TxtrBeagle
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Low-end Txtr Beagle e-reader coming to the US for $70, not $13
Back when Txtr first revealed its enthusiastic scheme to enter the low-end e-reader market, the idea was that it would be doing so by offering the Beagle at an extremely cheap rate. Fast forward to today, and it looks as if the Txtr Beagle will undoubtedly be hitting shelves in the US, but just not at the price we had hoped -- the e-reader itself is set to be carrying a $70 tag, making it a lot more costly than the $13 device that was originally planned. If you're still interested despite the unexpected outcome, then pay our source link a visit, where you'll find the Txtr Beagle now available for pre-order and ready to take your cash.
Txtr Beagle aims to corner low-end e-reader market for $13 (video)
We've seen some cheap e-readers in our day. Heck, even the big boys are practically giving the things away. But, we've never seen anything quite like the Txtr Beagle. The latest creation from German company Txtr is expected to sell for under €10 or about $13 when it hits the market, hopefully sometime before the holiday season. Obviously, for such a low price, you're not getting a lot of bells and whistles here. There's no touchscreen, no backlight, no 3G -- not even WiFi is baked into the impossibly thin 5mm body. The screen is only five inches but, if the promotional video (after the break) is to be believed, it offers a more enjoyable experience than reading an iPad or talking to your significant other. What is inside this barebones device is 4GB of storage and a Bluetooth radio which, when paired with your phone, can transfer ebooks from your mobile to the Beagle using the free Txtr app (available for Android 4.0 with an iOS version is in the works). Instead of an expensive rechargable cell, power is provided by a trio of AAA batteries, which the company claims will last you up to a year of regular reading. Almost as interesting as the device itself, is the model being used to keep the costs down. Txtr is positioning it not as a standalone e-reader, but as a smartphone accessory it hopes that carriers will offer with a small subsidy. The company's chief commercial officer Thomas Leliveld has said that work is underway to get AT&T and Sprint on board, but that talks are still ongoing with providers. Complete PR awaits you after the break.
