Q.How do I transfer eBooks or mp3 music files into the EZ Reader?

Please go through the following steps if your files are already saved on your computer:

1. Connect the EZ Reader to your Mac or PC computer with a USB cable (USB cable is provided in the box). When you see the prompt message on your EZ Reader screen, press the OK button to connect to your computer.
2. On your computer, click on “My Computer” and find the “Removable Disk” where you can view the internal memory of your EZ Reader. Then simply copy & paste OR drag & drop all the files from your computer to the EZ Reader’s internal memory.
3. After transferring the files, click the “Safely Remove Hardware” icon on your computer, then disconnect the EZ Reader from your computer.

Q.How do I put files onto my SD card?

Please go through the following steps:

1. Insert a SD card into the SD card slot of your EZ Reader (up to 4GB in size for 6”EZ Reader, or up to 16GB for the 5” Pocket PRO)
2. Connect the EZ Reader to your computer with the USB cable, and then press the OK button on your device to connect.
3. Your computer should now recognize the EZ Reader’s internal memory as a removable drive/disk. It will recognize the SD card as another removable drive/disk.
4. Go to My Computer, and click on the icon for the Removable Disk that corresponds with your SD card memory. Now transfer files into it by copying and pasting from your computer.

Q.How many formats can my EZ Reader display?

Both the 5-inch and 6-inch EZ Readers display over 20 formats (some of which are shown on the back of the packaging box). Specifically, the devices support the following open formats: ADE (Adobe Digital Edition), PDF, TXT, PDB, DOC, HTML, FB2, LIT, MP3, EPUB, PRC, WOL, CHM, PPT, TIF, PNG, GIF, RAR, ZIP, DJVU, JPG, BMP. Open formats mean you can download non-copyrighted eBooks from multiple websites. And with the new Adobe Digital Editions firmware (see firmware download section of this website), you can now also buy copy-protected eBooks in PDF and ePub formats too.

Q.How do I use the Text-To-Speech feature of the 5-inch Pocket PRO?

The text to speech function can be used only in certain files formats. To check if this function is available:

1. First plug in ear buds or headphones
2. Open the document you want to read
3. Press the Menu button. If the text-to-speech function is available, an “English speaking” option will appear in the menu.
4. Press the number key for “English Speaking”, and your document will be read to you. To stop the reading: press the Menu button, then select Stop.

Note: Text to speech is only available for certain types of English and Chinese files. PDF and EPUB files do not support text to speech.

Q.How can I buy or download the latest copyrighted eBooks?

If you want to buy a copy-protected eBook and read it on your EZ Reader, please make sure that you download it in either PDF or ePub or Adobe Digital Editions format when you buy it. Otherwise it will not display on your device.

We have compiled a list of online stores that sell eBooks in PDF and/or ePub formats, for your convenience. Just go to the Partners section of this website to see them all.

Currently, both the 5-inch and 6-inch EZ Readers should have the new Adobe Digital Editions firmware preloaded if you buy directly from our websites. If you already own a 6-inch device, and it does not currently have the new ADE firmware, you can easily download it from this website’s Support section. The Adobe Digital Editions firmware allows you to read copy-protected eBooks in PDF and ePub formats.

Q.How do I bookmark?

Your EZ Reader in most instances will automatically bookmark the last page you were reading, so that when you open the same eBook again, you will return to the page where you stopped reading. If you want to manually bookmark a page: open a file, then press the #6 key to bookmark a page. Press the number of an existing bookmark to remove that bookmark. There will be small bookmark icons on the bottom left of the screen labeled 1, 2, 3, etc. to show you how many bookmarks you have made in that particular file. Please refer to your User Manual for more detailed information on this topic.

Q.How do I check my bookmarks?

On the Pocket PRO, please press and HOLD the #6 key for about three seconds. A list of your bookmarks will appear!

Q.How do I use the Search Function?

While reading your eBook, press the “OK” button. Then press the #7 button showing “search”. This will bring up a “soft keyboard” in the bottom third of the screen. Using the numbered keys (1-0) push the number of the letter that you want. Press once for the first letter. In rapid succession, press the button two times for second letter, 3 times for the third letter, and four times for the last letter. If you make a mistake you can easily erase the last letter you picked by using the arrow button. If you have no further input within roughly 5 seconds, it will automatically go to the next letter in the name you are searching. Type in what you want searched and then hit the “OK” button to implement the search! WHEN you are done searching you must hit the arrow button to end the search or you will not be able to search again. With a few minutes of practice, you will find that this function works great and you will find it is an easy system. Let us say you want to search for “Font Increase/Decrease” in the User Manual… you can type in FO and then hit the “OK” button. It will find it. Partials will often work!

Q.How do I increase the font size?

Your EZ Reader has a three font sizes. Simply press the #8 button to increase the font size. Press it again for a bigger font size. Press it again and it will go back to the original size.

Q.How do I add additional fonts onto my EZ Reader?

