Hi Pete, What size book are you trying to open? I've got a 25MB ePub and it takes less than 30 seconds to open. Resizing takes about the same. On smaller books & .txt files it's is instant. The read aloud option isn't available for all file types. When you're in a book, push the menu button and you should see the option to have the book read to you. Try loading a simple .txt file onto the reader and see if that is quick. If it isn't, sounds like you've got a duff unit and should look for a refund. T