iREX DR 800SG e-reader now shipping via BestBuy.com
By Ross Miller 
posted February 17th 2010 8:11PM
posted February 17th 2010 8:11PM
Despite being listed on Best Buy's interweb pages for well over three and a half months, it seems only just now has iREX taken the chance to officially ship its DR 800SG e-reader out to the hungry e-tailer masses. Price is back to being listed at the proper $399.99 tag and given the recent proliferation of e-readers in the market, we can't blame you if you're not immediately reaching for your wallet. Press release after the break.
IREX TECHNOLOGIES NOW SHIPPING DR800SG eREADER
Westlake Village, Calif., Feb. 17, 2010 – IREX Technologies' DR800SG wireless eReader is officially available on BestBuy.com today.
The device combines an incomparable, paper-like reading experience and the perfect balance between readability and portability with an open approach to buying and transferring content. With 3G wireless capabilities, users can purchase and quickly download an eBook while on the go.
"Consumer awareness and adoption of eReaders is reaching a tipping point – devices were a hot seller this holiday season and the space is poised to explode in 2010," said Kevin Hamilton, CEO, IREX North America, Inc. "This is a purpose-built device for people who love to read. IREX supports multiple file formats, provides access to hundreds of thousands of leading books and periodicals, and now offers a strong retail presence to help us stand out in this competitive market."
Along with immediate availability on BestBuy.com, the device will appear on Best Buy shelves through a phased launch in coming months. Giving users access to the device through a retailer recognized for providing hands-on interaction with technology will drive increased awareness and understanding of eReaders, as potential buyers can see, touch and even test the product – a must do for consumers buying an eReader.
The IREX device includes the Barnes & Noble eBookstore from Barnes & Noble, the world's largest bookseller, giving users access to more than 750,000 titles, including new releases and bestsellers at $9.99. Barnes & Noble expects its eBookstore (www.bn.com/ebooks) will increase to well over one million titles in 2010, inclusive of every available eBook and eBook originals from book publishers.
Agreements with NewspaperDirect and LibreDigital – two leading distributors of digital content – give IREX users access to the most comprehensive collection of newspapers and magazines available in the eReader market, up to 1,100 more titles than what is currently available on some competitive devices.
"A flurry of eReaders and tablets were announced at CES in January, but the reality is that many of these devices are not widely availability. Shoppers can head to BestBuy.com and purchase the DR800SG immediately, putting their favorite eBooks, newspapers and magazines just a few clicks away – not a few months away," said Hamilton.
Key product specifications
· Purchase content on the go – wireless service for the IREX device is provided by Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest and most reliable 3G network. Qualcomm's Gobi™ multi-mode 3G embedded module drives connectivity to 3G networks around the world.
· Big screen, compact design – some competitive devices offer a similarly-sized device but with a much smaller display area. IREX's 8.1-inch screen is ideal for books, magazines and newspapers with detailed graphics.
· Purpose-built device – the DR800SG features the latest electronic paper display technology, using E Ink's Vizplex imaging film, to deliver an experience that is closer to reading ordinary paper than possible with a netbook or tablet device. It also has a longer battery life and is lightweight.
· Easy navigation – the device turns pages faster than competing products and navigation is easy with an interactive stylus-driven touch screen. Users can search their library or add a bookmark with the tap of a stylus or skim an eBook with the touch of a thumb.
· Customized reading – users can enlarge or reduce text size and margin widths, or select portrait or landscape mode to suit their preferences.
Pricing and availability
The IREX DR800SG has an MSRP of $399.99, which includes access to a variety of free content. Wireless access to downloaded content is included in the cost of the DR800SG and no contract is required.
Westlake Village, Calif., Feb. 17, 2010 – IREX Technologies' DR800SG wireless eReader is officially available on BestBuy.com today.
The device combines an incomparable, paper-like reading experience and the perfect balance between readability and portability with an open approach to buying and transferring content. With 3G wireless capabilities, users can purchase and quickly download an eBook while on the go.
"Consumer awareness and adoption of eReaders is reaching a tipping point – devices were a hot seller this holiday season and the space is poised to explode in 2010," said Kevin Hamilton, CEO, IREX North America, Inc. "This is a purpose-built device for people who love to read. IREX supports multiple file formats, provides access to hundreds of thousands of leading books and periodicals, and now offers a strong retail presence to help us stand out in this competitive market."
Along with immediate availability on BestBuy.com, the device will appear on Best Buy shelves through a phased launch in coming months. Giving users access to the device through a retailer recognized for providing hands-on interaction with technology will drive increased awareness and understanding of eReaders, as potential buyers can see, touch and even test the product – a must do for consumers buying an eReader.
The IREX device includes the Barnes & Noble eBookstore from Barnes & Noble, the world's largest bookseller, giving users access to more than 750,000 titles, including new releases and bestsellers at $9.99. Barnes & Noble expects its eBookstore (www.bn.com/ebooks) will increase to well over one million titles in 2010, inclusive of every available eBook and eBook originals from book publishers.
