Copia Ocean 6″ Reader
Overview
Having a device that lets you read books well is worth claps of praise. Having a device that also lets you share books with friends and form a social community around books is surely worth a standing ovation. The latter is what DMC’s upcoming Copia eReaders hope to bring into the eReading world.
Unlike most eReader makers who bring only one or two new eReader at a time, DMC will debut a suite of 6 reading devices. Grouped into two product lines called Tidal and Ocean, the devices will offer nearly the same features including B/W capacitive touchscreen, WiFi connectivity, and the Copia social platform. The few differences are found in hardware design and size, 3G connectivity, and screen resolution among others.
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What this means is that you will be able enjoy the social experience of reading that Copia offers regardless of the price or size of your device. However, if you are looking for a more pocketable reading companion, the Copia Ocean 6” reader fits the bill. The smallest among the Copia devices, it is also the most budget-minded.
Features – Hardware and Software
The Copia Ocean 6” eReader is basically just the smaller version of the Ocean 9” reader. Both sport a gray chassis with control buttons on silver metallic strip on the left side of the device. But the smaller 125 x 170 x 11-mm Copia Ocean 6” reader fits more easily into your pocket or handbag.
A 4-directional tilt sensor automatically orients the device to a landscape or portrait mode following the physical orientation of the device. Although 600 x 800 resolution is rather basic, 4GB internal memory is twice that of the Kindle 2. The device can store up to 3,000 books, while a microSD card slot gives you the option to store additional media collections.
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The Bottom Line
Most budget entry devices such as that of Sony and Jinke feature only basic reading features. Apparently, DMC is not interested in concentrating all its best features on its most expensive device. The Ocean 6” may be the smallest of the Copia eReaders, but it is as socially capable as its bigger siblings. And with a price tag of less than $200, it’s not hard to imagine it can be the next best seller.
Pros Browsing of books on the Copia bookstore based on categories such as publisher tags, community rating, and popularity makes it easy to find and choose new books to purchase. While button placement is more oriented towards left-handed users, the touch-capacitive display makes in-book and menu navigation quite convenient to all. Cons DMC takes Barnes & Nobles concept of book sharing a step further by making reading more social. What remains to be seen is whether there will be publisher limitations similar to those issues around B&N’s LendMe feature. Will publishers and authors allow ebooks, magazines, and newspapers to be shared around for free? The device comes with WiFi but no 3G, which limits ones connectivity to the web and to community of Copia’s social platform. Its 600 x 800 pixel resolution is not as great for pictures, and B/W display
Main Features: •6” ePaper display •600 x 800 pixel resolution •4-directional auto-orientation •Pocketable size of 125 x 170 x 11 mm •WiFi-enabled •Storage for 3000 books •Slot for microSD cards Key Features: •Browse bookstores by category •Can share books with a wide range of devices
How is this being reviewed? I didn’t think the Copia readers were being released until April or May.
Hi Bic
thanks for your comment!
On devices that are set for release we’re simply providing general information. Once the device is released we’ll publish a “hands on” review.