PC World - More and more devices are blurring the lines between ebook reader and tablet, but the Aluratek Libre Touch isn't one of them. While it does support basic Web browsing, email, and multimedia playback, the Libre Touch is first and foremost an e-reader with a color touchscreen and integration (via Wi-Fi) with an online bookstore. But although its feature list is respectable, usability flaws make the Libre Touch a tough sell, even at its attractive price ($150 as of August 5, 2011).
Tall, narrow, and slim (8.0 by 4.9 by 0.5 inches), and reasonably lightweight (just under 12 ounces), the Libre Touch looks like many of the 7-inch readers and tablets we've seen lately, with a couple of minor modifications. Its charcoal-gray bezel has three hardware buttons on the right side, including two concealed by the case itself; these are for turning pages forward and back. The third button is a short, vertical silvery bar for returning to the preceding task: If you're reading a book, for example, pressing that button moves you to the library screen where you selected the book.
On the top edge is the large, silvery power button. Along the bottom edge are, from left to right, a Mini-USB port (for charging the Libre Touch and connecting it to a PC), a MicroSD card slot (if you want more than the internal 4GB of memory), a volume rocker control, and a standard 3.5mm headphone port.
Most of the action occurs through the display's touch interface. The first time you turn it on, the Libre Touch runs a calibration routine that immediately betrays its Android underpinnings: The process is directed by the little Android bot. However, the device is based on an older version of Android (1.5), so it doesn't have all the goodies associated with more current versions. For example, the browser lacks support for Adobe Flash, so you can't access all Web content. And you don't get any tools for downloading additional Android apps.
The screen uses resistive technology, which is less fingertip-friendly than capacitive touchscreens are--but the Libre Touch's designers apparently expect you to use your fingertips, since they didn't include a stylus. It isn't the greatest experience--sometimes you have to tap a few times to get a response when you're trying to follow a link or type something on the software keyboard--so it's a good thing that Aluratek built in those hardware buttons for page turns.
The display's colors are adequate, but the 800 by 480 screen resolution isn't very high for an e-reader (in contrast, the resolution of the 7-inch Barnes & Noble Nook Color is 1024 by 600), and letters aren't very smooth, especially when you use the largest of the five available font size settings. Like other backlit LCD screens, the display of the Libre Touch washes out completely in bright sunlight, so it isn't a top choice for the beach.
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