Archive for the ‘Other eReaders’ Category
Samsung eReader to Connect with Barnes & Noble eBookstore no comments
In a press release today Samsung announced the “ imminent availability” of its first ereader for the US market. Samsung has partnered with Barnes & Noble which will provide the ebook storefront.
This would be Samsung’s E6 ereader. Some of the features include a 6-inch 
e-ink screen with a Wacom digitizer with note taking and annotating abilities. Productivity tools include a voice recorder as well as a journal and a calendar that can sync with Outlook.
Connectivity includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. EmoLink technology allows users of Samsung ereaders to share content. The E6 is also compatible with B&N’s LendMe feature, so sharing should work between this ereader and devices using B&N’s eReader software as well as the nook ereader.
The E6 ereader comes with 2GB of internal memory and has a Micro SD card slot.
One feature that will not be much of a crowd pleaser is the previously announced price tag of $399, although it is always possible that the price will be lower once the E6 hits the streets. I saw Samsung’s ereaders at CES and there was not much that would make me want to jump up and run out to buy one at $399. Update: The price on the E6 has reportedly dropped to $299.
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Asus DR-900 Ereader; KeyReader no comments
Here are a couple more new ereaders that have been announced recently.
Asus DR-900
The Asus DR-900 ereader has been on display at CeBit 2010 this week in Germany. This one has a 9-inch touchscreen SiPix display and comes with Wi-Fi and optional 3G. Battery life is said to be 10,000 page turns. Text-to-Speech is planned, though its availability will depend on the publishers allowing its use. The DR-900 will come with 2GB to 4GB internal storage and an SD card. So far details on availability are somewhat sketchy.
Charbax has a video of the DR-900 from CeBit.
KeyReader
The KeyReader is being marketed by iCell, which is a wireless network provider
in Singapore. This appears to be a rebranded Onyx Boox (like the Bebook Neo), and has the same features. One nice twist is that the KeyReader will be able to access over 900,000 free ebooks from the National Library Board. The price is said to be between $399 – $499 (Singapore dollars).
(Via Straits Times)
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Acer Suspending Ereader Plans no comments
The Taipei Times is reporting that Acer is suspending its plans to introduce an ereader, at least for now.
Acer chairman Wang Jeng-tang said that the ereader market is not big enough yet and has yet to come up with a proven business model.
Acer has prototypes of its planned ereader ready and was to launch the device this summer in European and Asian markets.
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Kindle for BlackBerry Now Available no comments
Amazon just announced that the promised Kindle for BlackBerry
I have a BlackBerry so I will be trying this out for a few days and then post my thoughts. At first glance it seems to sync with my last read page correctly, and I do like the display better than Mobipocket on my BlackBerry.
Amazon’s press release:
Kindle for BlackBerry Now Available for Free Directly from Amazon
Read some on a BlackBerry, read some on a Kindle, read some on a PC, customers can synchronize their reading and enjoy over 420,000 books, including 102 of 112 New York Times Bestsellers, on their BlackBerry
SEATTLE, Feb 18, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) today introduced "Kindle for BlackBerry," a new application available as a free download from Amazon.com that lets customers enjoy over 420,000 books, including 102 of 112 New York Times Bestsellers, on a range of BlackBerry devices. Amazon’s Whispersync technology saves and synchronizes a customer’s bookmarks across their Kindle, Kindle DX, iPhone, iPod touch, PC, BlackBerry and soon, Mac and iPad, so customers always have their reading material with them and never lose their place. Kindle is the most wished for, most gifted and #1 bestselling product on Amazon.com, and customers can now get the Kindle experience on their BlackBerry by downloading the free app at www.amazon.com/kindlebb.
"Since the launch of our popular Kindle for iPhone app last year, customers have been asking us to bring a similar experience to the BlackBerry, and we are thrilled to make it available today," said Ian Freed, Vice President, Amazon Kindle. "Kindle for BlackBerry is a great way for customers to continue reading their current book wherever they are – in between meetings, at the grocery store or waiting in the doctor’s office. We think customers are going to love how easy and fun it is to read their Kindle books on their BlackBerry."
