Gigi loves book and she has a Cybook gen3. Following our precedent post, here is the second part of the previous review by Gigi from eBooks About Everything.
"All in all – this has been a good experience and I am a happy customer. Sure there are a few changes and/or improvements I would like to see, but they are relatively minor and do not impact my overall satisfaction. Good job, Bookeen! "
If you look for another point of view, another review on Mobileread by Barcey who have made a comparison between a Cybook and a PDA.
"Buy it you won't regret it. You know you want it."
And also another review on Mobileread too by Bob_ninja with many pictures and many test on different kind of ebook files.
"In summary this device met all my expectations and exceeded others. I would gladly recommend it to others. I am looking forward to software updates to clean up the minor issues I found."
Regards,
Bookeen team
Monday, November 12, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Cybook Gen 3 review
Gigi from eBooks About Everything has received its Cybook Gen3 and has decided to share her first impressions on her blog. So if you want to know her thoughts about the Cybook Gen3 follow the link.
User's guide for Cybook Gen3
Most of the first Cybook users did notice that the Cybook Gen3 user's guide was not in the Cybook as described in the Quick Start Guide.
With some days late, here is the Mobipocket version of the Cybook Gen3 user's guide.
Download the eBook file here.
For those who have a Cybook:
- Switch on your Cybook.
- Connect your Cybook Gen3 to your computer using your USB cable.
- Let the device mount as an external mass storage device.
- Drag and drop the file in the eBooks folder..
- Unplug the Cybook.
- On the Cybook, choose the user's guide and press the OK button.
- Read.
For those who have not yet a Cybook, download the file and double-click on it. If Mobipocket is installed on your computer, you can read it. For the others install Mobipocket first(*).
(*) Only available on PC
With some days late, here is the Mobipocket version of the Cybook Gen3 user's guide.
Download the eBook file here.
For those who have a Cybook:
- Switch on your Cybook.
- Connect your Cybook Gen3 to your computer using your USB cable.
- Let the device mount as an external mass storage device.
- Drag and drop the file in the eBooks folder..
- Unplug the Cybook.
- On the Cybook, choose the user's guide and press the OK button.
- Read.
For those who have not yet a Cybook, download the file and double-click on it. If Mobipocket is installed on your computer, you can read it. For the others install Mobipocket first(*).
(*) Only available on PC
Monday, October 29, 2007
Cybook Gen3 now on sale at Bookeen.com
Bookeen is proud to announce the availability of the Cybook Gen3 for sale directly on http://www.bookeen.com/. We invite you to visit our shop section to discover the Cybook Gen3, the Deluxe Pack and its accessories.
The Bookeen website has been updated with many information about the device and its features.
Best regards to all,
Bookeen Team
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Packaging pic
We will very soon open our online shop (and by the way add much more info concerning the Cybook Gen3 on the site). Here is a pic of the packaging of the Cybook Gen3.
Stay tuned, we will send a newsletter to announce the shop opening.
Don't hesitate to subscribe to our newsletter at http://www.bookeen.com/ .
Friday, October 19, 2007
ePaper art on Expo in Paris
The first ePaper Artwork has been presented during "les Elysées de l'art" a famous art exhibition in Paris. It's our friend and artist Gilles Guias who proposes his artwork.
During the exhibition , most of the people who were looking closely at the artwork are litteraly stuned when the image changes.
Here is a video which shows the artwork in situation.
During the exhibition , most of the people who were looking closely at the artwork are litteraly stuned when the image changes.
Here is a video which shows the artwork in situation.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Beta Mobipocket Desktop Reader supports Cybook Gen3
The Mobipocket team has just released a new beta version of the Mobipocket desktop reader for XP and Vista. This new version supports the Cybook Gen3.Once pluged to your computer, the Cybook Gen3 will be automatically identified and registered as one of your reading devices. After your ebooks have been downloaded from any of the Mobipocket ebook retailers (Mobipocket, Fictionwise, etc.), your books are directly transfered to your Cybook.
The eNews feature will aslo allow you to synchronize your Cybook with feeds chosen among hundred thousands of RSS and eNews sources just by connecting your Cybook to your computer.
Additionally, you can import Office, Pdf, Html, Txt, Chm & Ocf documents.
PS: Currently, the Mobipocket ebook catalogue contains almost 55,000 titles and proposes more than 340,000 feeds.
First Cybook Gen3 review
BAEN is a succesful and inspired science-fiction publisher in the US. They are very active in the ebook domain especially with their famous ebook webscription system (http://www.baen.com/).
They were among the first to receive and test Cybook Gen3 pre-engineering samples and now they release their first review.
