EbookMarketWatch

by PiAir (Old Skool)

A Review of Irex DR800SG and DR800S

It has to be said that the Irex DR800SG is not the most exciting and imaginative name for an eBook reader but I guess this is a case of “it does what it says on the tin”. “DR” literally stands for “Digital Reader”, “800″ indicates that it has an 8-inch display (although technically it is 8.1-inches) and “SG” indicates that it has a built in 3G connection. Although, before I launch into my usual discussion, I do want to point out that the built-in 3G function only applies in the United States. For the rest of the world, there is the DR-800S which has wireless but not 3G. Because that is effectively the only difference between these two models, you can safely consider this review to be a generic for both (unless I specifically mention otherwise that is).

Design

When looking at the DR800SG/S, it is clear that iRex has gone for the simplest design possible. But don’t get me wrong, simple does not mean plain; instead its minimalist approach is refined in every sense of the word. The overall size of this reader is actually quite remarkable as it has an 8.1-inch screen which is significantly larger than the 6-inch screens out there. When comparing the DR800SG/S to the Barnes & Noble Nook for example, the DR800SG/S is only slightly wider but is in fact not as tall or thick, despite the Nook’s screen being 2-inches smaller. As far as screen size goes, 8-inches is a very happy medium as a 6-inch can sometimes prove to be a bit too small and in the case of the Kindle DX, 9.7-inches can also be too large.

The back of the device is a near-featureless, slightly rounded black plastic, while the front of the device has a plastic bezel border. It feels solid and sturdy and is definitely not as plastic as many of its competitors are. iRex needs to be given credit for its fantastic attention to detail here as the matte-gray bezel does well to match the grayish background of the e-ink display and thus does not distract your reading in any way… a small but significant point I think.

The controls come by way of either a single flip bar which is used for page turns and selections or through a stylus. The flip bar can easily be operated with your thumb while you hold something more important in your right hand like a cup of coffee. Below the flip bar is the home button and above it is an LED light which flashes amber when it is charging and blue when wireless is on. The saving grace about these buttons is that they allow you to navigate through almost all of the menus in much the same way as you would with the stylus.

I have to point out that inasmuch as the stylus does well for selection, etc. what completely baffles me is why the body of the DR800SG/S does not have a built-in holder for the stylus. Yes, the neoprene case that they provide has a stylus holder but who cares! The stylus is still not attached the body. For me, this is a recipe for the stylus getting lost.

On the bottom of the DR800SG/S is a USB jack and a power button and that’s pretty much it. The micro-SD slot is packed with the rechargeable battery on the rear of the unit.

Display

When it comes to display, the DR800SG/S is just the thing for bookworms everywhere! Boasting a 768 x 1024 resolution for sharpness and 16 grayscale levels for brightness, the e-Ink Vizplex display is comfortable to read, whether you are in natural or unnatural light.

Because of its integration of stylus-based navigation, the DR800SG/S has a WACOM display. The good thing about having a WACOM display is that it doesn’t interfere with clarity and thus reduces the glare. This in turn allows for a higher contrast meaning you won’t be constantly angling it to avoid the shine from overhead lighting. However, I have heard through the grapevine that iRex is working on adding capacitive touch ability at some stage by laying the touch layer under the e-ink layer, eliminating the loss in contrast. If they can get that right, that will be a feather in their cap.

For the visually impaired or for those who just appreciate bigger text, you are able to adjust the font size to small, medium, large and extra large. Not a huge selection admittedly but at least there is that option.

Software

When it comes to software, the DR800SG (US version) and the DR800S (global version) are almost exactly the same barring their wireless ability. So for the sake of clarity I will analyze the wireless differences separately and will then discuss the software of this eBook reader in general.

The DR800SG

The DR800SG offers 3G connectivity in the US (via Verizon) to download content from the iRex eBook Mall which is a home for book (Barnes & Noble) and periodical vendor (Newspapers Direct) stores. The iRex uses a webkit browser for access to these stores. You don’t have to pay a monthly subscription to use it (always a plus) but you can only use it to download books as there is no web browser available to visit websites.

The DR800S

The DR800S has built-in wireless but not 3G (yet) and does not link to the eBook Mall.

