Does the French e-reader Touch Lux 5 match the Kindle?

Tik Tech: We tested the Vivlio Touch Lux 5 -

e-reader

• Founded in 2011, the Lyon start-up wants to defend the French-style digital book with its new Touch Lux 5 e-reader.

• Sold for 119 euros in a network made up of booksellers, this e-reader can store up to 4,000 books.

• Behind its 6-inch screen, the device that

  20 Minutes

  tested is a good entry-level reader and can be a complementary reading mode to printed books.

Not everyone has a bookstore downstairs offering a "click & collect" formula.

And while waiting for bookstores in physical stores to finally turn the page on containment and find their loyal readers, the digital e-reader remains a good alternative for reading bulimics.

Counterweight to Amazon Kindle and other

of the giant Kobo (property of Rakuten), Vivlio

are French.

Newcomer, the Touch Lux 5 wants to reach as many people as possible.

The Vivlio Touch Lux 5 e-reader available in black or burgundy.

- VIVLIO

The Medici downloaded from French booksellers

Its 100% cardboard packaging is in itself an act of resistance.

Out of its recyclable case, the Touch Lux 5 e-reader (in black or burgundy) reveals its 6-inch diagonal screen.

Vivlio has chosen 100% cardboard packaging for its Touch Lux 5. - VIVLIO

No surprise: this is the classic entry-level e-reader screen format.

Its resolution of 212 pixels per inch (identical to that of the Kobo Nia we tested) remains below the 300 dpi sometimes in force, as on the Bookeen Diva HD e-reader.

Unless you are fond of digital comics, this does not affect reading comfort.

We noticed this by devouring

 by Chloé Delaume (Le Seuil)

in one afternoon

.

On the Decitre.fr site, the Prix Médicis available in digital or printed version.

- CAPTURE

We downloaded the Prix Médicis 2020 in Wifi, in 5 seconds, last Sunday after lunch, on the site of the French booksellers network decitre.fr.

The book is offered in its digital version at 12.99 euros, against 18 euros for its printed version.

And good point: we were able to choose between its digital ePub or PDF * format.

The pub ?

An open format that does not restrict the use of a particular device.

A format that Amazon has not retained for its e-readers, preferring the proprietary AZW format.

Give back to Caesar: Kobo e-readers also accept ePub.

One-handed reading and visibility, even at night

In hand, the Touch Lux 5 is pleasant to use.

Its coating is silky to the touch and you can turn the pages either by sliding your finger on the screen, or using the buttons located just below.

Reading with just one hand is very practical, especially with its 155 grams, the Touch Lux 5 can be forgotten.

It is possible to choose a vertical or horizontal reading.

And, when the e-reader’s electronic ink process in broad daylight provides crisp visibility (even in

sunlight), the

backlight

can accompany the reader into the night.

The Vivlio Lux reading conditions are both day and night.

- VIVLIO

As the time progresses, the color temperature of the screen becomes hotter and hotter so as not to strain the eyesight.

This mode, which filters the blue light deemed to be tiring, is manifested by a slightly orange tint on the screen.

It can be automated or manually activated / deactivated.

In this second case, everyone is free to adjust the color temperature of the screen.

It is also quite practical for sleepless nights where you can read in the dark, without disturbing your partner or roommate.

4,000 works for containment

Regret at life-saving bath time after a day of telecommuting: the Touch Lux 5 is not waterproof.

Not that we dream of confining ourselves underwater to swallow a few chapters, but an accident happens so quickly… The classic 8 GB memory of the Vivlio e-reader corresponds more or less to 4,000 books.

This should make it possible to hold out until the end of confinement.

The more cautious can nevertheless associate it with a microSD card of up to 32 GB (or 16,000 books).

Thanks to the cloud, it is finally possible to find digital books purchased on your computer, tablet ... and resume reading a book where it was interrupted.

It's like with a movie on Netflix.

Vivlio promises a dedicated smartphone application soon.

This, no doubt, further facilitates this interactivity between the various potential reading media.

A network of booksellers

We can prefer the purchase of the Touch Lux 5 sold for 119.99 euros at Decitre, Cultura (free cover), Furet du Nord (booksellers of their state) which back their offer to the Vivlio bookstore, that is to say 500,000 books, of which 3,000 are free .

For its part, Boulanger offers the Touch Lux 5 in a pack with a protective cover and volume 1 of the

by MC Beaton (129 euros).

You can also find the e-reader at ldlc at 119.95 euros (with a pack of free eBooks - without knowing the titles), at materiel.net at 119.95 euros.

Cdiscount offers it at 127.30 euros.

Definitely.

The digital book, complementary to the paper book.

- CHRISTOPHE SEFRIN / 20 MINUTES

Of course, paper book lovers - including us - are eager to walk through the door of their neighborhood bookstore, where the Prix Goncourt is notably expected, which should have been awarded on Tuesday but was postponed in solidarity with the bookstores.

Until then, digital reading, if we consider it as complementary rather than competitive, can also appeal to lovers of reading.

Even, in this period of confinement, converting new readers.

* Formats supported by Vivlio e-readers: EPUB, PDF, FB2, FB2.ZIP, TXT, DJVU, HTM, HTML, DOC, DOCX, RTF, CHM, TCR, PRC (MOBI) images: JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF.

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