EbookReader
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Braille e-reader concept can't be far from reality
The technology's already here, we just need a venture capital firm and a determined entrepreneur to make it happen. A foursome of designers -- Seon-Keun Park, Byung-Min Woo, Sun-Hye Woo and Jin-Sun Park -- have banded together to create the above pictured concept, an e-reader for those with limited or no vision. Their Braille E-Book concept theoretically relies on electroactive polymers in order to change the surface's shape as pages are turned, and while we fully expect the battery life to suffer due to all the necessary commotion, it's definitely a start that needs to happen.
Book Time shrugs off e-readers, turns paper pages for you
Oh sure, the e-reader may be just fine for some, but for the traditionalists in attendance who just can't enjoy a novel without turning those crisp, cool pages as you plow through yet another masterpiece, this invention is the one to care about -- particularly when you're fingers are frozen in place and you're just too dilapidated to do anything but read and comprehend. The absolutely genius Book Time creation managed to nab a Robot of the Year award over in Japan, as it holds down books and periodicals and automatically flips pages and pins down edges to keep sheets from flapping about uncontrollably. We can't quite tell if this thing's voice activated or not (we're hoping so), but either way, you can check out the hot paper turning action for yourself just past the break.[Via NewLaunches]
AT&T, Verizon looking to join e-book reader market?
As far as business relationships go, Amazon and Sprint's Kindle lovechild has proven to be a fruitful endeavor. So it's with little surprise that other manufacturers have been seeking out that same feeling of carrier companionship. According to Verizon Wireless VP of open development Tony Lewis, there are five e-book readers in the works from various companies that are looking to be certified for use on the network, possibly in the same way Kindle uses its connectivity to download books on the fly. While he wouldn't provide any names, he did hint they were looking at segments of the market Kindle isn't currently catering to, such as college textbooks. We've also got word that AT&T's looking to hop on the bandwagon, with head of emerging devices Glenn Lurie chiming in that they want to be a part of that market. If that Whispernet connectivity is the feature that's been tempting you to go Kindle, looks like you'll have a few more options on the horizon, if you're patient.Read - VerizonRead - AT&T
TUAW ebook reader smackdown: Kindle 2 vs. iPhone
Before the release of the original Amazon Kindle a little over a year ago, there were a number of electronic book readers that tried to create and capture the market for a replacement to traditional "dead tree" books. There have been readers for just about every handheld unit since the Newton, as well as a series of devices that all required would-be readers to hook their book to a PC or Mac to transfer the content. Amazon changed all that with the Kindle by creating a device with built-in 3G networking that delivers books to you the minute you buy them. I was one of the people who purchased the first-generation Kindle, and though it delivered on wireless purchase of books, it was a clunky, poorly designed device.In the meantime, Apple introduced the iPhone 3G and the App Store, and several ebook reader apps have worked their way onto the home screens of millions of iPhone owners. So, is Steve Jobs right? Is there no need for a dedicated electronic book device like Kindle? I've used both the original Kindle and the new Kindle 2, and I've also read my share of electronic books on the iPhone. Which of the reigning champions of the ebook world is the winner? Read on to find out.
Brother's SV-100B Bluetooth "Document Viewer" looks like an e-book reader to us
It's finally coming true; all those e-ink readers we expected would flood the market after the Kindle's initial release were apparently just waiting for its successor before jumping into the fray. Joining recent announcements from iriver, Neolux, and Plastic Logic is Brother, with the SV-100B. The company is calling it a "Document Viewer," featuring a 9.7-inch, 1200 x 825 display -- larger and stocking twice the pixels of the Kindle 2. However, it's not meant to be a Kindle-killer, instead aimed at business users who will pair this over Bluetooth with PCs or mobile devices to keep its microSD card filled with content, content that must be run through a converter app prior to display. No MSRP was announced, but given its focus on the corporate clientele it will surely be priced accordingly when it ships early this June. Update: Will commented to let us know this will apparently retail for ¥140,000, or just shy of $1,500. So, yeah, not really aiming for the consumer market here.[Via Engadget Japanese]
iriver Japan looking to brand its own e-reader?
It's a touch early to truly understand what's going on here, but it looks as if iriver Japan (read: not the same iriver Korea you're used to) is hoping to make a splash in the burgeoning e-reader market by popping out a device of its own. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be much innovation going on, as we're pretty certain this is simply a rebadged version of the Netronix reader we spotted about this time last year. Word has it that the unit will handle PDFs and feature a simple joystick control scheme, an SD card slot and compatibility with music files. We'll be keeping a close eye out for any developments, but our gut tells us this thing won't make it far outside of Japan's walls, anyway.
