I was hoping to see one of these in my last (and only) beginning of creation. Got one each for my 2 college age sons the last time they were up and they love them. BTW: These work great for Facebook. Now I'm getting another one for me to play with. In for one!

Now if they can only get Skype to work with these things. . .

Cheri Antozak wrote:Does anyone know what the actual size of this is and how much it weighs?

Dimensions
Closed: 5.5” (W) x 7.5” (H) x 1” (D)
Open: 11” (W) x 7.5” (H) x 0.5” (D)
Weight
1.35 lbs

By far, one of the best Android tablets out there. Technically speaking, it's still state-of-the-art. About the only thing it's missing is an accelerometer, which is only useful for games. You can change orientation via a button for reading.

PROS

- A 1.2 GHz Marvell ARMADA PXA168 CPU, which I believe is underclocked to run at 1ghz. Most cheap tablets only have 500mhz (underclocked) to 800mhz
- Fantastic resistive touchscreen. The screen is so reactive that it rivals capacitive screens. Theonly real difference is that it can't do multitouch gestures. I much prefer this resistive screen to capcacitive ones because you have more precision for writing and drawing, and less chance of accidentally touching an area.
- The great touchscreen means that the onscreen keyboard is very usable. In fact, it's the only tablet keyboard where I can type reasonably fast
- The standard USB port allows for external keyboards, among other things. I bought a great keyboard and stand off ebay for $9.50, free s/h. Also has a miniUSB port
- has bluetooth, which I've never used
- Accepts MicroSD cards for emory expansion
- The folding design allows it to stand on its own. Just open partially, like an upside down V. Alternatively, open it like a laptop where the eInk side is the base. This allows the Edge to be used like a great alarm clock or media player.
- Videos play VERY smoothly because of the 1ghz CPU and hardware design. Even highly compressed videos using H.264 in full screen. These videos choke on my 800hmz no-name tablets.
- The sound on maximum is very loud. In fact, it's louder than my HP multimedia laptop. And there is no noticeable distortion. The stereo speakers are on the hinge
- The eInk side seamlessly integrates with the LCD side so it's not just a gimmick. For example, my favorite related feature is the ability to send any webpage to the eInk side by touching one button. This is great for reading long webpages, especially for those those find eInk less fatiguing. For me, th biggest advantage is the savings in power. I use this feature most reading very long Wikipedia and New York Times articles.
- Some input for the eInk reader is also done on the LCD side, i.e. word searches
- Has a camera and mic for Skyping, etc. You can also quickly record images in an emergency.
- Very stable. I'm running Android 2.2 and I've only had to reset once
- eInk side is very legible, just like paper. I find it very comfortable for reading, and choose it to save energy when color isn't necessary
- The eInk side is not resistive but instead uses an included stylus (like a Wacom tablet). You can highlight, annotate, draw, etc. I physically circle words and add my own written notes on the margins.
- The dual screen setup is actually very useful if you read non-fiction, as I do. I can read journal articles in eInk and simultaneously do research on the topic on the LCD tablet
- Comes with Documents-to-Go which runs very smoothly on the 1ghz CPU.
- One of my favorite features are the hard buttons. yep, this has actual buttons to for Home, Menu, Back and Orientation. I find virtual buttons annoying because they disturb the material on screen when they pop up. The eInk side has physical buttons for turning pages and font size changes.
- The Edge is very sturdy. I;ve dropped it a few times from about 2' and it survived [closed] without a dent.
- The screens are matte (especially the eInk side) so they're more resistant to fingerprints
- The Wifi seems very strong and stable
- YouTUbe plays very well with the YouTube app. You can technically also play YouTube videos in a browser if it supports once you upgrade to Android 2.2.
- With the appropriate browser, i.e. Dolphin HD, you can choose between mobile versions of a website and the regular full-featured desktop version. I find the latter helpful because there are features that aren't available in mobile versions, i.e. YouTube and eBay.


