Bookeen CYBOOK e-reader review

Is Bookeen CYBOOK a cheap ereader? Is it a good ereader? Here in Sweden, Bookeen's CYBOOK is one of the many e-book readers available—and it has a manual in Swedish. It's sold on our favorite Swedish online bookshop, BOKUS.se, so we think it must be good, right? Before you buy, take a look and see.

What type of screen do the CYBOOKs have?

The CYBOOK comes in two fresh models, the OPUS and ORIZON. Both models feature e-ink screens, though they don't seem to have the best, Pearl e-ink. You'll find reading comfortable but the e-ink is a step down from that used on the KINDLE and the Sony PRS. That said, both CYBOOK models offer 12 font sizes, making it easy to get just the right size for you.

Where can I buy ebooks for the CYBOOK ereader?

Both models read ePub, the most widely used ebook format, so you'll be able to purchase ebooks from just about anywhere except from Amazon. If you purchase books from Amazon, you'll need to convert the format by using the free software CALIBRE. If you're in Sweden, you can purchase e-books from BOKUS.se or any other online bookshop—even some international shops. Be sure to read their agreements to be sure.

Can the CYBOOK read library ebooks?

Both CYBOOK models can real library ebooks. You'll have to ask your librarian how to convert library ebooks so that you can read them on your CYBOOK ereader. This is a great option for folks who read a lot of library books and if your library carries ebooks.

Now let's have a look at each model separately.

The Bookeen CYBOOK OPUS

The CYBOOK OPUS

The CYBOOK OPUS is the smaller of the two versions, measuring just 5" (127 mm) and weighing a very light 5.3 oz (150 g). The screen is small—a mere 3" x 4" (76 mm x 101 mm). Bookeen has doubled the capacity of previous ereader; the OPUS offers 1 GB of memory, which should hold about 1000 books. This can be expanded with a micro SD card. The battery goes for about 8000 page turns or about 2 weeks. Not bad for a nice little pocketbook-sized ereader. Though the screen is e-ink, it doesn't seem to be Pearl and it offers only 4 levels of grayscale. Navigation on the CYBOOK OPUS is very easy.

How does the OPUS connect to online bookstores?

Another drawback to this smaller version of the Bookeen CYBOOK is its lack of WiFi and 3G. You'll have to plug this ereader into a computer with an Internet connection. Not a huge problem, but an inconvenience.

Bookeen's CYBOOK OPUS in summary

Everything about the OPUS says this is a nice little ereader for short, fun reads, but not something for everyday or long-haul reading. It's available in Sweden at BOKUS.se.

The CYBOOK ORIZON

We admit it: we really do like the CYBOOK ORIZON. It's on the large side for an ereader at 7.5" (189.8 mm) but it weighs only 8.6 oz (245 g). The e-ink screen, though not Pearl e-ink, is a touchscreen, which makes reading on an ereader more like reading a paper-and-ink book. It's battery life is better than the OPUS, with up to 10,000 page turns on one charge. It's 2 GB of memory can hold up to 2,000 books and it can be expanded with an SD card up to a max of 8 GB.

The ORIZON ebook reader allows you to add highlights, notes, and bookmarks. Like the OPUS, it offers 12 font sizes—that you can change by swiping your fingers over the screen—and it has the 16 level grayscale of the other top ereaders. It doesn't come in all the cool colors of the OPUS, but sleek black or fresh white are probably less distracting while reading. Compare CYBOOK ORIZON vs Sony PRS 650 and ORIZON vs Sony PRS 950.

The CYBOOK ORIZON comes in white or black

The ORIZON has WiFi!

Yes, the CYBOOK ORIZON ereader costs a little more than the OPUS, but the WiFi feature alone makes it worth it. You can choose to plug it into your computer with the USB cable that comes in the box, or download an ebook from anywhere near WiFi (see our homepage if you're not sure what WiFi is all about).

The ORIZON is multilingual

Not all ereaders read 23 different languages, but Bookeen's CYBOOK ORIZON does!

The CYBOOK ORIZON in summary

This is one nifty e-reader! The ORIZON is not a cheap ereader but it is a good size for the avid reader and has what you really need in an ereader—and even a few impressive frills. If you're in Sweden, the CYBOOK ORIZON is a good choice of ereader. You won't have to pay the shipping costs from the US or UK and you won't have to deal with the customs charges and hold ups. If you usually read Swedish books and/or Swedish library books, Bookeen's CYBOOK ORIZON reads them without a hassle. Go for it; we're sure you'll love the ORIZON! The CYBOOK ORIZON is available in Sweden at BOKUS.se. 

If you're in Sweden, consider making your purchase from BOKUS; we've used them a good ten years or more and the one time we had to contact their customer support (for our own silly mistake), they were fast, courteous, and efficient to deal with.

CYBOOK is not the cheapest ereader; if you're outside Sweden, there are top-quality e-readers for far less money—unless your post office, like ours here in Sweden, demands a pocketful of gold doubloons in postage to import a cheap ereader from the US.