Here it is:
"A couple quick qualifications before I start my review. I have never had a chance to use an eInk device for an extended period of time. I’ve played with the Sony PRS-500 in the store but that is about it. The unit I tested was an engineering sample with software version 0.98. I am a board member of NAEB (Not Another E-Book, LLC) and we are looking to distribute an eInk device.
The first thing I noticed unpacking the Cybook was how solid the unit feels. Unlike LCD devices eInk screens are all plastic. If you press in on any device with an LCD screen you will notice the screen distort, this does not happen with this reader. I’ve gone so far to pound on it, only with my fist, and seen no change. It’s taken a couple of minor spills from 4 feet or so onto both carpet and concrete with no damage. The only complaint I have is that both the USB port and the headphone jack are under a rubber cover. The headphone jack really should be exposed at all times. On that note, the headphone jack is 2.5mm, not 3.5mm.
The screen itself is excellent, if it wasn’t for the bezel you would have a complete 180° of viewing angle. As you can see from the pictures it isn’t perfectly white, the color can best be compared to newsprint. However during my usage that wasn’t an issue except in the lowest of light conditions. Just like a book, the display is 100% reflective. For this reason there is no backlight. The display at 166 dpi is as sharp as they come. The full specifications are at Bookeen (http://www.bookeen.com/specs/ebook-specs.aspx).
Software wise this unit is a mixed bag, with it still in beta, that is to be expected. However several earlier requests for features have made it into this version. Bookeen has stated that they plan on developing the software even further after release.
Moving books on and off of the device is as easy as drag and drop. Once you plug the USB cable into a computer the Cybook and an SD Card, if installed, show up as a standard USB drive. Bookeen is stating that the next version of Mobipockets reader software (http://www.mobipocket.com/en/DownloadSoft/default.asp?Language=EN) will recognize and sync with the eReader. This will allow you to use that package to manage content.
The reader currently uses a flat library structure. This means that no matter what folders you separate your books into once you load them onto it they all show up in the library display. The library can display 5, 10 or 20 items on a page, although at 20 unless you know the covers they are somewhat hard to read. Currently all items are sorted by title. There are also sort by author and size options that are currently grayed out and not usable. Is this library structure going to be a problem for you? It depends on how you use the device. If you plan on keeping just your current reading list on the device and your main library is elsewhere, there isn’t a problem. However if you plan on putting your entire library on the device it will take you some scrolling to find what you want. For example, Baen’s Free Library (http://www.baen.com/) currently contains 100 books. In .PRC format the entire library only takes up 55.3 MB. Looking through 100 books is easy, but how about 1800? Currently the it handles .TXT, .PDF, .PRC (secured and unsecured) and simple .HTML formats. Support for complex HTML will be coming later release. You can also store and view pictures; it does an excellent job of grayscale converting. The current version does not include the audio player so I was not able to evaluate that.
For controls there are 7 buttons, On/Off, Music, Menu, Back, Delete, Volume +, Volume -, and a Compass. The compass is on the front of the unit and seems to be the most confusing of the controls. Everyone I gave the Cybook to thought that it was just a fancy single button instead of five. (Left, Right, Up, Down, Enter) Hopefully Bookeen will add some graphics to the unit pointing this out. The On/Off button is at the top of the unit. It requires you to press and hold in order to power on or off the reader. All the buttons have a nice crisp feel. My only complaint is that the compass is somewhat small. I have a tendency to hit both the Up and Enter keys at the same time.
Like all other eInk devices Bookeen likes to quote battery life in page turns. I find this slightly misleading. I’m sure if you sat there and just flipped pages you would get close to the 8000 claimed. It has an 800mAh Li-Polymer battery. Unlike some other consumer devices the battery is easily accessible and user replaceable. The only tool need is a miniature phillips screwdriver. It is recharged from any standard USB port. Once turned on the Cybook never fully powers down, instead it goes into a sleep mode. I feel this is a reasonable compromise between extending the battery life and response speed. In mixed use I got about 3 to 4 days between charges. Others have reported about 1 week in sleep mode. Note that this is without using the audio player. Once you start driving headphones, battery life will decrease.
Overall I have enjoyed using the Cybook. It is great being able to read my eBooks in bed without a heavy laptop or outside in the bright sunlight. It has a lot of nice software touches, like being able to adjust the font type and size on the fly. One of my co-workers loved the thought of no more reading glasses. It has an activity light in the upper right-hand corner that indicates when it is working on a command. As the screen is static this is enables you to know is it really doing something or ignoring me. Pages flips are fast, and if you accidentally hit the turn page button more then once, it will ignore the second one. I also appreciate the fact you are not locked into one store with the Cybook. Many places sell secure Mobipocket books. Even Harlequin (http://www.eharlequin.com/) recently added support for that format. That is not something we are seeing from Sony.
