ereader
Latest
Discovery Communications patents e-book reader, why not?
Let's face it, at this point everyone is looking to get in on the e-book reader action. Back in February, broadcast television group Discovery Communication -- known for BBC America, Travel Channel, TLC, and Discovery Channel, naturally -- filed a patent for its own digital book reader back in February that's now surfacing online. There isn't a lot of concrete detail here, other than it runs the gamut of possible distribution options, including public libraries à la Sony's Daily Edition. In the picture above we've got hints of Cos News Services and US News and World Report, but that could very likely just be filler for the filing. It won't be nothing without partners, but if Discovery's serious, we're sure they've got a few phone numbers to call up and try to make a deal with. [Via Baltimore Sun; thanks, Tom]
Video: Sony Reader Touch Edition gets touched, desktop software upped to 3.0
Sony's Daily Edition may be taking a front row seat in everyone's hearts and minds right now, but let's not forget just three weeks prior the company revamped its other two, decidedly network connectivity-free e-book reader models. MobileTechReview got its hands on the PRS-600 "Touch Edition," which scores points for an easy-to-use dictionary and enhanced note-taking abilities that are purported to sync to the desktop, at least eventually. Turns out the screen isn't as sharp as the PRS-505 and there's a bit of glare, but there's certainly more contrast with the new device. Last we heard both readers were due for check out by the end of this month, although as of this writing only Pocket Edition seems to be available on Sony Style -- and if you're already enjoying a Sony reader, you'll be happy to know that 3.0 desktop software is now making the rounds for PC and Mac. Video after the break. [Thanks, Tom] Read - PRS-600 review Read - SonyStyle store Read - eBook Library Software 3.0
Video: Sony PRS-600 Touch is fast but too dim to satisfy PRS-505 owner
Touch, it's the panacea of e-book readers, right? Sure, just so long as readability isn't sacrificed in the process. Flickr user Doodlydood uploaded some pics and video of Sony's new $300 PRS-600 (on the left above) reader and did a quick comparison with his legacy PRS-505. Unfortunately, the glare from the plastic resistive touchscreen is an issue and the weak contrast, like the touchscreen PRS-700 before it, pales by comparison to Sony's two year old PRS-505 with glass display. On the flip side, page turns on the new 600 were fast and "work extremely well" compared to the PRS-505. Unfortunately, that's a minor victory when the whole purpose of an e-reader it to well, you know... read. See for yourselves in the videos after the break. [Via Lesen.net, thanks Johannes]
Borders survey adding fuel to the iPAD / iTablet fire
As if it isn't getting bad enough with the iPAD / iTablet rumors, now book retailer Borders has been adding to the rumor mill. Numerous TUAW readers including Jennifer, who supplied the screenshot below, have received a marketing survey from Borders about using Digital Reading Devices (also known as e-readers or ebook readers). Hidden among the responses about Kindles and Sony Book Readers was the response "I plan to buy an Apple iPAD (large screen reading device) this year." Lest any of our readers think that this is just a doctored screenshot, we did receive multiple unique full-screen shots from several readers. This can mean one of three things: The company performing the survey for Borders knows something about an upcoming Apple tablet device The survey company is clueless and loves operating off of rumors and innuendo The iPAD was thrown in there just to see if anybody would fall for it The survey also refers to the iPod touch as the "iTouch", so I'm pretty sure that #1 is probably out of the realm of possibility. Still, it's fascinating to see just how pervasive this rumored device actually is! Thanks to everyone who sent in this tip
eBook Roundup: 8 Apps for iPhone readers
An e-book (or ebook, or eBook, depending upon who you ask) is the digital equivalent of a paper book. According to KiwiTech, the publishers of Classics2Go, the market for eBooks has increased more than 60% over the last six years and growth from this point is expected to be very strong. We can reasonably connect the start of this burgeoning market to the release of the Amazon Kindle in 2007. Strong sales convinced some wary readers that this was a viable option. You could carry a few hundred books under your arm, and the reading experience was, well, acceptable. Going on a long trip? Wouldn't it be nice to take about 20 pounds of paper out of your luggage? 2007 also marked the introduction of the iPhone; it took about a year for eBook apps to appear on the iPhone. Now there are so many of them that finding the right one for your purposes can be a confusing prospect. I would like to clarify all this a bit by categorizing the four types of eBook apps, at least so far, and letting you know what you can expect from each. In deciding upon an eBook reader you need to consider: what sort of material you will be reading, how much you are willing to spend (if anything) and the quality of the viewing experience. Last year, Andrew Kazmierski and Phill Ryu released Classics (iTunes link). Their idea was to take a bunch of books in the public domain, 22 in the current release, and control all aspects of the user experience. We covered the first release of Classics upon its original release when its price was $2.99. Since then, the price has dropped to .99 and the number of books has increased. This app looked so impressive that it was featured in an Apple iPhone commercial. Upon launch, the reader is presented with a nicely rendered wooden bookshelf displaying colorful dust jackets. Click on a book and start reading. There is no wait, since all the books were downloaded with the app. Future updates bring more books. The books are all the kind of classics that are on school reading lists ranging from Frankenstein and Dracula, to Hound of the Baskervilles. The feature set is slim. Tap the right side of the screen or swipe right to left and the sepia toned pages turn using a pleasing animation. There are two buttons on the top of the screen. One brings down a maroon and gold bookmark and sends you to the bookshelf. When you click on the book again, you are brought to where you left off. The second button takes you to a table of contents. The bottom of the screen tells you the name of the chapter you are reading and what page you are on. The top of the screen displays the title of the book. Illustrations in books like Alice in Wonderland are nicely rendered, and the text is attractively formatted. A change in color of the title bar gives you an idea of where you are in the book.
