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Review
Created:
March, 2000
Initial cynicism about the electronic book revolution is starting to give way to moderate skepticism, particularly now that news industry leaders SoftBook Press Inc. and NuvoMedia have agreed to a standardized industry-wide electronic book format.
SoftBook Press's SoftBook Reader is one fabulous gizmo, a really different offering from its competitor, NuvoMedia's Rocket eBook. Both are impressive in different ways, demonstrating that this new medium will have diverse entrants and could very well appeal to the mass reading audience.
The SoftBook Reader is essentially an 8.5-inch by 11-inch tablet. It is not the lightest electronic reader on the market, but offers a wider screen, making more information visible and providing a more accurate facsimile of the growing number of magazines and periodicals available in this format.
It comes equipped with a stylus for pointing and clicking or for writing notes to add to your documents. Its screen is easy on the eyes and easy to read, with full contrast control. Maneuvering through electronic books is both simple and intuitive.
A nice touch is a notch on the right side of the Reader, which turns pages forward and backward. While it is not the same as physically flipping pages, the location gives readers some of the illusion they are still reading a book rather than a tablet.
There is also the fabulous addition of a phone jack built right into the unit. There is no need to connect by serial port to the computer to download books and publications so they can be imported into the reader.
Simply connect the phone cord into the reader and telephone jack, configure a few options and your Reader will automatically find the local phone number to log into the company's online bookstore. No Internet connection is needed and no extra time spent attaching the unit to your desktop.
All this praise does not mean to imply that the SoftBook Reader should be your top choice when venturing into this format. NuvoMedia's Rocket eBook has its own advantages and the choice between the two is not dependent on quality issues, but your own particular needs. Both SoftBook Press and NuvoMedia were acquired by Gemstar International Group Limited in January 2000, so it will be interesting to see whether they adopt each other's strengths in future product development.
The navigation of the SoftBook Reader is easy to use, but not as swift as Rocket eBook's pull-down menus. Since the unit does not attach to your computer, you must rely upon a personal bookshelf created for you at the electronic site maintained by SoftBook Press.
This is not overly convenient for two reasons: if the line is busy, you have no access to books not loaded into the Reader and if you are constructing your own documents, you'll have to upload them to your remote site, then download them through your Reader. In comparison, the Rocket eBook depends on a download from the Internet for delivery and you can keep your books on your computer for transfer to your eBook.
At $599.95 US ($899 Canadian), the Reader's price is also hard to swallow. SoftBook Press offers an alternative package at $299.95 US ($449 Canadian), but the lower price is contingent upon a commitment to purchase $19.95 US worth of periodical materials every month for 24 months.
Reviewer's rating:
4 / 5
Comments: SoftBook Press Inc.'s SoftBook Reader is an impressive electronic book offering. It is more expensive and probably more of a true business offering than its competitor, NuvoMedia's Rocket eBook. Both though are impressive.
System requirements:
None. Does not attach to computer.
Price: $599 US, $899 Canadian
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