I thought some of you might like to hear this.

Phil.



----- Original Message ----- 
From: ".dan." <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 2:42 PM
Subject: the nls e-book reader


>I recieved one yesterday and books to read today.  I will describe it and 
>then some comments aboutwhat I like and don't like.
>
> It has the same overall proportions as the 4 track player but about 1/3 
> the size.  Many things are a hold over from the tape machine.  It has a 
> pull out handle in the front and the line cord fits into a nook at the 
> back.  A slot roughly in the same place as where tapes are inserted 
> recieves the cartridge  holding the memory chip.  Along the front edg are 
> the fast reverse, play, and fast forward buttons in that order.  Near the 
> fast reverse is a power on and off button.  At other locations are volume, 
> tone and speed up and down buttons.  There is a headphone jack on the same 
> side as the tape machine but only the 1/8 small format with no other 
> jacks.
>
> With no book inserted one can turn power on and a recorded male voice 
> announces power status, if it is plugged iin and the current amount in 
> hours of battery life remaining; which was 18 hours out of the box.
>
> It also says that by hitting any of the other buttons its function and 
> operation will be spoken.  Holding down the play button for 2 seconds has 
> a detailed user guide, the kind that used to come on a tape.
>
> The book chip cartridge is about the size of apack of playing cards but 
> 1/3 the thickness.  It comes in a plastic mailer the same shape as a tape 
> mailer and otherwise works like one, but about 1/4 as thick.  The 
> cartridge has a finger hole at one end and it can only be inserted one 
> way, braille is on the top.  It starts reading as soon as it is inserted. 
> Other then that I will leave it to the internal recording for operating 
> instructions.
>
> I like that a great deal of thought went into its design.  This includes 
> it carrying over familiar shapes and functions from the tape machine. 
> Using it for the first time is easy and intuitive in no small part because 
> of it. It operates very smoothly and some effort went into tweeking the 
> soundquality from the speaker.  Like a cd and a tape compared for music, 
> the digital recording contributes to this sound quality.
>
> Unlike the tape machine the very annoying power supply hum that appeared 
> to be very loud at night and came easily through earphones is gone.  It is 
> absolute dead silent in operation.
>
> As with the tape machine, it is needlessly large and heavy it seems to me. 
> Iyt is the size of a hard cover book and at least a couple of pounds as a 
> guess.  In these days when a digital player is held in a shirt pocket this 
> seems unwieldy to carry and begs for leaving it when going out; having it 
> on a bus for reading would be a chore.  In practical terms it is portable 
> in name only.  Having controls anyone can use was no doubt part of this 
> but all could have been put on a much smaller and less heavy machine 
> without changing button size.  Using a wall wwart for recharging and 
> non-battery use would have greatly reduce size and weight.
>
> On balance a good job that will increasebook reading pleasure greatly.
>
>
>                                XB
>                                 IC|XC
>