[Download Squad] 2 New Entries: Foxit Software gets into hardware biz with an eBook reader

Foxit Software gets into hardware biz with an eBook reader

Filed under: Hardware

We don't spend a lot of time covering hardware at Download Squad. But this story is just too cool to pass up. Foxit Software, the company behind one of our favorite PDF readers, plans to release an eBook reader that will take on the Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader. The Foxit eSlick is due out in January and it will sell for $229 at launch before settling in at $259. That's about a hundred bucks cheaper than the competition.

The eBook reader will weigh about 6 ounces and measure just .4 inches thick. It sports a 6 inch, 600 x 800 pixel display that should look a lot like the Amazon Kindle screen (since it's manufeacturer by the same copany). You'll be able to read PDFs and listen to MP3s. But there's no wireless connectivity which means you won't be able to automatically download books, blogs or newspapers without connecting the reader to a computer first. Foxit may offer wireless features on future models.

The eSlick will have 128MB of built in memory plus an SD card slot for expansion and it will ship with a 2GB card. The machine doesn't draw much power, which means you can flip 8,000 pages without recharging.

What do you think? Is the Foxit eSlick a welcome addition to the world of eBook readers? Or should Foxit stick to making software?

[via PC World]

Foxit Software gets into hardware biz with an eBook reader originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tunerec streams the songs you want from a library of thousands

Filed under: Audio, Fun, Internet, Beta, web 2.0, Web

I love Last.Fm, but sometimes I'd prefer to listen to songs I've chosen myself. Services like Plorf and Tagoo are one way I can do that, but the files they link to probably aren't legal and sometimes disappear from one day to the next.

Tunerec, on the other hand, may have a system that will ensure your cloud-based playlists keep working. According to the site, everything is totally legal and all it requires is a little bit of patience. Ok, a lot of patience.

How does it work? Once you're registered Tunerec will automatically begin "recording" tracks into your library. The process seems a bit slow, but only because of the sheer volume. I received my beta code yesterday and currently have 17,056 tracks available and the number is steadily climbing.

I'm assuming that the process is necessary to keep things "legal," though I can't say for certain. There's not a whole lot of information on the site about how it works.

There is, of course, a social element to the service. Invite your friends and you'll be able to subscribe to their playlists and share tracks amongst yourselves.

Overall, Tunerec works quite well. Audio quality is excellent, and I'm very happy with the songs I've got at my disposal. It's currently in closed beta, so head on over and request a code to get started!

Tunerec streams the songs you want from a library of thousands originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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