PocketBook 302

Review of e-books

Electronic Books - this gadget, as they say, on an amateur: in stores, they are rare, and even about their very existence knows not everyone. However, for the reading "rests" the audience this device is indispensable, and those who are not familiar with them - would recommend a closer look, it's worth it. Today I would like to present an overview of the novelty of the Ukrainian company Pocketbook. PocketBook 302 - a new version of the popular device for reading electronic books. Unlike the previous version of the device, pocketbook 302 has a touch screen with auto image rotation.


So, list the main characteristics Pocketbook 302, size 130 x 190 x 13,8 mm and weighing 174g has a touchscreen E-Ink 6-inch diagonal and a resolution of 600x800, 166 dpi; Processor Samsung ® S3C2440 AL-40 with a clock speed of 400MHz; interface OS-based Linux; RAM 64 MB, 1 GB of read-only memory (increased 2-fold) which, in the future can be increased through MicroSD card; slot for memory cards microSD. In this model, expanded device capabilities and communication: in addition to the standard miniUSB (v 2.0), added as a module Wi-Fi and BlueTooth. These functions greatly enhance your mobile device: To download the content now is not necessary to hand the computer

Formats Supported devices:
- E-book formats: FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, PDF, DJVU, RTF, HTML, PRC, CHM, EPUB, DOC, TCR;
- Image formats: JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF;
- Audio formats: MP3.
In addition, I would like to mention the existence of a standard audio jack 3.5 mm (301 in the pocketbook connector 2.5 mm.).
PocketBook 302 is equipped with a capacitive battery 2050 mAh (Li-Polymer 3,7 V), a charge which are enough to read 16 000 pages of textual information.
Reader is available in black and white colors. At completion, apart from the reader, is the stylus, charger, cable USB-miniUSB, microSD-card 4 GB (to splurge, it's happy!), Warranty card and a brief instruction in Russian (extended version available in electronic form in the gadgets). Is there a complete set of leather cover - do not know, I got to test devays without it.

Appearance and management:
Appearance of the device seems very cumbersome, and the screen is small, but this is only a first impression. Hold in your hand, no longer see the difference in screen size or thickness of the devices. Whenever excess thickness adds, may use a thick plastic shell is almost empty space under the screen and place in the side buttons to scroll pages.
By the middle of the screen space is the center button, the appointment is - a return to the main menu (Esc / Home). Ie in this model is absent the joystick and the turning of pages in the menu transitions are done by touch screen and side buttons.

Of course, one can argue about the "necessity" of free space below the screen with a single nuclear button «Esc» / «Home». After all, this place could take a keyboard (which is not), but, as in previous versions, it is electronic (which was very convenient to use it just use the stylus!) The whole idea, most likely in the fact that this space can easily hold the device as in the vertical and the horizontal arrangement of the screen. Get used to it for a long time not have to, starting to read the book immediately adapt to the peculiarities of construction and has all the innovations you see "in action" and begin to understand all of their awareness.

At the lower end of the handle located under the loop for carrying, USB-host, miniUSB, headphone output.
At the upper end placed the stylus, slot for memory cards microSD, On / Off button.
In the bottom right side - the entrance to the power adapter. Card slot is not covered with a plug, so it is desirable to keep the card to the hole not to fill the dust.

At the back of the reset button located devaysa, technical information,
covered battery cover. Surprisingly, he is removable - you can carry with them a few, it is very good, but the device is, of course, may be charged via USB-cable and adapter from any other model. Who was in their right mind would carry a separate power adapter? But as the variety of options - super, everything is made.

Display:
I think it stands alone to focus on the touch screen features. Then, as they say, two pieces of news. One, of course, good - the creators PocketBook 302 have achieved that touch the film in general does not affect the contrast and brightness of the image. In the presence of the film contrast and brightness of the text and the screen is not lost, not created hateful powdery muti on the screen, distorting the perception of long information from the screen.
However, there still is one clear disadvantage. The problem of contrast in the Pocketbook decided. But the problem of glare - alas, no way. As a result, without the protective film from the top screen sition with terrible force. Reading a book - and see its a content (or vice versa - angry) face. I do not know how you and me, my face in the book annoying. However, I was irritated by all objects, except those text books and illustrations. And if you're in public transport, the light patches are provided. As a result, you will not focus on reading, and on how each time the screen is better positioned in relation to light and to himself.

What else to say? - Sensitivity devaysa to change the viewing angle, to put it mildly, strained. When the screen is purposefully unfold in relation to a horizontal / vertical - no questions, the technique works well. But when you hold a book under a certain angle to his hands and read it at the slightest deviation of the books up and down (not left or right!) Somehow triggered the sensor and turn the text unfolds spontaneously - as well and then read it? And this is not a coincidence, but a constant pattern. As they say "we're all human, we all have rights" and so little hands can give the "roll / play", not to mention the fact that they are in moving transport one way or another but some "rocking" prisutstviet .... Ie turns out 302 is focused on the use of only a rigid surface, not exposed to "shocks", such as setting the table or bed. Then one wonders, why all devices? - Read something you want and hands: on the street, in transportation. Therefore, I believe that the automatic change of orientation of horizontal / vertical - this is something worthwhile, and certainly important, and convenient, but requires serious improvement in the sensitivity on the part of developers.

To good to say? - The presence of the touch screen makes using the keyboard, notes, recordings, dictionary, Notepad (dop.funktsiya) faster and convenient than the black with a joystick or the keys only movement. And I must say, you get used to the touch screen on the fly.

