The Official ECTACO Blog

jetBook Color Vids and More!

2012-01-27T12:47:00.003-05:00

We've been shipping our jetBook Color pre-orders since the 16th of January and are happy that people have been writing us with their positive experiences! From lawyers loading dockets for cases to grad students having all their teachers' notes in one place instead of 500 pieces of loose paper floating around, we are always excited when we can make such a positive impact on peoples lives!

Below we've compiled a few videos from CES and other places that talk about the jetBook Color. Though freedom to load your own content to it and the safe (non-backlit) screen we hope a lot more people will be attracted to it as well!!

Source: Engadget article here

Source: Goodereader

Source: Ectaco

Source: Fox News and Ectaco

Sourrce: Altroconsumo

Source: Slashgear

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Tablets suck for long periods of reading....YUP!

2012-01-24T12:01:00.000-05:00

Try focusing your attention to the intricate detail of letters and words when reading off a backlit screen.....tired?....fuzzy eyesight?....headache?....exactly.

Plain and simple, just like your Mama used to say "Don't watch TV for too long!"....and..... "Don't stare at that computer for too long!". We've always asked 'why' but deep down we knew it was horrible for our eyesight.

Now here's an excerpt from PCAuthority about it. You can find the entire article in the link below.

Tablets suck for long periods of reading

Several of us in the PC& Tech Authority editorial room have both tablets and ebookreaders, actively preferring the non-backlit nature of e-ink for long periodsof reading. So when you are poring over the pages of words that make up themajority of most textbooks you would be much better off doing it on an eReader.The corollary to this is that currently colour e-ink exists largely as a proofof concept solution, there have been few actual product releases (the most prominent actually uses a completelydifferent technology to e-ink, called mirasol, which has the same non-backlitnature).

The one area where colour e-ink is perfectly suited for istextbooks, but there is still a way to go before the kind of rich videofeatures work with the technology. While tablets are currently a bettersolution, we cannot envision a world in which Apple would produce eReaders forstudents, especially when it can keep pumping out the same old iPads without themassive expensive of tooling up a new factory and product line. This is core toour final concern.

Source: PCAuthority. Read the entire article here

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Ectaco jetBook Color on Fox News

2012-01-24T10:28:00.000-05:00

There were 2 things we loved about CES 2012 in Vegas...No, we didn't gamble away our life savings, BUT....

1) We won the CES 2012 Innovation Award for the jetBook Color and Partner LUX
2) We were featured on Fox News

Not a lot of people can say they had one of the above, let alone two!

Below we've edited the video from the Fox News excerpt. If you can't load the embedded one, you can also find it here

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CES 2012 jetBook Color on Altroconsumo (Italian)

2012-01-23T11:27:00.001-05:00

Great video (in Italian) from Italy's Altroconsumo on the jetBook Color. We met them at CES 2012 and they were ecstatic to see a Color E Ink reader finally available on the market.....and so are we OBV!

Embedded video below, but you can also find there here

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jetBook K-12 Video Manual

2012-01-20T14:24:00.000-05:00

Here is one of the most thorough video manuals we have ever put together. A big thanks to Greg Stetson for making it happen and taking the time to walk us through.

You can scroll down to the description and get linked to each section of the jetBook K-12. In each section, Greg will go over the functions and applications so you can do the same on your device and be a jetBook K-12 world championnn!!!!!!

Link to the video here
(Embedded one below)

00:50 - My Library - Basic functions, speech recognition for each section, text to speech for books, in book menus: translate, speak, select, etc.,

05:10 - Oxford Reading Support - Oxford talking dictionary, Oxford English-Spanish dictionary, SAT prep course, speedreading course, Cpen Scanner features, English-Spanish text translator, irregular verbs, idioms, Spanish grammar in English, English grammar in Spanish and English grammar in English

15:59 - Language and Games - Language Teacher, ending audio introductions, U-Learn, audio phrasebook, pictured dictionary, 180 cross-translator, vocabulary builder, linguistic crosswords, linguistic flashcards, pockets, translation test, spell-it-right and sudoku

24:50 - Science and Math - Graphing, scientific and accounting calculators, world economics and geography books, US history and facts, Math, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics and Biology reference guides, metric conversion and interactive periodic table of elements

29:49 - Audio Book and Music/Extras and Help

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KyivPost On The iTRAVL For UEFA 2012

2012-01-03T18:23:00.000-05:00

We've had about 20 different sites post about the 1,500 UEFA Speech to Speech translators purchased by the Ministry of Internals Affairs of Ukraine, and here's the most recent one from KyivPost:::::

Ukrainian policemen to receive 1,500 electronic translators for Euro 2012

Today at 14:03 | Interfax-Ukraine

US company ECTACO Inc. will supply to the Interior Ministry of Ukraine 1,500 talking multilingual language communicators and electronic translators for the upcoming finals of the Euro 2012 European Football Championship.

According to the company, Ukrainian policemen will receive a special model of the iTRAVL talking multilingual language communicators designed for security forces employees and similar to those used during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

It supports Russian, Ukrainian, English, Spanish, Italian, German, Polish, Portuguese and French. In addition, the device includes speech recognition, as well as built-in language learning program.

ECTACO said that the Ukrainian police tested the device in February 2011.

According to the Web site of ECTACO, iTRAVL NTL-9C costs $529.95.

Read more: http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/119957/#ixzz1iRMgjf1g

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FIFA 2012 iTRAVL Interface Photos

2011-12-27T13:46:00.000-05:00

Here's a sneak peak at 2 screens from the UEFA 2012 iTRAVL edition purchased by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Ukraine:::::

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Ministry of Internal Affairs in Ukraine Purchases 1,500 iTRAVL Units for FIFA 2012!!

2011-12-26T12:50:00.002-05:00

Taken from Yahoo! Finance this PR tells you all about Ectacos venture to provide language solutions for the upcoming FIFA 2012 games:::

NEW YORK and KIEV, Ukraine , Dec. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ECTACO, Inc., known for its pioneering position in the language translation devices and software business has taken the iTRAVL to a new level. Currently, 1,500 custom made speech-to-speech translators have been shipped to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine for the upcoming UEFA 2012 Soccer Championship.

This modification to the ECTACO iTRAVL is similar to the original SpeechGuards for military, law enforcement, and Homeland Security, which have been used by over 400 different agencies worldwide. The intended goal is to facilitate communication between local Ukrainian law enforcement officials and foreign guests. A similar device was successfully implemented during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing .

The ECTACO iTRAVL features support for Russian, Ukrainian, English, Spanish, Italian, German, Polish, Portuguese and French; an audio phrasebook recognizing human speech and providing translation for 14,000 phrases; a voice enabled interface with vocal commands intended for extreme conditions, when, for instance, a large number of fans speaking different languages must be directed from one section of the stadium to another; and the Language Teacher application, which helps to obtain basic language skills in a short time.

The device has been subject to tests since February 2011 by Ukrainian police force. Participants have highly awarded the easy to use interface and effectiveness of the iTRAVL when communicating with people who speak a different language. "It's possible to learn a language, if you can devote 5-6 hours a day to studying," states Colonel Vladimir Salimskiy , Deputy Executive to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine . "In such cases, it is possible to reach a bearable level of understanding within 6 months. But with this device... you just point at the language tab, and you're ready to start a conversation."

The translator is capable of providing instant translation for basic level communication between the hosts and visitors from all over Europe . This will make everyone's stay more comfortable and be of great help in avoiding crucial misunderstanding between police and soccer fans during the championship games.

"The ECTACO iTRAVL is a high tech multifunctional and multilingual device designed for a very specific set of situations and conditions," says David Lubinitsky, CEO, Ectaco, Inc. "It's important to note that the device is a budgetary solution in comparison to competitors in the market. It can be re-programed after the championship to serve similar or different tasks."

For more information visit www.ectaco.com or contact Greg Stetson at 718-728-6110 ext. 212 or greg@ectaco.com.

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ECTACO Releases 59 Language Apps to the NOOK App Store

2011-12-12T20:18:00.000-05:00

Imagine yourself in the middle of a seductive thriller....killer has a knife....victim running through the house, dark, knocking over everything they come in contact with.... cacophonous sound of rain louder than it should be as the gutters overflow....then......silence.....AND you come across a word you don't know and can't translate!

Wellllll, Ectaco has released 59 language apps for the NOOK to make sure that never happens to you! Instantly get translations and cross translations in your language choice. Check them all out here!

Actual link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/ectaco-inc?startat=1

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jetBook Color: Schools in Russia (Video)

2011-12-08T15:48:00.001-05:00

With so many people coming to see the jetBook Color photos, we've received requests to see a video from the schools as well. So without further adieu, here's an interview with the teacher and some more added footage (Dont Forget To Turn on The CC)::

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Ectaco jetBook Color on Engadget

2011-12-08T15:45:00.001-05:00

Check out the jetBook Color on Engadget: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/07/ectaco-jetbook-color-offers-your-eyes-a-break-for-500-ships-in/

It's easy on the eyes = no more glasses!

Sure all of those newfangled e-reader / tablet hybrids are nice, but what about a matte finish, color screen that's a bit easier on the ol' peepers? Enter the Ectaco jetBook Color equipped with a 9.7-inch, 1600x1200 Triton Color E Ink display and an impenetrable fog of a UI . The slate sports "virtually unlimited format support and endless battery life," as well as microSD storage up to 32 GB and WiFi connectivity. Fair warning though: this isn't a new device, merely the worldwide release of one that has found success in Eastern Europe and the education sector, as you'll notice from all the scholarly extras. If you're already itchin' to get your study on and don't mind waiting until after January 15th to do so, hit that source link snag the "holiday price" of $500.

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Ectaco jetBook Color on Ubergizmo

2011-12-08T15:43:00.001-05:00

Check out this awesome article from Ubergizmo: http://www.ubergizmo.com/2011/12/jetbook-color-e-reader-will-arrive-in-january-and-cost-you-500/

If you were thinking of getting yourself a color eInk e-reader, you might have to end up paying $500 for the Jetbook Color e-reader by Ectaco, a company that takes the Havon readers and pairs it with their own firmware that has been exclusively developed for both the English and European markets.

