Deutsche Telekom reportedly planning to offer e-book reader

Details are really light on this one at the moment, but Germany's Der Spiegel apparently has it on authority that Deutsche Telekom is working on an e-book reader of its own, a move that follows a similar initiative from France Telecom's Orange division. Apparently, Deutsche Telekom's offering, dubbed News4Me, will be tailored specifically to delivering an "individual electronic newspaper" to users, with its content and layout able to "adapt constantly to the way that you read" -- we'd assume it'd boast some other standard e-book reader functions as well. Unfortunately, there's no indication at all as to what the device itself will be like, but Deutsche Telekom is reportedly set to begin conducting tests with "a few dozen" customers in Berlin sometime this fall -- assuming it's able to line up deals with newspapers and other content providers before then, that is.

[Via Crunch Gear]

[phanbouy @ Aug 4th 2008 2:06PM]

Wouldn't it be cool to say "Jah, I verk at Der Spiegel"?

that is all.

[Krush @ Aug 4th 2008 5:27PM]

I want to market cases for these devices - Deutsche Bags (tm)

[PrimoLevinas @ Aug 5th 2008 5:00AM]

Germans would say: "Ja, ich arbeite beim Spiegel"

[Jakob Henner @ Aug 4th 2008 2:12PM]

If the tech isn't ready for a real color-screen ebook reader, they are not going to stick with grey (no you guessed it: magnenta)

[Lowest Ranked @ Aug 4th 2008 3:13PM]

I think you just invented some sort of iron-attracting color.

[Jack C @ Aug 5th 2008 11:03AM]

This article http://www.internetevolution.com/author.asp?section_id=526&doc_id=139702&f_src=flffour mentions what happened with Kindle when it initially started, prize was a barrier (and considering they are going for a newspaper reader, instead of a book - the upgrade is going to be even greater)

What I like is that the company that is developing it, is a telecom company - so I'd expect 3G capabilities.

[avester @ Aug 4th 2008 2:13PM]

I've heard that there is a company in Cambodia making a PC, there are no specs, no prototypes, no real news, but I've heard that a few dozen people get to prototest them sometimes.

Wouldn't that make great news?

[Alex Padilla @ Aug 4th 2008 3:00PM]

I heard that some reader on Cloud 9 expects every rumor to come with a company's official white-sheet, Mr. BlurryCam photos, and some random analyst's unimportant demographic opinion.

Case-in-point: a rumor is a rumor, but unsubstantiated rumors need love (and reporting) too. Plus, I'm glad I heard about this e-book reader. It made me bust out some Welcome to the Monkey House.

[L @ Aug 4th 2008 2:17PM]

There are rumors that the device will be a Polymer Vision Readius - the one with the flexible screen...

[avester @ Aug 4th 2008 2:18PM]

Also, I predict that in the future, nobody buys these things since they are like a laptop, only suckier.

When laptops have E-Ink displays ontop and a regular one underneath, I don't see who would like to buy this one.

[L @ Aug 4th 2008 3:05PM]

That's a bit like saying "Also, I predict that in the future, nobody buys smartphones since they are like a laptop, only suckier."

Totally missing the key point.

[Idlemind @ Aug 4th 2008 3:10PM]

QUICK!! someone threaten to sue them....

[grull27 @ Aug 4th 2008 3:14PM]

I like deutschebags more...

[slyd3z @ Aug 4th 2008 3:14PM]

Given the name and T-Mobile's frivolous lawsuit over the color magenta, am I the only one that read the title "Douche Telekom reportedly..."?

[huston @ Aug 4th 2008 3:27PM]

No you're not the only one.. There are a few more geeks out there who never get tired of that old joke, unfortunately..

[Ignatius @ Aug 4th 2008 3:32PM]

HEE HEE HEE.

[Derbeste @ Aug 4th 2008 3:29PM]

What a bunch of Deutsch books!

(Sorry....I couldn't resist.)

[Michael @ Aug 5th 2008 8:03AM]

I'm not being an ass (there's enough of that floating through the engadget post system..) but that wasn't funny (not in a "i'm taking offence way" more in a " that just compleatly lacked humor and imagination" kinda way...).

:)