Fictionwise updates ECTACO jetBook - Lite ad

Yesterday, in reviewing the $149.95 ECTACO jetBook - Lite (currently on sale at Fictionwise.com with a $50 store credit toward ebook purchases), I pointed out that the device does not support dictionary lookup when reading eReader-format ebooks (eReader is Fictionwise's own format), despite the graphic to the contrary, saying, "Really, Fictionwise-folk, you must take down that picture; it is misleading advertising."

Well, they're clearly listening -- sort of. As of Thursday, December 24, 2009, Fictionwise has updated the ad by Photoshopping the picture on their website to remove "Dictionary" from the Function menu. But it's still misleading, because the menu in that graphic is the one you get when reading plain text books, NOT eReader books. The Fictionwise / eReader ad still includes "Find" on the menu, which is NOT available for eReader-format books.

The Fictionwise ad originally showed this menu of functions:

[1] Dictionary
[2] Bookmark List
[3] Bookmark This Page
[4] Find
[5] Jump To
[6] Settings

It's now been Photoshopped to remove "Dictionary" and slide all the other choices up the list (leaving a blank space at the bottom):

[1] Bookmark List
[2] Bookmark This Page
[3] Find
[4] Jump To
[5] Settings

But the actual menu available when reading an eReader-format book is missing "Find":

[1] Bookmark List
[2] Bookmark this Page
[3] Jump To
[4] Settings

There is no "Find," and there is no "Dictionary."

Since we're looking at the menus available when reading an eReader-formatted book, let's walk through them:

"Jump To" displays this dialog box:

Jump To
Please, enter page number (1 - 691)
Current page: 46
________

And "Settings" displays these the choices:

[1] Font Size
[2] Auto Turn Page
[3] Rotate

Choosing "Font Size" gives you six choices (measured, I think, in pixel-height not points): 12, 16, 18, 20, 24, 32.

Choosing "Auto Turn Page" gives you 7 choices: Never, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds, 50 seconds, 60 seconds.

Choosing "Rotate" turns the screen to landscape mode by rotating the display 90 degrees to left (counterclockwise).

By the way, the ad also claims that the jetBook - Lite come with "Pre-loaded CIA World Factbook." The one I received didn't have that, or any other sample book.

Anyway ... last night I started reading a plain-text version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice from ManyBooks.net on my ECTACO jetBook - Lite, and I have to say I am favorably impressed by the hardware; the screen is lovely, and the ergonomics are very good, with three different ways to change pages. With a firmware upgrade to properly support eReader format, this might be a very nice ebook reader indeed.

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