The Cool-er quite fits the personality of the modern reader — colorful and hip on the outside, ingenious on the inside – with a design that calls to mind Apple’s iPod.  And with a name like Cool-er, it does seem to make other readers like Sony and Kindle look rather dull and bookish. But can it meet the challenge of becoming the “iPod of ebook readers”?

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Features – Hardware and Software

Cool-er creator Neil Jones of the UK outfit Interead said he wanted to create an “Ipod moment” for ereaders; with the funky, colorful design of the Cool-er, it might be on its way. Weighing just a little over 6 ounces, the device is 40% lighter than its main rivals. Yet there’s nothing light about its hard drive capacity, letting users store up to a thousand books on it. If that’s not enough, there’s an SD slot that lets you expand your library to 4GB – about 20,000 worth of ebooks, documents, and audiobook files. 

As you would expect from a device that uses e-ink technology, the Cool-er is, well, cool to the eyes. Paper-like display ensures readers don’t get eyestrain-causing glares. And with font sizes that can be enlarged or decreased, reading can be adjusted to one’s best comfort. Plus there’s MP3 or Sudoku to entertain readers on the side.

The Cool-er is one mean device, powering up to 8000 page turns at a single charge – that’s like reading Tolstoy’s War and Peace 5 times! Very powerful processor gives you fast page turns, just as you get when you flip the pages of a real book. 

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The Bottom line

If you are looking for a device that functions not only as an e-reader but also a lifestyle accessory, the Cool-er fits the definition. The lightest and hippest of ebooks, it packs fun, entertainment, and ereading capability into a $249 device that’s just about the size of your palm.

Foxit eSlick Reader is manufactured by the same company that made the Kindle for Amazon. However, eSlick is thinner, measuring less than half an inch, and lighter, weighing roughly 6 ounces. With a name like eSlick, can one expect a smooth and clever device?

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Foxit eSlick Hardware and Software

What is lacking in most ereaders in the market today is native PDF support. The eSlick Reader makes  a difference. Foxit Software, the company that made the PDF alternative to Adobe Acrobat, sticks to their core competency and outfits their ereader with the same lightweight PDF application the company is known for.  When you purchase the device, you will also receive a PDF Creator Software CD, which allows you to convert and read .DOC, .TXT, .XLS., .HTML and other document-printable files into PDF.

Two of eSlick’s most exciting features are its zooming and reflow capabilities. For those who struggle reading PDF documents on their ereading device will be impressed by Foxit eSlick’s zoom in technology. Not only will users be able to magnify pages from 50% to 400%, readers can also pan on images. eSlick automatically reflow technology automatically reorganizes text to properly fit into the 6” display when zooming in. 512 MB internal storage can be expanded to 2GB via the SD card slot. 

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The Bottom line

With its native PDF capacity, Foxit eSlick Reader has the potential to challenge Kindle and carve a niche for itself. And if you want a no-fuss device that can entertain you with books and music, the eSlick reader certainly fits the bill.