Explay is a Russian company engaged in the production of digital technology. It has been on the market since 2005. Since its foundation, it has achieved great success, periodically taking first or second places according to the results of sales of various devices at the end of the year in Russia. DVRs, smartphones, tablet computers, voice recorders, Explay e-books and many other digital products of this brand are presented in store windows. Before starting a review of popular models of e-books produced by Explay, the reader will be given a few basic recommendations regarding the selection criteria for this device.
How to choose an e-book: tips
Before buying a reader, you need to pay attention to factors such as:
- Playable file format. The most popular are TXT, RTF, PDF, FB2, EPUB, DOC. If the downloaded file cannot be read, then you can try to download it in another format or convert it to the desired one using special programs (for example, AVS Document Converter 4).
- Memory. E-books are equipped with built-in memory up to 8 GB in size. Some readers have additional slots to expand storage tanks up to 32 GB.
- Internet availability. The Wi-Fi function will be convenient for downloading books. But, taking into account the main purpose of the device, full-fledged surfing on the RuNet is not provided.
- Control. There are two types of e-books: with touch keys and buttons.
- The size. Most models are 6-inch. However, you can find books in sizes of 5, 7 and even 10 inches.
- Charging. The battery life is indicated on the device in the number of hours or turning pages. The latter method is used most often. Many devices are capable of holding a charge of up to 1 month.
- Body. The strength of the gadget is very important, especially if children will use the reader. A protective cover in this case will extend the life of the device.
Screen Features
The type of display is one of the most important characteristics, so a separate column of the article will be given to it. With care for their eyes, the reader should devote due attention to the study of this component.
Types of matrices:
- TFT is a type of liquid crystal display. It features high contrast and sharpness. However, these indicators are achieved with the right angle, otherwise the picture can be very distorted. A significant drawback is the high energy consumption.
- IPS is a variation of the TFT display with advanced features. They have a wider viewing angle, high color reproduction and contrast.
- E-ink - a new type of matrix, created on the basis of electronic ink. This technology is considered the most safe for vision, since such ink is visually close to real, so that when reading the eyes almost never get tired. Readers with E-ink-screens are very ergonomic: the battery charge is used only to change the image. There is no flickering picture.
But not everything is so cloudless in using the E-ink matrix, there are also disadvantages:
- Slow page turning.
- Lack of color reproduction.
- Low contrast
Most modern reader models are equipped with E-ink technology. The following modifications are currently implemented:
- VizPlex - the contrast level is 7: 1. Now it is already obsolete technology, which is gradually leaving the market.
- Pearl (10: 1). Improved modification with a resolution of 800 * 600 dpi.
- E-ink Pearl HD (12: 1). A distinctive feature of the matrix is an increased resolution of 1024 * 758 pixels.
- Flex (Mobius) with a contrast ratio of 10: 1. Such screens have a built-in plastic substrate, due to which they can bend. However, this makes the device prone to damage.
- E-ink Carta.Screens with the highest image quality (15: 1), which makes them the most expensive.
Explay Ebooks: An Overview of the Best
- Explay TXT.Book.B60 supports 9 popular text formats, including PDF, TXT, FB2, RTF and others. The built-in memory contains 2 GB and can be expanded up to 16 GB thanks to the presence of additional slots (support for SD, SDHC cards). Matrix technology - E-ink Pearl, screen size is 6 inches.
A distinctive feature of the device is also a built-in MP3 player, with which you can play WMA-, WAV, FLAC-, and OGG-files. Included is a cover. Price from 4990 rub.
- Explay HD BOOK: has a color LCD display that allows you to watch videos with a resolution of up to 720p of many well-known formats: MP4, VOB, MPG, MKV, MOV, AVI, MPEG and others. The screen size is 5 inches, the matrix type is TFT. Price from 2300 rub.
- Model Explay TXT.Book.B90. The gadget has a wide display (9 inches) and an extensive color gamut (supports 16.7 million colors). LED backlight and built-in memory of 4 GB will delight readers. Display Type - TFT.
The only drawback to use may be the lateral location of the buttons. Price from 2600 rub.
- Explay TXT.Book.B67 with VizPlex E-ink matrix technology and a 6-inch screen supports touch input. Unlike other models, the device can be charged from the network. In addition to the MP3 player, this e-book also has an FM radio, drawing mode, and virtual keyboard. The gadget's operating time is up to 50 hours (5000 leafing).
The package includes a case, headphones, a network charger. Cost from 5100 rub.
- Explay TXT.Book.B62 with a 6-inch screen and an E-ink VizPlex matrix. The book is relatively lightweight - 152g, and the external control is represented by round buttons, which makes its use even more comfortable. The device is able to work up to 20 hours (4,000 leafing), there is also the possibility of charging from the network. RAM includes 2 GB with the ability to expand to 32 GB.
Distinctive features: touch screen, automatic image rotation, music playback. Price from 6000 rub.
The minimum cost is taken based on the data of online stores as of 2018.
Pros and cons of models of readers Replay
With regard to e-books produced by Explay, the following advantages can be distinguished:
- Sufficiently large amount of memory. Almost all models have additional slots for its expansion.
- Build quality.
- A wide selection of models with various additional components: the ability to play video, audio files, FM-radio.
- Screens of different sizes.
- Explay e-books come with color screens.
The disadvantages include:
- A small set of formats for reading. In e-books of the Explorer, only the most popular ones are used mainly - pdf, rtf, doc, fb2, txt and the like.
- There are no models with E-ink Carta screens.
- No internet support.
E-books are gaining popularity among readers. This is easily explained. For example, a gadget with built-in 4 GB memory holds approximately 5500 thousand e-books at a rate of 700 bytes per each. This allows you to create your own library and eliminates the need to store a huge amount of paper sources. In addition, it is convenient to carry with you, and the battery charge can last up to 1 month.