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Slick ER-701 E-reader now Available at Sears – $50

About 4 months back I posted the FCC paperwork for the Slick ER-701 ereader, a new budget device that was going to be sold by Southern Telecom. I haven’t heard anything about it since then, but today my competition found the ereader on the Sears website.

This 7″ ereader is selling for $50, and that’s a heck of a lot less than I was expecting. It’s also less than the price in Europe, where Trekstor imported it and is selling it for 60 euros ($80). Actually, most of the difference is because Sears knocked $20 off the price.

It has a card slot and internal Flash storage, but I cannot tell from the Sears listing exactly what those are. As you might be able to tell from the screen, this ereader was originally designed by Gajah. That means it will have a decent reading app, decent battery life, and at the current price it’s certainly worth buying. This ereader will likely also have decent video and audio ability and the several Gajah ereaders that I have reviewed all had broad audio, video, and ebook format support.

The ER-701 also comes tied to the Kobo ebookstore. I’m not sure how that works; this device does not have Wifi so there’s no built-in ebookstore. It probably ships with the installer for the Kobo desktop app, and you can use that to download ebooks.

If you’re looking for something basic then this is a serious contender.

Sears

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Comments


Tony Agudo December 2, 2011 um 12:31 pm

It’s on sale at Dollar General for $45. The card slot is a micro SD slot, it supports EPUB, PDF, HTML and text formats for reading, MP3 and Ogg Vorbis for audio, and I’ve found so far it plays Quicktime(.mov and .mp4) video. http://www.dollargeneral.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12290469

Nate Hoffelder December 2, 2011 um 12:32 pm

Thanks!


Syn December 2, 2011 um 4:09 pm

It doesn’t sound bad at all for that price..

Tony Agudo December 2, 2011 um 10:04 pm

It’s surprisingly good for a budget reader. The only slight problem I have with it(warning: geek-speak ahead) is that Kobo Desktop isn’t available for my desktop OS(Linux), yet even though I was able to run it via Wine(Windows emulator), it doesn’t recognize the ereader. So no Kobo books on it just yet, but I otherwise love it.

burger flipper December 2, 2011 um 10:52 pm

Tony, does it have a night mode (white text on black), and if so, how dim can you turn the backlight?

My only concern is I like to read in bed in the pitch black and a lot of readers are actually too bright for this (even though they’ll look very dim in a lit room.

Tony Agudo December 2, 2011 um 11:46 pm

You can set the background black and the font color white, and dim the backlight on it to 0-20%(perfect for your bed reading) in Display Settings.

burger flipper December 3, 2011 um 6:00 pm

thanks, Tony.


Rose December 3, 2011 um 12:05 am

I have the older model Slick color ereader that I bought on a whim a year ago, and I love it! It was my first ereader, and I just ordered the new one as a backup until I can afford the tablet I want. The old model had at least eight hours battery life for reading, but it goes down radically if you listen to music on it. WARNING be sure to use the battery charge up before re-charging. I lost one quarter of my battery within just a couple of weeks recharging when partially used up. However, this doesn’t seem to be a problem if you attach to a power source while USING the erearder (which I do to listen to music every day at work), only if charging when the ereader is turned off.

What I do is download DRM epubs to Adobe Digital Editions, connect the ereader and transfer the epubs to the ereader via Adobe–it recognizes the ereader. (I do this with DRM epubs from Kobo, Borders and B&N as well–this might work for the Linux desktop if you don’t mind using Adobe Digital Editions) From there you can connect the loaded ereader to your computer, access the folder with the epubs on the ereader, and move them or back them up as you wish. ANOTHER NOTE: Adobe Editions and Kobo won’t move free epubs of out of copyright books to the ereader, even if you download them from Kobo/B&N 🙁 . I had to download my "Project Gutenberg" stuff from non-commercial sites.

For non DRM epubs I download them to the backup files on my computer, connect the ereader to the computer, open the folder and then drag and drop them to the ereader from the back up files. That’s how I load my music as well–drag and drop from my computer to a folder on the ereader.

The older version had only black text on white back-lit–very bright in a dark room! I’ll try and remember to update when I get the new model.

I love this ereader.