Amazon sorta capitulates, will let publishers decide text-to-speech availability
While affirming its stance on the legality of Kindle 2's text-to-speech feature -- and in fact stating it'll actually get more customers interested in buying audiobooks -- Amazon's announced that it'll now let the books' rights holders decide on a title-by-title basis whether or not they'll let TTS be enabled. No word on when the update'll be fed to the devices, but we bet somewhere right now, Paul Aiken's cracking a tiny smile. Full release after the break.
Neolux's NUUT2 trumps the Kindle 2 with PDF support, loses in most other regards
Back in 2007 the NUUT beat the Kindle to retail by a few months, but its plain styling and lack of features meant it couldn't compete -- especially for the same $300 price point. Now the successors must battle for supremacy and this time it's Neolux running a bit late, just now announcing the NUUT2. It's a complete redesign that, oddly enough, makes it look more like the original Kindle, complete with an odd little auxiliary strip display. The NUUT2 has a 6-inch, 600 x 800 display offering eight shades of gray (twice that of the original but half that of the Kindle 2), 1GB of storage, SD card expansion, and WiFi as well. The biggest news is native support for PDF along with a bevy of other file types, but given this isn't likely to appear outside of South Korea it, like its predecessor, probably won't make much of a splash.[Via MobileRead, thanks Emil]
WSJ: Kindle 2 launching today with Stephen King exclusive
The Wall Street Journal just weighed in on today's Amazon press event with two nuggets of information. First, they state as fact that Amazon.com will announce a new version of its Kindle e-book reader. Additionally, Amazon is expected to announce an exclusive new work available only on the Kindle from best-selling author and be-spectacled weirdo, Stephen King. According to the WSJ, "a Kindle-like device" could play a role in the story. Oh Stephen, don't you know that they're all going to laugh at you? Find out all the details later today with our live Kindle launch coverage.
BeBook eBook reader gets reviewed: a library rental, at best
At least overseas, Endless Ideas' BeBook is competing most directly with Sony's succulent Reader, and reviewers over at Trusted Reviews immediately noticed the step back in style. If you can get over that, the device was said to be delightfully light, though the user interface reverted their brief smiles back to frowns. This up and down (or love and hate, if you will) affair continued on throughout the review, with critics finding a nitpick for every glimmer of awesomeness. The real bummer came when they attempted to use USB 1.1 for mass transfers -- it's practically 2009 people, and USB 2.0 is a must. All in all, the crew couldn't bring themselves to calling the BeBook a bad device, with the broad format support, satisfactory screen and longevous battery all earning high marks; that said, the clunky interface and sluggish overall performance really put a damper on things, particularly when you consider a Sony PRS-505 can be had for around £30 less.
Foxit takes on the eBook world with low(er) cost eSlick
Never mind those eBay prices for the Kindle, and don't pay any attention to the $399 sticker attached to Sony's Reader -- instead, feast your eyes on this gem. The $259 eSlick is expected to arrive courtesy of Foxit this January, and if you jump in early, you'll be able to get it for just $229. Sure, it doesn't include that fancy connectivity like on the Kindle, but we suspect you'll get over the lack of subscriptions pretty quick given all the coin you'll save up front. The unit is said to be around the size "of a medium paperback," checking in at 0.4-inches think and featuring a 6-inch 800 x 600 resolution display. The panel itself is made by the same firm that provides panels for Amazon, and it'll ship with 128MB of inbuilt memory along with a 2GB SD card. As for longevity, you can expect to get about 8,000 turns before it caves from exhaustion, and if your eyes tire, the unit can double as an MP3 player. Lookie here -- we just found you the perfect device to spend your holiday card money on. You're welcome.[Via PC World]
Refurb Kindles now available for $329; please, try to contain yourselves
With Black Friday a thing of the past and the holiday season rapidly approaching, you want to hook up everyone you know with something nice. Amazon's trying to make that a bit easier on the wallet by offering up refurbished Kindles for $329 straight up -- a first for the funky little ebook reader. While it's not as much of a price reduction as we would have liked, it is a start, but with new devices and pricing rumored for early 2009, to us it just seems like too little, too late. [Via KindleBoards]
Sony's new Reader close to greatness, but a bit too dim
Sony's lithe new PRS-700 conquers many of the most annoying faults of Amazon's chunky little fire-starter, but falls just short of greatness according to MobileTechReview. First with the good: the touchscreen enables page turning with the flick of a finger (or stylus), note taking via virtual keyboard, responds quite well, and doesn't even smudge! It supports PDF and Word files, can be used landscaped, and even has LEDs built into the screen's border for reading in the dark. Sadly, though, that display can't even match the contrast of its predecessors, which are plenty murky to begin with, and with no wireless of any sort you're stuck filling this one via USB, SD, or MS Duo. In other words there's still no perfect choice in the world of the e-ink reader -- but it is awfully hard to ignore the Reader's sleek exterior when compared to the Kindle's distinctively sci-fi doorstop look.
