eBook reader review

One of the big advantages of the Micro Cruz Reader is that it allows you to access ebooks from a wide range of sources including Borders, Barnes & Noble and of course Amazon. The built in applications include a dictionary, notepad, calendar, alarm clock, contacts, games and a range of useful apps.

In appearance it resembles an I Pad having a seven-inch (diagonal) touch screen with 800 x 600 pixel resolution. The Velocity Micro Cruz Reader has the Android OS as its operating system and this Google designed OS works well. We found the screen easy to read and the slim and attractive design, (it weighs less than 1 lb and is only 0.6 inch thick) ideal for use at home or when traveling.
With the Cruz you can bring your favorite movies on a plane without the hassle of a portable DVD player or laptop, with support for MPEG-4 and H.264 video formats. Listen to your favorite tunes in MP3, WMA, AAC, or WAV formats. Or share pictures from your last vacation with JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP support.

The Cruz Reader offers 256 MB internal storage, expandable via both USB and SD card slots. A 4 GB micro SD card is included with the device (pre-installed)An extended life, user-replaceable lithium-ion battery is included, offering up to 10+ hours of life on a single charge (24+ hours on standby).
On the downside it would have been nice to have received a full manual with the ebook reader and some people have reported that the screen can smudge easily. However, generally comments have been positive and we think that the Velocity Micro Cruz Reader, Black (R101) represents good value for money. Definitely one to be considered if you do not want to be limited to downloading from just one source.