Aluratek debuts two new ereaders with Wi-Fi

By Geoff Duncan Published May 17, 2011

Media device maker Aluratek has debuted two new ereaders: the Libre Air and the Libre Touch. The Libre Air features a 5-inch reflective light LCD while the Libre Touch steps up to a 7-inch TFT full color LCD display—and both ereaders add 802.b/g Wi-Fi for wireless book downloading.

“Aluratek has experienced tremendous success with the Libre Pro and Libre Color e-readers but it is now time to deliver two new truly mobile solutions to the consumer,” said Aluratek president and CEO John Wolikow, in a statement. “Our new Wi-Fi enabled e-readers provide instant access to millions of titles wherever there is a wireless Internet connection, freeing yourself from your computer.”

Aluratek Libre Air — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The 5-inch Libre Touch features a reflective light LCD screen that “looks like real paper” and works in direct sunlight. The reader has enough memory for about 500 ebooks—100 classics are pre-loaded—and an SD card slots for expandable storage. The built-in Wi-Fi enables users to latch onto available wireless networks to broad for books, and the Libre Air supports audio playback so users can listen to music while reading. Aluratek says the reader has a standby time of up to two weeks on a single battery charge.

Aluratek Libre Touch — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The 7-inch Libre Touch steps up to a 7-inch full-color TFT LCD display and four times as much memory—plus there’s a microSD slot for up to 16 GB of additional removable storage. The built-in Wi-Fi wireless networking enables users to not only browse books, but also connect to the Web keep up with social media and other sties. The Libre Touch will also handle video playback, including MPEG4, H.264, DivX, WMV, MOV, FLV, and more formats. Aluratek says it’ll run for up to 8 hours on a single charge.

Recommended Videos

Both ereaders support EPUB and PDF formats, as well as text and RTF, FB2, MOBI, PRC files without DRM. The readers are powered by the Kobo bookstore, which currently offers more than 2.3 million titles, and both units support audio playback via MP3, WMA

The Libre Air has a suggested retail price of $119, while the Libre Touch carries a suggested price of $149—both are available now.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Cars

Hyundai’s brand new Ioniq 9 EV features backseat lounge

hyundai ioniq 9 lounge 4 single image desktop

After months of teasing details about the Ioniq 9, Hyundai’s much-anticipated, three-row electric SUV, the company finally unveiled it at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

One of the Ioniq 9’s promised features -- that the SUV had the ability to offer a lounge-like interior – had most of us wondering what exactly that might mean.

Cars

Kia America COO says ending EV tax credit would be dumb

kia coo ending ev incentive dumb zeta evs

With Kia just getting started with the expansion of its U.S.-made electric-vehicle (EV) lineup, the automaker may have a good perspective on what losing tax incentives on EVs could mean for the industry and the economy.

The transition team of the incoming Trump administration is reportedly planning to end the federal $7,500 tax credit on the purchase or lease of an EV. Under the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), an EV made in North America is eligible for the incentive.

Cars

Mercedes bets solar paint is part of EV-charging future

mercedes solar paint evs benz electric camper

It’s been said that Albert Einstein’s genius came from his ability to freely wonder and ask child-like questions way before he even tried applying science-based solutions.
It seems some within the R&D department at Mercedes-Benz might be similarly inspired. The German automaker is currently developing a special solar paint that, when applied on the surface of vehicles, can harness enough energy from the sun to power up EVs.
The energy generated by the paint’s solar cells can be used for driving or fed directly into a high-voltage battery.
“The photovoltaic system is permanently active and also generates energy when the vehicle is switched off,” Mercedes says. “In the future, this could be a highly effective solution for increased electric range and fewer charging stops.”
The layer of paste to be applied on EVs is significantly thinner than a human hair, yet its photovoltaic cells are packed full of energy. Covering the surface of a mid-size SUV with the paint could produce enough energy for up to 7,456 miles per year under ideal conditions, Mercedes says.
This does imply being in geographic locations with plenty of sun hours during the day.
But even with less-than-ideal sun hours, the energy yielded can make a significant difference to EV charging. Mercedes says the solar-paint charge could provide 100% of needed energy for an average daily drive of 32 miles in sun-drenched Los Angeles. In much less sunny conditions -- such as around Mercedes’ headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany -- it would still yield enough energy for 62% of the distance.
An added bonus for environmentally-conscious drivers: Unlike some solar panels, the solar paint contains no rare earth or silicon – only non-toxic, readily available raw materials. It’s also easy to recycle and considerably cheaper to produce than conventional solar modules, Mercedes says.
The likes of Aptera, Sono Motors, Lightyear, and Hyundai have also been researching how to best harness solar energy to power up EVs.
But that’s been mostly through solar panels yielding enough energy for small and light vehicles, such as Aptera’s three-wheel solar EV. Solar paint could bring solar charging for bigger vehicles, such as electric SUVs, Mercedes says.