Bebook Neo (Preview)
Filed under 6-inch eReaders
One of the newest additions to the ebook reader flurry, the Bebook Neo does indeed make a bold yet elegant statement. Keeping up with the slim design trend, the Bebook Neo is sleek and streamlined in profile and is a rather classy piece of tech.
Design
Although not quite as compact as the Amazon Kindle 2 (and this is really splitting hairs), the Bebook Neo is only 1.2 cms in diameter and measures 19.6 cms from top to bottom. Weighing in at a total of 298 grams, the Bebook Neo is distinctly lightweight and with its rounded edges, is exceptionally comfortable to hold.
The easy to navigate dial resembles that of an iPod with its basic menu functions that get straight to the point. Should you want to make, save or erase annotations, scribbles or notes, it is just a case of grabbing the stylus that is neatly slotted in the back of the reader and writing on the impressive Wacom-made touch screen.
Display
The Bebook Neo features the latest WACOM touchpanel technology, providing readers with a very fast and more natural reading experience which is further enhanced by its use of e-ink technology. In a nutshell, e-ink technology makes the letters and words on the screen look more print-like in their appearance. The screen is a legible 6 inch monochrome display that requires an external lightsource to view, much like a regular paperback. As a result of this, the screen has no glare and makes for easy reading, even in the sunshine.
Charging the Bebook Neo is easy as it comes with a standard USB port at its base allowing you to quickly connect to your PC.
Software
Running on a 532 MHz Freescale processor and 1600mAh Li-ion battery, the BeBook Neo offers browsing and operating speeds of up to 2.5 times faster than other e-readers on the market (at the moment). The powerful battery of the BeBook Neo will allow for up to 7000 pages turns on a single battery charge which is pretty impressive.
Web browsing is generally a very pleasant experience as the Neo depends on WiFi to get online and points users to multiple third-party stores rather than to an exclusive internal shop. By simply clicking on your country of residence, the Neo offers you a clear overview of third-party e-book stores from which to make your choice.
Unlike the Amazon Kindle, the Bebook Neo offers support for popular file formats such as EPUB, PDF, TXT, HTML, RTF, MOBI, CHM, PDB, JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIF and others. Other features include a 3.5mm audio jack and an SD card slot expandable up to 16GB to add to 215Mb internal memory already available.
Conclusion
Benefits
The Bebook Neo has a sleek and sexy design that is comfortable to hold. It operates 2.5 times faster than other e-book readers currently available and has a long-life battery. It depends on Wifi and gives access to third-party e-book stores. It supports a variety of file formats and an expandable SD card slot.
Downfalls
While the stylus is a handy feature, it is not everyone’s cup of tea. Like many other e-book readers available, it is expensive for what it does.
Note: The Bebook Neo is now available for pre-order from a variety of sites, with shipping scheduled to be at the beginning of May.
I like the look of this, looks like a pretty cool ebook reader and ticks all the boxes, will get me one of these.