Agreements with NewspaperDirect and LibreDigital – two leading distributors of digital content – give IREX users access to the most comprehensive collection of newspapers and magazines available in the eReader market, up to 1,100 more titles than what is currently available on some competitive devices.
"A flurry of eReaders and tablets were announced at CES in January, but the reality is that many of these devices are not widely availability. Shoppers can head to BestBuy.com and purchase the DR800SG immediately, putting their favorite eBooks, newspapers and magazines just a few clicks away – not a few months away," said Hamilton.
Key product specifications
· Purchase content on the go – wireless service for the IREX device is provided by Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest and most reliable 3G network. Qualcomm's Gobi™ multi-mode 3G embedded module drives connectivity to 3G networks around the world.
· Big screen, compact design – some competitive devices offer a similarly-sized device but with a much smaller display area. IREX's 8.1-inch screen is ideal for books, magazines and newspapers with detailed graphics.
· Purpose-built device – the DR800SG features the latest electronic paper display technology, using E Ink's Vizplex imaging film, to deliver an experience that is closer to reading ordinary paper than possible with a netbook or tablet device. It also has a longer battery life and is lightweight.
· Easy navigation – the device turns pages faster than competing products and navigation is easy with an interactive stylus-driven touch screen. Users can search their library or add a bookmark with the tap of a stylus or skim an eBook with the touch of a thumb.
· Customized reading – users can enlarge or reduce text size and margin widths, or select portrait or landscape mode to suit their preferences.
Pricing and availability
The IREX DR800SG has an MSRP of $399.99, which includes access to a variety of free content. Wireless access to downloaded content is included in the cost of the DR800SG and no contract is required.
Oh Boy! Look another E-Reader... Whats this one? Number 8,103?
@Jaylittles531 I think it's # 8,101. But who's counting?
@jschaeff you two apparently
@University of Pi
:-D
It's a cylon! Honestly though, I really don't want a glowing LED in my face while I'm trying to read a non-backlit display.
@Larz LED is only on when it is downloading a book or charging. It is not on during normal reading.
Seems a bit pricey given that it doesn't multitask, has no webcam, can't run any desktop OS apps, and has no keyboard.
Oh, wait...wrong article.
@CRA1G well that's my argument against most Ereaders I personally think that in 5 years we will only see new tablet devices that double as ereaders
Well, aside from the expected snide comments about how it's just an overpriced me-too e-reader. Is there any redeeming quality to this e-reader aside from that it has access to B&N's book collection?
IE, the preview didn't talk about comparative screen quality.
It has pen input, but no attention was given to that feature as it wasn't ready at the time.
I wish Engadget articles would give some space to relevancy alongside the usual snide commentary. Too many force a lot of research to answer the key question of 'what was this product again'? Not every product has dozens of articles like the iPad so that we all immediately know what the 'point' of the product is.
@(Unverified)
To which snide comments are you referring (aside from mine, which was made after your comment, so, it's moot)? All I see are people's opinions.
@(Unverified) I agree. Actually it's priced decently - its screen size is between the Kindle/Nook $260 and the Kindle DX $480, so $400 is a bit pricey, but not very. It does ePub and PDF, and knowing iRex's reputation, they probably do it right, and the screen's big enough.
I agree. Engadget was just a little snarky at the reader, and people caught on. I think this actually has the potenial to be a good ereader in the E-Ink vein for long streches of reading.
@University of Pi Maybe, but I need an ereader now. To read books.
@University of Pi I give it two years tops. All we are waiting on is the screen and both Mirasol and Pixel Qi are on the verge of production and are looking very promising.
@University of Pi That would be horrible. The reason e-readers exist is to READ on, not use as a computer. Conversely, no one who actually reads books wants to use an LCD screen. Yuck!
@(Unverified) Well it has a stylus and no place to put it and it doesn't allow you to annotate PDFs, it'll be fixed in a later release but don't count on it because Irex is known for over promising and underdelivering, expect a lot of crashes too if its anything like their other ereaders. I'll be holding off for a Pixel Qi screen netbook or Notion Ink Adam.
Ahhh for christ sake. Enough with these freakin' eReaders already.
Attn. eReader Designers:
Please, just knock it off, enough is enough. You're like John Mayer, you don't know when to quit. Your products are the poster-child for what people can accomplish if they follow their dreams, assuming their dreams are unimaginative, mundane, featureless pieces of mediocrity. Your bland, dull, uninspired products, literally, make my butthole clinch with frustration.
@SaggyBalls just because you follow CES/CEBIT/MWC and other conventions doesn't mean that the average customer is aware of the number of e-readers that will appear in the market in the next 6-9 months. Irex has a huge advantage in that it, along with the Nook, Kindle and Sony are the only ones available in the next month or so.
Irex also targets its stuff mostly towards professionals: a barebones version of this (no ebook store, no 3g) was available on their website last year for $800. At the $400 price point, no other retailer has a A4 size screen, which is ideal for reading technical/research PDFs, or alternatively, newspapers. Not all e-reader makers are trying to capture the John Grisham demographic.
@SaggyBalls YOU LEAVE JOHN MAYER OUT OF THIS!
