Bookeen Cybook Ocean
At a Glance
The Bookeen Cybook Ocean is one of the most frequently postponed (see below), yet still ultimately released e-readers ever. The model was originally slated to hit the market in the 2013 holiday season, but due to unfinished software, its launch was delayed several times. In the end, the official announcement of the release date didn’t come until the 2014 holiday season: starting November 5th, the device became available for pre-order.
Despite the long development period, the Cybook Ocean’s specifications remained unchanged: the centerpiece of the device is its 8-inch display with a resolution of 1024×758 pixels. The display technology apparently uses a panel from OED Tech, which has proven itself in other devices with good contrast performance but is also known for strong ghosting effects. An integrated front light is also included.
The eBook reader features a capacitive touchscreen, with a flush front panel, similar to what you might know from the Kindle Voyage, PocketBook InkPad, and Tolino Vision 2. Compared to previous models, the software has been updated and given more functions. The device measures 196 x 150 x 7 mm, with the especially slim depth being a real eye-catcher. Hardly any other e-reader is this thin. The weight of 295 grams is also quite reasonable for its size. For comparison: the PocketBook InkPad (also 8 inches) weighs in at 350 grams.
The internal memory (4GB) can be expanded using a MicroSD card. You can access the internet via Wi-Fi, and the capacitive keys along the bottom edge of the device serve as an additional way to operate it. In everyday use, however, these touch-sensitive buttons could prove problematic, as they might be triggered accidentally.
Some initial hands-on reports haven’t been too favorable towards the Cybook Ocean: the contrast seems fairly low, and the built-in lighting doesn’t do much to improve it. The relatively high price of 180 euros is an added downside, and could ultimately stand in the way of this model finding international success.
Bookeen Cybook Ocean: Technical Specifications
| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Bookeen |
| Market launch | 2013 |
| Device type | E-Reader |
| Device category | Upper mid-range |
| Price (USD / EUR) | 189 |
| Available colors | black |
| Size & Weight | |
| Size (L × B × T) | 196 x 150 x 7 mm |
| Weight (g) | 300 |
| Display | |
| Technology | OED E-Paper |
| Flexible Display Technology | No |
| Size (inch) | 8 |
| Resolution (px) | 1024×768 |
| Pixel density (ppi) | 160 |
| Colors | No |
| Color depth | 16 greyscale |
| Touchscreen | Yes, capacitive |
| Built-in light | Yes, single-tone frontlight |
| Flush display | Yes |
| Connections | |
| USB | Yes (type unkown) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| Cellular connectivity | No |
| GPS | No |
| Hardware Specs | |
| CPU Cores | Unknown |
| CPU Type | |
| RAM (GB) | |
| Internal Storage (GB) | 4.00 |
| Internal Storage up to (GB) | |
| Storage Expansion | Yes, MicroSD |
| Speakers | No |
| Microphone | No |
| Battery (mAh) | |
| Operating system | Linux |
| Features | |
| Text-to-speech | Unknown |
| Page turn buttons | Yes |
| Water protection | No |
| Accelerometer | Unknown |
| E-book store | Yes |
| Supported file types | ePub, PDF, HTML, Txt, FB2, DJVU, PEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, ICO, TIF, PSD |
All information provided without guarantee.
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