Size counts. One look at the display on the Franklin EBookMan, and you can see why. The slim, pocket-size combo PDA/e-book reader/MP3 player boasts a generous 240-by-200-pixel gray-scale LCD screen that displays much more text than the screens of Palms and Pocket PCs.
Its name gives away its primary function, but the EBookMan is not just for reading. The built-in speaker, microphone, and headphone jack let you listen to audio books and record and play back messages. If you’re not in the mood to buy and download one of the more than 12,000 audio books at EBookMan’s partner, Audible.com, use the device to listen to MP3 music.
Then there are EBookMan’s calendar, address book, and to-do list. You can handwrite notes and sync the data with your PC via an included cradle and USB cable. All this and a price of only $130 for the basic model: We say, “Book it, man.”
What’s hot: Versatile and inexpensive.
What’s not: AAA battery life can be short.
Geek factor: High
Product Information
$ 130 to $230
Franklin Electronic Publishers
800/266-5626
http://www.franklin.com/ebookman
Prices listed are in US currency.
