14 DAY TRIAL // When Pandigital unveiled the Novel at the beginning of the month, it was made to look like something of a consumer dream finally come true. The e-reader had a feature that was near the top of the list on customer wish lists, namely color display, and ran the Android OS. The product also promised to easily handle not just e-books, but also image and audio files. Unfortunately, Pandigital suffered a severe case of 'too good to be true' immediately after it launched this device.
The Novel was pulled from retail partner Kohl because of some major firmware issues, among other things. One drawback was that the tablet/e-reader itself was quite heavy. What really led to the recall, however, was the low responsiveness of the screen, the broken WiFi and the inability to recharge via USB. Customers were immediately allowed full refunds and Pandigital hastily began work on an update which, it would seem, has finally been completed.
The new firmware is supposedly going to resolve all of the issues known so far, though customers or reviewers have not yet had the opportunity to say whether or not this actually happens. Of course, the matter of the weight will likely persist, but Pandigital likely hopes that the wide functionality and versatility will outweigh this issue. Those that already own the device may visit the official website, download the package and follow the update instructions there listed. No word yet on when Kohl is set to resume shipments.
Of course, the return policy that allows any buyers of the Novel is still in effect, which means that one may still decide to return it and get a full refund even after installing the update, should expectations not be met. Pandigital's future plans in regards to the product are still unknown and, thus, it is hard to say whether a more lightweight model will ever make its appearance.