Sony takes Reader openness one step further, will offer EPUB titles only
Slowly but surely, the mega-corp who has historically clung tight to its own formats while the world opts for others is finally seeing the light. Just over a year after Sony pushed out an update that enabled its Reader to use purchased books in the open EPUB format, the outfit is now promising to sell digital books only in that format by the year's end. Moreover, Sony is aiming to nix its "proprietary anti-copying software in favor of technology from the software maker Adobe that restricts how often e-books can be shared or copied." Once the switchover takes place, books purchased in Sony's online store will be readable on any device that supports EPUB, one of which will be Plastic Logic's forthcoming e-reader. And to think -- if only this change of heart would've happened prior to the introduction of ATRAC...
How would you change Amazon's Kindle DX?
You didn't have to read much of our recent Kindle DX review to get a handle on our opinions of the super-sized e-reader, but as you've likely gleaned from the headline, this one's not about us. Instead, we're asking you to chime in with your take on this here device during this week's How Would You Change. Did you really gain anything from the larger screen? Have you found it useful in your line of work / education? Are you down on the keyboard? Given Amazon's history, we can't imagine that the DX will stay in this form forever, and listen, wouldn't you want to have a say in what gets changed on Revision B? Drop your most intimate thoughts on the matter below -- who knows, maybe Sir Bezos is tuning in just to cash in on your two pennies.
iRex readying wireless e-reader while Plastic Logic's own snags $299 price point
Who says the world stopped reading decades ago? With CES 2010 looming ever closer, it looks as if 2010 may end up being the year of the e-book reader. Amazon's got a few Kindles out, Sony's now vying to compete on price, Hearst is doing whatever it's doing, Plastic Logic is jumping in early next year and even iRex is purportedly hoping to issue a consumer-centric alternative. Speaking of those last two, we're hearing that Plastic Logic's long-awaited entrant into the e-book reading world will "be launched in the US at the beginning of next year at a similar price to the Kindle, which starts at $299," while a UK launch is expected in late 2010 or early 2011. As for iRex, the mockup you see above portrays a wireless device with an expansive 8.1-inch display, inbuitl 3G, a full touchscreen and a fall 2009 release date. 'Course, we're also hearing that this one will hover well above the $300 mark, so it's certainly not aimed at the budget-minded bookworms. So many syllables, so little time...[Thanks, Tom]Read - iRex readerRead - Plastic Logic pricing
Astak's $199 EZ Reader Pocket PRO wants to give Kindle 'a run for its money'
Last we heard from Astak, it was quietly peddling some off-the-wall Mentor e-book reader based on a drab OEM model that every other no-name reader manufacturer uses. Now, however, it seems the company has a bit more pep in its step (though it's still copying others, this time the BeBook), as it has proudly proclaimed that the new 5-inch EZ Reader Pocket PRO is primed to "give Amazon's Kindle a run for its money." With Adobe's blessing, the device is able to support over 20 open file formats along with DRM-laced PDF files; also of note, a sure-to-be-controversial text-to-speech feature can read back documents aloud. The six-ounce device will be available in a half dozen hues, and within you'll find a 400MHz processor, 512MB of memory, an SD expansion slot, 8-level grayscale E-ink screen, a replaceable battery good for 8,000 page turns per charge and an MP3 player that can operate in the background. Sadly, no wireless connectivity is baked in, but the $199 price point is definitely tantalizing. Anyone looking to get in on a pre-order before it ships later this month?