What this has done was it created an e-reader that would be popular amongst those living in Europe, thanks to the fact that it has been localized in 15 different languages, which at the same time made it relatively unknown to the US market, at least until recently when Ectaco revealed their plans for a US launch.

The e-reader was supposed to cost $350, and apparently it still does although that price is reserved for schools, which is not surprising considering that the Jetbook Color will come shipped with a variety of educational software such as test taking, scheduling, reference sheets and apps that schools have requested for.

It will feature an 800MHz Freescale processor, a 9.7” display with a resolution of 1600×1200 along with WiFi connectivity and a microSD card slot for memory expansion and support for a variety of e-book formats. The Jetbook Color is expected to start shipping come 15th January 2012, and if you’re interested in learning more or want to place an order, head on down to Ectaco’s website.

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Ectaco jetBook Color on The Verge

2011-12-08T15:40:00.001-05:00

Check out this article about the jetBook Color release from The Verge: http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/6/2615832/ectaco-jetbook-color-e-ink-reader-january-499-99

We're finally starting to see color e-readers with easy-to-read, non-reflective screens (i.e. not a glossy LCD) pop up around the world. While the long-awaited Mirasol reader debuted in Korea recently, the first to come to the English-speaking market will be the Ectaco Jetbook Color, with a 1600x1200 9.7" Triton Color E Ink display and WiFi connectivity. The device isn't totally new; it's actually a rebrand of a model from Chinese company Hanvon, and previously launched in Eastern Europe. For its US release, though, it comes loaded with new firmware and educational applications including a 50 state reading list and interactive SAT course. Sound good? Pre-orders are currently going for a "holiday price" of $499.99, but won't quite make it in time to go under your tree — the expected ship date is January 15.

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jetBook Color Now Available For Pre-Order!!

2011-12-01T20:15:00.001-05:00

Get yours now before all the pre-orders are maxed out!!

All pre-orders can be made here: http://www.ectaco.com/jetBook_Color/

Welcome to the world of jetbook Color.

Using the latest technology and the world's first Triton Color E Ink screen the jetBook Color was originally focused on the education market for students to keep track of their schedules, check homework, and eventually replace all paper textbooks. With the success experienced in Eastern Europe, we've decided to release the jetBook Color worldwide so everyone can enjoy an eReading device with tons of functionality and a non-backlit display that's safe on the eyes. Virtually unlimited format support and endless battery life make the jetBook Color the best device for school work, business documents, leisure reading and everything in between.

Specifications:

Triton Color E Ink screen
9.7" Display
1600x1200 resolution
Load Your Own Content
Support for: Adobe DRM 9.1, ePub, Mobi, PRC, RTF, TXT, PDF, FB2, djvu, JPG, Gif, PNG, BMP (more to come)
Wi-Fi enabled with browser
Fluent Text-to-Speech can read you any book
10,000 page turns on a single charge
Support via microSD for up to 32GB
Sleek protective carrying case included
Underline and highlight text
50-state reading list
Fully interactive SAT course
"Overdrive" library access
Wireless access to online textbooks, www.ck12.org and other resources
Speed Reading course
Talking Oxford Dictionaries
Course of English and foreign language grammar
Speech recognition and speech analysis Language Teacher and U-Learn courses that teach you a language step by step
Pictured dictionaries for 38 languages
Cross translator for 180 languages
Vocabulary Builder
Linguistic Crosswords
Reference materials for Math, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography and Earth Science
Interactive Periodic Table of Elements
Graphing and scientific calculators
And much more!

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jetBook Color in Russian Schools (Photos)

2011-11-29T10:46:00.001-05:00

You walk into a classroom, sit in the same wooden chair as so many others do on a daily basis and prepare to learn. But this time you don't have that 5 pound dumbell of a book to carry around, instead it's been replaced with the jetBook Color. This is the new 21st century classroom that we've dreamed of as children, and now it's being implemented in schools all across Russia. We've just received new photos from classes ranging between 6th to 10th grade and are extremely excited about the positive response from students. With a jetBook Color on every student's desk we will continue to offer a one of a kind product oriented towards education to help students succeed in and out of the classroom. Here are the amazing photos below:::::

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jetBook Color and Partner LUX on the CES Award Site

2011-11-09T12:44:00.000-05:00

So yesterday we released that Ectaco won the CES Innovations Award 2012 in the Personal Electronics category and today we found it released on the CES site. We're super excited and if you're at CES this January make sure to stop and say hi ----- we might be giving a jetBook Color away *hint*hint*

Link to our Award:: http://cesweb.org/awards/innovations/2012-innovations-honorees.htm

Category: Personal Electronics
Ectaco Inc.
ECTACO® jetBook® Color with Partner LUX – Educational eTextbook Reading and Testing System
http://www.ectaco.com
The jetBook Color with Partner LUX breaks through the educational market and offers students and teachers the ability to save money on books while providing unlimited teaching resources.

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ECTACO jetBook Color WINS The CES 2012 Innovations Award!

2011-11-08T11:54:00.001-05:00

ECTACO Honored with thePrestigious CES Innovation Award for the jetBook Color Educational eBook System

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Long Island City, New York – November8, 2011 – Ectaco, Inc., theworld leader in portable language learning and translation technology have beendecorated with the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Award for theirjetBook Color Educational eBook System. This is the 3^rd CES Awardreceived by the company, but by far the most exciting.

The 9.7” screen jetBook Color is the world’s firstto utilize eye-friendly Triton E Ink technology in an eBook Reader orientedsolely towards education. Every unit has an individual connection to aTeacher’s Console where teachers can restrict the download of any programs orcontent that is not related to the class, send students grades, exams,homework, and messages with the students being able to submit all those optionsas well. The main screen serves as an ID card for the student displaying aschedule of classes (updated daily via Wi-Fi or 3G), list of student’s andteacher’s notes, homework and classwork, and a designated channel for instantcommunication with any teacher. Along with the most sophisticated andfunctional eBook Reader software, the jetBook Color featuresthe content of a 50-state reading list, teacher and school administratorresources, and a fully interactive SAT course that will train, test, and raisestudents’ SAT scores. A Speed Readingcourse that will teach students to read and comprehend text faster, TalkingOxford Dictionaries narrated by professional linguists, course of English andforeign language grammar, speech recognition and speech analysis LanguageTeacher ® and U-Learn™ courses that teach any of the 52 available languages andprovide great support to ESL students. Pictured dictionaries for 36 languages,cross translator for 180 languages, Vocabulary Builder, Linguistic Crosswords,reference materials in Math, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography and EarthScience, Interactive Periodic Table of Elements, graphing and scientificcalculators and more.

“This is the most advanced and user friendly device we’ve ever createdfor educational institutions” asserts David Lubinitsky, CEO of Ectaco Inc., “Ourdirect experience with so many schools gave us the edge to interact on apersonal basis with teachers to discuss what they want to see in a device likethis for the classroom. That was the birth of the jetBook Color.”

The jetBook Color will be presented in Las Vegas atthe 2012 CES Show (Booth #36180) with an award recognition presentation onJanuary 10^th at 12:15 p.m. in the Venetian Ballroom A-D. Ectacocurrently works with educational institutions worldwide and is looking forwardto the jetBook Color becoming a standard in schools across the globe.

For more information visit www.ectaco.com or contact Greg Stetson at 718 728 6110 ext.212 or greg@ectaco.com.

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2011-11-07T17:47:00.000-05:00

Ever felt your eyes getting tired when reading from a backlit screen?

Well, here's an ad we found that you might like :)

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Buchmesse 2011 in Germany - jetBook Color In Action

2011-10-25T16:57:00.000-04:00

Here is an interview with our very own Jerry Cimadomo about the jetBook Color at the Buchmesse 2011 show in Frankfurt, Germany:::::

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UPDATE to jetBook.net Site!

2011-10-22T23:35:00.000-04:00

Our sister site www.jetbook.net just received a tweaking!

Check out the new layout and a more user-friendly interface.

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jetBook Color is Voted Top Rated eBook Reader by Zoom Cnews

2011-10-19T11:51:00.000-04:00

We've all been patiently waiting for the jetBook Color's public release and it's well worth it. Out of all the new age eBook Readers, jetBook Color has received the highest ratings in all fields on Zoom Cnews in Russia. The link is below and a translation of the page even lower!

Official Site: http://zoom.cnews.ru/category/show_category_select/406/1341/1221

ECTACO To Show jetBook Color in Hong Kong and Frankfurt

2011-10-04T13:54:00.002-04:00

With the HKTDC coming up in Hong Kong and the Buchmesse in Frankfurt, Germany, Ectaco is geared up with the jetBook Color and is ready to show off some of its amazing features, make sure to stop by and get a sneak peak for the upcoming US and Worldwide release.

October 12-16, 2011
Frankfurt Book Show (Buchmesse)
Messegelande 8.0 L973
Hot Spot Mobile & Devices

October 13-16, 2011
HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair
Booth No 3B-E09

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FIRST LOOK: jetBook Color

2011-09-27T17:40:00.000-04:00

Sneak peak at the jetBook Color with Greg Stetson showing the difference in color eInk vs. black and white eInk.

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UNBOXING The jetBook Color

2011-09-22T10:51:00.000-04:00

Here is the first of many shots to come of the jetBook Color in it's new packaging!

jetBook Color packaging

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2011-09-15T15:01:00.000-04:00

ECTACO's YouTube channel has just uploaded a video from one of their New York stores with real user testimonials and reviews for their English <-> Spanish Language Learning and Translation model called the ES900. Devices like these aren't a luxury, they're a necessity, especially after hearing what these folks have to say. Check out www.ectaco.com for more info on this model and other language learning devices!

