Bookeen set to release new Cybook E-Ink reader

Bookeen's Cybook has already been around longer than most e-book readers, and it looks like it'll soon be taking on yet another incarnation, one that finds it looking not unlike eREAD's STAReBOOK reader. Like the STAReBOOK, the new Cybook boast a 6-inch E Ink display with an 800x600 resolution and four shades of gray, and weighs in at a relatively lightweight 6.5 ounces. According to MobileRead, the latest rumor is that the Cybook will also support Open eBook, PDF, HTML, RTF, and Mobipocket document formats, along with MP3 audio, among other possible formats. While other specs are still up in the air, it looks like we won't have to wait too much longer for the complete rundown, as it's apparently set to launch in the US and Europre later this summer for about $350.

[Jacob @ May 15th 2008 8:17AM]

Bookeen and BooksonBoard have really lousy service! I bought a Cybook from BooksonBoard and I never got it to work. I could see the first screens, but couldn't get into any of my books. I finally had to send it back to France for service (at my expense) - and guess what - they claim the screen is broken, and of course it is the only component not covered under warranty. Surprise, surprise. So even though it didn't work out of the box I will have to pay another $130 and maybe it will work. BUYER BEWARE these guys and BooksonBoard are scams.Sent me a$300 device that never worked and now they want more money, and maybe it will finally work.

[BooksOnBoard @ May 24th 2008 11:34PM]

Jacob Ukelson comment is not accurate. BooksOnBoard and Bookeen both went out of their way to help him. Both companies have an excellent track record of taking care of customers with BooksOnBoard having over 1,500 customer testimonials on file in just the last year. Both companies are disappointed that Jacob is unhappy. We choose to let the facts speak for themselves in the points below, allowing readers to ascertain for themselves how this was handled. We also welcome feedback re: the handling so that we might find improved ways to serve customers. Any time a customer ends up this unhappy, we know there must be a nuance we missed along the way, some lesson to be learned.

(1) BooksOnBoard does, in fact, accept opened product back as a return in spite of Jacob’s unfounded claim to the contrary. There is a 7 day refund policy, but it is very flexible in consideration of customer concerns. Had Jacob’s product arrived in our offices defective, we would certainly have entertained giving him a refund, but he still had not sent it 37 days after receiving it.
(2) BooksOnBoard tried to get the product back from Jacob to evaluate for repair, replacement or refund, but he insisted that BooksOnBoard not only pay the return shipment – which almost no retailer does – but on paying import duties from Israel where Jacob had traveled from Florida with the Cybook before “discovering” it was broken almost a month after receiving it.
(3) Jacob also insisted on a refund without returning the product and when told that could not be considered without BooksOnBoard or Bookeen seeing the product, he filed an action for a full refund through PayPal on April 22nd – seeking another way to get money back while still holding the product.
(4) Late on April 22, Jacob requested a refund – 34 days after first receiving the product – outside even the most generous electronics return policies. BooksOnBoard responded with the following: “Thank you for contacting us regarding the warranty return of your Bookeen Cybook. BooksOnBoard is happy to receive the return of your Cybook device and submit it to Bookeen Paris for evaluation of whether the necessary repairs are covered by the Bookeen Standard Warranty for their product. Our support staff has received forwarded emails from you that Bookeen has already communicated to you that they are willing to take shipment. We are the authorized Bookeen Cybook dealer for the United States and Canada. We do not ship Bookeen Cybook to additional international locations and therefore cannot assume liability for import tariffs which may be incurred by customers who transport the device outside of the United States. Again, BooksOnBoard is happy to receive and return your Bookeen Cybook for repairs under the conditions stated in our returns policy. We will happily pay return postage to ship the repaired Cybook to any U.S. or Canadian address. However, we do not offer refunds on Bookeen Cybook for situations that are covered by their product warranty.”
(5) On April 23rd, Jacob responded to the above: “So effectively you are telling me that you won’t help… As I am sure you understand, your suggested solution doesn’t solve my problem - I am abroad, not in the US, so how exactly does your solution help?”
(6) On April 24, BooksOnBoard, consistent with prior correspondence, wrote to Jacob: “We encourage you to return your unit either to Paris or to us… Once the unit has been seen and evaluated by Bookeen, we will all have more complete data to review options for resolution.”
(7) After persuading Jacob to return the device to Bookeen in Paris, Bookeen wrote Jacob on April 24: “Dear Sir, Here is the Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) procedure to follow. Please note that our team will do its best to replace your device as soon as we receive it.”