James B Franks
jfranks@naebllc.com"
Please note that NAEB stands for another Not Another EBook: a BAEN's initiative.
Visit http://www.naebllc.com/
They were among the first to receive and test Cybook Gen3 pre-engineering samples and now they release their first review.
Here it is:
"A couple quick qualifications before I start my review. I have never had a chance to use an eInk device for an extended period of time. I’ve played with the Sony PRS-500 in the store but that is about it. The unit I tested was an engineering sample with software version 0.98. I am a board member of NAEB (Not Another E-Book, LLC) and we are looking to distribute an eInk device.
The first thing I noticed unpacking the Cybook was how solid the unit feels. Unlike LCD devices eInk screens are all plastic. If you press in on any device with an LCD screen you will notice the screen distort, this does not happen with this reader. I’ve gone so far to pound on it, only with my fist, and seen no change. It’s taken a couple of minor spills from 4 feet or so onto both carpet and concrete with no damage. The only complaint I have is that both the USB port and the headphone jack are under a rubber cover. The headphone jack really should be exposed at all times. On that note, the headphone jack is 2.5mm, not 3.5mm.
The screen itself is excellent, if it wasn’t for the bezel you would have a complete 180° of viewing angle. As you can see from the pictures it isn’t perfectly white, the color can best be compared to newsprint. However during my usage that wasn’t an issue except in the lowest of light conditions. Just like a book, the display is 100% reflective. For this reason there is no backlight. The display at 166 dpi is as sharp as they come. The full specifications are at Bookeen (http://www.bookeen.com/specs/ebook-specs.aspx).
Software wise this unit is a mixed bag, with it still in beta, that is to be expected. However several earlier requests for features have made it into this version. Bookeen has stated that they plan on developing the software even further after release.
Moving books on and off of the device is as easy as drag and drop. Once you plug the USB cable into a computer the Cybook and an SD Card, if installed, show up as a standard USB drive. Bookeen is stating that the next version of Mobipockets reader software (http://www.mobipocket.com/en/DownloadSoft/default.asp?Language=EN) will recognize and sync with the eReader. This will allow you to use that package to manage content.
The reader currently uses a flat library structure. This means that no matter what folders you separate your books into once you load them onto it they all show up in the library display. The library can display 5, 10 or 20 items on a page, although at 20 unless you know the covers they are somewhat hard to read. Currently all items are sorted by title. There are also sort by author and size options that are currently grayed out and not usable. Is this library structure going to be a problem for you? It depends on how you use the device. If you plan on keeping just your current reading list on the device and your main library is elsewhere, there isn’t a problem. However if you plan on putting your entire library on the device it will take you some scrolling to find what you want. For example, Baen’s Free Library (http://www.baen.com/) currently contains 100 books. In .PRC format the entire library only takes up 55.3 MB. Looking through 100 books is easy, but how about 1800? Currently the it handles .TXT, .PDF, .PRC (secured and unsecured) and simple .HTML formats. Support for complex HTML will be coming later release. You can also store and view pictures; it does an excellent job of grayscale converting. The current version does not include the audio player so I was not able to evaluate that.
For controls there are 7 buttons, On/Off, Music, Menu, Back, Delete, Volume +, Volume -, and a Compass. The compass is on the front of the unit and seems to be the most confusing of the controls. Everyone I gave the Cybook to thought that it was just a fancy single button instead of five. (Left, Right, Up, Down, Enter) Hopefully Bookeen will add some graphics to the unit pointing this out. The On/Off button is at the top of the unit. It requires you to press and hold in order to power on or off the reader. All the buttons have a nice crisp feel. My only complaint is that the compass is somewhat small. I have a tendency to hit both the Up and Enter keys at the same time.
Like all other eInk devices Bookeen likes to quote battery life in page turns. I find this slightly misleading. I’m sure if you sat there and just flipped pages you would get close to the 8000 claimed. It has an 800mAh Li-Polymer battery. Unlike some other consumer devices the battery is easily accessible and user replaceable. The only tool need is a miniature phillips screwdriver. It is recharged from any standard USB port. Once turned on the Cybook never fully powers down, instead it goes into a sleep mode. I feel this is a reasonable compromise between extending the battery life and response speed. In mixed use I got about 3 to 4 days between charges. Others have reported about 1 week in sleep mode. Note that this is without using the audio player. Once you start driving headphones, battery life will decrease.
