Dualbook
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Entourage shuts down Edge content store, devices reportedly discontinued
It seems natural selection has finally caught up with the Entourage Edge. When we first reviewed the combination touchscreen/E Ink "dualbook," we wondered whether its neither-fish-nor-fowl design would catch on -- especially priced at $500. That price dropped substantially with its successor, the Pocket Edge, but neither device truly found its feet, in part because of a lack of applications and no updates beyond Android 1.6. And now comes word that the Edge store has officially closed, with customers having until May 27 to download any purchased content. It all points to RIP for the Edge family, and Good E-Reader claims to have recent confirmation from the company. In its goodbye message Entourage steers users toward the Amazon app store, where it notes "you will now have access to a lot of Android Apps that Google would never give us access to." Obvious bitterness aside, the team reportedly has a new device in the works, this time in the typical slate model. [Thanks, Roy]
Entourage Edge review
Is it an Android tablet? An e-reader? Just a sweet gadget with two screens? Truth is the Entourage Edge is a little bit of everything, and that's exactly why we've been so intrigued with the "dualbook" since we fondled it at CES. Finally ready to make its shipping debut, the $499 dual screen device is aimed at students, but really it's for anyone interested in a combination 9.7-inch E Ink reading / note-taking experience and a 10.1-inch Android web tablet. It's sounded very cool to us for quite a while, but there's always a difference between hype and reality. Does the Edge live up to its promise or attempt to do too much? The only place to find out is after the break in our full review. %Gallery-88032%
Entourage Edge gets super official at CES, set to ship next month for $490
It's nothing different than what we heard back in December, but for those paranoid about delays -- take it easy. Entourage Systems has today officially launched the planet's first "Dualbook," the Edge. Easily one of the most bizarre looking e-readers to hit the market, the dual-screen, WiFi-enabled device utilizes a 9.7-inch e-ink display and a 10.1-inch LCD screen. You'll also get a virtual keyboard, software that allows both screens to work together and access to over 200,000 trade books including e-textbooks from McGraw Hill, John Wiley & Sons and content frequently adopted by professors for course use from Oxford University Press. It'll be ready for hard hitters and book worms next month for $490, and you can dig into the full details just past the break. %Gallery-81510%
Entourage Edge e-reader shows off its softer-ware side on video
Can't get enough of the Entourage Edge? We feel you. It's easily a sight for sore eyes in the pool of me-too e-readers, and while we've learned that it has plenty of power under the hood to handle quite a few desirable tasks, we've yet to really see the software do its thing in any real capacity. Until now, of course. The video posted up after the break is as good a look of the inner workings as we've seen, and the company has contacted us directly to affirm that the Feburary 2010 ship date is still on track. To be honest, we're really digging what we're seeing on screen, but a premedidated demonstration and real-world usability are certainly horses of different hues. Here's hoping we get a tick to play with a production unit ourselves at CES, but till then, you know where to head.
Marvell's Armada chip bringing 'HD-quality video, 3D graphics support' to Entourage Edge
We already knew that a potent Marvell chip was under the hood of Spring Design's Alex, but at long last the mystery surrounding the powerhouse within Entourage's Edge is no more. The Armada PXA168 processor will be responsible for steering the world's first "Dualbook" through the stormy seas that'll be created once crazed consumers get ahold of this thing, and while we've no idea if the software will actually support this laundry list of capabilities, the chip should have no issue with "full-featured web browsing, multi-format video and image processing." More specifically, we're informed that "HD-quality video and 3D graphics" will be supported, which could obviously lead to some pretty interesting applications (you know, like actual web surfing on an e-reader). Hop on past the break for a brief look at an early generation model as well as a functioning version of what should hopefully hit shelves in early 2010.