It is clear from the correspondence that both repair and replacement were never ruled out by either BooksOnBoard or Bookeen, even 37 days after Jacob first received the product. Instead, when the product finally arrived for evaluation in Paris, it turned out to have a smashed screen, having the clear characteristics of accident or mishandling since Jacob first received it, possibly in his travels between the US and Israel. (While Jacob gave us a Florida address for shipping, we subsequently learned his phone number is in Israel and that he transported the product there with him before requesting support for the first time 24 days after receiving the product. ) Nowhere in his prior correspondence does Jacob mention a problem with the screen, instead referring to an issue with the buttons. Of approximately 300 Cybooks shipped by BooksOnBoard, only 3 have had screen issues: one was covered by the optional BooksOnBoard Accidental Damage policy; in another case, the customer acknowledged inadvertently crushing it; and the third is Jacob’s.

BooksOnBoard has over 1,500 customer testimonials in the last 18 months. Jacob’s is an unusual case and we’re sorry it came down to his angry blogs and emails. We remain available to help Jacob, possibly doing something through our Accidental Damage Policy, but he has chosen instead to rage though email and blogs, foreclosing options for us to do the kinds of extraordinary things we try to do to help customers.
We hope that consumers will review the above data and judge the facts for themselves. We remain committed to outstanding customer service and fairness. When customers work with us, we work with them, going out of our way 7 days a week to help through our email support.

[Jacob @ May 25th 2008 4:07AM]

As usual with BooksOnBoard this is indicative of the responses I get from their customer support.They seem to be more interested in justifying their behaviour than solving the problem. For example, there was no problem with the screen before I shipped it back - which is why I never mentioned it. They make it seem like somehow I was trying to scam them... Nice way to treat your customers. I just wanted to warn anyone that is planning to do business with BooksOnBoard.

[cDub @ Jun 16th 2007 8:37AM]

psp+jpeg book=180 in savings

[BigD @ Jun 16th 2007 10:04AM]

Nevermind the toll that a psp screen can take on batteries and your eyes.

[Chuckles McGee @ Jun 16th 2007 9:05AM]

"set to launch in the US and Europre.."

Oh, Europre, how exotic. Really guys, run spell check before posting an article.

[Jagannath A @ Jun 16th 2007 10:39AM]

never mind chuckles... there r so many grammar flaws...
'boast' >> 'boasts'
'too much longer' rofl
but at the end of the day.. i get the message that enough :P


i find ebook readers very attractive since i read many ebooks in my laptop.. but the cost is the only hindrance.. hope with competition and tech improvements price gets down :D

[carlo @ Jun 16th 2007 11:58AM]

Does anyone actually buy these things?

[ct @ Jun 16th 2007 3:00PM]

To continue with the grammar discussion as we spiral down to the nadir of civilized thought and speech, 'The book which never ends' - hilarious that a 'book' peddling company would screw up basic grammatical structure, -which- dictates that.. well you get the point.

[John Doe @ Jun 16th 2007 1:19PM]

Joy. Another eink reader without www.ereader.com support. I mean really if I'm going to plunk down that kind of $$$ I want to bring over the 25+ books I purchased at ereader over the years.

[Matthew @ Jun 16th 2007 2:17PM]

With a program called Convert Lit, you can convert ereader.com lit files you have purchased for use on other devices. I have a Sony Reader and am very happy with it. It may be difficult to understand how fantastic e-ink is until you actually read on a device sporting the technology. I don't think I can ever go back to reading long-form on an lcd.

[cmarkham @ Jun 16th 2007 2:27PM]

$350? Why would I choose this over the Sony reader @$50 less (is this the Euro/Yen/Dollar rate talking)? Okay the Cybook is 3oz lighter.