My cat just walked over my keyboard, and OMG, it authored an e-Reader!
(Recycling old joke about the proliferation of web browsers back in the day, but it applies pretty well to e-Readers these days.)
@(Unverified) I remember that joke in "Dilbert".
It seems Mr Hamilton is well versed in the ereader market. I don't understand why he thinks his product will command a $150 premium over the Nook or Kindle. The press release alludes to 1100 periodical titles not available from other competitive products but I would need significant additional details about his competitive advantage to warrant shelling out more money for a lesser known brand during the Great Recession.
@Jfhar4 The screen is a lot bigger than the Kindle.
@Jfhar4 If you can add ink annotations to what you're reading, it's worth the extra money to me.
I for one like this e-reader! While the $400 price point is a little too steep for me at this time (I'm a poor college student), this had some decent features. I've heard that the Nook is laggy (Was that completely fixed in the latest update?), but I really admire the great Barnes and Noble bookstore over the Amazon bookstore because of its integration with Google Books and standard e-reader formats. And it is on Verizon's 3G network! I see this as a great alternative to the Kindle and Nook.
This reader seems to be packed with some great features! (A web browser like the Kindle's would be nice though..)
Wow! why would i buy this.
I'd rather buy Notion Ink Adam. atleast its a decent computer replacement, along with the dual LCD and ebook screen.
@abhistuff me2 drool.
IREX has been selling eInk readers for a long time with their high end Iliad line. If this is based on the Iliad then I think it could be great.
It has an 8.1 inch screen with a 1024x768 resolution, better than the Nook at 6 inches with 800x600. If it's based on the Iliad then the stylus input is Wacom, so there is no layer on top of the display to ruin the contrast (as the Sony touch model has). If you don't think a touch screen is useful, try picking up a Nook and see how long it is before you find yourself attempting to touch the screen (especially if it is jailbroken and running a browser).
Finally, if I recall, the Iliad runs Linux and IREX has been very forthcoming in allowing development for it.
So for $140 more than the Nook or Kindle you get a bigger screen with better input. And it HAS to be faster at page refreshes than the Nook.
I am looking to get an e-reader to read technical papers and books on. This 8 inch IREX looks good. I wonder when will Best Buy ship the non-wireless version, since I don't live in the states and I don't need wireless anyway. Still, a local vendor would be great. International shipping is too expensive.
@gatsby Thhe 8.1" screen, right in between the Nook/Kindle and the Kindle DX and the drive is priced there. A lot of people seem to be missing that point, a large screen is important for viewing PDFs and other technical documents.
Frankly, I found these things useful for outright reading. I suspect a lot of people don't do much of that anymore, though.
@grantyale There will be an international version. Note the US in the model number on this one.
@gatsby
"Finally, if I recall, the Iliad runs Linux and IREX has been very forthcoming in allowing development for it."
Only because they abandoned the Iliad !
Believe me, there are a lot of angry Irex ex-customers.
1940's called and they want black and white back
I tried reading the manual online to see how it handled note taking, and no mention other than showing an on-screen keyboard and the word annotation. An e-reader with a wacom digitizer is just asking for a good notetaking app. Anything shy of that would be disappointing.
Did no one actually look at the specs? The screen is much bigger than a Kindle screen while the body is the same size. This is not just another nook or Kindle.
@elducko
"IREX's 8.1-inch screen is ideal for books, magazines and newspapers with detailed graphics."
Yes, it is bigger than the K2 6" @ $259, but smaller than then KDX 9.7" @ $489.
Only 400 USD? Screw them!
IREX is selling these for 500 euros (cca. 700 USD) for us...
At this low price, it's almost a must-have device.
I wonder if Best Buy ships internationally.
For $140 more than the Nook or Kindle you get a bigger screen, while keeping the whole size of the reader similar.
More screen, less bezel, I like that. I guess Engadget is now fond of big bezel, since they saw the Ipad.
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8789/26203kindledxvskindle2v.jpg
You also get a Wacom touchscreen, a case & a charger. A Nook/Kindle case alone is $30.
Compared to the incomings tablet wave, you get a mature product with a mature technology, not a shinier but probably less reliable 1.0 product. I’m in love with the Notion Ink Adam tablet specs, but I was a little wary when I saw the front cover fall off during the demo.
Irex has been making reader for a long time; it's not your random Chinese manufacturer deciding they want a reader too because it’s trendy.
By the way, the reader already been released in Europe. The screen is good, the clarity is not impacted by the touchscreen as the touchscreen layer is behind the screen.
Some user’s feedbacks here: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70664
If I had to purchase a reader today, it would definitively be this one. Will I ditch my Prs-505 for this one? I don’t think so. At least not until waiting a little to see what’s around the corner.
Of course, if you want an eBook reader to watch TV series or couch-surf the web, you better get an Ipad.
Another nice shot pulled from mobileread :
[IMG]http://dvice.com/galleries/IREX800/IREX%20Kindle%20Reader.jpg[/IMG]
http://dvice.com/galleries/IREX800/IREX%20Kindle%20Reader.jpg
guess you can't embed images here.