To add fonts on your EZ Reader, the font must be a TrueType Font. After you install it, it will only display on WORD and TEXT files (.doc and .txt). Please follow these steps:

1. Find a website where you can download free fonts, such as: http://www.1001freefonts.com
2. After you download your chosen fonts, insert a SD Card into your EZ Reader and connect to your computer via the USB cable.
3. Go to “My Computer” and find the “Removable Disk” where you can view the contents of your SD Card.
4. Under the “File” dropdown menu, select “New > Folder”.
5. Create a new folder and name it “fonts”. The spelling of the folder name is important! Do not name the folder anything else, just simply “fonts”.
6. Copy your chosen fonts from your computer to the “fonts” folder on the SD Card.
7. Disconnect the USB cable.
8. Turn on your EZ Reader if it isn’t already on. Go to the Main Menu of your internal memory (not the SD card main menu). Press the “OK” button to bring up a pop-up menu on the bottom left of your EZ Reader screen.
9. Press #6 for Settings.
10. Then press #3 “Replace font”.
11. Select the font you just added. Then press OK to finish. Now, you can read text files and Microsoft Word documents (.txt, .doc) in your newly chosen font!
Tip: If you want to go back to the default font, simply go back to the Replace Font option under Settings and choose the default font.

Q.How do I install a firmware upgrade?

1. After downloading the upgrade from our website, you must first unzip the file on your computer.
2. After unzipping, put the ".bin" file on your SD card. Your SD card must be 4GB or smaller (for the 6” EZ Reader) or 16GB or smaller (for the 5”PocketPRO) to do this.
3. Turn OFF your EZ Reader, and then insert the SD card into your EZ Reader.
4. Then, first holding down the silver "volume up" button on the right side of the EZ Reader, then press the ON button to turn on your EZ Reader.
5. Keep pressing the buttons until you hear a beep-beep sound.
6. The screen will display a message to ask if you want to update the firmware, so press the OK button to confirm, and wait until it finishes loading the firmware. Then you’re done!

If you have any problems doing this, feel free to call us and ask for EZ Reader tech support. If it doesn’t work the first few tries, you might need to reformat your SD card, but please save your files on your computer first because reformatting will erase the files on your SD card.

Q.What is the warranty policy for the EZ Reader?

We offer a parts and labor warranty if the EZ Reader has a malfunction. Please read our Warranty under the Support section of this website. The customer is responsible for shipping and insurance fees if they choose to send the device to us for repairs. If you would like to send your device to us, please first contact us for a RMA number via email at support@astak.com and obtain a confirmation that you can send the EZ Reader back to us. After we receive your package, we will either repair the EZ Reader or replace it. *NOTE: Please save your music and eBook files on your computer before sending the EZ Reader back to us for repair. We will not be responsible for lost files. KEEP your SD card before you ship! *NOTE: Please keep your device in its protective case to avoid damaging the device. Be careful when packing it into your suitcase or luggage.

Q.Can I listen to my music while reading an eBook?

Yes. Just open a music file and it will start to play. Then go back to the menu to choose an eBook to read, and the music will play while you enjoy your reading. (On the 6 inch you can also control the volume with the small silver buttons on the right side of the EZ Reader.)

Q.How are images and pictures displayed on the EZ Reader?

The 6” EZ Reader uses a 4-level grayscale display, and the 5” Pocket PRO uses an 8-level grayscale display, which means that pictures will be displayed in 4 or 8 shades of grey. They are displayed crisply, and the image’s contrast and brightness can also be adjusted.

Q.Does the EZ Reader have a color screen?

No, the EZ Reader uses E-Ink and E-paper technology that does not strain the eyes. A color display would require using a backlight, which causes more eye strain and drains battery. Another advantage of the E-Ink and E-paper technology is that you can read 8,000 pages of text on a single battery charge.

Q.Is the EZ Reader compatible with Windows Vista, Mac, etc?

Yes, it’s compatible with all Microsoft Windows versions, including Vista, and also compatible
with Macs with USB 2.0+.

Q.How do I switch between the EZ Reader’s internal memory and the SD card memory?

If an SD card is inserted into the EZ Reader, the device will automatically display the contents of the SD card. From there, to view the files stored on the internal memory, just go to the main menu by pushing the OK button. Choose “Built-in storage” and it will display the contents of the internal memory. Press “OK” again, then press “5” to go back to the SD card memory. Or if you simply remove the SD card, the screen will automatically display the contents of the internal memory.

If you are unsure which memory screen you are looking at, check the upper left corner of your screen. If there is a small “SD” image there, then you are looking at the contents of your SD card. If there is a small “NF” symbol there, then you are looking at the contents of the internal memory.

Q.How do I charge the battery?

There are two methods:

1. Use the AC Power adapter that comes with the EZ Reader (normal charging time is 5-7 hours). This is the fastest and best way to charge your device.
2. Or use the included USB cable to connect EZ Reader with your laptop or desktop computer. The device will display a message that says “To charge battery, press any other key”. So press any key except the “OK” key and your EZ Reader will start charging. Your battery icon on the bottom right corner of the screen will change to show a battery symbol with a lightning bolt in it. If you do not see the lightning bolt, then it is NOT charging.

