Priced at $199 (as of March 15, 2010), the no-frills, lightweight Aluratek Libre Pro e-reader is a refreshing surprise. Dismissing the Libre Pro as just another e-reader in a sea of clones would be easy, but this device handles better than most--and it sports a bargain price, too.
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De Libre in het nieuws
Aluratek Libre Pro E-Reader: Easy on the Eyes and the Wallet
Another variant is the screen technology Aluratek employs here: The company uses a monochrome, non-backlit, 5-inch Toshiba LCD screen intended to achieve a result that, like electronic paper, is comfortable to read and kind to the battery. In practice, the Libre Pro's display succeeds in the former but not the latter. Though the display is small compared with that of a Barnes and Noble Nook or an Amazon Kindle 2, I found it very easy on my eyes for long reading engagements. Regrettably, when I tried the Libre Pro for a three-day weekend of mixed use and standby mode, the battery failed to last without needing a charge (Aluratek says the device will last for up to 24 hours of continuous reading, and 30 days standby time). The display has a greenish-gold coloration, much as monochrome screens of yesteryear had; it isn't quite as effective for the text to stand out, but it was tame enough to keep my eyes from tiring. I found the Libre Pro intuitive and fast to use, and its construction was noticeably smooth. It weighs just 7 ounces, which makes it a joy to hold in one or both hands. All of the unit's buttons are soft to the touch and finger-friendly. That's unusual on e-readers: Many, such as the Interead Cool-ER, suffer from dreadfully stiff and hard-to-press controls. Along the right side of the display sits a vertical set of buttons that work for cell-phone-keypad-like text and numeric input, as well as for selecting which option you want on screen. The effect is similar to--but more elegant than--the kludgy scrollwheel on the original Amazon Kindle. Along the left is an unusual slider bar for moving pages forward and back. Beneath the screen, to the right, is a five-way navigation pad, neatly surrounded by four handy buttons for switching orientation, options (including jumping to a specific page in the book, by using the numbers alongside the screen), three choices for text magnification, and return. At left are the page-forward and page-back buttons, the former larger than the latter. These buttons are well situated for turning pages with your left hand, if you hold the device in your left hand or both hands; alternatively, if you hold the e-reader along its side in your left hand, you can easily press the buttons with your right hand. The Libre Pro has an SDHC card slot and supports cards up to 32GB. You can load a variety of file formats, including text, Adobe ePub, PDF, FB2, MOBI, PRC, and RTF. You can download books manually or buy books from ePub-compatible stores (Aluratek is partnered with eBooks.com and Kobo). The device comes with 100 classics preinstalled--a nice way to get the ball rolling. At the bottom of the Libre Pro are the power button (which is a little tough to press), the headphone jack, and a hand-strap loop. At the top, under a rubberized flap, are the SD slot and the mini-USB port; the flap feels sturdy, though I wish it didn't cover the USB port as well. Although the Libre Pro lacks the Wi-Fi or 3G connectivity of some fancier e-readers, it keeps things basic and to the point. This little e-reader is a pleasure to use, and it can be a reasonable alternative to more costly, connected e-readers. Stem op de Aluratek Libre bij de 2009 Engadget Awards!Stemmen kan via deze link (onder e-readers) http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/29/vote-for-the-2009-engadget-awards/
Hardware SpecsRAM: 117MB free
Package ContentseBook Reader PRO Let me start out right away by telling you that the Libre Pro does not offer a wireless feature like the Kindle and Nook. You will be required to load your books manually instead of buying them through the device. Aluratek helps you out by providing an SD card with the reader that has 100 books preloaded. They are classics such as Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, War and Piece, Wuthering Heights, etc. Books can also be purchased through ebooks.com
Having owned both the Kindle and Nook, the small size of the Libre was immediately noticeable when I first took it out of the box. The display is only 1 inch smaller though. Click the image above for a larger view.
The Libre’s case is made of charcoal colored plastic that doesn’t show fingerprints or smudges. In hand the reader feels solid and does not flex when squeezed. The slightly recessed display takes up most of the front of the device, with buttons on both sides and below. The back of the reader has a slight ‘hump’ that holds the non-user replaceable battery.
The main controls are located below the display. On the Left is a combination page next/page prev button and next to that is a grouping of buttons that offer font resizing, screen rotation, menu, and also another set of page next/page prev buttons (left arrow and right arrow).
The Left edge of the Libre offers a third page turning method with a spring loaded sliding bar. Slide it down to turn to the next page, slide it up to go back a page. Raised ridges allow your thumb to keep a grip on this bar. I don’t like this method and find myself using the dedicate paging buttons below the screen.
On the opposite side, there are ten numbered buttons that are used to select books from the list view. These buttons are also used to enter text for search terms.
The top edge has a power status LED and an attached cover…
…which protects a mini USB port and SD card slot. The USB port is used to charge the device and for data transfer of the device itself and the inserted SD card. The Libre mounts as removable drives automatically on Windows and Mac computers.
