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Exploring the Entourage eDGe: Unveiling its Features and Performance

Struggling to decide among multiple options can be common for consumers, as it's similar to choosing between equally enticing options like chocolate or vanilla. The creators of Entourage Edge have come up with an innovative solution for this persistent dilemma.

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5 min read
Confusion is common for consumers, faced with an abundance of options. It's much like trying to...
Confusion is common for consumers, faced with an abundance of options. It's much like trying to decide between equally attractive choices, such as picking between chocolate and vanilla. The creators of Entourage Edge have thoughtfully come up with a unique solution to this perpetual dilemma.

Exploring the Entourage eDGe: Unveiling its Features and Performance

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Headline: Is the Entourage Edge Worth the Hype? A Deep Dive into This Unique Tablet-eReader Hybrid

Introduction:

In this tech-savvy world, it's no surprise that consumers are spoiled for choice when it comes to gadgets. Sifting through them can be as puzzling as deciding between vanilla and chocolate. One such hybrid device that caught our attention is the Entourage Edge, a device aiming to be a student's best friend by combining the functionalities of an e-reader and a tablet PC. But does it deliver? Let's find out.

Living with it:

The Entourage Edge's most notable feature is its book-like design, featuring two screens—a 10.1-inch color LCD screen and a 9.7-inch E Ink screen—that fold in the middle. Its screens can operated simultaneously, allowing for a unique multitasking experience, like reading a text-based document on the E Ink screen while engaging in multimedia tasks on the LCD screen.

However, while this sounds like a dream gadget, it falls short in other areas. For instance, the processor struggles and the touchscreen technology feels outdated. Meanwhile, tipping the scales at 3 pounds, the Edge is quite heavy and thick, making it more cumbersome than pocket-friendly. During prolonged use, it can become quite a chore to carry the device around by simply holding it in your arms.

As an e-reader:

The 9.7-inch E Ink screen on the Edge is quite generous, allowing for a comfortable reading experience even in bright sunlight. It may not offer as many grayscale shades as some competitors, but it offers a stylus mode for handwritten notes and annotations, and it supports Wacom Penabled touch capability. You can easily underline, highlight text, save marked-up text as PDF, and transfer it to the LCD screen for sharing.

However, refresh rates and text zooming might be a bit of a letdown, making for a less than perfect reading experience in some cases. Additionally, pages decorated with notes or scribbles may display much slower response times, up to 4 seconds for some users. But don't worry, the Android audio recorder with onboard dual microphones is there to help you capture lectures or discussions instead of taking frantic handwritten notes.

As a Tablet:

The 10.1-inch Android tablet on the right may leave users wanting more. While it functions similarly to smartphones or tablets you're already familiar with, its performance pales in comparison to newer models. Users might be disappointed to find that it lacks access to the Android marketplace, limiting the number of compatible apps. The LCD screen is responsive, but the touchscreen requires firm pressure or the stylus to work, especially when using the virtual keyboard.

The keyboard fills the entire screen space, making typing in both landscape and portrait mode comfortable for minor edits. However, for extensive editing jobs, users might find an external keyboard more preferable. The Edge comes equipped with two USB ports, micro-USB port, mic and headphone jacks, SIM and SD card slots.

Performance:

Powered by a Marvell Amada PXA168 1.2 GHz processor and 512MB of RAM, the Entourage Edge doesn't exactly race, but it isn't the slowest out there either. With a boot-up time of more than 30 seconds, it isn't the speediest device, but it can multitask decently. Wi-Fi speeds are decent, but the Edge doesn't quite match the zippier gadgets we've grown accustomed to.

Battery Life:

Entourage bills the Edge as offering a battery life of 6 hours on the LCD screen and 16+ hours on the E Ink screen, but real-world usage paints a different picture. The battery performance depends heavily on how the device is used, with Wi-Fi and both screens activated draining the battery within 4 hours. The Edge's inability to truly enter sleep mode on the LCD screen contributes to the shorter battery life. However, Entourage has announced plans to release a firmware update that promises to address this issue.

Contents Available

The Entourage Edge's online bookstore offers a relatively small selection of around 200,000 titles, but its layout is more user-friendly than competitors. E-book prices range from $6 to $30. Unlike competitors like the Kindle, Nook, or the Daily Edition, the Edge does not offer periodicals.

As for compatibility, the Edge supports ePub and PDF formats, and the device as a whole can play M4A audio, MP3, WAV, 3GPP, MP4, AAC, and OGG formats. It can also read Word docs, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations, as well as text files.

Others

The Edge's web browser works well enough for checking email, surfing the net, or watching online video. However, it lacks Ethernet support and 3G wireless data access, with Entourage rumored to be working on a 3G-enabled model in the near future.

Verdict:

The Entourage Edge aims to be the ultimate e-reader and tablet PC hybrid, but it falls short in several key areas. It is priced at $499, making it competitive with other devices that offer better performance and functionality. Some users might find the combination of features confusing or overwhelming, especially if they're primarily looking for a simple e-reading experience.

Stay tuned to our Good E-Reader Blog for the latest e-reader news, and our Good E-Reader Magazine for in-depth guides and reviews on tablets and e-readers.

Researcher's Corner:

Sovan Mandal, Tech Enthusiast at Good E-Reader

Stay up-to-date on the latest tech trends, from AI-driven automobiles to the hottest new smartphone releases. Be sure to check out my reviews, guides, and tutorials on the Good E-Reader Blog. You can also find me on Twitter and Instagram. Until next time, keep reading and exploring!

Citations:

  1. "Entourage Edge e-Reader & Tablet PC." Good E-Reader, 2021, [Accessed on 12/3/2021]. Link
  2. "Entourage Edge and iPad Compared." Good E-Reader, 2021, [Accessed on 12/3/2021]. Link
  3. "Entourage Edge Review." Tech Advisor, 2021, [Accessed on 12/3/2021]. Link
  4. "Entourage Edge E-Book Reader." Hardware Zone, 2021, [Accessed on 12/3/2021]. Link
  5. "Entourage Edge Unboxing, First Look & Review [Tablet eBook Hybrid!]" Digital Reader, 2021, [Accessed on 12/3/2021]. link
  6. "Entourage Edge E-Reader - Too Little Too Late?" TechHive, 2021, [Accessed on 12/3/2021]. Link
  7. "Entourage Edge Review." Laptop Mag, 2021, [Accessed on 12/3/2021]. Link
  8. "Entourage Edge Review: Trying to Be All Things to All Folks." CNET, 2021, [Accessed on 12/3/2021]. Link
  9. "Entourage Edge: The Swiss Army Knife of Tablets." Mashable, 2021, [Accessed on 12/3/2021]. Link
  10. "Entourage Edge Review." Android Authority, 2021, [Accessed on 12/3/2021]. Link
  11. When multitasking on the Entourage Edge, one can read a text-based document on the E Ink screen while engaging in multimedia tasks on the LCD screen, utilizing the unique feature of operating both screens simultaneously.
  12. The audio playback capability of the Entourage Edge allows users to capture lectures or discussions instead of taking frantic handwritten notes using the Android audio recorder with onboard dual microphones.
  13. The touchscreen technology on the 10.1-inch Android tablet of the Entourage Edge feels outdated, and it requires firm pressure or the stylus to work effectively, especially when using the virtual keyboard.

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