Though the Aluratek Libre Touch color e-reader (S150) includes basic Web browsing, email, and multimedia playback, usability issues make it a tough sell.
Measuring 8.0 by 4.9 by 0.5 inches and weighing 12 ounces, it has three buttons for turning pages and going back. But most of the action occurs via the touch interface. The screen uses resistive technology, which is not really fingertip-friendly; on occasion you have to tap a few times to get a response
The colors are adequate, but the 800 by 480 resolution isn’t high for an e-reader. Letters don’t look smooth, especially when you use the largest font. Like other back-Lit LCD screens, this display washes out in bright sunlight.
In general, the interface needs work, too; although the home and back icons make navigation reasonably intuitive, the overall Look is chaotic and unattractive.
The Libre Touch supports Adobe Digital Editions and ePub, You can also buy titles via the Kobo bookstore; when I viewed a category, however, the page promised to show six books at a time, yet displayed only three, Navigating the store went slowly on the 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, and the site’s interface was not ideal—I had to click a ‘More’ tab to reach categories such as New York Times best-sellers.
Battery Life varies depending on Wi-Fi use, but Aluratek says the e-reader can run for 8 hours on a charge.
