The Astak Mentor is about as cheap and nasty as e-book readers get, but it is packed with all of the right features. Like most other e-book readers, the Mentor makes use of e-ink technology, which makes for some attractive battery time. They support the standard text formats TXT, PDF, RTF and HTML/CHM as well as the basic image formats. MP3 support allows you to listen to your favorite tunes while you read. What really clinches the deal for me is the 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth connectivity and the touchscreen, even if it does only work with a stylus.

Amazon really could have taken some pointers here when it came to the Kindle, but that is not to say that the Mentor is the perfect reader. It lacks some of the style and sophistication of the Illiad and the Sony model trumps it in the looks department, but the price is right. The smallest 5″ version should be dropping for about $200, while the 9.7″ version will come in at less than $350. If I were to buy an e-book reader, I would almost be sold on the 9.7″ Astek Mentor, it is a very attractive proposition. [Astak via Crave]