There'es a sad lack of details on their website, especially since they've obviously told the press about it. http://www.bookeen.com/ebook/ebook-reading-device.aspx

Like, what about: external storage, (Sony: MiniSD and Stick), MP3 player (Sony: check), interfaces.

[cmarkham @ Jun 16th 2007 2:31PM]

[Edit] Okay, they mentioned MP3 and that all the specs are "rumored" at this point. Not worth commenting upon at this time. Sorry.

[William @ Jun 17th 2007 1:40AM]

What is the point of all this $350 for the book reader - come on, who is going to be crazy to buy it. Guys get a clue, obviously, Sony didnt with the PS3 and their ebook reader. Get it down to less than a C note and maybe you can get more people interested in it.

[EatingPie @ Jun 17th 2007 4:06AM]

I have the Sony Reader, and it's awesome.

But I keep waiting to see something new and exciting in E-Ink E-Books. Maybe "E-Ink 2.0" (faster refresh, better contrast)? How about support for formats e-Book stores are selling at large? (Those stores are still targeting Laptop/Palm owners -- suck!) Or more importantly...

How about a PRICE DROP!?!?! I think the Sony Reader was worth $350, but if this technology is going to take off, we need better prices.

-Pie

[KerryB @ Jun 17th 2007 3:13PM]

SIX inches? That's not acceptible. I'm don't need the page to 8 1/2 by 11 or anything, but something near a standard small paperback page size is about the smallest I'll consider.

It's better than a palm or pocketpc or psp screen, but still not right.

[sim @ Jun 17th 2007 8:29PM]

ARGH!! I don't understand why ebooks are so hard to do. I have had a Casio BE-300 pda since 2002. I use it on average, every other day as an ebook reader and mp3 player. It has external, storage, full color, the ability to do video, connect to the net, has a touch screen, hours and hours of battery and can do everything else a pda can. I paid $80 for it.
I did load eXpod on it, an awesome shell.

My point is that, these new e-ink readers are beautiful crap. The display is fantastic but the cost and "amenities" are abysmal.

[Phillip Gwinn @ Sep 9th 2007 8:43PM]

What is exPod? I am looking for a cheap reader and cannot even pretend to afford Sony or Bookeen. If a used PDA will work........ Does yours read PDF? Thanks Dude

Phil

[charlie @ Jun 19th 2007 11:37AM]

What i cant understand is why every one of these coming out has the same crappy location for the "d-pad". every single one puts it in that lower right hand corner. what if a person is left handed? or what if they want to read in landscape orientation. the button should be in the middle of a long side so that the device can be rotated to have the buttons on the side you choose. just take a look at the ones Holly Gates has built for E-Ink demonstrations http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/10/e-inks-bluechute-bluetooth-enabled-e-ink-concept/ thats where the buttons should be.

[brecklundin @ Aug 4th 2007 7:35PM]

@ $350/$3 per used paperback = ~120 used paperback books...let's call it 100 books. I read say 20 books/yr so that means to get "my money's worth" from one of these players it MUST last at minimum 5-7 years...when was the last time an electronic device was useful for that length of time?

Seriously, at $350+ (look at the HanLin stuff for $700+) no matter how much I really could use one of these devices, I cannot justify the cost.

I cannot hold books (or anything for that matter) in my hands for more then a few moments. I have rheumatoid arthritis. One of these devices solves the issue for me and offers the ability to read more again as I can lay it flat or what-not and still read.

But holy-jeebus keyrist, I already spend near $12,000 - $18,000/year out of my own pocket on medical treatments and dang it...I am tired of every time I find a tool to help me remain productive and/or active, there is an increased cost associated with it...increased to the point of INSANE.

Of course these are all targeted at those who feel cell phones are reasonably priced...because DADDY pays for it or they live in their mother's basement and have no bills in life yet...

[francescop @ Aug 22nd 2007 5:10PM]

What if you consider also articles? I mean, for example I read a lot of scientific articles (that's my work), and to do so I usually have to print them. An ebook reader would be great to read tons of pdf articles w/o costs.