Tony Agudo December 3, 2011 um 1:44 am

It seems ADE is Windows/Mac only too, so I’m fairly sure that ADE under Wine may have the same problem recognizing the ereader. I’ll give it a shot after a good night sleep, though.

Tony Agudo December 3, 2011 um 12:20 pm

I’ve run ADE under Wine, and it allows import from the filesystem, but it still doesn’t recognize the ereader(other than a regular USB storage drive). I’ll just have to stick to non-DRM ebooks for the reader until a proper Linux solution pops up.

Gloria January 15, 2012 um 9:13 pm

I am having problems wirh downloading free book or any book did not have this problem with nook kind i download for other e-book comp.

Roger January 16, 2012 um 8:04 am

You cannot download free books from Kobo to the Slick.

Regina February 27, 2012 um 3:06 pm

You CAN EASILY download free Kobo books to the Slick ereader. I do it. Most of the free Kobo books come from Gutenburg anyway.

Roger December 3, 2013 um 1:55 pm

Sorry, can’t be done with a Slick.


The nuts and bolts of using tablet computers, e-libraries, and family literacy initiatives to encourage young children to read | LibraryCity December 4, 2011 um 12:01 am

[…] many children.  E-book-capable tablets go for less than $100: in fact, as I write this, the Slick ER-701 e-reader with a seven-inch color screen is on sale for as little as $45 from Dollar General, or $15 less […]


Jörn December 4, 2011 um 7:18 am

The internal Flash Storage is about 2 GB, you can increase this via Micro-SD-Card up to 32 GB. My Review (German): http://ebook-fieber.de/e-reader/ereader-im-test-ebook-reader-3-0-kein-wlan-kein-touchscreen-aber-epub-und-farbe/


eReader-Schnäppchen: Trekstor eBook Reader 3.0 als Slick ER-701 in den USA für 50 Dollar | eBook-Fieber December 4, 2011 um 7:47 am

[…] The Digital Reader […]


Sal Kaye December 4, 2011 um 12:28 pm

I own one of these and I really am in love with it.
It works pretty well.


Roger December 5, 2011 um 10:08 am

I love this thing! I’ve owned 4 ereaders (the first cost $460 – Cybook) and this competes with the best of them . I paid $60 at DG in October. The only 2 complaints are that the background colors are really intense, so I use white, and the function buttons are too fluch with the surface and, so , are difficult to find by touch. Here’s the fix: Go to a crafts store or Walmart and get a sheet of stickers that has numbers, letters, symbols, etc – you want the periods (dots) that are about 1/8 in. in diameter and 1/16 in. high. I put one on the first 2 and the 4th (the 3rd is for music and then one on the Pg forward. Those are the ones you will use the most. Any more (expecially the page up, down and backward as well as the Enter and it’s just too crowded. Do that and you can move your finger to any of these by touch, especially the PG Forward without looking.
Happy Reading!


First Impressions of the Slick ER-701 – The Digital Reader December 7, 2011 um 5:51 pm

[…] week I posted about a super cheap 7″ ebook reader, the Slick ER-701. That post drew a fair amount of comment from owners, and they pretty much agreed […]


David December 12, 2011 um 12:52 pm

Is there a EOM wall charger for sale, or will any USB charger work?

Nate Hoffelder December 12, 2011 um 1:00 pm

My unit didn’t come with a charger.

Roger December 12, 2011 um 1:09 pm

It should have come with a USB cable for charging through the computer – must warn you – that is pretty slow but works well.


Roger December 12, 2011 um 1:08 pm

If a phone charger fits it should work fine – I have a Sanyo phone and it charges in a couple of hours.


Christopher D. December 20, 2011 um 9:11 pm

i got a used Slick Model:ER701 from my friend. I didnt have a charger for it so i went to walmart and found a phone charger that fit into the usb port. When i plugged it into the wall and turned it on it worked momentarily then froze completely, i couldnt even turn it off. I just put it down for about an hour and tried to let it die, finally my girl turned it off she said she held the power button down. I tried to power it back up and nothing, anyone experience anything of this sort?

Roger December 20, 2011 um 10:58 pm

I WOULD PLUG IT IN AND MAKE SURE IT IS FULLY CHARGED – WAIT UNTIL THE RED LIGHT TURNS BLUE.


