Ectaco jetBook Lite Review

The Ectcao jetBook Lite, like the Aluratek Libre Pro, is an older model ereader that hangs on due to budget pricing and easy-on-the-eyes reading. Ectcao jetBook Lite reviews say the five-inch display is decent and the text is pretty clear and sharp but not at the level of the newer E Ink displays. Also, the jetBook Lite features the more traditional button navigation rather than the touchscreen interface that's been adopted by the latest crop of ereaders. The few expert Ectaco jetBook Lite reviews we found are favorable, considering they were written when the device was first introduced. But technology evolves and the jetBook Lite seems way out of date. For starters, an Ectaco jetBook Lite review on Engadget notes there's only 100MB of onboard storage, although expansion is possible with an external SD card. Rather than a built-in rechargeable battery used by most ebook readers, this model runs on four AA batteries that are stored in the back, and Pencomputing's Ectaco jetBook Lite review grouses that the battery compartment bulges out and makes the unit feel unbalanced. The old-style button navigation can also be awkward, as Ectaco jetBook Lite reviews point out; looking up a word in the onboard dictionary, for example, is a complicated affair that requires using access keys and alpha and numeric modes.

On the other hand, consumers, many of whom acquired their jetBook Lites a while ago, get value from these devices. A pastor writes in an Ectaco jetBook Lite review on Best Buy that he loads it with his sermons instead of printing them out on paper, and others say there's no reflection or eye strain although reading on the device does require ambient light.

The jetBook Lite display is smaller than the top competitors, but like most, it supports all the essential formats, including EPUB, TXT, MOBI, JPG, GIF, and BMP files. The ereader is preloaded with dictionaries in four languages besides English and serve as a translation service. Battery life is rated at 23 hours and users can adjust the text and font size.

The jetBook Lite's $100 price looks attractive, but not attractive enough to justify buying it rather than spending $30 or $40 more for an ereader with an E Ink display and a lot more features.