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Rumors Are True about the jetBook Color - eBookAnoid Article

2011-09-12T12:10:00.000-04:00

An AWESOME article from eBookAnoid about the jetBook Color and how it compares to rivals. Since it's ultra easy on the eyes and has a super long battery life, we're not surprised why people are so excited to see it in action!

Link to eBookAnoid article here

Finally we have an ereader that uses colour, but still has an e-Ink screen.

After several years of rumours, false starts and many frustrations, Ectaco have actually started to produce a real colour ereader that isn’t a back lit mini computer screen (such as the Nook, iPad and so on). So now we have all the advantages of e-Ink (easy on the eyes for long time reading, long battery life, high contrast and so on) at our disposal.

I have seen comments saying that the colour is washed out, looking like old fashioned hand coloured photographs, but as far as I can see, it isn’t actually all that bad. Obviously it doesn’t have the brilliance of a back lit LCD screen (nothing does), but compared to colour on paper, it isn’t bad at all.

I shall put the specifications that I have managed to find about this ereader at the bottom of this review, and they are actually very impressive, not only on the technical side, but on the side of the included functions that it is offering.

As I said at the head of this post, this ereader is aimed very much at schools, specifically American ones, so it includes no end of things to make this a truly functional text book, tool and other things for both teachers and students.

Here are some of these goodies:

It features the content of a 50-state reading list, teachers and school administrators resources, parents support and advices, and a fully interactive SAT course that will train, test, and raise students’ SAT scores. A Speed Reading course that will teach them to read and comprehend text faster, Talking Oxford Dictionaries narrated by professional linguists, course of English and foreign language grammar, speech recognition and speech analysis based phonetic Language Teacher ® and U-Learn? courses that teach any of the 52 available languages and provide great support to ESL students. Pictured dictionaries for 36 languages, cross translator for 180 languages, Vocabulary Builder, Linguistic Crosswords, reference materials in Math, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography and Earth Science, Interactive Periodic Table of Elements, graphing and scientific calculators, user location monitoring via GPS and more.

The list of supporting technologies include a multilingual speech recognition module, text-to-speech module for pronunciation of books, machine translation technology that is able to translate anything from one sentence to an entire book in a matter of seconds. Script character recognition in combination with an EMT panel allows students to write on the screen, convert their script into typed characters and helps teachers to check assignments (replacing paper for classwork and homework to reduce waste and save time). Multilingual optical character recognition technology built into a handheld scanner that connects to the device provides quick transfer of printed text into digital format with a plug-in GPS module that allows parents to locate their child or the unit itself with a few clicks.

Impressive isn’t it? Bet your iPad or Kindle can’t do any of those things……

On top of all of that we have here a large screened ereader (9.7”) with WiFi and 3G connectivity, a high resolution touch screen

Intended for school use:

This particular ereader is obviously intended for school use rather than as a simple dedicated ereader, and as such possibly only of real interest to educationalists. But for them I would say that this is something that any school should look at very seriously with a view to using it in their school.

When can we buy this device?

Apparently it will be released for sale in the USA in time for the school year 2012- 2013

Price?

They have said it will const about $500, but there are rumours that in fact it will go for $350. Not cheap, but you do get a hell of a lot for your money.

Specifications:

Display: High resolution (1600.1200) colour e-Ink Electromagnetic Resonance touch screen. 9.7”

Connectivity: WiFi and 3G

Audio out: Built in dynamic speaker system

CPU: Freescale i.MX508 800MHz with ARM Cortex A8

Battery: Rechargeable 2350mAh Lithium-Polymer battery

Battery endurance: 10 000 page turns

Internal memory: 32 GB

Ebook formats: Not known, but safe to assume it will be the standard set of ePub, PDF and so on.

Audio and image formats. The same, not announced yet, but will surely be the usual suspects (WAV, MP3, JPEG, GIF, BitMap)

Accessories included:

Handheld Ectaco/C-Pen scanner for scanning and loading printed materials into the device when needed

Leather pouch.

Link to their website for more info: http://www.jetbookk12.com/jetbookcolor/

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Marchmont Capital Innovation Meets Ectaco at the Moscow International Book Fair

2011-09-12T10:41:00.000-04:00

The Moscow International Book Fair ran from September 7-12 and Ectaco was a forefront there with the jetBook Color eTextbook Tablet. Here's some info from the innovation article.

Link to article: http://www.marchmontcapital.com/Technology-Innovation/North-West/17747-Ectaco-present-colored-electronic-text-book.html

Ectaco to present colored electronic text book

9 Sep '11

St. Petersburg firm Ectaco, producer of electronic translators, linguistic programs and electronic books, is to present the first in the world full-format electronic textbook for schools jetBook Color, based on the color electronic paper technology (Color E Ink),NanoNewsNet reports.

The presentations is reportedly to be held at the 24th Moscow International Book Fair to take place on September 7-12, 2011.

The device, weighing 554 grams, can replace all the traditional school text-books, record-books, dictionaries and many other school appliances. jetBook Color allows the students to communicate with teachers, look through schedule, homework, read electronic books and study languages. One of the main differences of the JetBook Color from its competitors is the colored 9.7-inch display, which is visually similar to a page of a standard school text-book.

The device contains: the Single State Examination preparation course; a set of text books for the 6th grade of the middle school; reference books on Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Geography; interactive course of the Russian History; interactive Mendeleyev Table of chemical elements; set of books for extracurricular reading; graphic and science calculators; Oxford dictionaries with pronunciation, recorded by professional native-speakers; fast reading course; linguistic crosswords and many others.

The jetBook Color electronic textbook features are: colored sensor display E-Ink with 9.68-inch diagonal; display resolution of 1,600 by 1,200 pixels; processor speed of 800 MHz; virtual keyboard; support of main graphic, text, audio and video formats; support of microSD memory cards with 32 Gb space; WiFi support; 3G model (optional); USB 2.0 port; plastic box with rubber section in the back; ability to identify location of a textbook with a GPS chip.

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2011-09-09T14:54:00.000-04:00

With the jetBook K-12 Color heating up and getting ready to be introduced to the US, we give kudos to Nathan from The eBook Reader for putting out some more info on it!

Link to original page here: http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2011/09/09/the-jetbook-color-etextbook-tablet-has-9-7-color-e-ink-screen/

The Ectaco JetBook Color is among the first devices on the planet to use a color E Ink display. These displays, called E Ink Triton, use the same exact type of technology devices like the Kindle and Nook use, but have a filter over the top that gives the screen the ability to display thousands of colors.
Like their monochrome brethren, color E Ink screens are very energy efficient because power isn’t needed to maintain the image on the screen, just when turning pages and refreshing the screen. Thus a battery charge can last up to 10,000 page turns.
The JetBook Color isn’t being aimed at the consumer ebook market. As the name “eTexbook Tablet” implies, the JetBook Color is designed to be an educational tool used in classrooms. It even comes with a number oflearning tools pre-installed, including SAT study courses, a speed reading course, talking dictionaries, text to speech, foreign language instructor program for 52 languages with speech recognition and analysis, translator for 180 languages, and a lot more.
From a classroom standpoint, teachers distribute lessons and tests directly to the students’ devices, and students submit all their homework through the unit. Here’s more from the description page:

The jetBook Color has 32GB of space designated for eTextbooks, interactive programs, homework, classwork, exams, notes, schedules, and more. Each student’s jetBook is individually connected to a teacher’s unit. A teacher can send notes, grades, exams, tests, assignments, parent’s notes to each student’s unit in the class using a secured communication technology. Students can pass their homework or written and verbal tests back to the teacher’s unit securely as well. The parents can view all students’ class and homework by using a WEB-based Parent Console.

What’s more, the JetBook Color can track every move that students make with its built-in GPS chip (sarcasm intended, but an interesting fact mentioned on the Russian specs page). Speaking of specs…

JetBook Color Specs

9.7″ Color E Ink touchscreen display
1600 x 1200 dpi, 800 x 600 ppi
Freescale i.MX508 800MHz ARM Cortex A8 CPU
Built-in WiFi, 3G optional
Supports microSD cards up to 32GB
2350mAh Lithium-Polymer battery
Battery life: 10,000 page turns
USB 2.0 Port
comes with leather pouch and handheld Ectaco/C-Pen scanner
Supported formats: Adobe DRM, PDF, EPUB, TXT, HTXT, HTML, DOC, XLS, JPG, TIF, BMP, PNG, GIF, WAV, WMA, MP3
Dimensions: 270 mm x 188 mm x 11.5 mm
Weight: 554 grams
Available in black or white

The JetBook Color is currently being sold in Russia for 15,000 rubles. That translates into about $500 USD. It isn’t available in the United States just yet, but is expected to arrive in US schools sometime in 2012. More information can be found on the JetBook Color description page on JetBook’s K-12 website.

Horsemanning at the office??

2011-09-01T11:26:00.000-04:00

Through the marbled echoing halls of the Ectaco corporate building rides a mysterious entity. Greg and Jerry were the first victims as seen in this crime scene photo:

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Great Article on Pros and Cons of Learning in the Digital Age From GCNews

2011-08-29T10:52:00.001-04:00

Distractions, distractions, they're always there and definitely more prevalent than 10 years ago. We knew going into the jetBook K-12 project that this was going to be the case so we didn't put WiFi on our devices, but instead we loaded it with all sorts of textbooks and interactive programs, but most importantly we left it open for teachers to load what they create with NO LIMITS. Lesson plans, notes, everything can be loaded to each student's device or onto an SD Card that they insert into the jetBook K-12.

But without further adieu, here is the article from GCNews:

The world has quickly become digital, and the younger generations are leading the pack with technology that just may make some other items obsolete. As pre-teens and teenagers routinely turn to digital devices for entertainment and schoolwork, the face of education may change as well.

In the past students toted notebooks (the paper kind), pencils, pens, and folders to school. Today, students carry digital devices like computer tablets, notebooks (the electronic kind), smart phones, and other digital devices to the classroom. Furthermore, texting and instant messaging have replaced traditional modes of casual conversation.

