NYT: Big-screen Kindle coming from Amazon "as early as this week"

Go ahead and grab the salt shaker, 'cause this one's nowhere near carved in stone... or is it? A breaking report from The New York Times has it that Amazon will introduce a larger version of its Kindle e-reader "as early as this week," one that's tailored for "displaying newspapers, magazines and perhaps textbooks." If you'll recall, magazine publisher Hearst made its intentions public to produce such a device earlier this year, noting that a larger panel would be more conducive to traditional print media layouts, and thus, additional revenue from ads. The article also notes that Plastic Logic will "start making digital newspaper readers by the end of the year."

Coincidentally (or not), the Wall Street Journal also published a report this evening that dug deeper into the aforementioned Hearst deal. As the story goes, a number of big-shots in the publishing industry are banding together to set their own subscription rates (rather than go through a middleman such as Amazon), and this writeup asserts that Plastic Logic's reader won't actually roll out until "early next year" (as we'd heard previously). If you're seriously able to handle yet another twist in this madness, WSJ also points out that "people familiar with the matter" have stated that Apple is "readying a device that may make it easier to read digital books and periodicals," but it's hard to say if this is simply regurgitation of unfounded rumors already going around or something entirely more legitimate.

All in all, it's clear that flagging print publications are desperate for a device that caters to its layout and allows them to regulate rates -- only time will tell if there's room for two, three or possibly more of these so-called "big-screen e-readers" in the world, but this week definitely just got a whole lot more interesting.

Update: Press event invite just received, it's on for Wednesday!

Read - New York Times report
Read - Wall Street Journal report

[Adam @ May 3rd 2009 11:12PM]

Lies! Lies and subterfuge!

[Homeslice @ May 3rd 2009 11:16PM]

One thing is for sure, this thing will be prohibitively priced. Why do we have to wait so long for an affordable large screen ebook reader. Isn't this old technology? Hasn't the original Sony reader been out for several years already?

[John Bailey @ May 4th 2009 12:22AM]

It's old EXPENSIVE technology.

All the current readers have their screens made by one company. And I keep hearing that it is going flat out to meet demand. Sure.. You can have an A4 screen, but the thing is.. how much are you willing to pay for it?

[dsdshark @ May 4th 2009 2:38AM]

@JohnBaily Well, engadget has put up videos showing bridgestones efforts in making e paper. And those have been showcasing a color screen which is what I would imagine they're aiming for. Who wants to read a magazine that isn't color?

[sweet greggo @ May 3rd 2009 11:15PM]

Oh good lord, Apple is gonna make one too? This freakin thing already has waaaaaaay too much coverage here. If Apple makes one I may just have to stop reading engadget altogether.

[sweet greggo @ May 4th 2009 12:47PM]

Y'all low rankers can suckit. You know I'm right.

[locuus @ May 3rd 2009 11:17PM]

It may not be coming out next week, but it will definitely happen sooner or later. Newspapers are having a hard time with more and more people getting their news off the internet.
Not having to print on paper but just distributing the newspaper to your ebook reader over the internet would be much cheaper.
There were even rumors of being able to subscribe to only certain sections of the newspaper, if you are not interested int he whole thing. Of course at this stage it is way too early to predict subscription models.

[nDy @ May 3rd 2009 11:22PM]

Next on shelf:
Kindle in full A0 size.

[B3astofthe3ast @ May 3rd 2009 11:29PM]

Apple??!! Will it acess the app store??? multitouch???

[dsdshark @ May 4th 2009 2:40AM]

I think epapers refresh rate is too slow for that to be effective.

[macsobel @ May 3rd 2009 11:30PM]

Can someone just make my 8 1/2 x 11" eReader that can properly display PDFs? Sell it for under $300 and I will buy it. Seriously, this really shouldn't be so difficult after all this time.

[kam @ May 4th 2009 1:49AM]

I've been waiting a decade for this sort of technology. When will I be able to tuck an eReader into a folder along with a pad of paper and have all I need to get my research done.

[jollyllama @ May 4th 2009 1:05AM]

I agree. Sell it under 200 and I don't even care if it has any kind of networking ability.

