

My JBL arrived today in the mail. I really love it!!!! The screen is so clear and easy to read and the pages turn so quickly. I can easily zip through the pages. The bump in back is bigger than I thought it would be but its not a problem. I think its going to work out well.

mitchwah · 01-17-2010, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda!

My JBL arrived today in the mail. I really love it!!!! The screen is so clear and easy to read and the pages turn so quickly. I can easily zip through the pages. The bump in back is bigger than I thought it would be but its not a problem. I think its going to work out well.

I understand how you felt. lol. The bump was also bigger than I thought and the overall size of the JBL is smaller than I thought.

I am sure you'll enjoy your jetbook lite as I do mine.

LS650 · 01-18-2010, 09:25 PM

I also received my Jetbook Lite today.

Good: the screen is quite readable and clear even in weak light. I looked at a Sony PRS-300 last weekend and I honestly think that although its e-Ink screen was good, it was not as sharp and crisp as the JBL's reflective TFT screen. I loaded several books (TXT, ePub, pdb, and PDF) onto an old used 2 GB SD card I had sitting around. I popped in the SD card and was able to read my books without much fuss.
I also like that it works with plain old AA batteries; I can travel with it and never have to worry about adapters or charging.
The photo display feature isn't that great. I can see carrying a few fave photos around, but I see it being useful for viewing street maps I captured off the internet with a web browser.

Bad: I do not like the left-side slider switch - it is fairly stiff and difficult to slide. Fortunately I find I just ignore it and use the chrome left-right buttons anyhow, so not a biggy.
I also don't like the fact that locked books do not seem to let me adjust the font size. Other books I prefer 18pt font, but I can't seem to make that work with the locked books.

Ugly: I find that it seems to miss some of the words on the page breaks when viewing locked books. I've seen this mentioned by others a few times, so I am hoping that Ectaco is working on fixing this in a firmware upgrade.

ngrant · 01-18-2010, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LS650

Bad: ...I also don't like the fact that locked books do not seem to let me adjust the font size. Other books I prefer 18pt font, but I can't seem to make that work with the locked books.

Ugly: I find that it seems to miss some of the words on the page breaks when viewing locked books. I've seen this mentioned by others a few times, so I am hoping that Ectaco is working on fixing this in a firmware upgrade.

Both these problems ARE fixed with the latest firmware 0.15 which displays the unlocked books from B&N just fine and allows the font size selections. See links and details of upgrading the firmware here
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70171

I find that after some usage I actually like the slider control on the left and now use that more than the other two methods of advancing the page - I hold the JBL in my left hand with my thumb on the slider and have my right hand free to eat or write with...

Thundergirls · 01-19-2010, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda!

My JBL arrived today in the mail. I really love it!!!! The screen is so clear and easy to read and the pages turn so quickly. I can easily zip through the pages. The bump in back is bigger than I thought it would be but its not a problem. I think its going to work out well.

Congratulations Linda! I think you will enjoy the JBL. I finally received a back-ordered NOOK yesterday and I still prefer the JBL. I started a comparison page today of Kindle2, Nook, and the Jetbooks, and it's really amazing how much more value the Jetbook Lite is over the "big guns" of the market.

Be sure to get a good AA recharging system; Duracell and Energizer both have fast charge units with four pre-charged batteries. Get a second set of four and you'll have fresh batteries for years for only about $20.

If you do need regular AA's I'd also recommend Lithium. A little more expensive but they may last as much as 25% longer than even the best alkaline.

BTW: NewEgg continues to surprise, though the $119 sale of the Lite is over, the standard JetBook (Burgundy) is now available for $149 with $1.99 shipping. Biggest difference is the standard Jetbook doesn't do DRM and it has built-in Li-Ion battery.

Linda! · 01-19-2010, 06:25 PM

Thank you Tgirls for the help and advice. I was at the grocery store and they had duracell batteries and a charger on sale so I got that and I had a SD card already from my digital camera. I will be sure to check out your comparison of the Kindle, Nook and Jetbook, it sounds interesting.

01-13-2010, 04:11 PM	#1
P.X. Fort Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 100 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Pennsylvania, United States Device: JetBook Lite; EeePC 1005HA	I just ordered a Jetbook lite from ECTACO I watched the video just posted to our forum here https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69595 This is exactly what I wanted a low cost, basic ebook reader. I really want to have a reader for academic work but The publidhers and tech need to mature a little longer. So I still wanted a casual reader and this is it. I hope Now for the milllion dollar question; How do I use it? Actually I think it will workout. I plan to use Calibre. What format is best for the Jetbook lite?

