Aluratek Color Ereader

[laos369]

I have also just bought the Libre Color and (as a new eReader user) I am liking what I see so far ...

I do have question regarding format ... all my epub files do NOT show indents or section breaks as they do in the original. By original, I mean when I read the epub file using Calibre or anything else, I see its format as I would if I had the book open.

However, the same epub file(s) on the Libre show all paragraphs left-justified and no breaks ... and this is consistent with every epub file I have on the Libre.

Not a show-stopper but a bit annoying ... so much so that I came here to find out if it is just me or if anyone else is experiencing this ...
thanx

[binky]

cdntinpusher I've never seen that happen before, and I gifted a number of them to friends and family. Have you tried doing a reset? Hold the power button for 10 seconds or until it powers off, then the Aluratek logo screen will come up and it'll power back on. After that try resetting to Factory Defaults from the settings, and then try changing the power auto-off setting again. Hopefully it'll take then.

laos369 I haven't seen problems with epub files before, but I think everyone here mainly uses HTML (which I find faster and keeps the formatting pretty well). I don't use calibre to convert files though, and I don't think it does the best job of converting formats, I tend to use a number of specialized apps like the Amber LIT converters etc. I'll ask around and see if anyone else has had similar issues.

[laos369]

binky thank you for your response. To be clear, I have not converted these epubs in any way ... I use Calibre for meta & library purposes only.

Further testing shows that when I open an epub that resides on the Libre using PC-based s/w (such as Firefox EPUBreader) or other s/w, the formatting is fine (indents, para spacing, etc).

Only when I open the epub file using the Libre itself that the aforementioned problem occurs.

Please let me know should you find any further info ...
thanx again

[gleepwurp]

Hi cdntinpusher,

I have the same issue as you, but only after I unplug my Libre Color from recharging...

I would pick it up, start reading and would shut down 30-sec afterwards... So I have to go select 5-minutes Sleep again (its even high-lighted like it was previously set)...

Going away for a week, will try the firmware upgrade when I come back since I want to be able to read my ebooks while away...

Gleepwurp.

Originally Posted by cdntinpusher

Hi,

Did anyone notice if any of the firmware updates fix the issue with the sleep setting always defaulting to 1 minute every time you turn it on, even if you've set it to 5 minutes?

Thanks

[Ken Maltby]

Is there any indication of what epub reading software is installed in the Color Libre?
The lack of PDF Reflow would indicate that they haven't installed a current version of
the Adobe Reader Mobile, for instance.

Luck;
Ken

[cdntinpusher]

Hi Binky,

Thanks for the input. My device wouldn't hard reset on the original firmware. Holding down the power button for any length of time over 3 seconds simply resulted in it turning off or on. So I finally broke down and did the firmware update to 2.11. It solved the sleep timer issue, and added a new menu option to change language encoding. It might have increased speaker volume, but I couldn't really tell.

In response to laos369, it appears that the Libre formats all formats this way. I've seen the same behaviour in .txt, epub and even pdf where there is no paragraph indent. Section breaks are parent, but aren't huge spaces, but only slightly larger than normal line spacing. Chapter breaks seem OK.

In response to Ken Maltby, I was either incorrect in my assessment of PDF Reflow (I had only used a graphic novel when I evaluated it) or firmware 2.11 has fixed it, as PDF text reflows now.

[cdntinpusher]

I forgot to mention that I can see why people have probems with the firmware upgrades. The instructions suck. Basically, they don't tell you that the first time you do it, the process will be interrupted until you install the USB drivers located in the "USB Drivers" folder and only after that process is complete will the firmware upgrade process resume. I'll post a better description when I get a moment to type one up.

[binky]

cdntinpusher that's good to know. No one else I know had the same epub and power off problems and I couldn't replicate them.

I've seen the update issue 1st hand though. Didn't work here on a Windows 7 64-bit machine, at first we were afraid it was bricked, but another go on a Windows XP machine worked like just fine. Go figure.

