Foxit eSlick FE-01 ebook reader

Ebook readers are becoming more common but that does not mean all the wrinkles have been ironed out.

Sadly we found too many wrinkles in the eSlick reader from Foxit, which looks a bit like a budget version of the Amazon Kindle.

Like similar devices it was simple to use and it has a good bright and clear e-ink screen, making text easy to read. The controls were clunky, however, and too many times when we used the zoom feature the result was awkward for reading.

It can read ebooks in the Epub format, but not paid-for ones. Other files can be converted using the supplied software. The eSlick works with the PDF format but did not handle zoomed PDFs well in default settings. Instead, you have to enable the Reflow option in the menu each time you read a document, which was a hassle (other readers do not read PDFs without conversion but do reflow automatically).

You can also transfer MP3 music files over the USB connection so you can listen to them on the reader, but this was probably its least attractive feature and playback was somewhat tinny. It can also display pictures, but only in black and white.

In its favour the eSlick has a long battery life (8,000 page turns) and the 512MB memory is enough for hundreds of books. If you need extra space, though, it can be expanded using an SD memory card.

If you do not want to splash out on a Kindle, the eSlick’s price is attractive and despite its drawbacks it is an able reader.

The eSlick is on sale from I Want One of Those on 0844 573 7070: http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/foxit-e-slick-fe-01/index.html