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01-13-2010, 04:35 PM	#2
gr8npwrfl The Wizard of OZ Posts: 143 Karma: 434 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern California Device: Jetbook Ipod Touch Wind Netbook	Calibre is the way to go. I format all my books for the Jetbook in epub because the page formating and the zooming of the Jetbook make that the best format. I no longer plug in the port of my Jetbook it is just too slow being it is a USB 1.1 version. I purchased two four gig SDHC cards for use with my reader. I have the interface for these cards built into my system and allow Calibre to copy to disk for loading the books. Please make sure you ad or remove the SDHC card from your Jetbook with power on so the system recognizes the card has been changed. This will make sure your Jetbook sees the changes on the card. I use the internal memory of the Jetbook to hold the books or references that I always want on my Jetbook. The Bible, reference manuals, etc.... Welcome to the club, I find I now do not go anywhere without my Jetbook and it seems I am less frustrated having to wait somewhere because I can just turn on the Jetbook and fill the time with filling my mind. Roger

01-13-2010, 04:53 PM	#3
Linda! Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 86 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Michigan Device: Jetbook Lite	I ordered a JBL on Sunday from NewEgg, which was onsale for $119 at the time. Just couldnt say no to the price...I took out my credit card, took a deep breath, and submitted the order. My first ebook reader device! Its still in transit to me. Hoping it works out.

01-13-2010, 07:35 PM	#6
GhostHawk Data Privateer! Posts: 586 Karma: 62887 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Fargo ND Device: Ectaco Jetbook& Jetbook Lite	I have not tried Calibre yet, one of these days I probably should. Most of the books I have are public domain stuff that comes in either .lit, pdf or a format that jetbook supports. While the Jetbook does support Pdf files, I convert mine to straight text files as I don't like scrolling for every page. PDF's that have a lot of images might be worth the scrolling however. The 2 converters I use are ABC Amber Lit converter, and Zilla PDF to text converter. Both free, both do a decent job. Not fabulous, but for the price, certainly worth the download. Its probably faster to load books onto an SD or SDHC card with a card reader or adapter. Jetbook will do it, but its slower. I would say I use .rtf and plain .txt the most, but that will vary widely I suspect between users. I think a lot depends on where you want to get your books. The support for Epub and drm is going to bring a lot of new people to jetbook I think. Granted it doesn't have wireless but your not paying for it either.

01-13-2010, 09:41 PM	#7
gr8npwrfl The Wizard of OZ Posts: 143 Karma: 434 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Southern California Device: Jetbook Ipod Touch Wind Netbook	What I meant was use the "save to disk" output instead of the "send to device" output. Having 3g or cell connection may be totally academic anyway as I have been working with a device that we have designed for another project I am working on. We have an cellular interface that allows it to be controlled by a usb slave device. This unit is the size of a normal cell phone and should be sold for under $100. Pop in a sim card that puts it on your "friends and family plan". This could be used with any ereader that can accept the driver we have written.

01-17-2010, 01:07 AM	#10
Linda! Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 86 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Michigan Device: Jetbook Lite	My JBL arrived today in the mail. I really love it!!!! The screen is so clear and easy to read and the pages turn so quickly. I can easily zip through the pages. The bump in back is bigger than I thought it would be but its not a problem. I think its going to work out well.

01-18-2010, 09:25 PM	#12
LS650 Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 66 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Canada Device: Android, Jetbook Lite	I also received my Jetbook Lite today. Good: the screen is quite readable and clear even in weak light. I looked at a Sony PRS-300 last weekend and I honestly think that although its e-Ink screen was good, it was not as sharp and crisp as the JBL's reflective TFT screen. I loaded several books (TXT, ePub, pdb, and PDF) onto an old used 2 GB SD card I had sitting around. I popped in the SD card and was able to read my books without much fuss. I also like that it works with plain old AA batteries; I can travel with it and never have to worry about adapters or charging. The photo display feature isn't that great. I can see carrying a few fave photos around, but I see it being useful for viewing street maps I captured off the internet with a web browser. Bad: I do not like the left-side slider switch - it is fairly stiff and difficult to slide. Fortunately I find I just ignore it and use the chrome left-right buttons anyhow, so not a biggy. I also don't like the fact that locked books do not seem to let me adjust the font size. Other books I prefer 18pt font, but I can't seem to make that work with the locked books. Ugly: I find that it seems to miss some of the words on the page breaks when viewing locked books. I've seen this mentioned by others a few times, so I am hoping that Ectaco is working on fixing this in a firmware upgrade.

01-19-2010, 06:25 PM	#15
Linda! Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 86 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Michigan Device: Jetbook Lite	Thank you Tgirls for the help and advice. I was at the grocery store and they had duracell batteries and a charger on sale so I got that and I had a SD card already from my digital camera. I will be sure to check out your comparison of the Kindle, Nook and Jetbook, it sounds interesting.