Another item that may go the way of the dinosaur is the printed book. Students can now carry an entire library worth of reading material on a slim ereader device or on the many other evolving tablet-type machines. There may be a day when one no longer browses the aisles of the school library for a book, but only downloads the text instantly when needed. Some textbooks are already offered in digital format, and some school systems and teachers may opt for the convenience of digital devices.

Little data exists as to just how many schools have policies allowing the use of cell phones and other digital devices in class. In the United States, a 2009 U.S. Department of Education survey indicates only 4 percent of public-school teachers say a handheld device is available in the classroom every day. But things can change in a short period of time.

Digital Advantages

There are many advantages to going digital. Typing tends to go faster for adept keyboard users, which many youngsters have become since they’ve essentially grown up with computers in the household. This makes note-taking easier. When notes and assignments are saved to a computer, there’s less likelihood of them getting lost, especially if important files are routinely backed up. Data saved on a computer can easily be manipulated into a number of different formats, potentially making it easier to study. Bodies of text can be transformed into charts or pie graphs with many word processing programs. Students can cut and paste important quotes or examples into essays and the like, saving time on homework.

In terms of streamlining backpacks, digital readers and other devices eliminate heavy books and notebooks. This can be seen as a big plus to students who have grown accustomed to carrying around 20+ pounds on their backs from a very young age.

As many teachers turn to online resources, such as emailing and posting assignments on a personal Web site, students almost have to keep up with the times with some sort of tool that has Internet access.

Digital Disadvantages

On the other side of the equation, going digital does have some disadvantages. The decline of penmanship is one of them. In a digital era, people are less likely to write letters by hand or keep up with penmanship in other ways. Some children don’t know what cursive handwriting is and may never learn how to sign their names in “script,” which was a common lesson for other generations.

While digital communication does promote social interactions on some levels, there are some who argue that spending too much time staring at a screen and keyboard compromises the social aspect of going to school and learning in a classroom. Today’s youth are less likely to “talk,” choosing to “LOL”and “TTYL” through texting.

Having a wealth of information available on the Internet opens up students to many disreputable sources of content. Some common online encyclopedias are written and edited by regular people who may not have the accurate details of events. Also, having content that is easily cut and pasted opens up the temptation for plagiarism and blurs the lines of how to attribute information to a source correctly.

Digital devices may be great learning tools, but they also offer a number of distractions to students. When a student is supposed to be taking notes on a laptop in the classroom, he or she might be downloading music, updating social networking sites, streaming video, or checking celebrity gossip.

Classrooms are evolving and so are students. Learning is very different from the way older generations may have learned. Whether the presence of digitial technology helps or hinders remains open for debate.

Link to article: http://www.gcnews.com/news/2011-08-26/School/Pros_and_cons_to_learning_in_a_digital_age.html

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ECTACO jetBook Color First Look

2011-08-17T14:17:00.001-04:00

The boys at Ectaco have updated the www.jetbookk12.com website and gave an awesome page dedicated to a first look of the jetBook Color with pics and all.

Speech recognition, color eink screen, fluent TTS, interactive courses, eTextbooks and tons more - now that sounds like something every student would want instead of 30 lb backpacks. Kudos Ectaco!

Check it out here: http://www.jetbookk12.com/jetbookcolor/

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NEW 39 Language Cross Dictionary Out Now on All Android Device - Get It While It's Hot for Only $0.99!!!

2011-08-16T15:13:00.001-04:00

Ectaco has been amazing with creating tons of Android applications and now they've added a 39 language cross dictionary! This means users can translate between 39 languages with NO internet connection required!

It's available for the first 10 days for $0.99 so jump on this deal before the price comes back up!

Here's the link to the app with some photos of the app below:

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.ectaco.pictdict&feature=search_result

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The FIRST jetBook K-12 Video Up and Ready

2011-08-13T10:13:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we put the finishing touches on the new jetBook K-12 video, eloquently presented by our good friend Jerry!

There are TONS more features than the ones shown that can be read about on www.jetbookK12.com

Jerry also mentions the ability to have this unit added to any school's classroom for FREE, and it's true, we have a guide for the process on www.jetbookK12.com (that Jerry wrote up too lol)

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Interview With Ectaco CEO On Education Market and the jetBook

2011-08-09T13:03:00.002-04:00

Awesome interview by W.J O'Reilly with Ectaco CEO David Lubinitsky.

It truly shows how the jetBook has grown and expanded into the education market to aid students and make the life of any teacher easier.

I seriously wish i had one of these when i was a student, legit would've made my life TONS lighter (weight wise with backpacks and generally lol)!

Check out the video here: http://egarage.tv/videos/view/ereaders-will-replace-books-in-k-12-schools

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MONDAY THROWBACK VIDEO: Loading Books to Your jetBook

2011-08-08T17:59:00.001-04:00

So, people still ask us how to load books to the jetBook.

It's so easy Jerry can do it...literally. And he shows you in this video.

*REMEMBER* The jetBook is open source so you can virtually download ANY format book to it and read!!! Legit so cool.

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We're Re-Doing The Blog!!

2011-08-05T20:30:00.002-04:00

You need to see Ectaco in action - in real time! So much goes on and we want to share it with you. We're going to post more often with all our world trips, shows, parties and everything in between. So subscribe and follow us!

BTW, Greg (curlz) and Jerry (the tall Italian) will now be running this blog as of meow! Pic of us below (from a Korean newspaper cuz we're so awesome)

eReaders in Schools: Not 'If' but 'When'

2011-07-18T04:15:00.000-04:00

Video Blog of Bill O'Reilly
Featuring jetBook K-12

I just came across this device by Ectaco called the JetBook k-12 that has ELA reading list books for 50 states along with scientific and graphic calculators, foreign language programs, speed reading and an interactive SAT course.

We are at the threshold of an electronic revolution in schools. The ereader will replace the paper book--it's not a question of if, it's a question of when--and if America has any chance of digging itself out of the academic hole many say it's dug itself into, ereader technology may well be an answer--no, not THE answer--but one very important piece of the puzzle.

Get involved in learning about this new technology and advocate for its rapid implementation in schools across the United States. Once again, it's not a question of "if", it's a question of "when."

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Do kids like the jetBook Mini; why don’t you ask them?

2011-07-18T02:46:00.000-04:00

By Jerry Cimadomo

I saw something quite amazing at the ITSE conference just recently and I wanted to share my experience. At this conference in Philadelphia, PA tons of companies came to show off their technology for use in schools and other educational settings. There were lots of exhibitors with loads of software and hardware solutions to “help” students learn. I couldn’t help but notice the majority of the exhibitors were offering boring solutions which seemed to be geared towards teachers and not the students.

In the middle of my second day I noticed a crowd of students walking down our istle, without thought they ignored the $3,000 interactive projectors, organizational software and even colorful interactive computer games. When they arrived at our booth they came to a screeching halt, I had to make sure we didn’t leave candy on the table! Each one of them grabbed for and started scrutinizing the vibrant jetBook Mini; intrigued they started asking questions about eReaders, how it worked and even where to get one. I quickly grabbed my camera to capture the moment. After a few minutes their chaperone was hurrying them along so they wouldn’t miss anything.

I feel like there is, and always has been, a big disconnect between students and teachers. The best teacher is one who can see through a student’s eyes and understands what’s interesting to them. Quite frankly, a task like reading is found to be boring my many younger students, and with high-tech items like 3D TV’s, video games and movies we can’t blame the students for being uninterested. The stimulation level is a mis-match, it’s like asking a person who just sky dived from several thousand feet to play a game of chess. Certainly they won’t find it as exhilarating.

Pairing cool technology like the jetBook to such a low-stimulus task like reading is the perfect way to elicit interest and learning. This acquisition of knowledge through reading is one of the building blocks to a better education and a successful life. As Harry Truman put it “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”

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All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Confessions of an Overworked Mom: Ectaco jetBook mini portable eBook reader

2011-06-23T02:08:00.000-04:00

"Summer in my home is the time for spring cleaning and decluttering. We go through the house from top to bottom and get rid of things that we don't need or things that create too much clutter. With two teenagers, I'm sure you can understand how clutter accumulates faster than I can deal with it. Living in a small house, one of my largest issues is having enough storage space. The kid's rooms tend to be fairly small because the house was built in 1865 and they just didn't need the room we do today. Once you add in a bed, bureau, desk and bookcase, you're done. You're lucky you can turn around." - read the entire review

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

PocketBook vs JetBook mini

2011-06-07T02:41:00.000-04:00

Probably, not the most professional review, but a really good attempt.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Introducing Android compatible Software

2011-05-02T07:37:00.000-04:00

We are glad to introduce the latest ECTACO development in the sphere of translation software. An immense variety of software products has been recently released and is now available for download for just USD 7.95 each.

To choose the dictionary you need, just go to the Android market page with ECTACO products and browse through over a hundred of useful, effective and user friendly linguistic apps. Rest assured that you will find just the right app, be it Spanish<->Korean, French<->Arabic, Russian<->Finnish, German<->Spanish, English<->Lithuanian or some other pair of languages you are looking for.

Stay tuned to our updates. More Android software from ECTACO is already on its way.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

You spoke, we listened

2011-04-25T07:32:00.000-04:00

The jetBook mini has received another update.
We've listened to what you've said, and did our best to improve the product.
The newest update provides you with the following features:

Picture view is now available directly from the Book Browser;
Folder sorting fixed;
Default transparency color for images fixed;
"Please wait" message made less disruptive;
Manuals updated;
Other minor bugs fixed;

Click here to find the detailed instructions on how to update your jetBook!

