Another week goes bye and yet another eBook reader arrives.
The Merlin EBOOK Reader is launched by Dubai Based UAE company Merlin Digital. The device is 0.4" thick, 6.4 ounces, has 512MB of internal memory and comes with a 2 GB SD card (supports up to 4 GB). The eInk resolution is 600 x 800 and it also has a built-in MP3 player.The Merlin eBook is preloaded with the usual 100 free classics and is compatible with the Adobe Digital Editions software and ACS4 DRM.
The Merlin eBook is available from leading Electronic Superstores and of course the Dubai Duty Free shops but will it make any difference or just like so many eInk ‘lookie likeies’ sit on many shelves? At $407 it is likely to be the later even with the duty free discount!
We are thinking of starting a competition to spot which one has been repackaged and branded.
8 comments:
Hi. This was my first ebook and i bought it in Dubai airport. I can not compear the Merlin eBook with others but i was not impressed.
For the time beeing I live in Iran and thats probably why I have not been able to find other sites ( restrictions) on internett to help me. Thats way i write to you. I need some help with my Merlin eBook.
It is light and thin but 1) the logo disappeared when touching it (cheap impression), 2) there where no manual, 3) the manual in the eBook was impossible to read befor you had turned the screen and increased to 150 %,4) the buttons are quite hard to press, 5) I have not found any tech.information or support on the internet 6) in the first book I look in "amusments with maths" the pages in the index did not fit with the eBook, Generaly the pri-installed books was not adapted to eBooks 7) a 2G SD memory card was not included and when trying to install one it did not fit in to the eBook. 8) etc etc.... all that I can live with. BUT none of my PCs and other PCs I have tried could recognice the eBook when I connected it to a PC. In other words I can not download music or eBooks to the Merlin eBook. Do you know what I have to do.
Jarle Essén
Jarle
i don't think you will like my answer but i would bury it. Too many of these devices are basic and don't have a long life expectancy and that is why most people only buy what they believe are safe brands, Kindle, Sony etc many of the others may not be around too long so even if they work today they may not tomorrow.
Sorry but you have to treat some of these as toys or limited life expectancy
i love it
you could visit www.merlin-digital.com and download the new firmware - just wondering, have you tried contacting Merlin for support?
Caven.
Thats the funny thing, I have tried http://www.merlin-digital.com/ etc, but can never get any page up from that company. It might be because I live in Iran. I will try when I get back to Norway in end of December.
Hi Jarle, I visited the Merlin site and it opens fine here in the UK. I bought mine while I was holidaying in Dubai and find their new model (the one with the numeric pad) to be far superior to the Sony (have yet to play with the kindle)
Their website lists a support email contact at support@merlin-me.com
Hope that helps
Hi, I emphasise with Jarle as I have had a similar experience & really do not want to follow Martyn's advise (yet)!!
Last Thursday my boyfriend bought the e-book reader at Dubai airport as a present for me. My initial delight turned to disappointment for the following similar reasons:
There is no 2G SD memory card included. I have tried to install one I already have & it does not fit.
The manual included in the box is exactly the same as the one on the e-book & offers very little advise or instruction on how to start using the reader.
There is no mention of a website to register the product, how to download books, music, or how to transfer photographs. From this website I logged onto http://www.merlin-digital.com. I spent time filling out the contact form, but after I set it, I had a message back to say there was a problem! I have since emailed a few of the contacts individually & waiting for a reply (I will post my reply on here if it is useful). I tried to download firmware & the manual, but need to install software to read the material, which will cost me additional money.
The buttons/ joystick are very difficult & slow to use.
I am yet to find out how I download books, music & transfer photographs. Without any instruction, I tried to copy & paste some photographs onto my reader but the quality is terrible.
I am not looking forward to discussing this with my boyfriend!
Does anyone out there have any further advise? Thanks
Hi Antonia, I use a kindle and the quality of display for images is really bad on it as well.
It seems this is a limitation with the screen (E-INK) but its great for text. The Merlin website states that 2GB is built in in the newer models - an SD card is only required for expansion. So you should be able to connect it via USB to your PC and drop any of the supported formats on it. Unlike my kindle your Merlin reader seems to support every known format
Post a Comment