Q.General questions about the battery charge indicator:

The first few times that the EZ Reader is used, the battery charge indicator displays a higher charge than it really has left. It takes a few full recharges before the battery indicator learns to accurately display the charge left. So for the first few charges, please recharge when the charge icon indicates that the battery is half full, or recharge when the device starts to respond sluggishly.

Q.What can I do if the battery ever fails?

Replacing the battery on the EZ Reader is easy. Simply loosen the screw, remove the battery door, and gently pull out the battery. If you need a replacement battery, please contact us at support@astak.com.

Q.My device does not seem to be charging. What should I do?

If your package came with a battery, please install it before turning on your device. It’s not a spare battery. The battery cover is on the back of the device, and one screw allows easy installation or replacement of the battery.

Many other eBook readers require users to send their eBook readers to the factory for battery replacements. The EZ Reader makes it easy to replace the battery by yourself! For added convenience, you can even carry a spare battery when on travel to extend your usage time without recharging.

Q.Which SD cards can I use?

The 6” EZ Reader is compatible with SD cards up to 4GB in size. The 5” EZ Reader Pocket PRO is compatible with SD cards up to 16GB. The SD cards must be class 4 or below in order to be compatible.

Q.Is the SD slot SDHC compatible?

Yes, both the 6-inch and 5-inch devices support SDHC cards. The EZ Reader has 512 MB of internal memory, and utilizes the SD card slot for extra memory capacity.

Q.How do I turn up the volume without stopping in the middle of my reading?

You can do this by using the two silver-colored volume buttons on the side of the 6 inch EZ Reader. On the 5 inch Pocket PRO: push in on the scroll wheel and it will change the scroll wheel from “page increase/decrease” mode to “volume increase/decrease” mode.

Q.I can’t bring up the Music Zone or open mp3 files. What should I do?

First, please check whether you have plugged in earphones into the device. You MUST first plug in headphones or ear buds before the Music Zone interface will open. If you select a song without any headphones plugged in, a reminder will appear on the bottom of your screen. Your EZ Reader has a standard 3.5mm headphone jack.

Q.Can my EZ Reader support a noise canceling headset?

Yes. You can use noise-canceling headphones with the EZ Reader to enjoy great sound quality.

Q.Is there a fast way to “flip” through the pages of an eBook when I want to skip several pages at once?

Yes, simply hold down the page advance button for a few seconds. You will advance 10 pages at a time instead of one page at a time. You can also use the “Go To Page” function to jump to a specific page. Just press the “OK” button, and press the “3” button to jump.

Q.I love my EZ Reader and want to care for it. How can I best do this?

Keep it dry at all times. Clean the screen GENTLY. Use a soft, lint-free cloth. A mild eyeglass cleaner on the screen is ok, but only a little bit. You can use a can of Electronics Duster, such as Blow Off to clean around the buttons.

Q.What about languages? What languages does the EZ Reader support?

Your EZ Reader supports many languages. When you first turn on the EZ Reader, press the “OK” button to see the menu. Then press button #6 for Settings. Then press #2 for Languages. Then choose the language you want to read in. Make sure you are in the built-in memory when you do this and not on your SD card menu. Changing the language only changes the user interface of your device; it does not convert or change the language of an eBook or file.

Q.How do I find my PID number?

Go to the main screen of your internal memory. Press the OK button to see the menu. Choose number 6 for Settings. Then choose number 4 for the About option. At the bottom of that page, you should see your PID listed.

Q.Why can’t I open my LIT files, even though they are non-DRM?

The EZ Reader does support most non-DRM LIT files, with some exceptions:

1. If the LIT file is over 4MB large.
2. If the LIT file contains many pictures.

Q: Can additional software or programs be installed on the EZ READER?

No, additional software or programs cannot be installed on the EZ Reader. The EZ Reader is not a PDA, so no calendar, contacts or task information can be synchronized with your EZ Reader.

Q: Can I read in the dark with the EZ READER?

No. The EZ Reader screen is not backlit. Using E-ink technology, the EZ Reader is readable under full sunlight, which is not the case for almost all standard LCD displays.

Is there a touchscreen or a stylus on the EZ Reader?

Q: Can I read documents in other languages, such as Chinese, Greek, Russian, etc.?

What formats does the EZ Reader support?

If your EZ Reader freezes or other problems occur:

1. Like all electronic devices with a rechargeable battery, plenty of power is essential. If the unit does have any problems, first plug it in overnight to ensure that the battery is fully charged. Please use the included power adaptor, and not charge using a USB cable with your computer. Recharge fully overnight as a first step.

2. There is a reset button just above the battery door on the back side of the device. It is a tiny hole about the diameter of a paper clip. Use a paper clip end and push GENTLY into this hole for about 2 seconds, and the device should then automatically shut down and then restart. You should not lose any data when doing this “soft reset”. Now check to see if your problem has disappeared.

3. If steps 1 and 2 above did not help, open the battery door. Check to see if you have correctly placed the battery inside the compartment. Remove the battery and then wait ten seconds before putting the battery correctly back into place. Close the battery door by gently tightening the screw. Restart the EZ Reader manually. You should not lose any data during this process. Now check to see if your problem has disappeared.