Aigo jumps on the e-reader bandwagon with EB6301
By Laura June 
posted December 20th 2009 11:34PM
posted December 20th 2009 11:34PM
It's official: everyone's making an e-reader. While we're still a little unsure of where all this is heading (hey, call us Luddites, but we actually like turning pages!), we're always glad to see an ever-expanding offering of literacy-encouraging gadgets. Chinese company Aigo has just announced its own model, the daringly named EB6301. This one boasts a 6-inch E Ink display, a host of buttons running down its left side in addition to the navigation panel, and has 2GB of built-in storage. There's no WiFi on this unit which is a disappointment, and it's going to run 2,499 yuan -- about $366. There's no word on availability outside of China at this time.
Bye bye Kindle and Nook! the EB6301 is here!
What?
I lost the game
No wifi, so no connection to a book retailer, and hmm that screen looks really nice too. I especially like all the wet spots where the film is sticking in places.
The price is the best part though!
@kloan
This is aimed for the chinese market, which means users will simply download all the wonderful books on chinese websites for free, illegally of course in the US standards, but maybe-maybe-not-we-aint-sure-but-we-like-free-stuff in chinese standards; so any ereader linked with a for-profit bookstore simply won't work in china at this moment.
Even if Aigo brings a store out along with the ereader, its likely that its only there to compile with gov regulations and most users will be "smart" enough to go download books from other questionable sources. So I'd guess that this is an awesome freed up open standard device compare to kindle or nook, but for the wrong reasons.
Though, this will be a good device for anyone who wants to learn the chinese language since I'm not sure if the kindle or nook support chinese font?
Josh Toplotsky
aigo sounds like a korean middle aged woman saying - great branding i guess
The Chinese text besides "Aigo" reads "ai guo zhe", it means "patriot" in Chinese.
Oh, it's just too expensive. You can get e-reader in China for RMB 1,500 or even cheaper if buy directly from the factory.
I should walk around with a book and a flashlight and market myself as an e-reader. 'Cause, you know, this is the wave of the future...
@Saauron Just buy a Snuggie, it comes with a free reading lamp and you hook to your book. Plus you get the added benefit of a blanket with sleeves.
@TikiTeko
Sadly free lamp doesn't fit my Kindle, love my snuggie though. I mean, it's a blanket with sleeves! How cool is that?
Are those shoeprints on the screen?
@MarbleMind Its probably a Chinese knot ornament.
http://www.myasiancollection.com/images/DSCN9380.jpg
@bigcow05
Interesting, thanks for the pointer!
Let's hope iRiver's Story will pop-up somewhere in the US soon.
At a price of around $250 or less.
/me crosses fingers
The screen looks nice. Nice, legible Asian fonts aren't easy to make.
If even the chinese are asking such prices I guess there's little hope and we have to accept the current prices are as low as it gets..
So you might as well get that nook/sony/kindle/cybook.
@Wwhat
Sure you have options. You can get a reader with a lcd screen that is faster than e-ink and works as well or better for $!00 to $150