jetBook - yet another eBook zooms into the market

Original Post from March 27th 2008.
ECTACO the self-proclaimed "NY-based electronics giant" (which I'd never heard off, probably because they seem to be Russian, US incorporated in NY) has introduced this new "jetBook" eBook.





They are big on rhetoric ("that will change the way we read forever!"), see their press release,

but short on specs....from the JetBook Website we get this feature list

• Support for e-Book contents in Russian, Polish, English, Spanish and other languages
• Bookmarks and auto page turn functionality
• Adjustable font type and size
• Screen rotation support for both portrait & landscape modes
• Built-in English <-> Russian, English <-> Polish, and English explanatory dictionaries
• Built-in MP3 player that supports background playback
• SD card slot
• Internal Li-ion polymer battery
• Weight = 7 ounces
• 5" display
  

for $350

But "Specs" in Russian seems to translate into "features" or "benefits" and their "Specs" page tells you you can "READ MORE", "LEARN MORE", "ENJOY MORE" and then lists the same features as above.

I was unable to find quickly details on:-- the type of display used, or it's battery life in hours or pages- much about connectivity beyond the mention of SD card (USB even?)- any book formats supported beyond ".txt, .pdf and .jpg"The only things different from the general offering appearing in eBooks I could see were:-- automatic page turn (I saw one other offering this, time based I assume)- built-in Russian and Polish dictionaries

I see a trend developing here: each developed country around the world has a smaller company doing an eBook in their own language (plus English often) for their "local" customers.

I mean, even the big ones are not global:

• Sony PRS = US only
• Kindle = US only (UK is rumored to be coming)
• iRex Illiad (mainly Europe, but you can buy on-line from the US)