The bottom edge has the power button and 3.5mm headphone jack.
The interface is pretty simple. Turn on the device for the first time and you’re greeted with a list of installed books. To read a book, you can either press the corresponding numbered button next to it or scroll to the desired title with the Dpad and press the OK button to select it.
The Libre does not use an E-ink display like the Kindle, Nook and Sony Readers. Aluratek calls their display ePaper. It reminds me exactly of the old days of PDAs. Specifically the Palm V. Back in the day, the Palm V/Vx was my favorite PDA because the screen was so easy to read. The Libre is just as easy… as long as you’re in a well lit room. This reader does not have a backlight. For those of you that don’t like the E-ink flashing that occurs when turning pages, this reader does not suffer from that affliction.
The display can be rotated and …
you can choose from 6 different font sizes. The initial load time of books can take several seconds depending on the size of the book. But once loaded, there is no lag in page turning. I tested the reader with plain old text files, ePub files, PDF files and JPG images. I didn’t have any problems viewing TXT or ePUB files, but some PDF files would not display and the reader would sometimes freeze when trying to load or display some JPG images. I also encountered issues with the reader freezing when using the Find feature. The Libre is able to bookmark pages, but it does not offer any type of annotation features. It does offer a couple of interesting features that other readers don’t offer though. It has the ability to play MP3s in the background while you read, and it also has an auto page turning feature. I’ve been really impressed with the battery life. I’ve been reading on and off with the Libre since receiving it the 2nd week of January and it’s still going strong on its initial charge.
ConclusionI like the size and price of the Aluratek Libre Pro eBook reader and I think it’s a good device for someone that doesn’t need higher end features like annotations, dictionary and wireless. I do think that the software is a bit glitchy and hope that a firmware update takes care of JPG and PDF freezing issues. Even with those occasional issues, I still recommend this little ebook reader as a good alternative to the big boys.
Bike Beer BBQ, Aluratek Libre E-Reader ReviewMy New E-ReaderOne of my resolutions for 2010 is to read more. I used to read a lot but have gotten away from it recently. But, my new E-Reader, the Libre from Aluratek, is quickly turning me back into someone who loves to read. I have been interested in e books and e-readers for a number of months and finally got serious about doing some research. What I found was that there are a lot of options in the market and many of them are fairly affordable. I wanted something straight forward that was lower priced and offered a lot of flexibility. My research led me to the Libre. Here is my video review of it:
So far I am really enjoying the Libre. It is easy to use, has very good battery life, and is easy to read from. The controls are fairly intuitive. It works with a number of ebook formats as well as allowing you to download books from the library, something the Kindle doesn’t allow. I really like the ability to zoom the text, especially at the end of the day. The Libre uses a reflective LCD screen, not an e ink screen like many of the other eReaders out there. The advantage of this is that the page changes are very quick and the cost is a bit lower, resulting in a very affordable eReader. I have not experienced any eye strain using the Libre. The contrast is good and it’s easier to read from than a backlit screen.
Book-a-rama, Aluratek Libre Ebook Reader Pro: ReviewJanuary 14, 2010
 I've had my Aluratek Libre eBook Reader for a few weeks now. I've read one entire 400 page book on it and have used it enough to share a few thoughts about it. What it does First the technical mumbo-jumbo. Supports PDF (Adobe Digital Edition DRM/non-DRM), TXT, FB2, EPUB (Adobe Digital Edition DRM/non-DRM), MOBI (non-DRM only), PRC (non-DRM only)and RTF electronic book format I downloaded a couple of books from the ladies at girlebooks for free in epub format. I liked this more than pdf format. The reader came with 100 free books on a memory card. All of them public domain and available on Project Gutenberg (pdf). Books can be loaded right onto the device's internal memory from your computer or to a memory card. Text size can be adjusted from teeny-weeny to HOLY MOLY . I feel more comfortable somewhere in the middle. There is no backlight and it's an e-paper LCD display. I found the gray background a little dark but that might be just me. Pages turn quite quickly; there's no lag time. There are 3 ways to do this: Click the pages icon on the bottom, push the sliding button on the side or insert the page number. Pages can be Bookmarked (a feature I love!). It also plays music and holds photos. I haven't tried either because I have enough devices around the house for that already. Though I didn't clock it, the battery life is said to be 24 hours and I'd say that's pretty accurate. It came with a padded case. What it doesn't do All the fancy stuff that the Kindle does. You can't be out jogging and decide to download a book. You have to use your computer for that. You can't read newspapers or magazines on this device. My Opinion Let's face it. This is the Ugly Stepsister of ebook readers. She looks like a calculator and that Aluratek logo doesn't help much. But she has a great personality. It takes care of business and I'm completely satisfied with it. The biggest selling point of this device is that it's affordable. It's a lot better than most of the other devices available in Canada now. The only thing I want to do with an ebook reader is read books. I would not use one for reading newspapers or surfing the internet. I'm never far from my laptop so these things do not concern me. If I was taking a long trip, I'd have to make sure it was loaded up first, just in case. If you are on the fence about ebook readers, concerned about price or just want to read books, then the Aluratek Libre is a good entrance device. Disclaimer: I was not approached by Aluratek for this review. My darling husband bought it for me for Christmas (thanks Babe!).
