COOL-ER eReader

[Chris Gohlke]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.coolreaders.com/default.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.coolreaders.com/default.asp</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"The COOL-ER uses E-InkR, a new technology that gives you a screen with a "like paper" display, replicating the experience of reading a book. Using power only for "page turns" means that a single charge lasts for 8000 pages and unlike a book, the electronic display allows you to change the text size to suit you!"</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1242863698.usr10.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>PDF support and an SD card reader are nice additions over the Kindle.&nbsp; On the surface, at $249 this looks like a great deal compared to the similarly sized Kindle at $359.&nbsp; But, I compared the 6 bestsellers listed on the front page of their Web site versus their price on Amazon.com and found that all the books were more expensive, most more than double the Amazon.com price.&nbsp; So, unless you don't plan on actually buying content, the Kindle will cost you less in the long run.</p>

[Felix Torres]

For the record:
The Cool-ER is a tweaked version of the basic Netronix EB-600 that underlies several other ebook readers, most notably, the Booken Cybooks 3 and the StarEbook, which both have been around for almost two years. Kinda like the way the Hanlin V3 is marketted as a half-dozen different readers the world over (BeBook, Paypyrus, LBook, etc).

The tweaks for the Cool-ER (beyond the obvious appeal to iPod owners) is its total commitment to Adobe-only format support. No support for ebooks in pdb, lit, mobipocket, FB2, or for any document formats.

Price is also kinda high for what it offers especially in view of the 5" models coming in this summer at under US$200; the Hanlin v5/BeBook Mini, and the Bookeen Opus both of which will offer up broader format compatibility, better grayscales, and higher-density screens.

Add in the book pricing and its really a good idea executed way too late in the technology cycle. Its too late to be introducing a first-gen product, at first-gen prices, when everybody else is moving into the second-gen.

Maybe a followup will get it right.
For an overall look at the bulk of the first-gen eReaders, check here:

http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix

The second Gen of ereaders is already well underway with the Sony PRS-700, iRex DR-1000, Kindle2 and (upcoming DX) with other products coming from Plastic Logic, BeBook, Bookeen, Astak, Textr, and others yet to be heard from. They're a diverse bunch that are looking to explore the entire range of possiblities that ebook readers offer; wireless delivery, touch screens, touch pad controls; larger screens, smaller screens; accelerometers, text-to-speech, integrated bookstores, open multi-vendor book store access...

Compared to digital music players, ebooks are about a decade back.
But moving very quickly.
Basically, a lot of people think Amazon's Kindle can iPod the book industry and they're determined to get into the game before that happens.

Odds are, Apple itself will get into the game with the expected large format iPod which suggests a ZunePad might follow. ;-)

Compared to all this ferment this, I'm sorry, but Cool-er is too lean on features to compete.

[Faenad]

As far as hardware-wise this device is on par with the current offerings.

Kindle 1 & Kindle 2 have the same screen. Same manufacturer: E-ink. Same screen also as the screen for the PRS-505 and PRS-700 devices from Sony, with an added touchscreen layer on top for the PRS-700.
The Cooler is the same gen as the Kindle 1 & 2, and the current Sony readers.

The difference will be in the extra functionnality (like wireless delivery for the Kindle), build quality, software, etc.

Bottom line : the Cooler is yet another unknown brand sourcing their devices to third party manufacturers, which generally mean mediocre software & support.
Build quality is also unknow; although it's appear the devices are not in aluminum but in plastic.

If you are not interested in the Kindle or find its defaults outweighing its convenience, the Sony Reader PRS-505 is the best deal as of today.

[Felix Torres]

If you are not interested in the Kindle or find its defaults outweighing its convenience, the Sony Reader PRS-505 is the best deal as of today.

Beg to differ.
Different people have different needs and different ideas of what good is.

Right now, all existing ebook readers have pros and cons; none is perfect.
And the Sony readers, while worthy enough contenders, are far from the best or even second best. And not a particularly good deal unless you take Sony up on their crefit card rebate deal. Not with $199 200dpi/8grayscale readers on the horizon.

This is not the place for a full review of the Sony readers but a reminder might be in order that they offer sealed, non-user replaceable batteries, lack user installable fonts, only offer three font sizes, lack folder-based bookshelf organization, have extremely slow file-opening times, and rely on a PC app to load the onboard memory and that at least some of us who have used them found good reason to look elsewhere.

Sony was one of the first to introduce a dedicated eink ebook reader and they *have* made some improvements over their disastrous Librie, but they have a long way to go catch up to the state of the art in this emerging digital category.

Like other product categories, Sony is zigging while the market is zagging.