[michaelnoel @ May 4th 2009 3:57AM]

dude, yeah, I have so many public works books PDF's that are full sized and I cannot enjoy them on my computer screen

[xconan @ May 3rd 2009 11:32PM]

if they thought this out well in advance they could sub it subsidize with a mandatory newspaper and or n numbers magazine subscriptions to offset the cost. in addition they could then get advertisement revenue from users clicking on ads to access the promotions. but hopefully it's in color with someway to archive your subscriptions.

[pete @ May 3rd 2009 11:33PM]

hahah i love how engadget jumps on any and all rumors with little to no judgement and barely any credible sources...

but as soon as a major news publisher with one of the highest credibility histories in the biz runs a story that sounds like a rumor, engadget takes all measures and judgement to convince us that they are most likely making this up.

bloggers... what a joke

[tha-don @ May 4th 2009 12:40AM]

then why do you read it?

[kesherz @ May 4th 2009 8:25AM]

And yet, Amazon is having a press conference Wednesday, all signs point to exactly this larger Kindle being real.

Sucks to be you.

[pete @ May 4th 2009 9:12AM]

sucks to be me? the guy who read the NYT without "grabbing the salt shaker"? i'm not sure you read my post correctly. anyway, i read engadget because they have interesting posts. I just don't care for their interpretations of what is real and what isn't.

[CH3BURASHKA @ May 3rd 2009 11:49PM]

/facepalm

So we're getting 3 Kindles in a span of one year? Honestly?

[Kinger @ May 3rd 2009 11:49PM]

Did they just say Amazon linked up with Plastic Logic?

[thatguy @ May 3rd 2009 11:53PM]

I cant wait for the day where all I carry around in my bag is just a kindle or similar product instead of my textbooks for college and they cost only fraction of the price.

It is nice to dream.

[paul34 @ May 4th 2009 12:26AM]

Indeed. But knowing how the textbook scammers, I mean, publishers, work - they'll charge twice as much for the textbook, which you'll have to put a drop of your blood on a special reader on the special, publisher-specific reader in order to authorize you reading a single page. Different reader for each publisher, one drop of blood per page, please! Two if it has graphs.

[dsdshark @ May 4th 2009 2:43AM]

And write notes too. Highlight text. Email your assignments in.

[Dralite @ May 3rd 2009 11:57PM]

Another sign that Apple is making somekind of "large ipod touch"... this,plus the rumors, plus the subscription based addition to the iphone sdk, SAID to be for magizines & Newspapers, plus the unremovable battery in the 17-inch macbook pro makes this device very likely... it's really making sense... but if they have an giant ipod touch & no multitasking i'm gonna bust a nut

[Word Up, North Korea! @ May 4th 2009 12:29AM]

It's already too big...sweet mostly worthless qwerty keyboard that makes the thing absurdly oversized

at least with the sony reader you can kind of fit it into a jacket pocket or cargo pants

[kam @ May 4th 2009 1:49AM]

nah. You definitely want a larger eReader because the market these are geared towards are people who are heavy readers, researchers, students and media addicts. People like that want a roomier reading experience. There's no way someone could do 8 hours of researching PDF files on an ipod touch size screen. It would drive you mad.

Whats the point of a smaller reader if people can just pick up an iphone or something that does all that but more.

[Swimatm @ May 4th 2009 12:29AM]

Oh boy.

[??? @ May 4th 2009 12:34AM]

This site needs therapy
purely psychosomatic
this site needs therapy
purely psychosomatic
this site needs therapy...

[Bobsley @ May 4th 2009 1:33AM]

+1 for the avalanches... best video ever by the way, closely seconded by Salami Fever - Pepe Deluxe.

[digitallysick @ May 4th 2009 12:43AM]

It all makes sense now, those 10inch screens apple ordered, a "large ipod touch" like device. Its going to be an internet tablet./ebook reader/touch screen device. Itunes will cash in on the ebook market , just like the app store

[Azayzel @ May 4th 2009 12:55AM]

lolz, this is too funny! I think Engadget merely mentioned Apple's name just to throw it out there. Apple has yet to officially mention it's intent, let alone a prototype. If they did come out with a device it would probably be cost-prohibitive and have more DRM than anything out there.

I think the rumor about PL & Amazon teaming up, for one the PL device is really close to rolling out and it doesn't match the existing Kindle's layout. It would be good to see all that wasted real estate reclaimed from all the useless buttons and put in some kind of on-screen keyboard. PL has the best looking prototype out and it looks more rugged than anything else out there. They might team up with Amazon to get that large subscription-base and production funding, but I would hate to see Amazon jack up a nice device.