New York Times, Review: E-Readers Point in New Directions
Filed at 5:24 p.m. ET NEW YORK (AP) -- It's a big year for e-book reading, not just because Apple Inc. just announced a tablet computer, the iPad, that comes with a new iBookstore. Other manufacturers have been flooding the field to capitalize on the success of the Kindle.
Geek.com: Review Libre e-reader by Aluratek
Like Sal noted in a previous post, manufacturers are jumping on the bandwagon with their version of an e-reader. Honestly, you can’t blame them, companies are simply trying to ride on the coat tails of Kindle’s success. Unfortunately, when that happens you get a wide range of what companies call an e-reader. Heck, some digital frame manufacturers are even producing e-readers which have the exact same screen as a digital frame, but can display PDF or text. That’s a far cry from the e-readers which use the high-quality e-paper screens which give the look of printed text. The good news is I’m happy to report that out of the deluge of e-readers there are good ones out there that aren’t receiving publicity like the Kindle or the nook. One of those I have found is the Libre by Aluratek. Aluratek was kind enough to send me a unit to check out. Naturally, the first thing I looked for is the “paper like” screen which the Libre has. As promised on the packaging, the Libre’s 5″ display looks like real paper, but unlike paper you will probably find it difficult to fold it up and put in your pocket.
The Libre fits nicely in a reader’s hand and has a footprint which I found equivalent to a paperback book. The controls were also smartly engineered allowing for a user to quickly read pages with simple movements of your left or right hand. On the left of the Libre is a slide control which allows the reader to scroll up and down a page with their thumb. On the right of the screen are a series of numbers starting from 0 to 9 which are also noted with letters allowing for quick entry of data in fields when browsing a book or menus. On the bottom left of the Libre are two buttons which quickly allow you to turn pages forward and back while the bottom right contains what I would call the “master controls” of the unit. These “master controls” show that Aluratek thought carefully when designing the Libre since there are a number of functional buttons in a small amount of space. The primary four buttons include the menu, font size, rotate (to support landscape) and escape buttons. Within those buttons are four directional buttons surrounding an execute or OK button.
Like any typical male I picked up the Libre and began using it before reading any instructions. I found it really easy to pick up and use thanks to the simple controls and easy to follow menus. To me, that’s important for any gadget, but even more so on a gadget which has the goal of being as easy to operate as a book. The Libre supports a number of different e-book formats including PDF, TXT, FB2, EPUB, MOBI, PRC, and RTF. Probably an easier way to understand what books are available for the Libre is to simply browse the eBooks.com website since that is where the manufacturer encourages you to purchase them. From my perusing of the website I found that most of the popular books were there. Some additional bells and whistles that come with the Libre include the ability to view BMP, JPG, GIF and animated GIF pictures (in black and white of course) and play MP3 music. I don’t expect many people will want to use their e-reader as an MP3 player, but some will surely appreciate the ability to listen to music in the background while they read which Aluratek has made simple with the integrated headphone jack and included headphones. Additional specs for the Libre include an internal lithium-ion polymer battery which can power the the unit for 24 hours of continuous use or two weeks in standby mode. The addition of an auto-off feature ensures you can make the most out of every battery charge. To store all of your books the Libre uses a SD card slot capable of supporting up to 32GB. To get you started, the e-reader comes with a 2 GB card which is already preloaded with 100 eBooks, most of which are within the public domain and include classics such as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, A Tale of Two Cities and Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Books can be transferred to the Libre by moving them to an SD card or by hooking up the reader directly to a computer using the integrated USB port. The only downside to the Libre is that it doesn’t offer a backlight, but that is pretty common with a lot of e-readers. Also, if you think about it the goal of a good e-reader is to have a screen with the look of paper. Last time I checked, I have yet to find a book which offers a backlight for each page. Not to mention, e-reader manufacturers wouldn’t want to put book light producers out of business would they? I whole heatedly recommend the Libre by Aluratek as a great e-reader alternative to the more popular Kindle and nook readers. Its suggested price is 199 euro. Add the fact that the unit supports firmware upgrades and comes with a one year warranty and you’d have to agree it’s a good buy.
Review door computer.tv (Engelstalig)
Review door Buy.com
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Those of you considering the purchase of a dedicated eBook Reader may be under the impression that your only choices are from Sony, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I’d like to show you one affordable alternative. It’s the 
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