CONS
- Yep, it's relatively heavy
- Yep, it's thicker than most tablets. That means that it may not fit into certain cases or stands. For example, I bought a great $9.50 USB keyboard off ebay that also serves as a case. Not only can it not encase my Edge, but it also cannot support the Edge like an easel because of the thickness. Not a major problem though because the Edge can easily stand on its own (see above).
- It uses MicroSD cards rather than normal SD cards. MicroSD cards are generally more expensive and are much easier to lose. I've lost [and found] mine several times already
- The eInk side requires the use of the included stylus. While that's great for precision, i.e. to draw or write notes, it's annoying to have to take out the stylus just to skip to a certain page. There is a nice slot for the pen. Note that the stylus has a special nib so you can't just use a toothpick. If you lose it, you'll need to buy a new one to activate the eInk side.
- The Entourage company no longer exists so you won't be able to register the Edge. And there won't be any more firmware upgrades, etc. Thankfully, the Beta Android 2.2 OS works extremely well so you can run virtually all Android software (that doesn't require phone functions or an accelerometer). You can even run Flash.
- There doesn't appear to be a large support community out there. My Cruz R101 has more active support, i.e. firmwares, hacks, etc.
- No access to Google's Android Market. You can use Amazon's Android Market, however, which gives away one free app a day. Unfortunately, it's nowhere near as extensive as Google. And many top apps are not on Amazon, i.e. the Dolphin HD browser, whose power rivals desktop browsers. You can get around this by downloading the APK file to your desktop first and then copy onto your Edge.
- The memory for apps is very small and will very quickly reach its limit. This is true for all cheaper tablets. The memory card doesn't help because it's just for data, i.e. videos, music, photos, etc. You cannot run apps off it. For the brave, there is a way to trick the Edge into thinking that the memory card is internal memory. It involves opening certain files and editing the settings. I intend to do it next week.

All said, I plan on buying two more as gifts. The only problem will be explaining to the recipient that this is a discontinued product, which scares a lot of people.

Cheri Antozak wrote:Does anyone know what the actual size of this is and how much it weighs?

Uh...from the description:
Dimensions
Closed: 5.5” (W) x 7.5” (H) x 1” (D)
Open: 11” (W) x 7.5” (H) x 0.5” (D)
Weight
1.35 lbs

We have three and so far they preform very well and do everything we need them to do. Great e-ink reader. We all do a lot of reading and the capability to search and ability to go forward and backward to any page is nice. Our previous readers did not have this and cost much more. Now add on the tablet with dictionary, browser, and all the rest of the apps, it makes for great device.

The one irritation with the unit is the power connector. There has been quite a number of reports of it being a bit touchy. A number of reports that people couldn't get the initial charge on the unit. A little adjusting should take care of this. As I said and irritation, nothing more.

Others in my family want one since they saw the ones we have.

In for 3 more.

friartek wrote:The one irritation with the unit is the power connector. There has been quite a number of reports of it being a bit touchy.

As mentioned earlier you can manually rotate the screen. I did it for one of them for my son so when he uses it the power connector is at the top. Keeps him from breaking the plug off or putting excessive strain on it when he is using it lying down.

Klintor wrote:Just to let you guys know, the company that makes these has gone under, and therefore custom content updates that used to be pushed by them (news, etc for the Dualbook) no longer function.

True, but MobileRead covers the Entourage units, and there is a good installed base. They've got all the updates and downloads. An eInk reader OR Android can do a lot of dedicated tasks.

do microsdhc cards work? i have a 32gb microsdhc card and i would like to not have to buy a smaller card.

i seem to remember that the controllers are the same, but i wanna make sure, especially if someone has one already, that this device supports a 32 gb card.

$23 for a 2 year SquareTrade warranty:
http://www.amazon.com/SquareTrade-2-Year-Warranty-Accident-Protection/dp/B004M5MUT8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&m=A1B45FIBP2TU2&s=generic&qid=1315550388&sr=1-5

$31 for a 3 year SquareTrade warranty:
http://www.amazon.com/SquareTrade-3-Year-Warranty-Accident-Protection/dp/B004M5OZ7S/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&m=A1B45FIBP2TU2&s=generic&qid=1315550484&sr=1-9

I think I'm in for 1 and i'll get the 3 year warranty, if it breaks I get $80 back of my invested $116...

Anyone know if the amazon 3 year squaretrade warranty will work? The cheapest table/other on the actual squaretrade site is $54 for 2 years... :/


edit: see this post for ST warranty 3 years for $12-$19

How is this for web browsing? Do you get 'full pages', at what resolution?