Overall I have enjoyed using the Cybook. It is great being able to read my eBooks in bed without a heavy laptop or outside in the bright sunlight. It has a lot of nice software touches, like being able to adjust the font type and size on the fly. One of my co-workers loved the thought of no more reading glasses. It has an activity light in the upper right-hand corner that indicates when it is working on a command. As the screen is static this is enables you to know is it really doing something or ignoring me. Pages flips are fast, and if you accidentally hit the turn page button more then once, it will ignore the second one. I also appreciate the fact you are not locked into one store with the Cybook. Many places sell secure Mobipocket books. Even Harlequin (http://www.eharlequin.com/) recently added support for that format. That is not something we are seeing from Sony.
James B Franks
jfranks@naebllc.com"
Please note that NAEB stands for another Not Another EBook: a BAEN's initiative.
Visit http://www.naebllc.com/
Sunday, October 7, 2007
PDF on tracks, design slight modifications and release date
We have recently released the 0.98 version of the firmware. As announced previously, in this version we do support PDF format with some features as fit width, fit page, fit height and rotate 0°, 90°, 180°,270°.
The software will be ready on time and as already said the supported formats will be for this first release: Mobipocket (encrypted and unencrypted), HTML, PalmDoc, Txt and PDF. RTF and other formats supports will come on further firmware releases. The firmware update will of course be possible for every Cybook Gen3 possessor.
Concerning our release date, the Cybook Gen3 will be definetly available before end of october. We will send very soon an official release date via our newsletter (subscribe at http://www.bookeen.com/) and this blog. At this occasion we will also announce the opening of Cybook Gen3 pre-sales on our website.
Concerning the price we confirm a $350 for US territory and 350 Euros for Europe.
The software will be ready on time and as already said the supported formats will be for this first release: Mobipocket (encrypted and unencrypted), HTML, PalmDoc, Txt and PDF. RTF and other formats supports will come on further firmware releases. The firmware update will of course be possible for every Cybook Gen3 possessor.
The Cybook final design has been slightly modified, the surface treatment is not glossy anymore but keeps its softtouch. The navigation button has also been modified to be easier to press on.
Concerning our release date, the Cybook Gen3 will be definetly available before end of october. We will send very soon an official release date via our newsletter (subscribe at http://www.bookeen.com/) and this blog. At this occasion we will also announce the opening of Cybook Gen3 pre-sales on our website.
Concerning the price we confirm a $350 for US territory and 350 Euros for Europe.
Friday, September 28, 2007
e-paper art experience
This video shows art painting done with e-Paper (Eink technology) and particularly with our device (display quality especially dithering is Bookeen's work). From my point of view, this demo is very convincing.
8 portraits done by Gilles Guias(artist) with e-paper in september 2007.
website: www.gillesguias.com
blog: http://peinturenumerique.blogspot.com
8 portraits done by Gilles Guias(artist) with e-paper in september 2007.
website: www.gillesguias.com
blog: http://peinturenumerique.blogspot.com
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Cybook Gen3 release delayed until october, PDF support added
The launch of Bookeen's awaited Cybook Gen3 ebook reading device has been delayed until October 2007. We have already delivered several engineering samples and are making slight adjustments in the final steps of mass production.
As a benefit, the PDF format will be supported on the Cybook Gen3 directly with the first product release. We are using this delay to enhance our software offer. PDF support was a major step for Bookeen and was planned as being part of a next upgrade. The new timing allows us to have PDF up and running for the release.
For its first release, the Cybook Gen3 will support encrypted Mobipocket ebooks and display HTML, Text, PalmDoc and finally PDF files. A new version of the Mobipocket reader for desktop will be also released in the next weeks by Mobipocket.com. This new program, which runs on a PC host, will detect and synchronize automatically with the Cybook Gen3. Buying, downloading and transferring an ebook file to the Cybook Gen3 becomes a child's game.
Best regards,
Bookeen team
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Cybook Gen3 Demo clip
We recently shot this demonstration clip of the Cybook gen3.
In this video, the Cybook Gen3 shows a Vizplex screen and the books are in Mobipocket format. All the commands are done with the navigation button (except the library layout modifications). The images have not been specifically formatted for the screen : images are resized, converted to grey levels and dithered on the go.
*
In this video, the Cybook Gen3 shows a Vizplex screen and the books are in Mobipocket format. All the commands are done with the navigation button (except the library layout modifications). The images have not been specifically formatted for the screen : images are resized, converted to grey levels and dithered on the go.
*
Monday, September 24, 2007
Welcome message
We finally decided to have our own blog to give all the information concerning our developments but also to discuss directly with you and get your feedback and your thoughts about what is going on in the ebook world.
We will try to keep this blog as updated as possible. We will also try to give our analysis on the current market trends and some hints and explanations on the current and future technologies.
Don't hesitate to let us know what you think of this blog.
We will try to keep this blog as updated as possible. We will also try to give our analysis on the current market trends and some hints and explanations on the current and future technologies.
Don't hesitate to let us know what you think of this blog.
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