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

jetBook® mini version 0.3.8

2011-02-17T07:51:00.000-05:00

The jetBook® mini has received yet another update. Having upgraded to version 0.3.8, we now have:

Increased overall performance by more than 20%;
Increased supported subfolder depth from 3 to 5;
Unicode font ranges;
Unicode paths in Filesystem;
User's disk size changed;
Bold/italic fonts in all sizes;
Improved FB2 performance:
- proper support for some tags;
- text bold/italic styling;
- headers' centering.
Automatic book reformatting when necessary;
Temporary files marked as hidden;
Restoring user settings after reset or power loss;
More usability within "Jump to" mode;
Special icon for previously opened books;
On/Off button hold time before initializing;
Ability to delete temporary files;
Other minor bug fixed.

Click here to find the detailed instructions on how to update your jetBook!

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Jetbook Mini vs the Jetbook Lite

2011-02-14T07:58:00.000-05:00

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Ectaco Bluetooth CPen with the Samsung Galaxy

2010-12-14T05:18:00.001-05:00

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Another update of jetBook® Mini firmware

2010-11-25T08:11:00.000-05:00

We are happy to share the good news with everyone. The latest update for the jetBook® Mini has been released and can now be downloaded online at www.jetbookmini.com!

What's new in the update (v.0.3.1):
- LCD Driver update
- USB Driver update
- Device turns on through USB connection
- For FB2 format: Added "Book Info"
- System messages updated
- Other small bug fixes

Click here to find the detailed instructions on how to update your jetBook!

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

New great iPhone/iPhone Apps from ECTACO

2010-11-25T08:03:00.001-05:00

Dear All,

As you may already know, we have been releasing our Language Teacher and Linguistic Crosswords applications for the iPhone and iPod.

They are usually released every week and are free for only 7 days!

If you do have an iPod or iPhone please make sure to download and rate it, if you don’t, forward it to your friends as a Thanksgiving gift as these programs are truly amazing and helpful for all.

Language Teacher

English -> French: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id394390226?mt=8

English -> German: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id394391248?mt=8

English -> Spanish: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id395662178?mt=8

English -> Farsi: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id394386985?mt=8

English -> Greek: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id394391620?mt=8

Linguisitic Crosswords:

English/Japanese: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/english-japanese-linguistic/id394110323?mt=8

English/German: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/english-german-linguistic/id394076445?mt=8

English/Greek: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/english-greek-linguistic-crossword/id394079394?mt=8

You can also find other language programs in the App Store like this:

If you’re looking for Thai language teacher just type: Ectaco Thai Language Teacher

If you’re looking for Spanish Linguisitc Crosswords just type: Ectaco Spanish Linguistic Crosswords

If you’re looking for Russian Ulearn just type: Ectaco Russian Ulearn

If you’re looking for English Audio Keyboard just type: Ectaco English Audio Keyboard

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Ectaco Releases First Language Learning Apps for the iPhone, iPod and iPad

2010-11-09T10:23:00.000-05:00

Nov 9, 2010

"NEW YORK, Nov. 3, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Ectaco, Inc., the world's leader in portable language learning and translation technology, today introduced the first tier of a fun and easy-to-use Ectaco experience for those with Apple iPhones, iPods and iPads. The new applications are the latest release to Ectaco's slate of unique dictionaries and phrasebooks already available in the iTunes App Store, and will be the first and only to provide an interactive language learning experience for its users.

The new Lingvosoft apps (software line from Ectaco) are also the first of their kind to incorporate the Language Teacher, U-Learn, Linguistic Crosswords and Audio Keyboard, leveraging the strength of the company's portable learning brand across its entire language offering. The first release will provide users with the ability to learn any of the 39 languages, including English, on-the-go and hassle free.

"We wanted to extend our product line over to iPhone, iPod, and iPad users and make our high end learning programs even more portable than before," mentions David Lubinitsky, CEO of Ectaco Inc., "The success of our hardware allowed us to split programs individually so users all over the world can take advantage of our one of a kind portable language learning software." The Lingvosoft storefront will now boast over 600 different language apps in 56 different language combinations.

Four apps will be released, each with their own individual learning curve. Each is fully interactive and all done in a real human voice and based on Ectaco's Speech Recognition technology. The Language Teacher will focus around 4 features including alphabets, words, phrases and dialogues, with full picture to word and voice recognition. The U-Learn is specifically designed for on-the-go users and will have 7 levels of endless communication between the user and human-like interactive tutor who will aid in everything from pronunciation correction to verbal exams. The Linguistic Crosswords will put language learning into crossword puzzles for users to solve. The words are all clearly pronounced and users must solve a puzzle via hints and translations. The Audio Keyboard will be able to pronounce any letter typed in one of the 39 available languages fluently for users to blind type and hear pronunciations.

All apps will be available for a FREE download the first 10 days of release starting November 3, 2010.

For more information visit www.ectaco.com or contact Greg Stetson at 718 728 6110 ext. 212 or greg@ectaco.com.
SOURCE Ectaco, Inc."
For the original go here.

Ectaco Inc. Introduces the First Official $99 jetBook? mini, Giving Book Lovers Greater Choice and New Authors a Chance of a Lifetime

2010-10-21T02:26:00.001-04:00

New York, 20, October 2010

Ectaco Inc., the world's leader in portable language learning and translation technology, is giving book lovers more choice and greater value in dedicated eBook Reading devices with the addition of the jetBook-mini for just $99. The new jetBook mini, recently revealed at the Frankfurt Book Fair and Consumer Electronics Show in Hong Kong, offers the great features of the jetBook family - ultra crisp 5" reflective TFT screen technology with instant page turns, multiple language support and portability, plus a new look and 90 hours of continuous reading time on a single set of 4AAA Enegizer batteries.

The jetBook mini brings a new feel with a stylish design, pocketable size, variety of colors and light weight (just 5.7 ounces), making it the lightest eReader in the world and easy to carry in your pocket. A new all-way reading angle now allows users to read in 4 different directions with notable features that include an option for Line Spacing, Line Breaking, 6 Different Font Sizes and language support.

"With all our jetBook fans' advice, we decided to create the lightest, most versatile, fully functioning eBook Reader to date, while offering the lowest possible price" said David Lubinitsky, CEO, Ectaco Inc. "The new design makes the jetBook mini weigh only 5.7 oz., less than any other eReader while maintaining its high speed and even greater choice in content. There is no limit to how users can customize their jetBook mini through languages, folders, books and a new line of colors."

With up and coming authors in mind, Ectaco invites writers to send in their own written material for a chance to have the writings loaded to every jetBook sold. Famous science fiction writer Robert Sawyer has graciously added his short stories to the mix which will now be available for all jetBook users to read and enjoy at no cost. All writers can contact greg@ectaco.com for more information on how to get their book on to the jetBook.

For more information visit www.jetbookmini.com or contact Greg Stetson at 718 728 6110 ext. 212 orgreg@ectaco.com.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Ectaco Inc. equips entire schools in Ukraine with the jetBook eReader - replacing old and heavy textbooks

2010-10-15T02:24:00.000-04:00

New York, October 13, 2010

Ectaco Inc., the world's leader in portable language learning and the manufacturer of the jetBook eReader announced today that it's participating in a technological breakthrough in Ukraine by replacing old textbooks in city schools with the jetBook.

Starting in Kharkov and organized by the Kharkov municipality with the Ministry of Education in Ukraine, the shift from print books to an all electronic book format will take the schools into the future of reading and studying. Students will no longer experience trouble with heavy backpacks or lose their place while reading again. The jetBook eReader weighs only 5.8 ounces, can store thousands of textbooks, and has superior functions that help students find texts, words, and jump to pages instantly.

"The Ministry of Education in Ukraine has a great potential to advance the learning ethics of students" says Alex Rabinovich, jetBook Marketing Manager for Ectaco Europe, "Therefore, we?re highly pleased that Ukraine has become one of the first countries in the world to launch such a project. We are excited to participate in this initiative with the Kharkov municipality, as the innovation policy in education will aid both students and teachers."

Ectaco Inc. has over 20 years of experience in developing electronic dictionaries, speech to speech translators, and language learning devices for the consumer market as well as the Army and other government agencies in the United States. As of 2006, the company expanded and began developing eReaders. They successfully launched 3 generations including the jetBook, jetBook LITE, and jetBook mini that are being used in schools all around the US.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

ECTACO jetBook mini is finally out!

2010-10-13T02:24:00.000-04:00

We are very glad to share the good news with everybody! Our jetBook mini, the project we have been working on so diligently all these months is being finally available for sale. We are launching a world-wide release today!

jetBook mini is already available in our global web-store www.ectaco.com. By the end of the year it should be available in our stores around Europe.

jetBook mini continues on the success of our previous jetBooks, and is now even more portable, ultra-lightweight, provides 90 hours of continuous reading, and 8 different color combinations. Of course, jetBook mini has the best 5" TFT display since we believe a good read should not be interrupted by flickering or sore eyes. jetBook mini is the first and only eReader in the world to use 4 AAA batteries as the power supply. And it's just $99.95, a price you can't beat! Visit www.jetbookmini.com for more information and technical specs.

jetBook mini is the best gift for everyone! Get yours today!

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

jetBook MINI at the Moscow Book Fair

2010-09-04T09:07:00.000-04:00

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

FIRST LOOK: Sony PRS 350 and jetBook MINI

2010-09-03T09:07:00.000-04:00

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Upcoming events with ECTACO

2010-09-01T09:10:00.000-04:00

XXIII Moscow International Book Fair 2010
1-6 September 2010
Russia, Moscow, All-Russian Exhibition Center, Exhibition hall #75, Stand C-44

Frankfurt Book Fair 2010
6-10 October 2010
Germany, Frankfurt; Halle 8

Hong Kong Electronics Fair
13-16 October 2010
HK Convention and Exhibition Centre, Booth #3BE09

ACTFL 2010
Annual Convention&World Languages EXPO
19-21 November, 2010
Boston, MA

International CES 2011
6-9 January 2011
Las Vegas, Digital/eBook TechZone Booth #36166

Check out the brand new 126 language XM500 electronic dictionary by ECTACO!

