Sunday 13 September 2009

Astak's 5-in Pocket PRO eBook Reader Collaborates With Adobe Systems, Supports 20+ Formats, 8-Level Grayscale

In the world of eBook readers there is no doubt that the Amazon Kindle
is king. Other manufacturers have been scrambling to come up with a
device that will compete with the popular Kindle on both features (most
notably wi-fi) and price and so far it has proven an unattainable goal
for most. The latest entrant by Astak Inc., the Pocket PRO eBook reader,
is hoping to leverage its collaboration with Adobe to give consumers
more freedom of choice when it comes to turning their digital pages.

Back on July 30th we shared that Astak had officially announced that
they had acquired permission from Adobe Systems to install the Adobe
Digital Editions firmware on their 5-in and 6-in devices. This new
firmware enables users to purchase and read copyright-protected eBooks
in PDF format from major eBook stores such as Powell's Books and Books
on Board. Astak Inc. is only the second company to have obtained this
firmware besides Sony.

Just like its 6-inch EZ Reader sibling, the 5-inch Pocket PRO's natively
supports more than 20 DRM-free formats. This feature allows users to
read any non-copyrighted eBook available on the Internet, such as public
domain titles from Gutenberg, which gives the user freedom to choose
from hundreds of different eBook websites.
The Pocket PRO is designed to be compact, sporting a 5-in screen and
weighing a mere 6 ounces. The 8-level grayscale E-ink screen
approximates the experience of reading printed text, so that users won't
suffer from eyestrain after hours of reading. The device is powered by
an internal Epson controller and 400 MHz processor which should provide
for speedy page turns.

The Pocket PRO comes with 512MB of memory, plus a SD card slot for
additional storage capacity up to 16GB. It has a replaceable battery
that lasts up to 8,000 page turns on one full charge. Plus, it can play
MP3 music files while users read eBooks.

The 5-inch Pocket PRO reader is available in six colors and will sell at
a promotional price of $199, and is now available for preorders online
at www.theezreader.com and www.astak.com. The new devices are predicted
to ship out by the end of August.

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