I've been trying to pick something portable I could use for the web (phone, netbook etc.)

lenzflare wrote:Never again. Never.

Bought one of these the first time it was on woot, and I was thrilled with it for the first week. After that I began to realize the limitations imposed by the sluggish hardware and dated OS. It does what it was made to do--reading, music, etc.--but not smoothly. The whole thing just feels really slow.

Worst of all, after a month or so of use, the e-ink side just stopped working. I tried everything, including taking it apart. I eventually gave up and trashed it.

I think the idea has potential, but the backing behind the product itself is too small to warrant a purchase of $80.

You got a bad unit. My experience is the opposite. It rivals most >$200 tablets. The 1ghz CPU in conjunction with the optimized design makes it very fast and responsive -- even when it ran Android 1.6. Updating to Android 2.2 made it even faster. I use mine several times a day and it's running like a trooper.

skywarrior3 wrote:I got mine the last time. I upgraded the OS(really simply to do) and it works so much better. Amazon has a really nice app store, and while some don't work with this, many do. The Mobile Read forums at mobileread are invaluable.

What build of android are you running?

qwerty108 wrote:What build of android are you running?

The beta version is 2.2.1, build number Ermine-0.9. Works well. It comes with 1.6, build number Dingo-1.8. The latest upgrade(non beta) is 1.6, build number Dingo-1.13.

The 2.2 download is here.

theguruguys wrote:What I didn't like about it was that the e-ink screen is very slow to redraw and when using it to write on it lags behind the stylus quite a bit. It doesn't have any kind of accelerometer so rotating the screen has to be done manually with a button, very annoying. It can not be charged through USB, only with the wall wart that it comes with. It runs Angry birds, although it struggles along while doing so. Because it is resistive and not multi-touch games that require pinching, dragging, or using on on screen joypad are not going to work, so don't plan on doing too much gaming. It plays words with friends just fine however.

At this price, its a good deal and anyone who wants a cheap tablet (and expects what you would get for a cheap tablet, this is not a iPad, Transformer, etc) will be happy with it.

Well, the Edge was released for over $350 just a year ago so it's hardly a "cheap tablet." And if the company had not gone backrupt, it would probably still be selling for $150+, even $200+. The hardware and design reflects the price. For example, it uses a 1.2 GHz Marvell ARMADA PXA168 CPU (running at 1ghz, I believe), not the 500-800mhz CPU of cheaper tablets. And doesn't use a generic design which most Chinese-made tablets used. The Edge uses a proprietary design which is optimized. Overall, the performance compares very well with higher end $200+ tablets, although it won't run Android 3.0 Honeycomb.

As for the slow eInk refresh, that's a limitation of eInk technology and has nothing to do with the Edge. You'd see it on the Kindle, Sony and b/w Nook. You trade speed for low energy use. And frankly, most people don't read fast enough to be hindered by the 1/2 second page turns. I actually like the slow refresh because the "flash" refreshes my eyes. As for the lag, again, it's a limitation of eInk. If you want a faster screen, use the LCD side. There are also settings to increase eInk speed. For example, go into READER PREFERENCES and turn on the QUICK DRAW feature.

The acclerometer is one of the most overhyped least used features on a tablet. Except for very few games, it can't accomplish anything that a manual orientation screen can't accomplish. A tablet is basically an extension of your laptop/desktop and since since those apps don't need an accelerometer, there's no reason you'd need one for your tablet. I use mine mostly for websurfing, reading, editing, and some games (Monopoly, backgammon, chess, and a few arcade games, etc), and have never needed an accelerometer.

My Edge doesn't struggle with Angry Birds. Did you upgrade from Android 1.6 to Android 2.2.?

wateriestfire wrote:It isn't anywhere near as fast as nowaday tablets, (processor is limited to 800mhz) but in my opinion, it is far more useful. As it fills a big gap between ipad clones and ereaders

No, it's as fast or even faster than many of today's tablets. It is not limited to 800mhz. According to the description, it uses a "1.2 GHz Marvell ARMADA PXA168" but from what I understand, it's running at 1ghz. I;ve heard that you can make it run at 1.2 ghz or overclock it. In my comparison with various tablets, it runs very fast, especially after updating to Android 2.2. For example, I can watch fullscreens videos using H.264 compression without any hiccups. My 800mhz struggles with them even in small screen mode. In fullscreen, it looks like a fast slideshow.