Sony Reader Pocket and Touch editions lower cost of entry, online e-book store follows suit
As it turns out, those Sony Reader leaks from earlier this week were spot on. The company just went official with the PRS-300 and 600, which will more affectionately be known as the Pocket and Touch editions, respectively. The latter (pictured left, not to scale) is the 6-inch resistive touchscreen model replacing the PRS-700, with Memory Stick / Duo and SD card slots. The backlighting layer from its predecessor has been dropped to improve touch responsiveness and to alleviate concerns of glare. It also comes packing a stylus and a digitized copy of the Oxford American English Dictionary and will be available in red, black, and silver. The Pocket Edition, on the other hand, is your standard fare with no touchscreen or expandable disk port, and palettes including blue, silver, and rose. Both models have USB 2.0, 512MB internal memory, and no WiFi whatsoever -- Sony assures us a WiFi version is coming and there'll be news on those coming soon, but this isn't it. There's also Mac compatibility, a first for the series, that's trickling down to older models via a firmware update. Touch and Pocket will be available by the end of August and will retail for $299 and $199, a substantially more competitive price point than its previous generation. Speaking of which, as of tomorrow, the Sony's e-book store is dropping the prices of its bestsellers from $11.99 to $9.99. A win all around, but will it be enough to make a dent in Kindle's stronghold? Things are certainly getting more interesting.
Full specs leak on Sony Reader PRS-300 and PRS-600
Still doubting that Sony has a new duo of e-book readers on the horizon? Have a look at this. Sony Insider is reporting that retailer J&R posted up product listings for both the PRS-300 and PRS-600, but both were quickly pulled in order to avoid a stern wrist slap from the suits at Sony. 'Course, neither were pulled quickly enough, and what we're left with is a list of full specifications and MSRPs for the both of 'em. If said sheets are to be believed, the 5-inch (800 x 600 resolution) Sony PRS300-RC Reader Pocket Edition will ship with 512MB of onboard memory, PC and Mac support, a battery good for 7,500 page turns and USB 2.0 connectivity. The 6-inch (800 x 600 resolution) PRS600-SC Reader Touch Edition checks in at 0.4-inches thin and boasts a virtual keyboard, doodle capability, 512MB of storage, a built-in English e-dictionary, PC and Mac support and the same battery as on the smaller sibling. We're looking at price tags of $199 and $299, respectively, but with no apparent WiFi or WWAN built in, it'll still be a hard sell over Amazon's connected Kindle here in America.
iriver reportedly working up Android-based K2 media player
Take it for nothing more than it is (a lovely, delicious and completely unsubstantiated rumor), but word on the Australian streets is that iriver may have an Android-based portable media player on the horizon. According to local distributor C.R. Kennedy's iriver product manager, Danny Bejanoff, the outfit is looking to take on Apple's iPod touch directly, with a 3.5-inch touchscreen, WiFi, built-in web browser, accelerometer, Bluetooth, a digital TV tuner and Google's Android OS running the show. Sadly, it seems as if this pipe dream has yet to receive the proper final approvals, but we're here to beg the brilliant designers at iriver to invest whatever it takes to make this so-called K2 a reality. Oh, and just in case that wasn't enough for you, Mr. Bejanoff also noted that the firm was working up a new e-reader and internet tablet, both of which should be out for testing in short order.
Student sues Amazon after Kindle eats his homework
It seems we have yet another reason to volley complaints in Amazon's directions. 17-year old high school student Justin Gawronski had apparently been taking electronic notes and annotations on his Kindle for a summer assignment on George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. Yeah, you can probably guess where this is going -- after the retailer remotely pulled the plug on that particular version of the book, Gawronski's notes were lost in the ethers, rendered useless. The suit, which is seeking class action status, asks that Amazon be legally blocked from improperly accessing users' Kindles in the future and punitive damages for those affected by the deletion -- and if he asks nice, we're pretty sure Jeff would write his teacher a note. [Warning: read link is a PDF] [Via Trading Markets]
Samsung jumps into e-book reader game with the SNE-50K
Samsung's announced it's jumping into the best game in town -- the paperless book trade -- with its SNE-50K e-book reader. With 512MB of onboard storage, a five-inch touchscreen and stylus, and a complete lack of wireless or internet capabilities, it's not the most advanced reader we've ever seen, but it's slim and light, at nine millimeters thick and weighing about 6.5 ounces. In South Korea, where the reader will be launched first, Samsung has partnered with Kyobo Bookstore, one of the largest booksellers in the country. There's no word on launches outside of South Korea at this time, but Samsung does plan on showing a prototypes for other countries at a trade show in January (most likely CES).