[loosely_coupled @ May 4th 2009 1:28AM]

I'll tell you what.... In about 2-4 years from now, these things are going to be incredible! I can't wait for an ultra-thin, fold-up, magazine-size e-reader with full, high contrast color and perhaps even capable of animation --- Whether that is high-resolution color e-ink or low-power OLED that is easy on the eyes. Perhaps some type of hybrid dual-mode "OLED on one side for internet and video and e-ink on the other for long reading"

Whatever finally catches on, I can't wait...

[Bobsley @ May 4th 2009 1:46AM]

Im sad though... when I was a kid, we were carefuly taught about the fragile balance of ecology, the importance of the forest in the CO2 convertion process and preserving the animals habitat...

Now we finally see an emerging technology wich can help protecting the boreal forest and what people care about? Its too f*cking big, its not wireless, it cant play .flac... whatever, nobody talk about the green argument. Even the ebooks company forget to boast about it...

Im gone watching Barbapapa...

[L @ May 4th 2009 4:08AM]

If you'd be sooooo darn environment-concious, you'd know that an ebook reader isn't made out of love and thin air. You'd likely have to keep it for years and read tons and tons of stuff on it before it becomes the more ecological choice compared to books...

[Bobsley @ May 4th 2009 8:49AM]

Yes, thats the point, ebooks replacing paper books and newspapers, people reading on electronic but easy on the eyes devices. Not for few months, forever. Adios big paper companies. I really wish it come true.

Maybe its cause im canadian I am more sensibilized, I dont know. If you take the highway, you see a lots of forest. But if you walk 20 meters in the forest, oups, nothing anymore... all cut. Its really not funny to see.

[Jason Scott @ May 4th 2009 10:43AM]

Just be glad you can get hold of a Kindle. Here in the UK we've still got no word on it due to 'international licensing and negotiations'.

And the biggest threat to ebook readers are competing standards. If the industry doesn't pull together and make it simple then people won't be interested. Apple will probably swoop in with a bigger tablet which focuses on displaying web versions of your favourite newspapers and stuff the ebook format.

[HereAndNow @ May 4th 2009 3:56AM]

One place these things could really take off are in airplanes. Imagine travelers being able to read any newspaper or magazine in any language they desire.

Their availability in airlines would immediately raise global awareness with consumers who might, in turn, be compelled to buy one for their own personal use.

These things are going to be HUGE! Now would be a great time for Apple to enter the market for these things, with an awesome design. So far, it seems like Plastic Logic has the best solution.

[Pies @ May 4th 2009 6:44AM]

"Go ahead and grab the salt shaker, 'cause this one's nowhere near carved in stone"

I wonder how many people got that :)

[rita hainsworth @ May 4th 2009 7:05AM]

Have to say I am in LOVE with Plastic Logic...Def. will be getting one, I dont care how much they cost...Call me shallow (many do) but the Kindle is just Ugly and I just cant get myself to go there.

[Shanky Baba @ May 4th 2009 11:25AM]

I think the bigger e-reader / netbooks are the next big thing for subscription based media/publishing house.

Check this: http://bawaal.com/blog/?p=189

[Alex @ May 4th 2009 12:05PM]

DUDES AND DUDETTES! man i just had the greatest. idea. ever!

THEY SHOULD TOTALLY START GIVING THESE KINDLES THE ABILITY TO HAVE FULL TEXTBOOKS ON THEM! THEY WOULD MAKE A KILLING!

Imagine, you dont need to take 120387214087 textbooks to school anymore, just take this kindle, and you've got it all.

Wow that would be awesome...

[Russ Finley @ May 4th 2009 1:07PM]

I listen to audio books on my MP3 player while doing other things. Books are old school.

http://www.biodiversivist.com

[merlin.smack @ May 4th 2009 3:02PM]

A good read with some updates:
Amazon introduces Kindle 2
http://techunits.com/content/1345/amazon_introduces_kindle_2

[adam hartung @ May 4th 2009 11:57PM]

Will Kindle be a savior for newspapers? Maybe so. Kindle might be the product to finally get newspapers to realize they have to go digital. Read more at http://www.ThePhoenixPrinciple.com