What they have in common

Both the DR800SG and the DR800S use a Free Scale i.MX31L processor. Thanks to the built-in 2GB SD media card, they can hold up to 1,000 books or photos. Internal menus are available in the following languages: French, English, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Greek.

At the moment, iRex doesn’t include the ability to add notes but iRex has recently issued a press release indicating that firmware updates will be available for download by the end of April. Some of the things included in this upgrade are: a note-taking capability, zoom in PDFs, and the “Go to page” menu function.

The DR800SG/S supports the securable ePub eBook format, which almost all major booksellers except Amazon use. It also supports PDB eBooks (Barnes & Noble’s format), TXT, PDF, JPEG, TIFF, GIF and BMP file formats. Unfortunately the DR800SG/S does not support HTML web pages, RTF files and Microsoft Office documents. Fingers crossed that a firmware upgrade will rectify this.

The 8,1-inch display is very good for displaying PDFS as the text is clear and illustrations tend to be in tact. But be warned, should you try and zoom in, you will lose the file format and images and be left with a mess. The same applies when turning the PDF to view it in landscape mode; the PDF will not expand accordingly and will in fact become even smaller and illegible. No accelerometer, though; you need to manually switch modes.

By supporting all of the above file formats, you are able to purchase and side load content from Sony’s bookstore books, Barnes & Noble eBooks, Google’s 1 million public domain books, Kobo Books and public library eBooks among others. This can all be done via the USB that is provided. Very nice!

But most importantly, the DR800SG/S is fast, very fast. It is quick to load almost all documents and turning the page takes far less time than every other eBook reader out there to date. Now that’s what we like to hear!

Battery life

The 2800 mAh lithium-ion battery lasts for up to 6,000 page turns which is pretty standard as far as eBook readers go.

Something worth noting is that the DR800SG/S arrives completely uncharged and will require up to 15 hours of charge before using it for the first time. An added bonus is that you are able to replace the battery yourself which is very much appreciated.

To compare more about wireless reading device or the eBook Readers click on Compare eBook readers or eBook reader reviews.

Or for more information regarding eBook readers click on Wireless reading device.

The BookGem makes a great hands free book holder and reading stand for eBooks like the Kindle, iPad, Nook, Sony, iRex, and others. Originally designed for regular hardback and paperback books, customers have written to tell us how great it works with these new high tech tablets. Here we give a short demonstration of the BookGem with both the original Kindle and the iRex Iliad. For more information and usage with regular books, also take a look at the ‘Three Minute Tour’ video.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

PressReader on iRex DR1000

New York, NY (PRWEB) February 10, 2009

NewspaperDirect Inc., the world leader in multi-channel newspaper and magazine content distribution and monetization, is showcasing its iPhone Reader Application and new iRex DR 1000 PressReader features at the O’Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference being held in New York City, February 9-11, 2009.

PressDisplay.com’s PressReader software was introduced two months ago for the iRex Digital Reader 1000 series, resulting in thousands of downloads of the application on one of today’s hottest e-Readers. With only one PressReader software download, iRex DR1000 users can quickly and easily download hundreds of their favorite publications and read them at their leisure. This week, NewspaperDirect and PressDisplay will unveil its new PressReader features on the iRex DR1000, which will allow readers to view publications not only in a full image replica format, but now in an easy-to-read text view, with tables of contents listed and active link jumps.

Unlike the Kindle e-Reader which uses RSS feeds to populate the device with limited website content, PressDisplay’s PressReader application delivers the full content of a printed edition to supported devices, giving readers more of what they want, when they want it.

NewspaperDirect will also demonstrate its latest iPhone Offline Reader Application at the Conference. The new application, scheduled for release later this month, will allow iPhone users to download, disconnect and read offline, all of the hundreds of full-content publications they currently enjoy on the iPhone and iPod Touch in the online mode. The iPhone Reader Application will offer the popular digital features available today on NewspaperDirect’s PressReader for PCs, Macs, Windows Mobile and smartphones, including the ability to pre-program automatic downloads of publications the minute they are published.

