To download e-books from Shortcovers, you have to install Adobe Digital Editions on your computer, then download the e-book (a secure ePub file), and transfer it to the device via USB using the Adobe software. Documents, PDFs, and e-books can be read vertically on the screen or manually rotated so they appear in landscape (horizontal) mode.
The Adobe software also allows "loaners" from local libraries that support such technology. Using the software, you transfer the ePub file downloaded from your local library to the Pocket Pro; the file automatically expires after a set period (usually 14 to 21 days).
In addition to library lending, the Pocket Pro's ePub support means that you can download one of the thousands of free Google Books available in that open format. The catch is that most of them are public domain titles that predate World War I. Still, it includes a long list of classics, including Shakespeare, Arthur Conan Doyle, Jane Austen, and the like--all completely free.
The Pocket Pro has a built-in text-to-speech function that will "read" most any document to you (you'll need to plug in a pair of headphones). Whereas the Amazon Kindle's text-to-speech support is limited to specific titles (based on whether the publisher or author allows it), the Pocket Pro seems to universally support any text on the device. Unfortunately, the synthesized voice is far more robotic and monotone than Amazon's implementation, so we don't think Astak users will be activating it too often.
The Pocket Pro isn't a bad little e-reader, but we weren't in love with the interface and we found navigating the device to be cumbersome. To zoom in on a PDF file, for example, requires three button pushes. You have to hit the menu button, select "zoom" from the menu choices, then select one of the sizes (extra-small, small, medium, larger, extra-large).
Another thing that was bothersome was that the rocker switch on the side of the unit doesn't allow you to scroll down through the items in your library. Instead, you have to press the number that corresponds to the item you want to select (there's a set of number buttons underneath the screen). The rocker button on the side is only for turning pages when you're reading a book (or, if you have more than eight items in a folder, you can use the rocker switch to advance the list to the next set of titles).
We had similar misgivings about the Cool-er e-book reader, which also suffers from confusing button labels and a mediocre interface that is not as intuitive as it should be. Part of the problem is that companies like Astak appear to be buying off-the-shelf e-book reader designs from Chinese manufacturers. While the devices themselves work well enough (the lettering on the screen is dark and the display looks just like the Sony's), they just seem a bit generic and lack polish. Some of the early photo frames were just like this: their displays showed images just fine, but the interface was kludgy.
If this e-reader cost $149 or less, we'd have an easier time living with its shortcomings. But since it's selling for $199 (and we've actually seen it for more than that), it's much less compelling, particularly considering that Amazon and Barnes & Noble are selling models with far better feature packages--built-in wireless, solid bookstore support--for just $259. As we said, the Pocket Pro's strengths are its compact size and capability to read a lot of formats. If those are features you're looking for in an e-book reader--and you don't need compatibility with Barnes & Noble or Amazon titles--this Astak is worth some consideration. But if you want something a bit slicker, the Sony Pocket Reader, even though it lacks an SD-card expansion slot, is probably the better bet. At the rapid rate the e-book reader market is evolving, you might want to wait a few months; we suspect prices will continue to drop and new choices will be popping up in due course.
What You'll Pay
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