Astak's 5-in Pocket PRO eBook Reader

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In the world of eBook readers there is no doubt that the Amazon Kindle is king. Other manufacturers have been scrambling to come up with a device that will compete with the popular Kindle on both features (most notably wi-fi) and price and so far it has proven an unattainable goal for most. The latest entrant by Astak Inc., the Pocket PRO eBook reader, is hoping to leverage its collaboration with Adobe to give consumers more freedom of choice when it comes to turning their digital pages.

Back on July 30^th we shared that Astak had officially announced that they had acquired permission from Adobe Systems to install the Adobe Digital Editions firmware on their 5-in and 6-in devices. This new firmware enables users to purchase and read copyright-protected eBooks in PDF format from major eBook stores such as Powell’s Books and Books on Board. Astak Inc. is only the second company to have obtained this firmware besides Sony.

Just like its 6-inch EZ Reader sibling, the 5-inch Pocket PRO’s natively supports more than 20 DRM-free formats. This feature allows users to read any non-copyrighted eBook available on the Internet, such as public domain titles from Gutenberg, which gives the user freedom to choose from hundreds of different eBook websites.

The Pocket PRO is designed to be compact, sporting a 5-in screen and weighing a mere 6 ounces. The 8-level grayscale E-ink screen approximates the experience of reading printed text, so that users won’t suffer from eyestrain after hours of reading. The device is powered by an internal Epson controller and 400 MHz processor which should provide for speedy page turns.

The Pocket PRO comes with 512MB of memory, plus a SD card slot for additional storage capacity up to 16GB. It has a replaceable battery that lasts up to 8,000 page turns on one full charge. Plus, it can play MP3 music files while users read eBooks.

The 5-inch Pocket PRO reader is available in six colors and will sell at a promotional price of $199, and is now available for preorders online at www.theezreader.com and www.astak.com. The new devices are predicted to ship out by the end of August.