The abundance of interfaces dictates a variety of ways to work with content using Pocketbook 302. You can use the miniUSB cable to connect to a PC-reader and copy the information from there (built-in memory to 1 GB will be enough for many, many books), we can only work with a memory card microSD, you can connect to the device flash drive and read directly from it or copy files in memory. Yes, the presence of almost a full operating system on board can operate with files on "computer" principle. Copy from the media and on it, move into folders, rename.

Options:
When starting devaysa main menu is displayed - the legacy of the Pocketbook: The last two books and 9 icons - books, news, favorites, photos, music, applications, notes, calendar, settings.

BOOKS.
"Reading mode" in PocketBook most convenient and simple. A huge plus Pocketbook-as in the traditional sense format "Folder" (as in a standard PC, it being understood language like English and Russian and Ukrainian) and sub-folders so that they can be very convenient to arrange all sorts of collections of books.
Move the cursor over the folders and files with the buttons will not work. To select a folder or file will need to use the touch screen. Button "Next Page" works like Enter, that is, or is in a folder, or open the file, and the button "Previous Page" works as a Home, that is, displays the previous level. And both are working right buttons paging. On the left in the list of reader in general does not respond.
Files, folders can be viewed as a list, thumbnail and detailed.

Browse pages can be keys left-right - this is, in general, it is convenient. The same page you can browse gesture from right to left or left to right in the lower part (sensory). The movement is on the screen, bottom-up lead to an increase in the font, gestures from the top down to decrease. Prolonged pressure on the forward or back is flipped in the appropriate direction at once ten pages. (This can be reset.) To call the menu should press the stylus / finger in the center of the screen. In my opinion it was easier to make some auxiliary kponku on the screen.

Using the menu you can:
- Go to the page you;
- Find the text or word;
- Set a bookmark;
- Translation of words with built-in dictionary (The book is inherently a number of foreign dictionaries, but there is no "smart" dictionary of the native language. But at least Dictionary Dahl can be downloaded from the website http://pocketbook-global.com/download/Dictionaries / dal.rar)

In addition, upon request through the configuration of the book, you can change the encoding, font, size, line spacing, margins, hyphenation, the beginning of a paragraph. Also very convenient to use the zoom, which is handy as you read. Pdf and. Djvu files.

It should also be noted that generally failed to take advantage of sensor screen when prochityvanii book format. Djvu, but with the format. Txt and. Pdf flipped managed with ease.

All tested formats are displayed on-screen gadget incomparable. Regardless of the time reading, my eyes do not hurt and did not get tired. When testing the special hopes were pinned on the proper display format. Pdf,. Djvu, and they were justified, despite zamorochki format. Djvu, in the nuances of which I have not figured out until the end. With this format had some trouble, but not because of the format, but apparently because of the gadget. First, the 302 does not want to keep a prescribed scale display of the text - in the transition to a new page, the gadget back to the original scale (possibly scaling SHOULD IMMEDIATELY ask how to open a file for reading - so it was done at the second attempt). Secondly, do not get to rewind the text with his finger / stylus, only buttons.)

MUSIC.
It works in such a way that going in the Music section, are available all audio files, found the device in the memory (internal and card). At the same parse "for daddy" or make your own unique playlist you can not, all records are sploshnyakom. Headphones are included, but Unpretentious. Sound quality and volume with loosely be called normal. However, what we want from e-books?
Oh, and audiobooks are available only in the Music section. Placing an audiobook files in a folder with the books, you will not be able to listen to. Music can play in the background. You can read, listen. Or listen while reading - someone she likes.

PHOTO.
When working with images, 302 works in its own way. It would seem, given the built-in G-sensor reader must orient images depending on the rotation device. However, viewed files automatically "are adjusted under the screen: vertical displayed in a vertical position, horizontal - horizontal. "Twiddle" frame, turning the device will not work.

NEWS (news RSS-feed).
Add your favorite websites and check for updates. Unfortunately, decent surveillance did not work - WiFi-module each time you try to connect to the router to give an error. The network device found. Similarly, refused to work, and Bluetooth. It is hoped that in future firmware these gaps in functionality to fill. It did not work in connection with these problems and to check the built-in browser.

NOTES.
With all the notes, as usual - interesting places books can be allocated directly in the text and save in "Notes".

CALENDAR.
Calendar for the year, all the trivial and simple, no frills. Calendar shows the current year.
There is a desire to see the calendar is also an opportunity to make important events such as birthdays of loved ones, the coming holidays with subsequent reminders, such as loading devices.

APPLICATIONS.
-MiniBrowser
- Notebook
- Snake
-Calculator
- Solitaire
-Dictionary
- Sudoku
- Watches
- Chess

I think that here everything is clear without explanation: there are 4 basic toys, mini-browser to connect to the internet and download books (not tried, unfortunately). Notebook adapted to handwritten notes. Calculator for simple calculations (I think only of income:)).

SETTINGS.
Settings PocketBook 302 very diverse and the most simple. Simply list:
- Device Information
- Language (eg, Russian)
- Keyboard
- Appearance
- Appointment of key
- Watches (adjusted manually, not automatically with the software or the Internet)
- When the open ...
- Communications
- Service (formatting, cleaning, sizing screen and gyroscopic sensor)
Very handy feature - it samootklyuchenie e-books after a certain time of inactivity (the desired interval can be set in settings).


In conclusion I would like to mention an excellent idea and technical content, but the implementation a little upset. In particular, the most annoying - it is very much glare screen. Otherwise I was pleased, and all the minor "flaws" can be attributed to the software version, which I think in the near time to upgrade.