I got one of these the last time it was on woot.

As a tablet, the most you can expect out of this is to be able to access the internet, email, and other low demand applications.

As an e-reader, it is basically comparable to the kindle. e-readers have never been superfast, and this is no exception. The handwriting on the e-reader screen works, but at least on mine it had a long delay associated with the e-ink drawing the pen strokes. Kind of disappointing for those who think this is going to replace taking notes on paper.


The upgrade from 1.6 was hardly painless, but at least it worked. The upgrade sadly doesn't help much with the edge's most crippling flaw, which is its speed.

Basically the moral of the story is that "you get what you pay for". If you want to pay a fifth of the price of another tablet, you get a tablet that performs a fifth as well.

That being said, I still think it was well worth the money to have basic tablet functionality that is also combined with the e-reader as well.

I bought this about a month ago for 120.00 I think? Feels like a good deal, but, don't expect much. The Droid 1.6 OS feels ancient. This basic tool performs basic tasks basically.

dundey wrote:IThe web browser is just OK since it has Android 1.6.
There is an upgrade to Ermine (Froyo 2.2) possible through 3rd party sites. Since I upgraded, the tablet works great and is as good as most of the less expensive ones out there (its NOT an Ipad) for email / simple web browsing.

Ermine was actually an official release from Entourage before it went under, although it was still considered Beta. And you can do much more than simple browsing. Download Dolphin HD and you'll get a tabbed browser that rivals Firefox. Since you get to choose between the mobile and desktop versions of most website, you can do some very complex web browsing. For YouTube and eBay, for example, I choose the full desktop mode. It's very busy but has features not available on the mobile versions of their websites.

jessieturner wrote:If it runs google does that mean I can browse eBay with it or search the Internet etc? How about card games like pogo or has it no flash capabilities? Appreciate the help, thanks in advance .

Yes, you can easily browse eBay and search the Internet. If you get a powerful browser like Dolphin HD, you can even bypass mobile versions of the webistes and browse as if you're on your laptop. I've never played Pogo and don't use flash, but Android 2.2 supports Flash so make sure to upgrade from Android 1.6 once you get your Edge.

Can this be rooted or is it already rooted?

lordfluffy wrote:Won't run Google Appstore; people are searching for a workaround

The easiest way is to download the APK file onto your deskptop/laptop and then copy onto the Edge. Simply search for the APK title in Google. The biggest problem with this approach is that you don't get automatic upgrades.

A workaround shouldn't be that tough. Simply put a file into the Edge to trick Google's Market into thinking that your Edge is one of their approved phones. That approached has been used for other tablets but the Edge has limited user support so it may not happen any time soon.

I got one of these the last time around for $119 and am very happy with it. Of course, I am what they call a late adopter of technology, so this was my first e-reader and first tablet and my expectations were rather low.

Many of the Amazon Apps don't work on the Edge, but many do. I snagged an AWESOME one a couple of weeks ago called WiFi File Explorer which lets you wirelessly add and delete files on the Edge from your laptop, over your network. So freakin' convenient and speedier than the SD card or whatnot.

As others have said, you can't access the Google App Store, which is highly frustrating because I hate it when I'm denied stuff that other people get to have. I have enough apps to make my existence bearable, but I just know there are Google Apps out there that would rock my world.

Moving on.

The LCD screen isn't those new-fangled shiny, HD-looking things. It's kind of dull and not super-responsive. The casing is weirdly bulky and the side buttons feel cheap and click loudly. I do like that it opens like a book, though. You can change the screen orientation to landscape and prop it open like an easel if you want, and the book shape is nice to hold when you're reading in bed. It also can hold itself open, unlike those smelly old fashioned paper books.

But hey, this thing's not competing with iPads or even Touchpads (lol), so if you want a decent e-reader and want to dip your toes in the tablet waters, this is a good price for a decent little toy. Even if mine craps out after a year, I'll feel like I've gotten my money's worth. I really like being able to whip it out to look something up real quick, or to jot down a quick note, or to kill time playing Gin Rummy (free from the Amazon App Store!). Keep your expectations around this same level, and you'll be pleased.