[Catlady]

I am very tempted to get the Aluratek Color Reader. Half the price of a Nook Color seems like a pretty good deal since I don't really need the wifi connection.

Dumb question: I have all my non-DRM books on an SD card in the JBL (mostly epubs, a few pdfs). I assume I could just move the card back and forth between devices as desired, right? (The backlight on the Aluratek would make nighttime reading easier.)

Less dumb question: I have a smallish comic book collection--how acceptable is the 7-inch screen for viewing?

[GrandmaVS]

I alternate between my 5" Libre Pro and the 7" Libre Color. I do find if I read for a long time on the color reader, it bothers my eyes, so I switch to the Libre Pro which is very easy on my eyes. Viewing comics, magazines, craft patterns and recipes is excellent on the 7" reader. I haven't encountered any problems switching the cards between readers.

B&H Photo has the Aluratek Libre Color eBook Reader for $109.95 shipped.
Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-20...#ixzz1HZpanUr5
I've never ordered from them, but they ship to Canada/US and accept Paypal.

[cdntinpusher]

I've been happy with my Libre Color for the past two months. The LC will recognize your cards and add any books, music, or videos to the library list, so switching the card back and forth won't be a problem.

Viewing comics (which I assume are in PDF format) will work on the LC, but depending on the original printed page size of the comic PDF, it may not be terribly convenient. If the comic was a larger page size like 8 x 10, text in the bubbles tends to be quite small. There is an Enlarge function in the zoom menu, but then you have to use the D-pad to scroll around the page. It works, but since the reader can't resize images, it's going to be a limitation of any reader dealing with image-based PDFs. If you don't mind the scrolling left and right and up and down to read them, it will work. I should also mention that if you are in Enlarge mode, the page turn buttons don't work and you have to return to 100% view each time prior to changing pages, which is a bit of a pain. Also, depending on how big the PDF file is, it may slow down the responsiveness of the reader.

Assuming you are in Canada, and you don't want to deal with cross-border shipping and duty issues, DirectDial has them in Canada for $114 + shipping ($18) at: http://www.directdial.com/AEBK07FS.html.

If you get one, make sure to do the firmware upgrade as it does fix a couple of minor issues, and adds a couple of minor new features.

[Catlady]

Thanks, GrandmaVS and cdntinpusher.

The comics I have are in cbr/cbz format, so I realize I would have to convert to pdf. I had tried out one on my JBL, but with a 5-inch screen and grayscale, it just wasn't worthwhile. I was thinking the larger size and the color would help a lot. Same thing with the crafts and cookbooks. I'm thinking that I could load all this kind of content where color is important in the internal memory, and swap the SD card with the regular books back and forth between the JBL and the Aluratek.

Thanks for the links. I am probably going to wait a few weeks and think about it some more--I am not an impulse buyer!

[MLXXXp]

Originally Posted by GrandmaVS

I alternate between my 5" Libre Pro and the 7" Libre Color.

Will the two keep track of each others position in a book? In other words, If you move the card from one unit to the other, will a book you're reading be at the position you left off or do you have to search forward to the page?

If not, are bookmarks shared between the two, so you could bookmark your last position on one and then jump to the same bookmark on the other?

[Catlady]

I saw the Aluratek Color for $99.95, free shipping, at factoryoutletstore.com, and was about to just go ahead and buy it--till I researched the store and found it has a plethora of poor reviews. Oh well.

[GrandmaVS]

I haven't changed cards from one reader to another when in the middle of a book to see if it keeps track. I am usually reading a different book on each reader. I will check it out to see if it keeps track on the card and if the bookmarks are shared.

Update:
The bookmarks and place in the book didn't hold when switching the card from one reader to another. I keep a duplicate copy on my cards so that I can switch back and forth without removing the cards. I find on the 7" color reader that it is easier to copy the book I am reading to the main memory of the reader so I don't have to search through the list on my card. My Libre pro keeps track of several "recent" readings, but the 7" color only shows the last opened book.