IREX DR800SG review

[MobileTechReview]

Well, my eyes are crossed from the hours this took, but at least I had an excuse to read, read, read for work! My full DR800SG review is live (apologies for typos since our copy editor doesn't work in the wee hours).

The review includes our 2 video reviews as well, and it's a very, very long review.

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/gadg...EX-DR800SG.htm


- Lisa

[wallcraft]

This is a very comprehensive review. Two things I have not seen mentioned in other reviews is that B&N ePubs (with credit card DRM) work and that eReader ebooks have only one font and one font size.

[MobileTechReview]

It's worth noting that even the nook can't change fonts when viewing B&N's own PDB eBooks. File format issue perhaps? But it can change text sizes, unlike the IREX.

[droople]

Hi

You mentioned that "While IREX's more expensive Euro models have inking and annotation,it's lacking in the DR800SG. "

It's quite interesting that DR800S has annotation function, coz I heard that DR800S doesn't have annotation either.

Anyone can confirm that?

Cheers

[Jumpn Jack Flash]

The S and the SG are the same device except for the 3G and cost ( to the buyer ).

Annotation is being worked on for v3.0 firmware which is both the 800 and 1000 DR devices.

PDF zoom support may be held back on the 800 due to iRex fat head management decision. I am sure that it can be worked around when the 1000 v3.0 firmware is released.

[TGS]

Originally Posted by droople

Hi

You mentioned that "While IREX's more expensive Euro models have inking and annotation,it's lacking in the DR800SG. "

It's quite interesting that DR800S has annotation function, coz I heard that DR800S doesn't have annotation either.

Anyone can confirm that?

Cheers

Can confirm that the Euro model does not have inking and annotation - at least not that I've found... and, we are hoping that the "not" is "not yet"

[MobileTechReview]

I can make that more clear in the review. I didn't mean *every* Euro IREX model has annotation. Earlier in the review I mention that the DR800S and SG are identical other than the 3G modem.

[Jumpn Jack Flash]

Does the cat try gatecrash every review

[MobileTechReview]

The cat thinks he's the subject of every review

[superhero]

Few questions:

1. Can you tell me anything about battery life?

2. If you are reading a book and turn the unit off then turn it back on does it go to the last page you were reading, the home page or something else.

3. How does the unit feel to hold for long periods of time?

4. Can you comfortably hold it one handed and still turn a page?

Thank you for a such a great review

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by Jumpn Jack Flash

PDF zoom support may be held back on the 800 due to iRex fat head management decision. I am sure that it can be worked around when the 1000 v3.0 firmware is released.

I'm not sure it can be worked around (unless we re-implement it somehow). They've said that zoom is controlled in UDS, which we don't have access to. So it's probably not something that can be just turned on easily via the open source code.

[Mr. Goodbar]

Originally Posted by superhero

Few questions:

1. Can you tell me anything about battery life?

Seems pretty good so far, but I've only had mine since Friday. I would guess it is on par with the other mainstream readers such as Kindle, Nook and Sony

2. If you are reading a book and turn the unit off then turn it back on does it go to the last page you were reading, the home page or something else.

Resume is 3 seconds and you are right back to where you left off

3. How does the unit feel to hold for long periods of time?

Very good. Flip bar is great.

4. Can you comfortably hold it one handed and still turn a page?

Yes, if you're holding it in your left hand

Thank you for a such a great review

See embedded answers

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by superhero

Few questions:

1. Can you tell me anything about battery life?

Not yet, but so far it seems to be much better than previous iRex devices.

2. If you are reading a book and turn the unit off then turn it back on does it go to the last page you were reading, the home page or something else.

You never actually turn it off. When you're done reading and flip the "power" switch, you're really putting it into a "sleep" mode. When you flip the switch again it wakes up and resumes where ever it left off. That means if you were reading a page, it will start back up at that page. If you were on the home menu when you "turned it off", then that's where it will resume... etc.

3. How does the unit feel to hold for long periods of time?

4. Can you comfortably hold it one handed and still turn a page?

It's much lighter than my iLiad/cover so that has been an improvement. I don't have any problem holding it and turning pages with one hand, but I could do that with an iLiad + cover as well, which a lot of people complained about. Maybe I've got big hands... don't know.

[MobileTechReview]

I've had it for 6 days and charged it overnight for the first charge. It still has 65% charge! I've been reading like crazy, switching between documents and I downloaded 2 newspapers and 10 books over 3G. Pretty darned good.

[superhero]

Originally Posted by MobileTechReview

I've had it for 6 days and charged it overnight for the first charge. It still has 65% charge! I've been reading like crazy, switching between documents and I downloaded 2 newspapers and 10 books over 3G. Pretty darned good.

Thank you everyone for answering my questions. I have just one more. Does it have a built in dictionary?

I went ahead and ordered one. I wanted something with the clarity of the Nook and the size of the Sony. I have both and while I like them neither quite do it right...it sounds like the iRex will bridge the gap.