Boyue has just released the Likebook Ares and it is retailing for a limited time for $289 and is exclusively available from the Good e-Reader Store. The main selling points is that the screen is flush with the bezel, it has an octa core processor and an SD card, capable of an additional 128GB!
The Likebook Ares features a 7.8 inch E INk Carta HD screen with a capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1872×1404 with 300 PPI. The screen is completely flush with the bezel and has a layer of glass. There is a front-lit display and color temperature system, so there is white and amber LED lights. It also has a WACOM layer for interacting with the stylus, which has 4,096 degrees of pressure sensitivity.
Underneath the hood is a Octa Core 1.5 GHZ processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and it has an SD card with a maximum of 128GB of additional storage. The SD card slot is in a little tray that can be pulled out, sort of like a SIM card tray. There is WIFi, Bluetooth 4.1 and a USB-C port with OTG support, so you can connect up a keyboard, mouse or any other USB accessory, with no drivers required. All of this is powered by a respectable 3,300 mAh battery.
There are two speakers on the side of the device, which allows you to listen to audiobooks, music or podcasts. Bluetooth will allow you to connect up a pair of wireless headphones or a speaker, there is also a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The Likebook Ares is running Android 6.0 out of the box and Boyue has promised a new UI and Android 8.0 support within a month or two. This device comes with a free case, screen protector and stylus.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