Lolita December 21, 2011 um 1:54 pm

I bought myself and my mother this model, and i can say it was the best $95 i ever spent. This E-reader has no bells and whistles; no wi-fi, no apps. But it dose what it says it dose with a few extras.
It is simple enough for even a person new to E-readers or even tech electronics (my mother).
The controls are simple (except the time zone and time format of Military Time, these options cannot be changed). Its light weight and compact. As well as functional.

Some extra specs:
As stated above this supports EPUB,PDF,TXT and HTML file formats. But it also supports MOBI file format, its shown in the "file explorer".
It comes with a 2 gb internal memory which will hold around 2000 books (depending on size), It also can be expanded with a Micro SD card ( i believe it supports up to 16gb).
The screen is glare resistant in most lighting (although i have not tried it in the direct sun). Its also not easily scratched.
I have seen some reviews stating that the battery life is short. This is not my experience, reading on and off with the power save ON, the battery lasts around 12 hrs, with it off around 8-9. Continuous reading it lasts about 7-8 hrs.
All in all this Reader is the best you could ask for given the price, it will not make you breakfast, or tell you the weather but it will do just fine as a music player/book reader/photo viewer. I could not be happier.

Nate Hoffelder December 21, 2011 um 1:59 pm

But you can get the K4 for only $79/$109. It does more and has a bigger ebookstore. I think that’s the better value.

Roger December 21, 2011 um 4:52 pm

You made a great choice! I love mine and you are dead on about the battery life. Plus, Kobo has millions of books. I have a Cybook, ebookwise, and Nook Color – the Slick 701 is in there with the best when it comes to "reading" which is why most of us have ereaders.

Happy reading!

Lolita December 21, 2011 um 10:03 pm

Exactly Roger, i have a Nook myself and can honestly say i prefer the Slick. It dose the job it was designed to do. Act as a virtual book. I dont need apps and wi-fi , i have a laptop for that. And Kobo dose indeed have a BIG choice for books, and most are more reasonalbly priced than a Kindle book from amazon.
Happy Reading to you as well!

Roger December 21, 2011 um 10:42 pm

And………a Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Lolita December 21, 2011 um 11:00 pm

Thank you so much Roger! Merry Christmas and many blessings from me and mine!


Jenni January 11, 2012 um 9:05 am

I can’t seem to get the Kobo program to sync their free books to my ereader.
I chose them, added them to my Kobo library and press sync and nothing.
I have no problem with Digital Editions but no go with Kobo. I have gone through all of Kobo’s helps but they do me zero good. Any suggestions?

Roger January 11, 2012 um 11:32 am

Free books will only synch with Kobo readers – I went through the same thing with them and talked to a rep – they need to make this clear on their site.

Jenni January 16, 2012 um 8:12 am

Thanks for that – You know, it’s pretty ridiculous. If I can’t get those books to download what makes them think I’m actually going to spend money on their site – without your comment how would I recognize any of their books would work?
Very irritating.
-thanks so much for the clarification.

Roger January 16, 2012 um 8:44 am

I agree – They need to make that very clear up front – It is also impossible to rate books, or at least it was – I hope they have fixed that problem. I still love my Slick but find I use my Nook Color more and more (when I have a chance to read).

Marvin MOnti February 23, 2012 um 10:13 am

download files from other free pdf sites…its not that much different in text format…just an option.


tonya January 29, 2012 um 6:25 am

i cant get the desktop installers to download.?


Marvin MOnti February 23, 2012 um 10:11 am

Kobo ereader is a boss it even plays more video file formats than most high end phones…just download books in another format if you cant or wont want to pay kobo site for bookdownloads…pdf etc. Its less cosmetic but it works…


Lesley Thiel May 1, 2012 um 2:08 am

I was given mine as a present. It is my first ereader and I am now hooked on using such devices. i have one MAJOR problem with it and maybe someone can help. When I’m reading the ereader will suddenly reboot itself. When it comes back up it will have forgotten what I have read in the pst several sessions and sometimes even say I was reading a different book. I then have to try and remember what page I was on. I’m thinking of getting a different ereader if this goes on.


eReader-Schnäppchen: Trekstor eBook Reader 3.0 als Slick ER-701 in den USA für 50 Dollar | eBook-Fieber.de July 14, 2015 um 11:04 am

[…] via The Digital Reader […]


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