Sony announces PRS-700 Reader with touchscreen
Sony's plan to launch an updated Reader today wasn't exactly a secret, but there are still some surprises to the new PRS-700 -- particularly the new six-inch touchscreen E-Ink display. Page turning is now accomplished by a swipe motion with faster refreshes, and there's a stylus and on-screen keyboard for searching and note-taking -- plus an LED reading light (not a backlight) for reading in the dark. Apart from that, it's basically the same deal as the PRS-505 -- internal storage for about 350 ebooks with SD and MS-Duo expansion and a 7500 page-turn battery life round out the package, as well as an updated online store. Of course, there's no Kindle-killing integrated wireless for the $400 price tag, but it'll be interesting to see how they stack up when the PRS-700 hits shelves next month.
Two new Kindle models on the horizon?
Take this one with plenty of salt, but CrunchGear has it that not one, not three, but exactly two new Kindle models are destined to go on sale to the adoring indifferent public within the next 6 to 12 months. Reportedly, the first model is simply a revamped version of the existing Kindle with a smaller form factor, the same sized screen and an "improved interface." The second new version will purportedly be shaped like a 8.5- x 11-inch sheet of paper and should land early next year. Both Kindles will be available in a variety of hues, though pricing information remains a mystery. Hang tight bookworms, we've still got awhile yet before figuring out just how legitimate this is.[Via The Boy Genius Report]
Fujitsu to launch FLEPia color e-ink e-books in the fall?
We first saw Fujitsu's FLEPia e-books with the company's color e-ink tech over a year ago, but rumor has it they're finally getting close to launch. That's the word according to Nikkei, which says that the A4-sized readers won't feature an integrated backlight, but still be able to run for up to 50 hours on a single charge. The WiFi-capable unit is said to cost ¥100,000 ($941), but other specs are still up in the air -- hopefully they'll be changing the name as well.[Via CrunchGear; warning, read link requires subscription]
Amazon to launch Kindle e-book reader on Monday?
At this point we've heard so many predicted launch dates for Amazon's Kindle ebook reader we're a little jaded about the whole thing, but CNET is reporting that their always-reliable "industry sources" have confirmed a Monday launch for the device and service. The specs will apparently remain consistent with what we've been hearing for so long now -- $399, 6-inch screen, no integrated backlight, WiFi, EV-DO on Sprint for OTA book purchases, and a big ol' dose of the ugly -- but rumors are rumors, so don't get too mopey if Monday comes and goes with no announcement.[Thanks, Brian]
Sony's PRS-505 eBook reader now on sale
That was snappy. Just hours after hearing that Sony's PRS-505 eBook reader would be available "this month" for $300, the outfit is now selling the product right in its own webstore. For $299.99 (to be precise), users can snap up the Digital Book in silver or dark blue, and you'll even get 100 Connect eBook Classic titles (and two lines of engraving, if you wish) gratis with the purchase. As for the estimated ship date? Tomorrow.
Jinke / HanLin iBook eReader revs to V3
With a name like the iBook eReader there's just no way a Chinese e-ink peddler like Jinke / HanLin could go wrong selling in the Ukraine, right comrade? Well, not unless they attempt to release in the US -- a country where the iBook trademark holds some weight -- which apparently is the intended destination for the €240 ($325) e-book reader. We can supposedly have high hopes for it, though, being equipped with a four-shade SVGA display, WiFi, optional touchscreen interface, and, of course, Linux. Expect this September or October. Or not.[Via MobileRead]
Panasonic's Words Gear gets official launch and price
We've watched Panasonic's 5.6-inch Words Gear e-book / media player make the jump from early prototype to trade-show circuit. Now, it's gone official. Sure it lacks e-Ink and the associated long battery life, but there's something to be said for the ability to not only read books for 6-hours at a time off the lithium Ion battery, but also view MPEG-4 video and JPEGs on that 5.6-inch, 600x1024 display -- you get AAC audio to boot. Pretty limited codec support frankly, and too bad it only supports SD cards (up to 2GB) what with SDHC now pushing 8GB and 32GB on the horizon. Still, for just ¥41,790 (about $355) when loosed upon Japan on December 20th, you just gotzta take notice. [Via Impress]