PolymerVision’s Readius e-Reader (scheduled to be released later this year) is the world’s first foldable electronic paper device which fits into one’s pocket. A special PressDisplay PressReader application will be previewed at the Conference to show how newspaper, magazine and book publishers can take advantage of this soon-to-be released revolutionary e-reader platform.

“The demand for new device support, new applications and new distribution channels from newspaper, magazine and book publishers is unprecedented,” said Alex Kroogman, CEO of NewspaperDirect. “With PressDisplay, we are committed to delivering all of our publishers’ content on the newest devices the moment they hit the market, to ensure that our publishing partners are well positioned to take advantage of new circulation and revenue-generating opportunities.”

In keeping with NewspaperDirect’s “zero cost” business model for its publishing partners, the PressReader application for e-readers and new iPhone Reader will be available at no additional cost to publishers. NewspaperDirect continues to provide full hosting, payment acceptance, customer service management and technical support, while ensuring publishers’ e-editions remain current and adapted to the newest platforms introduced on the market.

About NewspaperDirect Inc.

Founded in 1999, NewspaperDirect Inc. is the world leader in multi-channel newspaper and magazine content distribution and monetization. NewspaperDirect offers more than 850 newspaper and magazine titles through a global network of 1,200 print locations in 105 countries, delivering them to hotels, libraries, cruise ships, corporate offices, retail outlets, home subscribers, and Web browsers everywhere.

The company’s PressDisplay.com offering is the world’s largest online newspaper kiosk, providing instant access to hundreds of newspapers and magazines from around the world. Users can view publications online, download titles for offline viewing, vote and comment on articles, instantly translate articles into 12 different languages, listen to publications on their PCs, Macs or mobile devices, and enjoy reading hundreds of publications that have been optimized for e-Readers, smartphones, iPhones, iPod Touch and BlackBerry devices. Special versions of PressDisplay.com are available for the library, corporate, airline, hotel and OEM markets.

NewspaperDirect’s SmartEdition e-paper solution, powered by PressDisplay technology, fits every publisher’s needs with zero operational cost. With SmartEdition, a publisher’s subscribers benefit from anywhere/anytime access to current and back issues of their publications, while enjoying premium digital features such as voice narration, instant translation, article sharing, integration with leading blog platforms, and advanced searching. NewspaperDirect provides full hosting, payment acceptance, customer service management and technical support.

PressDisplay.com and SmartEdition are trademarks or registered trademarks of NewspaperDirect Inc. All other trademarks and registered trademarks belong to their respective owners.

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PressReader V2 on iRex Digital Reader

Vancouver, Canada (PRWEB) May 6, 2009

NewspaperDirect Inc., the world leader in multi-channel newspaper and magazine content distribution and monetization, announces that version 2 of its PressReader software is now available for the iRex Digital Reader, delivering more than 1,000 full content newspapers and magazines to users of this unique eReading device.

Introduced in December 2008 and now pre-installed on the iRex 1000 series of digital readers, NewspaperDirect’s PressReader software has enabled thousands of downloads of publications from the largest online newspaper and magazine kiosk in the world, PressDisplay.com, as well as hundreds of privately labelled ePapers powered by PressDisplay and SmartEdition technology; publications such as: The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, The Age, Le Figaro, The Irish Times and all CanWest, Sun Media and Transcontinental titles.

Unlike Amazon’s Kindle which offers limited website content from only 58 titles, PressReader allows users to download over 1,000 full-content newspapers in their original format, with all the articles, pictures, cartoons and advertisements found in the printed editions. This ensures that all 1,000 publications on the iRex are recognized as audited paid circulation by international audit bureaus, a critical factor for publishers looking to increase revenues and reach.

“PressReader V2, coupled with NewspaperDirect’s innovative processing technology opens unique opportunities for publishers to reach new audiences and monetize their content,” said Alex Kroogman, CEO of NewspaperDirect. “There will be an array of new eReading devices introduced into the market in the upcoming months and all 1,000 our publishing partners can rest assured that their content will be available on these devices from Day One, with the help of PressReader.”

PressReader V2 for the iRex DR1000 also comes with enhanced navigation features, easy-to-read text views, article hyperlinks and interactive tables of content as demonstrated this video.