2010-08-25T09:15:00.000-04:00

Meet our brand new multilingual talking dictionary: the ECTACO Partner XM500. It represents the latest generation of the ECTACO 500 series and includes the most recent innovations!

This unique device comes pre-loaded with 126 languages and, more importantly, provides fast and accurate translation between any of these languages. All you need is to pick the language pair and start typing. The word you type in will be found and translated to the language you choose.

The XM500 features the most sophisticated TTS (Text-To-Speech) voice synthesis and lets you hear the words spoken out loud in the most popular languages. The Partner XM500 has an English interface which is very user-friendly and allows navigating through the menu effortlessly. Featuring an advanced Look-Up function and a Word Recognition utility, the device helps you find any word in its massive database instantly. Several exciting linguistic games have also been included to help you memorize new words as you play.

Other great features include the World Time utility, built-in calculator, as well as currency and metric converters to be truly useful travel partners.

Click here to get more information on the new Partner XM500.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

ECTACO "Language Learning" Montage

2010-08-12T08:14:00.001-04:00

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

ECTACO EGm900 for German

2010-07-21T05:11:00.001-04:00

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

It happened: Adobe DRM support for ECTACO JetBook and jetBook LITE is now out! Advanced apps and add-ons included.

2010-07-16T04:31:00.000-04:00

"Ectaco Inc. has now added Adobe DRM to all jetBooks and jetBook LITES to provide users with virtually unlimited download capacity from the most popular eBookstores and even local public libraries.

Long Island City, NY, July 13, 2010

ECTACO Inc., a New York based company best known for their jetBook budget eBook readers, hand-held electronic translators, and translating software has announced that the jetBook and jetBook LITE will now support Adobe DRM protected formats and 4 new languages. The jetBook is most known for being the strongest price competitor to the Kindle and Nook and stays steady as the leader in entry level eReaders.

David Lubinitsky, ECTACO’s CEO explains, "We decided to give the jetBook a little upgrade via feedback we received from our dedicated customers saying that although they really liked our product, especially because of its technical features and flexible pricing policy, Adobe DRM support would be a great addition. We hope that now our customers will find getting eBooks on the jetBook to be much easier and the reading itself even more comfortable than before."

The new features will drastically enhance ECTACO's performance in the market. Since the majority of online stores sell Adobe DRM protected eBooks, the company is now likely to embrace a new spectrum of consumers who utilize these venues to purchase their virtual novel collections. The new language additions allow an even greater variety of users to read books in their native languages including Arabic, Farsi, Vietnamese and Hebrew.

Support for DRM encoded ePub files allow for the purchase of bestseller eBooks from popular online retailers including Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Borders, ebooks.com and many others. Additionally, downloading eBooks from local libraries will now be accessible as a result of the Adobe DRM.

The update will be available via free download for owners of the ECTACO jetBook and jetBook LITE onwww.jetbook.net. All jetBooks sold after July 22nd will come with the Adobe DRM support integrated.

To find out more about ECTACO jetBook and the latest innovations in the modern library of the 21st century visit www.jetbook.net or contact Greg Stetson at 718 728 6110 Ext. 212"

For the original go here.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

ECTACO unveils the newest wireless C-Pen 3.5 scanning pen!

2010-07-16T04:30:00.000-04:00

Jul 16, 2010

ECTACO is happy to present a long-awaited Bluetooth C-Pen 3.5 handheld scanner which allows accurate scanning up to 30 feet from your computer or mobile device.

The new device features OCR with support for Latin, Greek and Cyrillic character sets (180+ languages) and has an increased scanning speed providing instantaneous recognition of any printed text.

The C-Pen 3.5 has a built-in Lithium-Ion Polymer rechargeable battery and comes with the Bluetooth transceiver, cradle and USB cable included in the standard package.

The following Windows OS versions are supported: Windows XP/SP2, Vista 32/64 bit, Windows 7 32/64 bit.

Click here to get more information on the new Bluetooth C-Pen 3.5.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

J&R: Ectaco jetBOOK LITE e-Book Reader Review

2010-06-29T03:08:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the nice people at J&R for the nice review!

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

ECTACO jetBook Kourtney

2010-06-08T06:47:00.000-04:00

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How to get any Font of any Size onto an Ectaco jetBook Lite HD

2010-06-08T06:46:00.000-04:00

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And yet some more amazing videos from our customers

2010-05-31T03:03:00.000-04:00

Our giveaway campaign goes on and our customers keep sending us the video reviews. They will be granted with prizes, of course. Enjoy and stay tuned.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

ECTACO Partner 500 Series Language Translator Demo

2010-05-24T02:28:00.001-04:00

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Learn To Pronounce Alphabets with ECTACO

2010-05-24T02:20:00.000-04:00

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How to make an ebook reader stand

2010-05-17T04:05:00.000-04:00

And yet another tip from the crafty livingenzyme

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More nice things from livingenzyme

2010-05-14T08:32:00.000-04:00

Our super active and crafty customer known as livingenzyme keeps surprising the jetBook community with nice presents.

Just check the compilation made for Vietnamese books here.

Thank you, livingenzyme!

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A tip from a crafty customer

2010-05-13T02:51:00.000-04:00

How to modify jetBook Lite case by livingenzyme

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

A video for our prospective Spanish speaking customers in Europe

2010-05-13T02:45:00.000-04:00

Y aquí está, sea testigo de algo tan revolucionario, que transforma la manera en la que nos comunicamos. Este video describe los beneficios que el Partner ES900 le ofrece a usted para cualquier tipo de necesidad que tenga al momento de comunicarse en inglés. Vea como el Partner ES900 es un gran Compañero, un Intérprete, un Profesor de Lenguaje y un Traductor de texto.

Para más información visite: www.ectaco.com.es

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Some more amazing 15 sec. video reviews!

2010-05-11T08:21:00.000-04:00

Our giveaway campaign goes on and our customers keep sending us the video reviews. Some of them are just adorable.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Giveaway Campaign: "15 Seconds on ECTACO's Jetbook"

2010-05-07T02:23:00.000-04:00

Recently we have launched a giveaway campaign. Basically, all you would have to do is make a 15 seconds long video on your jetBook to get some neat accessories for it free of charge (including chipping). Without further ado, we are happy to present you the first video made by user zhangryph:

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ECTACO jetBook and jetBook LITE Video Giveaway!

2010-05-05T07:46:00.001-04:00

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New Spanish commercial

2010-05-05T07:45:00.000-04:00

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Asian languages support for jetBook

2010-05-05T07:36:00.001-04:00

We are glad to inform all those who are interested in our technical endeavors that from now on our jetBook eBook Reader also supports 4 Asian languages - Arabic, Farsi, Vietnamese and Hebrew - in addition to the vast collection of European languages it has been supporting.

We are trying to do our absolute best at providing the most comfortable reading experience to our customers from different regions and of different cultures as well as to any language enthusiast. The diligent work of our research and development center has made it possible to add these wonderful features, which, to our knowledge, are not yet available on other readers of the markets.

We would like to pay tribute to the blogger livingenzyme, one of our customers, who was the first one to describe this new feature in his blog even before the official press-release. This is what there is to say about the update:

“I have been doing some investigation and talking to some people. It seems that right now the ectaco jetbook lite is the only unit on the market that displays the Vietnamese characters 100% correctly. People who have … other ebook readers have reported not being able to get their devices to show unicode characters correctly… I'm glad they are planning/willing to extend their promotion of the product to other communities. Up till now, ebook readers out there … have been limited to latin based characters. Now that we know the jetbook lite could also show accurately unicode characters, which include East Asian languages as well as Arabic, their potential market has just increased vastly in size. This is a good thing. Anything to get people to read!”

Here is a picture showing a text in Vietnamese on a jetBook Lite

You can find this picture as well as some other and the complete post on the subject here. Also, we encourage you to follow jetBook related discussions on Mobileread.

P.S. The author of the good news will receive a brand new leather wallet and earlight for the jetBook LITE :).

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

ECTACO, Inc. Announces a New Era in Handheld Communication

2010-04-27T04:45:00.001-04:00

Ectaco Inc. (www.ectaco.com) has just unveiled the newest and most prestigious electronic dictionary known to date right in time for the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show. Freely translating through any languages, downloading books and photo albums, learning, studying, and hearing fluent pronunciations of every word or phrase are now available in the palm of your hand.

Here is the ECTACO Partner P900 Talking Electronic Dictionary and Audio PhraseBook. Unlike anything in the past and with absolutely no competitors in it's class, the Partner P900 can be marked as the Mercedes-Benz of the translating world. While typing it pronounces the letters for you in any language. While in the dictionary or picture dictionary, you have access to hundreds of thousands of words fluently spoken aloud, and now you can even download full e-books with pictures and all to read anywhere and anytime. Even the built-in FM Radio will get a signal while you're on the go. With Ectaco's award-winning Language Teacher now upgraded, it will teach you step by step English or any foreign language like a personal tutor while charting progress to see how well you do. If learning by day isn't enough, the brand new U-Learn course now teaches you while you sleep. Pre-set programs will automatically do all the work for you so in the morning you wake up feeling refreshed and multilingual.

ECTACO Inc. President and CEO David Lubinitsky asserted, "We decided to go all out on this project. From the sleek metallic frame, to the most user-friendly interface we've ever invented, this is definitely the next generation in language learning and studies. Through the raving success of our Language Teacher program which coaches the learning of any language, we decided to add the U-Learn where now you can learn in your sleep. The interactive program does everything for you while you close your eyes so learning can occur anywhere and anytime. We even included the jetBook Reader into it as well. Upload any e-book into the device and read on for as long as you wish. It's possible to even make photo albums by copying them from your computer to the Partner P900 and carry them along wherever you go."