Jeff Bezos issues humble apology over pulled Kindle title
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos wants you to know he's really, really sorry for pulling Nineteen Eighty-Four off of our Kindles. In fact, the guilt expressed in this public apology is comparable to a modern day Dimmesdale -- he may have even seared a mark into his flesh for all we know. The short message calls the company's "solution" to what happened "stupid, thoughtless, and painfully out of line with our principles," adding that he and the company "deserve the criticism we've received." Look Jeff, we're still gonna be appalled by these beyond the pale actions even if you say it won't happen again... but if you really need a hug, we'll be here.[Via New York Times]
Entelligence: Two strikes for Kindle is enough for me
Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide. I like books. No: I actually love books. In virtually every room in my home there are bookcases that are filled to overflowing. I like to purchase them, hold them as I read words written to inform, delight, and transport the reader into different times, new experiences, and enlighten them in ways they could not have imagined. Like the worst hot dog I've eaten and the worst beer I've drunk, the worst book I've read was wonderful... but books do have a downside. They're bulky to store, hard to travel with (paper is really, really heavy), and paperbacks in particular tend to not hold up well over time. So, in addition to books, I've been a fan of e-Books. My former venture capital firm did one of the first investments in Peanut Press (long sold and re-sold many times and now owned by Barnes and Noble) and more than a decade ago I struggled with reading fiction by Dan Brown on a Palm V device with low resolution and on backlight. It was a struggle -- but it was better than schlepping paper.
Plastic Logic e-book reader will use AT&T for its 3G needs
Things seem to really in motion for Plastic Logic, first with news of a partnership with Barnes & Noble and now this. AT&T is announcing that it'll be providing 3G data for the company's upcoming e-reader, the capabilities of which we found out during a noteworthy showing at D7. Still lots of questions up in the air, though, such as if AT&T will charge monthly for the use or provide service gratis like Sprint does with the Kindle. We're also wondering if it'll have access to AT&T's numerous public Wi-Fi hot spots. One bright note is that, unlike Sprint and its CDMA towers, AT&T's GSM network is compatible with carriers worldwide, which makes an international transition theoretically much smoother. Early 2010 can't come soon enough.[Thanks, Tom]
Barnes & Noble partners with Plastic Logic, becomes "exclusive eBookstore provider" for its e-reader
It's not exactly an e-book reader of its own as previously rumored, but Barnes & Noble's announced an alliance with Plastic Logic in which it'll serve as the "exclusive eBookstore provider" to the long-in-development e-reader, which unless we're playing with semantics here means any and all digital literature you're wanting to purchase on-device will have to come from BN. According to the press release, downloads from Google's public domain archives will also be made available gratis, and as for the enigmatic 8.5 x 11-inch slate, it's still reportedly on track for an early 2010 launch. Much in the vein of Amazon's more recent maneuvers, the ole' brick-and-mortar retailer is taking what it's calling a device-agnostic approach, with apps already available for iPhone and iPod touch, Blackberry, Windows, and OS X. Practice your reading skills with the presser after the break.Update: A few added details from Barnes & Noble's conference call. The company says it'll be announcing support for other products in the future (not Kindle or Sony e-reader) and that it has no announcements at this point as to whether it'll be selling Plastic Logic e-readers in store, exclusive or otherwise.
Polymer Vision yields to bankruptcy, we bid Readius adieu
Ugh. Another one bites the gently gnashed rock particles, as they say. Polymer Vision, which was already having some pretty significant cash flow issues back in April, has reportedly caved under pressure and sought shelter under Chapter 11. According to the Hampshire Chronicle, the company famous for developing a bendable e-paper display has fittingly folded, leaving its 50 employees searching for new lines of work and millions of fans grasping for answers. The report continues to say that the promising (but oft delayed) Readius display isn't likely to ship in its current form, and now it seems that the future is quite murky for the company and its flagship product. Call us crazy, but if you're looking for an easy way into the e-paper market, you might be able to pick up whatever's left here for a song. Just sayin'.[Thanks, Charlie]
Amazon's Kindle 2 gets a $60 price cut, now at $299
Nearly five months to the day after Amazon introduced its Kindle 2 e-reader, the company has decided to hack a full $60 off of the price tag in order to offer it to US consumers for $299. Sneaking under that magical $300 mark could allow the outfit to move an awful lot more of these buggers, and with the competition finally heating up, we'd say it's probably a solid defensive move as well. So, are you interested in pulling the trigger now that the Kindle 2 is under three bills? Or is that e-book app on your smartphone doing just fine?[Thanks, Michael]