NewspaperDirect’s PressReader software and proprietary SmartEdition technology is available to all publishing partners for no operational cost. NewspaperDirect also provides full hosting, payment acceptance, customer service management and technical support to all of its publishers at no extra charge. Publisher inquiries can be sent directly to digital@newspaperdirect.com.

For a 1 month free trial of PressReader V2 on the iRex Digital Reader, users can register at PressDisplay.com using offer code: iRex

About NewspaperDirect Inc.

Founded in 1999, NewspaperDirect Inc. is the world leader in multi-channel newspaper and magazine content distribution and monetization. NewspaperDirect offers more than 1,000 newspaper and magazine titles through a global network of 1,200 print locations in 105 countries, delivering them to hotels, libraries, cruise ships, corporate offices, retail outlets, home subscribers, and Web browsers everywhere.

The company’s PressDisplay.com offering is the world’s largest online newspaper kiosk, providing instant access to hundreds of newspapers and magazines from around the world. Users can view publications online, download titles for offline viewing usng PressReader, vote and comment on articles, instantly translate articles into 12 different languages, listen to publications on their PCs, Macs or mobile devices. They can also enjoy reading hundreds of publications that have been optimized for smartphones, iPhones, iPod Touch and BlackBerry devices, as well as the latest e-Readers, such as the iRex DR1000. Special versions of PressDisplay.com are available for the library, corporate, airline, hotel and OEM markets.

NewspaperDirect’s SmartEdition ePaper solution, powered by PressDisplay technology, fits every publisher’s needs with zero operational cost. With SmartEdition, a publisher’s subscribers benefit from anywhere/anytime access to current and back issues of their publications, while enjoying premium digital features such as voice narration, instant translation, article sharing, integration with leading blog platforms, and advanced searching. NewspaperDirect provides full hosting, payment acceptance, customer service management and technical support.

Media Contact:

Gayle Moss, 1-604-278-4604

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Find More Ereader Press Releases

Reportaje sobre el lector de libros electrónicos iRex iLiad emitido en La Sexta, en el programa “En un Tic-Tac”. El iLiad es un dispositivo con una pantalla basada en la nueva tecnología de Tinta Electrónica, que permite leer contenido digital con la misma comodidad visual que si se tratara de un papel.

From: www.mobileread.com This is a video showing the Wacom stylus response rates on the iRex DR1000S. This is an active stylus and responds only to the special Wacom pen (and not your fingers, palm, wrist, etc.), which prevents “accidental” scribbles. I wanted to post this because while I find the stylus invaluable and the lag time perfectly acceptable, not everyone appears to be happy with the response time eink offers. Hopefully, this well let the curious judge for themselves. The Plastic Logic reader is also supposed to permit eink writing, but preliminary demos suggest that the response time isn’t as fast as the DR. More here: gizmodo.com

PressReader from NewspaperDirect allows you to read over 1000 full content newspapers and magazines on the iRex Digital Reader. Unlike Amazons Kindle which offers limited website content from only 58 titles, PressReader allows users to download over 1000 full-content newspapers in their original format, with all the articles, pictures, cartoons and advertisements found in the printed editions. This ensures that all 1000+ publications on the iRex are recognized as audited paid circulation by international audit bureaus, a critical factor for publishers looking to increase revenues and reach.

This is new 3g Irex DR800SG, going through its workout. Major flaws- no font customization, no pdf zoom, no ability to go to the set page, no dictionary, no annotations Advantage- big screen.

Here’s my 2nd review of the highly anticipated (but much delayed) Irex DR800SG. I’m in love with the superior quality of the E-Ink screen, and though it’s still missing anotation and go-to-page functions, I still like this better than Sony PRS900. In this review I also shows how you can view foreign text on this device. DR800SG is now available for purchase on BestBuy.com. Hope my review helps to make your purchase decision.

PressReader from NewspaperDirect allows you to read over 1000 full content newspapers and magazines on the iRex Digital Reader. Unlike Amazons Kindle which offers limited website content from only 58 titles, PressReader allows users to download over 1000 full-content newspapers in their original format, with all the articles, pictures, cartoons and advertisements found in the printed editions. This ensures that all 1000+ publications on the iRex are recognized as audited paid circulation by international audit bureaus, a critical factor for publishers looking to increase revenues and reach.