In addition to everything the P900 has to offer, a responsive Audio Phrasebook delivers the power of instant communication with 14,000 of the most necessary phrases for everyday communication that are be spoken aloud in crystal-clear digital recordings. It even includes the most complete dictionary, Full Text Translation module with optional connection to Ectaco/C-Pen scanner, crosswords, learning games, an MP3 player, FM Radio, and a voice recorder. These features make the Partner P900 a truly universal handheld that lets anyone succeed in language learning and communication.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

New Looks of the ECTACO webpage

2010-04-15T04:46:00.000-04:00

We have redesigned our website. Now it looks more up to date :) Have a look and tell us what you think.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

A little promotion from National Geographic

2010-04-15T04:37:00.000-04:00

ECTACO Partner DR900 featured recently on National Georpahic

All described ECTACO products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Thoughts on eBook Reading

2010-04-08T08:57:00.000-04:00

We continue surfing the Web for interesting posts that mention jetBook. Below you can find another one from ElectronicBookReviews

"I think we need to take a step back and imagine what it means that such a thing as an e-book reader even exists. Samuel Johnson exalted in his hosts' private book collections, however little; to him they were a man's greatest possessions. What we're talking about here is a small miracle. If you're like me and you relish Gutenberg and hoarding all the Chesterton, Johnson, Shaw, Shakespeare, et al this thing is perfect and the price tag is nothing compared with what educated men for most of recorded history would have done to get their hands on one. I still like having my books, of course--these things do take some of the poetry out of reading poetry. But it's great and we should all be thankful, especially now that it's available in places for 149.99.

Again, think of the fortune this would have been worth (considered only in terms of its function) for almost 100% of human history, sans our little self-conscious "partition". Unfortunately the technology that brings us the miracle is also the instrument of the propaganda that deadens us to it."

Source

All described ECTACO products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Using The Apple iPad As An eReader vs. jetBook

2010-04-07T04:00:00.000-04:00

All described ECTACO products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Brand-new German <-> French talking dictionary of our budget series!

2010-04-01T07:55:00.000-04:00

ECTACO unravels another of its budget series talking electronic dictionaries – the German <-> French ECTACO Partner DF500 which is completely bidirectional and would be the best choice for those who need a reasonably priced translation device.

The new model has an extensive vocabulary of over 120,000 words which covers several professional subject dictionaries and provides synthesized voice output for any word in both languages. The device features advanced word recognition and look-up utilities along with the Vector Ultima™ spell-checker to ensure accuracy. The unique Slang Lock feature lets you exclude slang from translations if needed. Also included are several linguistic games and the 14,000 entry Audio PhraseBook enabled with German and French speech synthesis.

The Partner DF500 also supports adding other languages on SD cards which makes it a unique tool for language learners.

Click here to get more information on the new Partner DF500.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

jetBook Lite Update

2010-04-01T07:52:00.000-04:00

The newest jetBok Lite update is out and downloadable here: http://www.jetbook.net/upgrade.php

Outline: search and dictionary lookup now in .pdb formatted books.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

jetBook via the Geek Realm

2010-04-01T07:46:00.000-04:00

Roberto Sedycias wrote an article on 4 ebook readers of his choise. JetBook was one of them.

"The JetBook reader is a popular mobile library for compelling reasons such as multilanguage ebook support, translating feature, easy navigation, auto page turning, MP3 music and unlimited e-library. It has the feature of storing a mammoth collection of books and is expandable through memory cards. This is a portable gadget in a palm fitting size, weighing only 7,5 ounces, and the VGA screen allows reading easily even in low lit areas. Being a mobile library, the translating dictionaries makes uninterrupted reading easy, besides the JetBook reader comes with a free pre-installed ebooks collection.

The SD card slot facilitates expanding storage up to 2 GB, thereby making the JetBook a significant resource library. The in-built search engine facilitates searching the entire e-library and bookmarking, besides auto page turning. The rechargeable battery offers active use for 20 hours and can be conveniently charged in 4 to 5 hours using AC/DC power or USB. It is priced at U$ 200."

Source

We would like to add that jetBook works with 16GB SD cards now.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

JetBook Red Widget {WordPress plugin}

2010-04-01T07:37:00.000-04:00

The "JetBook Red Widget is a great and easy way to let your peeps know what you’re reading on your JetBook Red or e-reader. This WordPress plugin displays a JetBook Red in your sidebar with the cover of the book you are reading in the JetBook Red. An easy user interface in your widgets area on your WordPress dashboard allows you to simply enter the URL or path of where the image is and resizes it to fit in the JetBook Red. Simply use the WordPress Media tab to upload your book cover image and then copy and paste the URL into the JetBook Red Widget. Or, get the image URL from a google image search and put it in. There’s even an option to make your book cover link to another page or site when clicked on! You can click on the screenshots to the left to see them up close. If you want the JetBook Red Widget on your WordPress site, you can download the JetBook Red Widget below, OR you can get it at WordPress, OR you can simply add it while in the dashboard of your WordPress site by simply going to the plugins tab and clicking on “add new”. type in “JetBook Red” in the search box and hit search. Find the JetBook Red Widget in the list and download and install it. What’s on your JetBook Red?"

Source of the text and images*

DOWNLOAD WIDGET

*ECTACO is not responsible for the functionality of the widget or affiliated with the project.

All described ECTACO products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Looking for Russian <-> Hebrew translation? Gear up with the new ECTACO Partner RH900!

2010-03-30T09:20:00.001-04:00

The newest ECTACO Partner RH900 gives you a unique opportunity to get an instant translation between Russian and Hebrew. This palm-size electronic translator combines the capabilities of an interactive language learning course and the most extensive dictionary. Moreover, the new device features True Voice human pronunciation of Russian and Hebrew words and phrases so you can actually hear how to pronounce them correctly. The new model has a hi-res color display and a user friendly interface which makes it very easy to operate. Using the most advanced Speech Recognition utility you can speak any phrase from the phrasebook in Russian to have it translated and spoken out loud in Hebrew and vice versa.

The new Partner RH900 also includes a WordNet Princeton Russian explanatory dictionary containing more than 70,000 head words with complete definitions. Another advantage of the RH900 model is that it allows adding new words creating your own personalized word lists. Also included is our customizable translating jetBook eBook reader and a video player with multiple file support.

Click here to get more information on the new Partner RH900.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

The most affordable German <-> Italian talking dictionary has been released!

2010-03-30T09:19:00.000-04:00

ECTACO is proud to present the first ever German <-> Italian electronic translator to include specialized dictionaries - our newest ECTACO Partner DI500 which is not only the most affordable electronic dictionary of the kind, but also has several unique features that are not included in our more expensive models.

The new handy device has an easy to read LCD screen and a bilingual interface in both German and Italian. The DI500 model includes a unique vocabulary base which contains the following professional subject dictionaries: Business, Law, Medical and Computers. The device features advanced German and Italian voice synthesis for any word in the dictionary. Also included is a 14,000 Audio PhraseBook enabled with German and Italian TTS pronunciation. Another unique feature of the new model is that it includes the electronic German grammar book which is sure to become a great learning tool for Italian speakers learning German.

Another useful features include SD card support , bilingual World Time clock utility, currency and metric converters, etc.

Click here to get more information on the new Partner DI500.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

New reviews for the jetBook

2010-03-30T09:07:00.000-04:00

Two new good reviews were fetched out from the internet by our team of web-browsers: a classical 'the good, the bad and ugly' one from The Straits Times Digital Life and a true story of a new owner from a personal blog. Here are some bits. You are welcome to follow te stories back to the original sites. Enjoy!

It is easy to pick up the jetBook with just two fingers - it is as thin as a paperback novel.

A handy button lets you flip its 5-inch greyscale display from landscape to portrait mode, which works for photo viewing too.

The made-in-China gizmo's acumen lets the display successfully mimic the look of a printed page along with crisp and clear text. It makes for comfortable reading for hours on end in a room with decent lighting. But a dim room will leave you scrambling for a lamp as the screen lacks a powerful backlight.

The jetBook comes preloaded with dozens of free e-books such as Sherlock Holmes novels, which saves you the trouble of downloading these classic titles from Project Gutenberg (www.gutenberg.org), for instance.

As a bonus, you also get the CIA World Factbook which lists tons of facts and figures of countries.
Read on

Nose buried in an LCD screen

I have had a quiet time recently. Instead of devouring books like there’s no tomorrow my wife has had her nose stuck in her new ebook reader and now she wants to give a review of it.

......

I had wanted an ebook reader for ages and between waiting for the perfect design to come along and not wanting to get sucked into anything proprietary, I finally settled on the Ectaco JetBook Lite. I say settled because it didn’t fulfill all my nitpicky design desires, but as I got it on sale for CAD$129 I figured it would do until something I liked better came along. However, after about three weeks of use, I could not be happier with it.

At about five by seven inches wide it is perfect for holding in my hand, not too heavy or too light. In fact, as this version runs on four AA batteries, the battery pack makes the whole thing nicely balanced to be held easily in the left hand, and the slide bar allows for one handed page turning, in both directions (there is also a button on the bottom for turning pages). The screen is LCD but is very easy to read for hours at a stretch. The slow page turns and ‘flash’ when you turn the page that you get with e-ink are not a problem here. There’s no wi-fi on this thing, so you have to load your books off your computer. And it doesn’t play MP3s, but who cares. That’s why you have an iPod. If I had to make any criticism at all, I wish it came some sort of cover to protect the screen so I could shove it into my purse. Or one of those rubber scuba suit things that people put on their iPhones.

Read on

All described ECTACO products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

The most affordable German <-> Italian talking dictionary has been released!

2010-03-17T04:30:00.001-04:00

Another useful features include SD card support , bilingual World Time clock utility, currency and metric converters, etc.

Impressions of a new Jetbook Lite owner

2010-03-17T04:25:00.000-04:00

We have been posting recently impressions of new owners of ECTACO jetBook Lite. And somehow it just doesn't get boring and we keep doing that. So, here's another message of a proud new owner. Enjoy! And thank you, dsbruce!

