The orginal iRex iLiad was launched in 2006 and was replaced with this 2nd edition in September 2007. iRex fronted the display controller chip and for some time had the only ebook reader with 16 shades of gray scale.

iRex, a subsidiary partner of the reputable Philips, had some commendable initial success with the first edition iLiad and have made some clever moves with this 2nd edition in their iLiad ebook reader range.

Positioning it as more than just a book reader, iRex have highlighted the functionality that enables you to read and write just like you’d be able to do on your paper note pad or printed out documents. The impressive upgrade has a new battery life which proves to have a convenient 20% increase in longevity than the first iLiad, even with the WiFi on.

Another great feature is the easy transfer between PC and the iLiad. Whatever you have that’s printable on the computer can be taken with you, read and marke- up on the go with this ebook reader using the USB, Compact flash or MMC card in the hardware’s available slot.

In terms of looks and design you’ll be pleased, whether comparing it to the first version, or as a new iRex iLiad customer. Whilst not as flash and curvy as some of the others on the market it is robust and confident in it’s looks. The iLiad v2 is sturdy on table tops and in the hand. It’s easy to hold, whether just reading or interacting with it using the sylus.

In summary, the upsides of this ebook reader are the resolution. At 160dpi and 16 level of greyscale, the reading experience is very good. There are heaps of free ebooks, into the thousands, through the Mobipocket platform . The touch screen and stylus do give it that extra usage and usability too.

Against the iLiad v2 is the price tag though. It’s significantly more expensive than many others at over £500 in many stores. But you can pick up some cheaper ones online. I’ve found some in the range of £450 in some places so do have a search around. Some buzz around the blogs would suggest that there are doubts around iRex’s claims of a long battery life. Let us know if you have one and have experienced this.  Some are recommending using the MMC or CF instead of the SD car, which has proven to be problematic. There’s no suspend mode which some will find annoying and last but not least, if it breaks down don’t expect a quick turnaround. The warranty is return to base in Germany.

Overall, this is a solid ebook reader. The iRex iLiad v2 is a good move on fromthe first edition but you’ll need a depp pcoket to justify buying it over some of the far cheaper ones that have entered the market more recently.

iRex iLiad 2nd edition Specifications:

• Model number: ER0140-002-000
• Intel XScale-PXA255 rev 6 (v5l). CPU running at 400Mhz/100MHz with firmware 2.11
• 64MB DRAM (roughly 48MB available to applications)
• 8.1″ 1024×768 – 16 grayscale e-paper (E Ink) screen
• 256MB FLASH (128MB available via USB for storage)
• Wacom Penabled touch screen
• Linux Operating System
• MMC slot (MMC and SD up to 1 GB, SD cards must be SD spec. 1.0 compliant)
• CF slot (support for up to 32GB cards and microdrives) Memory cards list
• Built in monaural speaker
• 802.11 b/g WiFi (specs)
• 10/100 Ethernet (requires travel hub)
• 3.5mm stereo headphone jack
• Docking port, currently only used by travel hub
• Wacom stylus and slot to hold it when not in use
• USB 1.1 with Type A port on unit and Type B port on travel hub
• Battery (v1): ATL 513475, 1100mAh @ 3.7V, proprietary, not customer replaceable. Charging time 3-4 hours.