Verizon getting two e-readers / tablets from Entourage in September?

We're being told that Verizon has a pair of devices that it's identifying as "e-readers" on the roadmap for September of this year, but what's really interesting is that they're called "Entourage." It's possible there's no association to the company of the same name, but we're kind of thinking that the carrier has hooked up with the makers of the oddball Edge for these devices -- especially since we know they both share an affinity for Android. We don't know the specifics of the units other than the fact that they'll be 7- and 10-inch tablets -- presumably sans the Edge's crazy dual-display design, though we can't say for sure. Verizon has yet to play the e-reader game the same way Sprint and AT&T have with the Kindle and Nook -- and of course, we've no doubt they'd love a viable iPad competitor. Who's buying?

[Thanks, RBF]

[Nanosman1994 Posted Jul 20th 2010 8:34PM]

i do like tablets

[Allstar650 Posted Jul 20th 2010 8:41PM]

WTF is that junk?hahaha

[InspectorEngadget Posted Jul 20th 2010 9:01PM]

@Allstar650 I'm all for tablets as long as they aren't Crapgadgets like Bezelus Maximus up there.

[bob1000 Posted Jul 20th 2010 11:15PM]

@Allstar650 Yeah, that looks like crap. Hopefully Google will make their own tablet.

[Toyzer Posted Jul 21st 2010 12:31AM]

@Allstar650

Whatever that funk that junk is, it's found in the horses and cars section of a very disorganised book store.

[simbadogg Posted Jul 21st 2010 2:56AM]

@Allstar650
gotta love that johnny drama

[Gussieboi Posted Jul 20th 2010 8:45PM]

3 verizon posts in 5 hours thats a record!!

[iPhooey Posted Jul 20th 2010 9:20PM]

@Gussieboi

Agreed! That is a shocker for Engadget! Usually its 10 Apple / AT&T articles to 1 Verizon article and a fubar scorecard thrown in there somewhere.

[EmGee Posted Jul 20th 2010 8:45PM]

Not be negative but it does look a bit dated. There are a few other companies eg: Hanvon and Notion Ink that make better looking designs than this one. If this is just a prototype then no worries, just hope the final design doesnt look like that. Dual screen's are cool though.

[bighap Posted Jul 20th 2010 8:48PM]

RBF is on a roll. Keep the leaks coming!

[sonicyoof Posted Jul 20th 2010 8:49PM]

Eh, who cares, what with the data cap coming up.

[nDroid Posted Jul 20th 2010 8:51PM]

This is the EnTourge eDGe ( I do believe it's spelled like that lol)... A product that was already released and seemed to have horribly failed...

[guyjack Posted Jul 21st 2010 9:56PM]

@nDroid Actually, it didn't fail. It is just their 1st product that was targeted directly to students and teachers. I think enTourage is developing completely new devices for the big V. The original eDGe (I have one and it is great) will most likely NOT be the look of the devices developed for Verizon.

[Scrubs Posted Jul 20th 2010 8:55PM]

Verizon is full of new today

[Benjamin Posted Jul 20th 2010 9:02PM]

Wow, that is a really ugly gadget. Could they make the bezel a little bit chunkier?

[ckeegan Posted Jul 20th 2010 9:18PM]

I'm all for picking up a tablet at some point in the future, but probably not until HTC gets off their high horse. I'm assuming they are just waiting for LTE to kick in full force, so my expectation would be the 2011 holidays.

PS - Please people, stop talking about the tiered data. It is the way of the future, and Sprint is either going to do it themselves, go out of business, or continue tacking on $10 here and there. Sprint is irellevant until they manage to get out of last place in every ranking possible.

[proppat Posted Jul 20th 2010 9:19PM]

I hope that's not a real picture. It looks way too thick...and way too 10 years ago.

[TareG Posted Jul 20th 2010 9:19PM]

Pixel Qi or don't bother.

[CruiseDork Posted Jul 20th 2010 9:27PM]

I thought the days of tablets were gone. If they can actually make it work for students then I'll get onboard with the idea. I've always loved the idea of digital books and other learning materials. Being able to integrate notes and personal documents would be that much better - if it works. Till then, I'll stay with my Kindle. :)
Kimala McConnell
Publisher, CruiseDork.com

[guyjack Posted Jul 21st 2010 10:39PM]

@CruiseDork It completely works for me...students love it! Go to enTourage's forums to see!

[richmogd Posted Jul 20th 2010 9:28PM]

I don't really get the two-sided tablet devices - one of the next experiences that I have on the ipad is reading amazon books without having to change position to change page (since it's just a swipe on a single page). Anyway, looking forward to an android tablet in a similar form factor to the ipad.. would like something that doesn't have a crippled browser experience! And better email.. ipad email sucks..

[Texasyoungin Posted Jul 20th 2010 10:13PM]

@richmogd

I think the iPad will have a more enhanced email system once iOS4 comes out hopefully it might be better than what iPhone 4 got and hope it's more like BB email system

[voodoochild Posted Jul 20th 2010 9:45PM]

OH YEAH, OH YEAH

[FelixDraconis Posted Jul 20th 2010 10:17PM]

Looks like the worst of all worlds to me.
* Bizarre netbook ergonomics for reading.
* No physical keyboard.
* Probably more expensive than two separate gadgets.
* Neither screen really works well in tandem with each other - at best you could have a very slow virtual keyboard controlling the color screen and a fast keyboard to slowly type things onto the eInk screen.
...could go on...

[SirBC Posted Jul 20th 2010 10:19PM]

Needs more cow bezel.

[bathellfire Posted Jul 20th 2010 10:21PM]

If Microsoft would have created their Courier tablet back in 1995, it would look like that. No offence to creators of this "masterpiece", but it looks absolutely terrible.

[petebob796 Posted Jul 20th 2010 10:23PM]

@cwalters74 News Corp bought the company for it's e-publication side but didn't want the skiff reader. I don't know why, the device looked great to me I think I would have bought one as long as the software was decent and it supported PDF's. I guess I will have to wait and see about the QUE Pro Reader instead.

[bryoneill11 Posted Jul 20th 2010 10:43PM]

i like the concept..not the final product

[Booksmart Devil Posted Jul 21st 2010 12:07AM]

Needs more Vinnie Chase.

[AdamZSG Posted Jul 21st 2010 12:45AM]

Well... it all depends on if Entourage releases it months and months too soon - before all of the ports & features even work - as they did with the Edge.

I'd love a good Tablet, though - and no, the Crapple iPad without Flash, external memory, standard USB & HDMI-out, plus AT&T's horrid 3G coverage is absolutely not an option. (#iFail!)

We'll see...

- AdamZ

[ahabkillfailwhale Posted Jul 21st 2010 12:47AM]

anyone know what's up with the kno?

[sharkync Posted Jul 21st 2010 5:39AM]

Whatever is in that picture...is not for me.

[Charbax Posted Jul 21st 2010 10:52AM]

"presumably sans the Edge's crazy dual-display design, though we can't say for sure."

If it's not with the secondary e-ink wacom screen, then it has to be a single capacitive Pixel qi screen if they want it to be classified as e-reader.

[Larz Posted Jul 21st 2010 7:24PM]

I agree. Yet, somehow the iPad defies that logic...

[jonnyxb Posted Jul 21st 2010 12:11PM]

it better be awesome... or else... i probably just won't buy it.

[smartin007 Posted Jul 21st 2010 3:10PM]

I have seen one of these first hand. Heavy, clunky and PLASTIC-ee, with a hinge that squeeks like a old sailing ship.