"I just got my Jetbook Lite and spent some time reading. I think this is a great reader! The menu system is very well thought out. It's nice to press a number button to choose an item instead of having to scroll. When I change viewing to landscape I was surprised to find the assignment of the arrow pad buttons to page forward or back changed as well. Finally, I love the number button/shortcut key assignments for settings and bookmarks. Very cool!"

Original message

All described ECTACO products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Tried Google Maps on jetBook?

2010-03-17T04:20:00.000-04:00

A customer of ours has discovered that PDFs with Google Maps look very clear and sharp. Here's ther message and a tip;)

"I couldn't be bothered starting up the network printer while getting directions from Google Maps. I printed the maps and direction to a PDF using CutePDF and downloaded them to my Jetbook using Calibre.

It worked great. When zoomed in at about 400%, the map looked just like it did on the computer and I could pan around it using the arrow keys.

I tried the same thing on my Sony 505 and it was unworkable. I had to use the paging keys to move around the map but it seemed to move randomly around the map."

Original message

All described ECTACO products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Presenting the newest French <-> Arabic electronic text translator with voice recognition!

2010-03-09T01:27:00.001-05:00

We are happy to present a unique French <-> Arabic ECTACO Partner FA900 talking electronic translator which is capable of translating whole sentences in either direction if you type them in via the regular keyboard. The new translator has a hi-res color display and a bilingual user’s interface which makes it a perfect language tool for both Arabic and French native speakers. The device includes an extensive phrasebook which lets you speak any phrase in French to have it translated into Arabic and vice versa. Once recognized, the translated phrase is spoken out loud using a real human voice as recorded by native speakers. Also included is the most extensive 212,000 entry dictionary featuring synthesized voice output of Arabic and French words.

The new FA900 model comes equipped with our interactive Language Teacher system which employs one of the most effective methods ever designed for language study based on visual and hearing perception of words, phrases and dialogues. The Language Teacher system is good for learning both Arabic and French.

The Partner FA900 also features our customizable jetBook eBook reader and a video player with multiple file support. As an additional benefit, the new model includes the English to English explanatory dictionary containing more than 70,000 head words with complete definitions and our talking 39 language Picture Dictionary with pronunciation for all words.

Click here to get more information on the new Partner FA900.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

ECTACO presents the latest Russian <-> Spanish talking electronic translator!

2010-03-09T01:25:00.000-05:00

The most powerful Russian <-> Spanish ECTACO Partner RS900 talking electronic translator ever released is finally here with us. The new device includes a large vocabulary base of over 105,000 words and over 14,000 phrases featuring True Voice human pronunciation of Russian and Spanish entries. The new model has a hi-res color display and a bilingual user’s interface which makes it very easy to operate. Our latest Speech Recognition module allows speaking any phrase from the phrasebook in order to have it recognized and translated both ways. It will also speak out the translation for you using a real human voice as recorded by native speakers.

The new RS900 model comes equipped with our interactive Language Teacher system with hands-free, eyes-free U-Learn™ Car Tutor. Covering a whole set of exciting games and quizzes, it lets you improve your language skills in no time at all. Using the unique Word-of-the-day utility, you will get a Memorize splash screen each time you start an application that will show you a useful word or phrase, a translation and a corresponding picture.

Also included is our customizable jetBook eBook reader and a video player with multiple file support. As an additional benefit, the new model includes the English to English explanatory dictionary containing more than 70,000 head words with complete definitions and our talking 39 language Picture Dictionary with pronunciation for all words.

Click here to get more information on the new Partner RS900.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

The most powerful Partner 900 Grand series translators with GPS receiver are finally here!

2010-03-09T01:22:00.000-05:00

ECTACO is proud to present the newest and most powerful Partner 900 Grand series devices which come with the GPS receiver in the standard package. All you need it to clip this tiny attachment on to the unit and it will record its own position, time, date, speed, heading and altitude so you never lose your way.

The new Grand series models are currently available for the most popular European and Asian languages and include the most extensive vocabulary yet with human voice output, a Full Text Translation system with synthesized voice output, an easy to use bilingual translating Picture Dictionary, a complete English explanatory dictionary and our most sophisticated speech recognition system. Also included is a handy scanning pen allowing you to grab any printed text from any paper surface and have it converted into the target language.

These smart new translators contain everything you need for superior translation and accurate communication and much more. As an additional benefit, the Partner Grand series come equipped with our customizable translating jetBook e-book reader with multiple file format support. In addition, the new models allow creating exclusive User Dictionaries which let you store your own personalized lists of frequently used words and a history function remembers the most recent translations providing instant access to the information you need most to understand and be understood.

Click here to find more information on the Partner 900 Grand series electronic translators.

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Aprendiendo inglés y español con el Partner ES900

2010-03-09T01:14:00.000-05:00

We are happy to introduce you to a video manual on the ECTACO Partner ES900 Englisch<->Spanish translator. The video is voiced by a native Spanish speaker Alex Rodriguez. Step by step, from the very beginning, work on the device is throughly explained in Spanish. Enjoy!

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Robert J. Sawyer and his ebook readers

2010-02-24T04:41:00.000-05:00

Robert J. Sawyer who has been known for being quite fond of our jetBook has made a nice video of all of his e-readers that he has collected throughout the years. Starting with 2:45 he talks of his jetBook Lite. Enjoy!

All described ECTACO products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Use Calibre with your jetBook

2010-02-17T03:57:00.001-05:00

Calibre is an excellent open source data and ebook manager and a converter. The latest edition supports jetBook as well. Watch the video below to see how great the program is. It can really enrich your ebook readng experience. Enjoy!

All described ECTACO products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

How To Transfer Books From Your Computer to the jetBook

2010-02-12T04:17:00.000-05:00

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Ectaco Jetbook – a brief review via Nate's Ebook News

2010-02-09T03:02:00.000-05:00

Nate's Ebook News have published recently a nice, independent and frank review on the ECTACO jetBook. That´s what we realy like about our customers andreviewers: always frank and independent. Please, do enjoy!

The Jetbook has been out for some time now, and it has been reviewed endlessly. But I’ve never explained why I like it, and I think that merits a brief review.

Ectaco released the Jetbook in early 2008. The hardware was designed by a Chinese company called JCNIP, and is sold in China (under the original firmware) as the M218. BTW, I’d avoid the M218 unless you already know how to convert to a format it uses, or you know how to replace the firmware. The Chinese firmware is for the mainland Chinese market. The ebook formats it uses are rather funky.

Hardware

The Jetbook has an unique 5″ LCD screen. This grayscale screen was designed by Toshiba as a low power alternative to traditional LCD. it has buttons for 0-9 to the right of the screen and a slider bar to the left of the screen. Below the screen are the page turn buttons (to the left), and a D-pad, OK button, and 4 menu buttons to the right. The purpose of each button is obvious, so I won’t discuss them here. But I will say that I like the design; very rarely do I press the wrong button.

Reading Experience

This is one of my preferred ebook readers because the abilities it lacks are more than outweighed by the very low cost (I found it on sale at $150). The current firmware is limited; highlighting, annotation, TOCs, and hyperlinks don’t work. I didn’t realize until I bought it that there are times when I don’t care if I can use those features. I have any number of ebooks in my collection that all I want to do is advance one page at a time.

I also like the Jetbook because it uses FBReader, and does a decent job of displaying Epub. I prefer to read in landscape mode. This lets me hold the Jetbook in my left hand with my thumb next to the page turn button. I feel I have a firm grip, and turning the page is easy.

Pros:

cost
weight
ergonomics

cons:

limited features
no DRM support

Availability

The Jetbook can be bought at Fry’s, Newegg, and BB&W...

read on

All described products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

An Independent Video Review of ECTACO jetBook LIte

2010-02-08T01:59:00.001-05:00

YouTube User MANZANOADRIAN has posted his own independent video review of ECTACO jetBook Lite titled proudly "etaco jetbook lite beats kindle and ipad. best and cheapest ebook reader". The review is not what you would cal professional, but very frank, which is why we feel inclined to promote the video. Hope you enjoy it!

All described ECTACOproducts can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

ECTACO inspires designers to create a new concept for Tablets!

2010-02-02T03:23:00.000-05:00

The GottaBeMobile-user Sumocat, who has already appeared on our blog, inspired by the design of our jetBook Lite, came up with a very interesting idea on Tablets-design. Here's a bit from his post:

"So all this noise about the Apple Tablet and what it will or will not do got me thinking about tablet design, specifically slate design other than a basic flat screen. I’ve been using slates or convertibles in slate mode for years (longer than there have been Apple tablet rumors, apparently), so believe me when I state I say this with love – standard flat slate design sucks.

Grabbing a slate with one hand requires a clamp-like scissor grip as opposed to a more natural rounded grip. On a table top, it lies flat when an angle is better for working or viewing. I’ve dealt with these drawbacks using stands and grips, but those kludges only accentuate how ill-suited the traditional flat design is for productivity. Thus, I propose a design shift away from flat and toward L-shaped wedge.

The wedge epiphany came to me after handling the jetBook lite with its protruding battery pack. Allowed me to get a really good, natural grip on the device at its heaviest spot. Excellent for handling, not simply holding, with one hand*.

Expanding that design to a Tablet PC, the guts of the machine (processor, storage, battery, etc.) would be crammed into the back end instead of being distributed across the entire footprint. The various ports would also be located here, along with a pair of flip-out feet, offering a steeper angle when laid horizontally and stability when stood vertically. I also envision a webcam on the bezel here, angled to capture a user sitting a few feet away..." read on

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* Highlight of the text is not present in the original

All described ECTACO products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com

Pocketbook 360 vs jetBook

2010-02-02T03:10:00.000-05:00

We came across a comparison Mobert YouTube user has made of Pocketbook 360 of Brain Plaza International, LLC vs jetBook of ECTACO Inc. It is basically a video with no audo - the viewers have to decide for themselves what are the advatages and disadvantages of each device. Enjoy.

All described ECTACO products can be purchased at www.ectaco.com or national distributors. You are welcome to send your questions or comments to PR@ectaco.com