I'm really happy with mine, which I bought in the first (most expensive) round, but I think it's best to think of it as an e-reader supplemented by the tablet. You can research what your reading and attach what you find as notes. Otherwise, it's good for light browsing and simpler games. Not an iPad, by any means.
I don't think it's for everyone, and I can't say I can recommend it, after all the problems I've read about here and in the last two discussions. I've had no problems with mine, but it would have to get even cheaper than this before I'd think about buying another one.

Nice little video here that shows all it can do:

http://www.besttabletpcsreviews.com/pocket-edge-dualbook.html

I can't find any apps at all for this at Amazon, let alone freebies. Can anyone please supply the url for them? Many thanks in advance!

eman187 wrote:Can this be rooted or is it already rooted?

Yes it can be rooted. There is an app z4root. You should read this.

Half of me thinks these are sort of cool, the other half of me can't get over the feeling that it's an e-reader bolted to a tablet, resulting in a device the size of a netbook but way less useful (aside from being able to read the e-ink screen in direct sunlight).

Sort of reminds me of the camera-phone gag on Flight of the Conchords.

I already bought a viewsonic gtablet and a nook touch.

falcobird wrote:As a tablet, the most you can expect out of this is to be able to access the internet, email, and other low demand applications.
[...]
The upgrade from 1.6 was hardly painless, but at least it worked. The upgrade sadly doesn't help much with the edge's most crippling flaw, which is its speed.

Low demand? With a 1.2 ghz CPU (running at 1 ghz), it can run some pretty demanding apps. One of my programmers is writing me an app to do statistical analysis, which is not low demand.

And what was so painful about your upgrade from Android 1.6 to Android 2.2? Just download the ZIP file, put into your Pocket Edge, and turn on. In a few minutes, you're done.

moosish wrote:I can't find any apps at all for this at Amazon, let alone freebies. Can anyone please supply the url for them? Many thanks in advance!

Go to Amazon's home page, and on the left, click on the tab that says "Appstore for Android." Register your device and you're set.

is lost on where to find free upgrades for android and apps after purchase

I bought one @ last Woot. Feh.

It's a slow kludgy fat heavy device. It is most certainly NOT a Kindle/Ipad, although the screen size is perfect for reading Kindle content on the tablet ( not on the e-ink side). I haven't explored the Nook capabilities.

That said, it's crazy easy and fast to root and install the one Froyo custom ROM built for this device. Search the Google.

It does NOT access the Google market and the Amazon market is quite limited.

Here is the workaround: Do a Titanium Backup of a another Android device you already own. Copy the backup file to your Edge using an SD card or using a PC as an intermediary. Install Titanium Backup on your edge. (Get it from Amazon.) Then you can selectively restore apps. (Choose apps+data). DO NOT do a system restore. Many apps will work. Many will not.

This is tertiary device for your couch. Gmail. IMDB. Maybe vids. Surf the net. Don't expect much and you won't be disappointed.

Craig234 wrote:How is this for web browsing? Do you get 'full pages', at what resolution?

I've been trying to pick something portable I could use for the web (phone, netbook etc.)

With the appropriate browser, i.e. Dolphin HD, you can choose between mobile and full desktop versions of websites. Choose the mobile version for an uncluttered look but I usually opt for the full version to access every feature. You can see the full page, or zoom in. Zooming in landscape mode gives you the most legible view for reading. Note than all this is a function of the web browser, and not the Edge or Android.

If these are from the bankruptcy sale of the company, does Woot also plan to sell the 10.1 inch enTourage dualbook?

waffulwallet wrote:is lost on where to find free upgrades for android and apps after purchase

Here's the link to upgrade from Android 1.6 to Android 2.2. Make sure you download the PE version (for Pocket Edge) not the EE version.

http://cdn.entourageedge.com/permine/update.zip.ermine-0.9

You can read more about the update procedure here:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134237

Excellent links here:
http://www.runboard.com/bedgehackersforum.p336

You can get apps from Amazon's Android marketplace, or simply Google the title with an APK extension. Download and copy into your tablet.

Solis wrote:Does anyone have a link that shows how to best upgrade to 2.2 Froyo on this though? I saw that there are support forums for it, but it looked like there was more than one and I'm not sure if they're all the same or not. For that matter, is it ready to go "out of the box" or do you need to configure an online account of any sort just to be able to use it?

