e-book reader
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Rupert Murdoch wants in on the e-book action
Apparently News Corp. chairman and multi-billionaire Rupert Murdoch likes the Kindle. He likes it so much that while he's not trying to buy the company, he is instead trying to buy any competition that could undermine it and perhaps ultimately send it into financial ruin. Okay, so he's probably not trying to take down Amazon, but he does want in on the e-reader action, looking to invest in someone, anyone, who might be the next e-book contender. It makes perfect sense, what with print newspapers failing left and right and magazines not faring any better, but just which company might be the lucky recipient of Murdoch's favor and finances? We're guessing he has no shortage of willing recipients.
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
Foxit's eSlick e-reader ships out, gets photographed
It didn't quite make it out in January, but Foxit's eSlick is still about the cheapest way to get an e-reader in front of your retinas. Granted, only the earliest of pre-orderers are seeing their units ship, and if you try to jump in now, you'll be greeted with a note to not expect it for another fortnight or so. In fact, all three hues (black, grey and white) are currently sold out, with new batches expected to be ready by April 10th or so. Thankfully, the kind folks over at GearDiary have hosted up a few photos and have promised impressions in the not too distant future, so head on over if you're anxious to see just how far this thing is from being a Kindle.
How would you change Amazon's Kindle 2?
Right around 13 months ago, we were asking you fine readers how you'd change Amazon's original Kindle. Now that it has had some time to think about things and deliver a refined version of its hit e-reader, we're giving early adopters the chance to fire off yet another round of criticism. Did Bezos & Co. address all of your gripes with the first iteration? Are you still bummed by anything? Is the screen sharp enough for your tastes? Battery life up to snuff? Do you still want more freedom when it comes to using that built-in EV-DO connection? What could Amazon do to make you even more stoked about being a Kindle 2 owner? You never know what the next firmware update could bring, so choose your words wisely.
Samsung Papyrus e-book reader on track for Korean launch this summer
Samsung had an early version of its Papyrus e-book reader on hand at CES, but it looks like a spruced up version of the device is now making the rounds in Europe, and the company has taken advantage of the opportunity to dish out a few new details. The biggest of those is word that the device will launch in Korea this June, after which Samsung will reportedly "aim" to see it released "eventually" in the US and the UK. As for the handheld itself, it's an A5-sized device, and packs a touchscreen that makes use of an included aluminum stylus, along with 512MB of internal memory (with no memory card option) and, of course, a stylish leatherette case. You won't get any Kindle-style cellular connectivity though, or apparently any WiFi either for that matter. On the upside, Samsung is apparently looking to keep this one under the $300 mark, although it's not quite ready to get official with a price just yet. Of course, all of that assumes it doesn't get into a tangle with Sharp over the name, which seems like a distinct possibility.[Via TechRadar]
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]
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.
iRex Digital Reader 1000S gets the hands on treatment
iRex's Digital Reader 1000S didn't exactly do a whole lot to distinguish itself when it debuted alongside its two other 1000 series counterparts a few months back but, judging from Engadget Chinese's hands-on of the unit, it seems to at least hold its own against your average e-book reader, even if it may not be able to justify its premium price tag ($749). On the upside the 10.2-inch, 160 dpi display appears to deliver as expected, with it provided a fairly comfortable reading experience, although some small text may have you reaching for the zoom function. Unfortunately, the device as a whole seems to be a tad on the sluggish side, and there is that small matter of the price, which puts the iRex well above the likes of the Kindle and some other upstart e-book readers. Still undecided? Hit up the link below for a closer look.
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.
iRex: something awesome this way comes
All we have right now is an ominous, glowing shape that might represent an e-reader of some sort and the promise (threat?) that "Seeing Is Believing." Following on the heels of Sony's vague e-book announcement, it seems that the folks at iRex also have something big planned. Sony will be keeping quiet until October 2, but over at iRex the bomb drops Monday.[Via Electronista; Thanks, Laura]
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]
Modder aims to turn Eee PC into e-book reader
Eee PC mods are already nearly as plentiful as actual Eee PC variations these days, and it looks like you can now add one more fairly ambitious one to the mix, with Australian modder Bismar aiming to turn the humble netbook into an e-book reader that he's dubbed the Tabeee MK 1. While it's still far from finished, as you can see from the pics available at the read link below, he is making some steady progress, and he's even going so far as to incorporate a touchscreen mod. Of course, the screen itself still won't exactly stand up to a dedicated e-book reader, but Bismar seems to think the cost savings will be worth the trade-off. Also, you can ignore the date stamp above -- while Bismar seems to know his way around a heat gun, it seems he's yet to master the ins and outs of digital camera settings.[Via GottaBeMobile]
CyBook bumps Gen3 storage, revs firmware
CyBook's Gen3 e-book reader has been out for a while, and it looks like there's a slight spec bump in the making -- the Gen3 New Edition now features 512MB of storage, more stable firmware with better battery life and a more responsive interface, and a slightly revised housing. Owners of older Gen3 units will be able to download the new firmware, but sadly there's no word on whether the new rev comes with Bobby Brown or Johnny Gill.
