Franklin EBM-911 eBookMan
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The eBookMan is a lesser known E-Reader in the market but it definitely has the advantage of being an E-Reader on the lower end of the price scale. We will have a short look on the specifications and the general performance of this gadget and show you some pictures so you can judge for yourself if this is maybe an alternative to the standard options in the market.
a bit rough graphics
One of the main complaints about the first few generations of electronic book readers is their cost–who wants to pay several hundred dollars for the equivalent of a few $3 paperbacks? Enter Franklin’s new line of eBookMan devices, available in three different models. We got an early peek at the top level eBookMan, which features 16 MB of memory, a sharp 200 x 240 16-level gray scale display, and excellent versatility.
In addition to being an e-book reader, the eBookMan also plays audio files (both audiobooks and MP3s), records voice messages, and functions as a respectable PDA. A flip-up cover and hard rubber outer coating afford protection for the device. With a USB-connected cradle, transfers between desktop and the eBookMan proceed quickly.
While the eBookMan offers a date book, address book, memo application (using natural handwriting recognition), and voice memo recorder, its main angle is still as a book reader. The large screen and powerful backlight makes reading literature in the Franklin Reader format clear, though the backlight did seem to drain the batteries rather quickly in our demo unit.
Ironically, the eBookMan’s versatility also draws attention to its limitations. While the unit will play MP3 files, it can only store four to six songs at once with its 16 MB of memory. However, if you pick up an optional MultiMediaCard with up to 64 MB of memory, it is possible to adapt the eBookMan into a more respectable MP3 player.
Standard dimensions
While you’ll need to spend a little extra to money to get your eBookMan to reach its full potential, the unit’s low original cost and variety of applications make it an excellent gateway into the world of electronic literature. –J. Curtis
Pros:
- Very versatile–PDA, e-books, audiobooks, and MP3s in one device
- USB connection
- Large display
Cons:
- Not currently compatible with Microsoft Reader
- Short battery life
- Gray scale only
Author: From Amazon.com
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Do you have any experiences with the Franklin EBM-911 eBookMan? We would love to hear from you and get your opinion! Please see rating section below!
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Reviews (3)
Horten
February 26th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
I have had my eBookman for over a year now and I have read all of the reviews on this site and others. The pros and cons seem to be pretty accurately stated by other reviewers so I will not waste anybody’s time repeating what has already been said. However, there seems to be something which has been missed in other reviews. What I’ve noticed is that most other reviewers seem to be avid readers who use their eBookman’s everyday. And for those users, the complaint that I have is probably simply a minor annoyance. But for users like myself who bought the eBookman for the occassional business trip or long flight, there is a ridiculously inconvenient feature that makes it almost impossible to use. That is, if you leave your eBookman off for any extended period of time, the batteries continue to drain until they are completely dead! Yes, you heard me. THIS UNIT USES UP THE BATTERIES EVEN WHEN IT IS OFF. For example, I would regularly put in a fresh set of batteries and within 3 weeks they would be completely dead (without ever having turned on the unit). At first, I thought there was something wrong with my unit. But a call to Franklin’s technical support confirmed my worst fear: This is the way the units were designed!
But, wait – I haven’t even gotten to the punch line yet! When the batteries run out, all of the data is lost – INCLUDING THE OPERATING SYSTEM. This is because the unit has no internal battery back-up. It just uses a capacitor which only holds a smal charge for a few seconds (supposedly just long enough to change batteries when the battery indicator is running low). But if your batteries run out, it’s BYE-BYE data! So, for the casual user, what that means is that you end up having to re-install the entire operating system and all of your titles every time you turn the unit on (assuming you do not use it an a VERY regular basis). This, by the way, is no short task (although, in fairness to Franklin, it is a simple process). For me, this problem renders the eBookman TOTALLY USELESS. Now, I’m sure there are avid readers or frequent travelers who would love to have what otherwise would be classified as a pretty decent reader for a very decent price. But, for me, it is just a paperweight.
In summary, if you use the eBookman everyday, I guess you could find a use for it. But if you plan to let it rest – even for a relatively short period of time – I would look elsewhere.
linda
June 12th, 2009 at 11:47 am
I loved my franklin ereader 911, mainly because it is easy to operate on the pc and with-out. The ease of reading at night is sooo out of range of its contemporaries (brilliant) as most people do their pleasure reading at night and in today’s climate it is invaluable with the cost of the utilities. The batteries still lasted 8hrs on general reading (re-chargeable batteries)The fonts were still amazing and the start up is sooo not slow compared to other e-readers. No need to set bookmarks as it remembers where you last read, even if you are reading multiple books. The device itself is compact (palm sized)unlike the other devices which are more hard book sized The only down side I can see is that the plastic is a bit brittle even with the rubber surround and the page rocker didn’t last very long. However it still had the touch screen to work off. It could also have more access to more formats (epub, pdf, microsoft reader, ereader (sony) It mainly uses mobipocket in the multiformat or the DRM (secure format)Would I be asking toooo much for it to be wireless? The only reason I didn’t re-buy the 911 is because I feared that it was being made obsolete, however looking at the others and trying them I will be buying the 911 again!!!
EricW
April 10th, 2011 at 8:22 pm
If you’re a current owner of this device, please read this note from the Franklin website: “We wish to inform you that as of April 30, 2011, we will be ending all downloads and support for eBookMan. We request that you make any and all downloads prior to April 30, 2011. Thank you!”
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