Does the idea of an electronic book appeal to you? You might think the idea of curling up in bed with a piece of hardware, as opposed to a well-thumbed novel, is a bit odd, if not a bit rude! NuvoMedia's RocketBook might change your mind about that.

We traveled to NuvoMedia's headquarters to put our hands on a beta version of this 20-ounce electronic book and decided that it just might give its paper counterpart a run for the money. Of course, money is one of the first issues that the RocketBook brings to mind. That's because NuvoMedia expects the RocketBook to sell for under $500 when it ships, around Christmas this year.

The paperback-sized device, which packs a built-in monochrome screen, might well be worth it. Its memory can pack the equivalent of 10 regular novels, which may be either existing public domain texts, such as the ones that have been available for years through Project Gutenberg, or new books purchased from online sellers such as Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com. Encrypted through NuvoMedia's distribution system to work only with a single RocketBook, the new texts should cost less than hard- or softbound books.

Once you have the texts, you'll have to download them to your RocketBook, which takes place through the RocketBook cradle. It attaches to your PC's serial port. (Sorry, Mac users, there's no Mac version yet.) The cradle will also charge the RocketBook's internal nickel metal hydride battery. NuvoMedia estimates that the battery will deliver up to 20 straight hours with the backlight lit, or up to 45 hours if you read in a well-lit room. Worried about how the RocketBook will work on the beach? We marched it outside into the harsh sunlight of a California summer day and found it passable. A bit of shadow did wonders for our ability to read the book.

What's your opinion? Post comments, rants, and raves on the Fresh Gear Message Board.Beyond that, the RocketBook was a snap to use. It offers quite a range of options. The contents of the screen can read horizontally or vertically. You can also flip the screen, so it will work the same way for left- or right-handers. You can also pick your favorite reading font. You can even enlarge the text if you're having trouble reading it or don't want to wear reading glasses. Try doing that with a paperback!

The RocketBook also packs a small stylus. You can use it to bookmark or highlight text or store it for later use. If the RocketBook gets the support from newspapers that NuvoMedia is hoping for, that could make a great tool for clipping and storing interesting information.

You can probably tell by now that we're a bit enthused with the RocketBook. Hey, we've read entire novels on Mac and PC notebooks already, and a notebook just isn't as convenient as the RocketBook. Like NuvoMedia, we doubt it will kill book sales. But it could well be a great tool for professionals who use reference books that only last a year, such as medical guides or tech manuals. And since we're often plowing through more than one book at a time, this would be a great way to balance all that reading, at least if the titles we want show up for sale.




Company:NuvoMedia, Inc.
Phone:650-327-5110
Price:$500.00
Shipdate:12-1-98
Category:Notebook; PDA; Peripherals
Platform:Windows 95, NT 4.0
Specs:
Requirements:IBM-compatible 486 or higher, 16MB RAM, 10MB for software, open serial port, Internet access



Expertise Level: Usage:
Beginner:YES Business:YES
Intermediate:YES Consumer:YES
Advanced:YES Family:NO