BeBook e-book reader makes its debut, doesn't run BeOS
If you can get past the tinge of disappointment in learning that something named the BeBook isn't actually the BeOS-based laptop you've been waiting for all these years, you may be only slightly less disappointed to know that it's another fairly ordinary and somewhat overpriced e-book reader. Coming in at a hefty €330 (or $510), this one ditches newfangled features like built-in WiFi or EV-DO, with it choosing instead to focus on basic features like a six-inch E Ink display, 512MB of internal memory, and an SD card slot for expansion. You'll also get support for all the usual document and image formats, as well as some basic MP3 playback functionality. If that somehow sounds like the e-book reader you've been waiting for, you can order one now and get free worldwide shipping.[Via Gadget Lab]
Cybook Gen3 e-book reader gets reviewed
Bookeen's Cybook Gen3 e-book reader has been a long time coming, but now that it's out in the wild we're finally starting to get some reviews of the device, including this fairly thorough one from the folks at The Future of Things. Unfortunately for those looking forward to the reader, they found it to be quite a mixed bag. On the upside, they found the device to be thin, light, small and fast, with it also boasting solid battery life and, most importantly, a screen that's "very comfortable" to read, even outdoors. They were also impressed with the Cybook's RSS support, and the Mobipocket format used for e-books. On the downside, the page flip mechanism proved to be "cumbersome," and they found that the current firmware left a lot to be desired, with them even going so far as to say that it felt like it was "rushed to the market too soon." They were also somewhat disappointed by the lack of SDHC support, and a lack of wireless connectivity (be it 3G or WiFi). They also point out, however, that none of the e-book readers out there are perfect, so if you're in the market for one you'll just have to pick the trade-offs you're willing to live with.
iRex iLiad e-book reader gets reviewed
iRex's iLiad e-book reader has been available to order for some time now, but just in case you haven't yet made up your mind about dropping all those Euros, the folks at Ars Technica have now delivered an expectedly thorough review of the device. As you might have guessed, however, they found the iLiad to be a bit of a mixed bag, with the device's annotation capabilities the real stand-out feature, although most likely won't find that alone enough to justify the $876 or $950 price tag (depending on the configuration). Still, you will apparently get an "excellent" screen for all that cash, and plenty of connectivity options -- even including a few unofficial ones.
How would you change Amazon's Kindle?
Truth be told, only a portion of the world was totally shocked when FCC documentation gave us all reason to believe that Amazon was indeed diving head first into the hardware biz, but even now, it still seems a touch awkward to see a label most commonly spotted on corrugated boxes plastered on an e-book reader. Nevertheless, Bezos' baby did indeed take on the aforementioned sector, though it took an outlandishly long time to go from FCC-approved to bookworm-ready. After missing a gazillion (give or take a few) proposed due dates, the cleverly-named (and questionably designed) Kindle finally made itself available on -- gasp! -- Amazon.com some 14 months after its original coming out party. As with most highly-anticipated devices, this particular one was also met with its fair share of critics and proponents, but judging by the initial difficulty it had remaining in stock, it seemed well on its way to e-reader stardom. Granted, we've no clairvoyant on staff, but we're guessing a few of those orders went to a few of you all. Assuming that's the case, why not give ole Jeff and company something to think about for Kindle v2.0? Yeah, we know you've been enjoying those unannounced easter eggs and whatnot, but now that you've had ample time to flip through a few paperless pages and really get a read (ahem) on this thing, what alterations would you make going forward? How's about a color screen, for starters? Maybe a little more responsiveness? A little less '80, a little more '08 in the design? Or, say, native Engadget support in the RSS reader? We're only partially kidding on that last one, but feel free to agree and tack on a dozen more worthwhile changes in comments below.
Jeff Bezos says Kindle is "outpacing our expectations"
While we're guessing you haven't seen too many of 'em pop up at your local coffee shop, Amazon's Jeff Bezos nonetheless seems to be quite please with the performance of the company's prized Kindle e-book reader, with him recently saying that "the Kindle, in terms of demand, is outpacing our expectations." That demand has also apparently caused Amazon to "scramble" on the manufacturing side, resulting in a notice on the Kindle order page that the device temporarily sold out due to "heavy customer demand" (again). Of course, expectations and hard sales numbers are entirely different beasts, and you can probably draw your own conclusions given that Amazon is focusing considerably more on the former than the latter.