Oh, and someone here said that the CPU only runs at 800mhz, but the description lists it as 1.2ghz...which does it actually run at? Could you overclock it from 800mhz to 1.2ghz otherwise? Oh yeah, and can you actually hook up a keyboard (or maybe even a mouse?) to the USB port?

1) As far as I can tell, the 1.2ghz CPU is underclocked to run at 1 ghz. It's definitely not running at 800 mhz. In my experience, it's quite speedy, as evidenced by it ability to play highly compressed H.264 videos in fullscreen smoothly.

2) When you upgrade to 2.2, make sure you download the PE version (for Pocket Edge) not the EE version.

You can read more about the update procedure here

Excellent links here


3) Yes, you can easily hook up a USB keyboard. I use one to edit large academic papers. For example, I got this case and keyboard for only $9.50 on ebay. Note, however, that the Edge is too thick to fit in the case, or to mount on the stand. No problem since the Edge can stand on its own.

1.35 pounds and opened = size of a notebook paper, closed = size of a Kindle! These stats alone are worth a look. Not many complaints listed yet - it's a shame the company folded (at least that's what I'm gleening from the posts).

It is interesting what people expect these days from almost everything. If it doesn't run as fast as a 3.0GHz 4 or even a 6 core processor, what good is it. If I have a lot of work to do I go to my desktop and get it done. I purchased my enTourages Pocket eDGe knowing exactly what it would do. It wasn't going to replace my desktop, but it would allow me to read books, check for emails, quick web searches, dictionary lookups, take notes, schedule events and more without running to my desktop system. Except for the reader it was never suppose to replace but augment my computer capabilities. I have to say it has done that very well.

If you are looking for a tablet to replace your desktop or notebook, this is not it. In fact, no table can do that yet. I don't know anyone with a tablet that doesn't use a notebook or desktop for most of their work. I'm also sure there are exceptions to this and in that case the PE will not be for you.

Please take your time and do some research before buying this, or for that matter any computer. If it is not going to do what you want or need, you won't be happy. I feel that for many, the PE will augment there computer needs very well.

Yes, you will have to do a few things, like upgrade the software and set up some additional applications, but it will be well worth your time. The upgrade made a world of difference with the look and feel and speed. I hope you will have as good an experience with your PE as I have had with mine.

There is plenty of help out there if you need it. Read through the posts here, as many sites have already been mentioned and there are sure to be more as the day goes on.

BTW, this post was composed on my PE.

Does anyone know if it handles Portuguese?

I am not very tech savvy. I am going to Costa Rica in a couple of months. Will I be able to send and receive e-mails with this from there?

Solis wrote:
Does anyone have a link that shows how to best upgrade to 2.2 Froyo on this though? I saw that there are support forums for it, but it looked like there was more than one and I'm not sure if they're all the same or not. For that matter, is it ready to go "out of the box" or do you need to configure an online account of any sort just to be able to use it?

Oh, and someone here said that the CPU only runs at 800mhz, but the description lists it as 1.2ghz...which does it actually run at? Could you overclock it from 800mhz to 1.2ghz otherwise? Oh yeah, and can you actually hook up a keyboard (or maybe even a mouse?) to the USB port?

If no one is able to post a link for the Froyo upgrade, I'll upload my copy of it to a file-sharing website for the Woot community. (Edit: I see links posted before me... never mind)

The CPU is supposedly runs at 800 MHz, though it's rated to run at 1.2 GHz. In theory, you could coax it to run at the higher speed (probably would need to root it and then hack its settings), but I wouldn't recommend doing it.

Why not? First, you'll drain the battery faster... proportionally to the speed increase. The CPU will consume 50% more power at 1.2 GHz vs. 800 MHz.

But more importantly, the CPU will also run hotter, and the device probably wasn't designed to handle the additional thermal load. I suspect that the enTourage engineers deliberately underclocked the CPU so that it would consume less power and dissipate less heat.

In any event, as sdc mentions, it plays videos without hiccuping, so it's plenty powerful enough as it is and doesn't require overclocking for normal use. One key is the Froyo upgrade (improved response over the stock OS).

Though I haven't done it myself, I have heard of owners who have connected keyboards via the USB port. Just for kicks, I may try to access a 1TB external HD with it.