My husband’s techie side has officially rubbed off on me! This year, I’ve managed to purchase a DSLR, a Blu-ray player, as well as add to my collection of video games. I also have my eye on a certain tablet computer. Because we travel so much, it makes sense to use air and drive time to catch up on reading.
While I’m super late jumping on the e-reading train, I actually prefer it (gasp!). I can’t think of a more brilliant way to have instant access to my favorite books and magazines without a trip to the library or the bookstore.
Just in time for the holiday season, The Sharper Image released Literati, a wireless, lightweight, affordable color eReader with a built-in connection to Kobo (one of the world’s largest global e-book retailers). With it’s sleek, portable design and customizable features, the Literati will expand your reading horizon!
The Literati is stylishly designed and provides a unique, interactive reading experience. With all electronic devices, I try to see how far I can get without opening up a manual. Because the Literati is preloaded with 25 classics, you can start reading as soon as you charge the device which means I skipped the manual initially. I set up a free Kobo account to gain access to new and bestselling titles (over 2 million!). As a side note, Kobo has over 300 free eBOOKS available for reading and downloading and you can download 125 to your account with the purchase of the eReader. Additionally, the Literati will store up to 5,000 books when you add the optional SD card.
The Literati is super easy to use and I like the ability to access books directly from the device (as opposed to connecting it to a computer). I should mention that the books you download onto the device can be accessed from your computer or smartphone which makes it highly versatile (free app download required). Reading from an eReader is not the same as reading from a book, particularly because you don’t turn a physical page. Instead, you turn pages via the capacitive paging buttons on either side of the screen which is very quick (you can also use the buttons on the key pad but I prefer the former). While I don’t mind the paging buttons, I would have loved the device to include a touch screen. Unlike a book, Literati allows you to customize the typeface and font to your preference and you won’t need a book light for nighttime reading. Specifically you can dim or brighten the screen, invert (for nighttime reading) or soften (sepia) the screen to your liking. And if you like to bookmark pages, you’ll appreciate the fact that the Literati bookmarks the page you last read, regardless of where you open the book (eReader, computer, smartphone). I have several classic books from my high school and college days with corners missing because I earmarked them and ruined them.
As simple as it may appear, the fact that the Literati displays in color (it has a 7″ color LCD screen) is one of my favorite features. While this isn’t necessarily important while reading a novel, it makes a big difference when reading children’s books, cookbooks, and magazines.
As someone who travels frequently, I find that lugging more than one or two books or magazines gets cumbersome. I really like the fact that I can simply bring the Literati with me for hours of reading enjoyment. The eReader comes with a free case which is great for moms like me who have curious (and sometimes clumsy) children.
In an age where technology prevails, I wonder if children are reading less and gaming more. While I still appreciate the feel of a real book, I believe that eReaders are making it easier and more attractive for adults and children to read more.
The Literati by Sharper Image retails for $159 but is currently on sale for $129.99. You can purchase the eReader at The Sharper Image and select retailers nationwide.
I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of The Sharper Image and received a Literati eReader to facilitate my review.
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