COOL-ER ebook reader

Ebook reader range from Cool-er

If you’ve been intrigued by the ebook reader phenomenon, and are looking for an easy-to-use model to try, the stylish Cool-ER ebook reader may be ideal.

This ereader, which is manufactured by a relatively small UK-based company called Interead, certainly has the most fun exterior of ebook readers in the market to date.

It bears more than a passing resemblance to the iPod, with a colourful product range to match. Both products feature a click wheel for flicking through your selection and navigating menus. And the Cool-er reader is available in eight vibrant colours.

Screen quality & resolution

Like several other ereader models, the Cool-ER uses E-Ink®, which is a type of electrophoretic screen. This groundbreaking technology makes reading from the Cool-er ebook reader a comfortable and pleasant experience. Simply put, the screen’s display replicates the feeling of reading a paper book.

In fact, with its high contrast, adjustable text size, crisp text, landscape or portrait option, three types of fonts and eight font sizes, you’ll find it a real pleasure to read from.

Another advantage of E-Ink® technology is that it uses no power when on a book page, greatly lengthening battery life.  Instead, power is only used when you turn a page or refresh the screen.

In-built MP3 player

Next to the mini USB socket on the base of the Cool-ER reader, is a mini audio jack from which you can play back MP3 tracks as well as audiobooks – all with good sound quality.

Battery life

The battery life of a Cool-ER reader is pretty impressive, with a single charge lasting up to 8,000 pages.

Ease to use

This lightweight ebook reader weighs in at a mere 178g, easily just half the weight of other ereaders. It easily fits into a bag or jacket pocket, making it exceedingly handy and portable.

Users will find the functions and navigation easy to operate. A set of buttons on the left side of the reader can be used to adjust sound, switch between landscape and portrait formats and the menu. While under the screen, there’s another set of navigation buttons.

When connected to a PC or Mac’s USB port, the ebook reader is just shown as an external device. This makes it easy to drag and drop files without any programme installation.

Available ebooks

Downloading books couldn’t be simpler, and can be done by using USB or memory card. Since the makers of Cool-ER have their own bookstore stocking over 750,000 titles, buying and downloading books is easy. Simply drag and drop files onto your computer.

Our verdict

The Cool-ER ebook reader is a stylish and practical device from an independent retailer.  On the whole, it’s easy to use, convenient and affordable. It costs significantly less than other popular ebook readers but can hold its own in the feature stakes.

For instance, although its plastic coating makes it feel less durable, it takes less than a second to turn a page, compared to the 2 seconds it takes to do so on a Sony PRS-505. That’s due to the Cool-ER’s faster 400Mhz ARM processor.