Tolino Shine 1.5?

[rcentros]

For a while now I've wondered whether the original Tolino Shine used a Pearl or E-Carta screen because there were conflicting reports on the Internet.

For example, the German Wiki on the Tolino Shine shows it using a Pearl 1024×758 screen, but MyTolino shows it using an E-Carta 1024×758 screen.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolino_Shine

https://mytolino.com/tolino-shine/te...pecifications/

(Looks like the above link has been killed by Tolino. For now it's cached by Google at

https://webcache.googleusercontent.c...&ct=clnk&gl=us

I've also a couple images for the specs.

Someone was selling these on eBay and was down to one left (and they were dropping the price 3% each week for months, so it was down to about $14 plus postage). But I didn't want another Pearl screen (the Tolino Page has a low resolution E-Carta screen).

Then I ran into this German blog entry on the Shine ...

http://www.selfpublisherbibel.de/tol...-im-vergleich/

... which compares the "original" Tolino Shine with one that came out a year, or so, later that he calls the Shine 1.5.

The main point is that the screens changed (I'm guessing, from Pearl to E-Carta) and the reason I suspect this is the case is because when comparing the software for the "old" Shine and the "new" Shine we find that ... (from Google translate) ...

The software itself differs in exactly one point: The screen refreshment can be on every 6th page (default, up to every 8th page, old) or every 60th page (default, up to every 100th page or even "never" , new). Behind this is the new eInk shelf technology, which is supposed to prevent ghosting (ie left over from earlier pages) even better than before. By software update, she obviously can not be introduced to the old Tolino.

In other words, it's now using E-Carta settings.

Supposedly the "demarcation" between the two models of the Shine comes when the Butterfly was added to logo on the back. But some of the comments at the end of the blog entry say that's not the case, that they got "butterfly" versions that still used the old screen.

At any rate, the one I bought has the Butterfly in the logo. Hopefully it's the E-Carta version — as this is basically the same step between the Paperwhite 1 and Paperwhite 2.

I'll let you know (one way or the other) when it gets here next Friday (current expected delivery date).

[rcentros]

The Tolino Shine "1.5" has arrived and I'm happy to report it does use an E-Carta screen. So now I basically have a Kobo Aura (or Kindle Paperwhite 2) quality screen on a Tolino reader. Still not sure if I like the front-light, but now I'll be able to give it a good test and compare it to the Tolino Page (without front-light).

The Shine "feels" a little heavier than the Page with its "rubberized" plastic. It looks like the newest software I can put on it is 10.1.0 (not sure why it has that restriction – maybe it has something to do with its CPU?). I'm still not as comfortable with a front-light as with an external light, but the letters aren't "floating," so that's a step in the right direction.

At any rate, I'll compare the two, maybe write a mini-review (of an old reader).

EDIT: I see the Shine has an 800 Mhz CPU compared to the Page's 1,000 Mhz CPU, plus the Page has 512Meg RAM vs. 256Meg for the Shine. So that would explain the speed difference. (Probably also explains why the Shine is stuck at 10.1.0 firmware.)

[BobC]

Thanks for pointing this out - I bought a Shine earlier this year from Aliexpress, I wasn't aware that there were two versions but it now appears I have the "1.5" version which is why the screen is so much better than my original Kobo Glos.

I did wonder about the default of 60 pages for screen refresh; now there is an explanation.

BobC

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by BobC

Thanks for pointing this out - I bought a Shine earlier this year from Aliexpress, I wasn't aware that there were two versions but it now appears I have the "1.5" version which is why the screen is so much better than my original Kobo Glos.

I did wonder about the default of 60 pages for screen refresh; now there is an explanation.

I'm finding that there is quite a bit difference between the Pearl and E-Carta screens. I wonder how many of the Tolino Shines had the E-Carta screen and how many had the Pearl screen? According to the article, serial number 20311241 was the cut off and, though my Shine doesn't seem to be that new, its serial number is 209xxxxx, so that's about 60,000 units later than the cut off.

As for my Shine, it wasn't in perfect condition (at the price I wouldn't expect it to be). There's a small crack on the top bezel and a small chip in the glass at the very top of the screen, right by the bezel. (Both really non-consequential when using.) The biggest "problem" was the tape residue on the back, that took a pencil eraser and some elbow grease to get off, but it's clean now (and the rubberized plastic is undamaged).

As for reading, my eye issues with the front-light is still there, but I finding out that the problem (for me) is lack of contrast in the built-in fonts. With a really dark font it works well. I'm getting to like the Shine a LOT now. Very happy I picked it up. The screen lighting is good and consistent. (I keep reading about all these issues with lighting on other readers.) I'm a little surprised that the 2014 Tolino Shine had five LEDs where (up until the newest model) the Kindle Paperwhite only had four. (Now checking my old Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight and I find it had eight LEDs – but a dimmer kind).