jetBook after a couple of weeks...

smithno · 05-17-2009, 08:23 AM

I posted my initial impressions about the jetBook a few days in My 2 cents worth on the JetBook. Now that I have lived with it a while and read several books on it, I thought another post was appropriate. My initial impression is that I really like remains true! I split time between reading my EZ Reader, usually at home and the jetBook, usually at work.

I still like folders, being able to delete books directly from the reader, 2 or 3 second startup time, and the size. I find the screen just as readable as my EZ Reader and Sony 505. I have also started using the search often to keep books in sync. I put the book I'm reading on both readers and the search makes that so easy!

The battery life on the LCD screen has turned out to be a non-issue. So far, I'm charging it up about once a week, just like I do with my e-ink readers. Being able to read for a week is the point where battery life is not annoying.

I am having the best luck with Mobi format books created via Calibre. PDF books from Feedbooks that are custom formatted for the jetBook are also very readable. I found the specs on the jetBook forums. PDF books formatted without regard for size need a magnifying glass to read, which is most PDF books I run across. I don't know why publishers don't format PDF books for eReaders!

The jetBook only has two fonts. That is not a real problem, but both are sans serif. I much prefer a good serif font. I have not explored adding fonts. It is real convenient to create a fonts folder, like the Hanlin readers.

Overall, the jetBook is not perfect. I realize the lack of DRM is an issue for most of the population. Most folks here already format shift anyway which makes DRM a non-issue for most folks here.

I am taken with the small size and portability of the 5-inch screen format! It truely does fit in your pants pocket. The 5-inch screen is fine for fiction books, but I don't see reading technical books with one. I am sure I won't be able to resist the 5-inch e-ink readers that are getting ready to show up on the market!

Bottom line is if you can get a jetBook for less than $200, it's a great value in my opinion. (I got mine on sale from Fry's for $179 delivered.)

HarryT · 05-17-2009, 08:25 AM

How well does Mobipocket dictionary lookup work on the Jetbook? That is (for me) a vital feature that many Mobipocket implementations seem, for whatever reason, not to be able to handle.

smithno · 05-17-2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

How well does Mobipocket dictionary lookup work on the Jetbook? That is (for me) a vital feature that many Mobipocket implementations seem, for whatever reason, not to be able to handle.

Don't know. I have never tried it.

HarryT · 05-17-2009, 08:56 AM

When you are able to try it, I'd be interested to know the result.

wallcraft · 05-17-2009, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

How well does Mobipocket dictionary lookup work on the Jetbook?

The jetBook has its own built in dictionaries, but they are apparently not as good as commercial dictionaries. See Jetbook with New Formats Now at Bed Bath and Beyond. The usual MOBI dictionaries can't work because they have DRM (and would not be used a dictionaries on the jetBook even without DRM). Also, the built in dictionaries don't yet work inside MOBI ebooks, see Ectaco JetBook update coming on 2 April

HarryT · 05-17-2009, 09:30 AM

Thanks, wallcraft. Looks as if the list of machines that can use commercial Mobi dictionaries remains rather short!

wodin · 05-17-2009, 01:53 PM

I downloaded a couple of ER Boroughs books in TXT format just to see how the dictionary worked. While reading the book you press the 1 key, and it highlights the first word on the page, you can move the highlight with the arrow keys, then press OK when you have the desired word highlighted.

If it doesn't have that word in the dictionary it will give you a best guess which is usually not related in any way. I'd like to see it give you a list of words that are close, but it doesn't.

It will also give you dictionaries in English, Eng-Rus, Eng-Pol, Eng-Spa, Eng-Ger, Rus-Eng, Pol-Eng, Spa-Eng, Ger-Eng, and Auto Detect.

I tried to invoke the dictionary in both Mobi and ePub formatted books, but no joy. It works in TXT, but not in those formats. I'm not sure what other formats. if any it works in, as when I upgraded the firmware it wiped out all the preloaded stuff so I don't have those files to test.

The other thing that it doesn't have, at least in Mobi and Epub formats is Hyperlink capability. TOCs don't work.

Even with those shortcomings, This is my favorite reader. My PRS505 will be going on the block soon I'm thinking!

05-17-2009, 08:23 AM	#1
smithno Groupie Posts: 152 Karma: 222484 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tenn., US Device: jetBook, jetBook Lite, Kindle 3, Galaxy Note II	jetBook after a couple of weeks... I posted my initial impressions about the jetBook a few days in My 2 cents worth on the JetBook. Now that I have lived with it a while and read several books on it, I thought another post was appropriate. My initial impression is that I really like remains true! I split time between reading my EZ Reader, usually at home and the jetBook, usually at work. I still like folders, being able to delete books directly from the reader, 2 or 3 second startup time, and the size. I find the screen just as readable as my EZ Reader and Sony 505. I have also started using the search often to keep books in sync. I put the book I'm reading on both readers and the search makes that so easy! The battery life on the LCD screen has turned out to be a non-issue. So far, I'm charging it up about once a week, just like I do with my e-ink readers. Being able to read for a week is the point where battery life is not annoying. I am having the best luck with Mobi format books created via Calibre. PDF books from Feedbooks that are custom formatted for the jetBook are also very readable. I found the specs on the jetBook forums. PDF books formatted without regard for size need a magnifying glass to read, which is most PDF books I run across. I don't know why publishers don't format PDF books for eReaders! The jetBook only has two fonts. That is not a real problem, but both are sans serif. I much prefer a good serif font. I have not explored adding fonts. It is real convenient to create a fonts folder, like the Hanlin readers. Overall, the jetBook is not perfect. I realize the lack of DRM is an issue for most of the population. Most folks here already format shift anyway which makes DRM a non-issue for most folks here. I am taken with the small size and portability of the 5-inch screen format! It truely does fit in your pants pocket. The 5-inch screen is fine for fiction books, but I don't see reading technical books with one. I am sure I won't be able to resist the 5-inch e-ink readers that are getting ready to show up on the market! Bottom line is if you can get a jetBook for less than $200, it's a great value in my opinion. (I got mine on sale from Fry's for $179 delivered.) Last edited by smithno; 05-17-2009 at 12:07 PM.

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05-17-2009, 08:25 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	How well does Mobipocket dictionary lookup work on the Jetbook? That is (for me) a vital feature that many Mobipocket implementations seem, for whatever reason, not to be able to handle.

05-17-2009, 08:56 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	When you are able to try it, I'd be interested to know the result.

05-17-2009, 09:30 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Thanks, wallcraft. Looks as if the list of machines that can use commercial Mobi dictionaries remains rather short!

05-17-2009, 01:53 PM	#7
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	I downloaded a couple of ER Boroughs books in TXT format just to see how the dictionary worked. While reading the book you press the 1 key, and it highlights the first word on the page, you can move the highlight with the arrow keys, then press OK when you have the desired word highlighted. If it doesn't have that word in the dictionary it will give you a best guess which is usually not related in any way. I'd like to see it give you a list of words that are close, but it doesn't. It will also give you dictionaries in English, Eng-Rus, Eng-Pol, Eng-Spa, Eng-Ger, Rus-Eng, Pol-Eng, Spa-Eng, Ger-Eng, and Auto Detect. I tried to invoke the dictionary in both Mobi and ePub formatted books, but no joy. It works in TXT, but not in those formats. I'm not sure what other formats. if any it works in, as when I upgraded the firmware it wiped out all the preloaded stuff so I don't have those files to test. The other thing that it doesn't have, at least in Mobi and Epub formats is Hyperlink capability. TOCs don't work. Even with those shortcomings, This is my favorite reader. My PRS505 will be going on the block soon I'm thinking!

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