Customers using BlackBerry devices on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and other U.S. carriers can get easy wireless access to over 420,000 Kindle books, including New York Times Bestsellers and New Releases, most for $9.99 or less, by downloading the application for free.
Kindle for BlackBerry lets customers bring their Kindle books with them wherever they go. With the new Kindle for BlackBerry app, customers can:
- Search and browse more than 420,000 books, including 102 of 112 New York Times Bestsellers, directly from their BlackBerry
- Shop the in-app store for an optimized Kindle shopping experience – browse and download samples and full books without leaving the app
- Read the beginning of books for free before they buy
- Access their library of previously purchased Kindle books stored on Amazon’s servers
- Automatically synchronize the last page read between their Kindle-compatible devices
- Create bookmarks and view annotations they created on their Kindle, Kindle DX, or Kindle for iPhone and iPod touch
- Adjust the text size of books
- Read books in full color, including children’s books, cookbooks, travel books, textbooks and graphic novels
Kindle for BlackBerry is available to customers in the U.S. on a range of BlackBerry devices. …
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Irex DR800SG Ereader Now Shipping From Best Buy 2 comments
The DR800SG is finally making its appearance about 3 1/2 months later
than originally announced, but better late than never.
BestBuy.com is now showing the Irex DR800SG ereader as shipping within one to two days if ordered from their website. The price is $399 plus tax and $6.99 for standard shipping. Store pickup is not available at this time. The package includes a USB charger and cable, sleeve, stylus and manual.
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LG to Introduce eReader; nook In Stock at Barnes & Noble Stores 1 comment
The Emirates Business 24/7 (via E-Reader-info) quotes LG’s CEO of the Middle Eastern and African region, KW Kim as saying that LG plans to “launch a new product, maybe by April. It will compete with Apple and Amazon."
No additional details were given, except that the new ereader will be released in the Middle East and Africa. LG Display is making the metal-based flexible displays for the Skiff ereader and has also demonstrated a large format flexible screen prototype meant for reading periodicals and tabloids.
nook eReaders In Stock
Barnes & Noble has caught up with the backorders and should have the nook available in most stores from the middle of this week. You can also order a nook online now without getting on a waiting list.
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BeBook Neo Shipping Early no comments
BeBook has just announced that they have received the first shipment of their new Neo ereaders ahead of schedule. Preorders should be filled sooner than the original February 25 shipping date.
The Neo is a rebranded Onyx Boox 60, and looks quite promising.
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New Koobe eReader uses Neonode Touchscreen no comments
The Swedish company Neonode announced in a press release that Koobe Inc has launched a new ereader using Neonode’s zForce touchscreen. The new ereader is named the Jin Yong Reader, is ARM-based and has a 6-inch electronic ink (sic) screen.
It seems that this new ereader is meant for the Chinese market, but Neonode’s touchscreen technology does sound interesting:
“Electronic ink and reflective thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) panels with no backlight used in e-book readers need a 100% transparent touch solution to achieve the desired ‘paper like’ reading experience. Current touch solutions like resistive and capacitive reduce the brightness and contrast of the display and have a negative impact on the user experience. Our new e-book touch screen platform, zBook, fulfills the need for both consumers and manufacturers and will usher in a new era of e-books using full featured touchscreen applications,” said Thomas Eriksson, CEO of Neonode Technology AB.
Neonode’s touchscreen technology sounds like it might not have the glare issues associated with capacitive touchscreens such as those used by Sony on its ereaders. It may also be cheaper than using Wacom touchscreen technology, and can accept finger input as well as a stylus. 
The zForce touchscreen was used in the Neonode N2 mobile phone a couple of years ago. The responsiveness of its touchscreen was one of the noted features of the N2. Neonode’s touchscreen appears to use infrared to detect interaction with the screen.
The quote above and most of the material on Neonode’s website seem to reference the use of the company’s touchscreen technology on LCD screens. Neonode spokesman Mikael Westmark did assure me in an email that zForce “supports electrophoretic and e-ink displays”.
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Irex DR800SG Reappears at Best Buy Website no comments
Remember Irex’s daringly named DR800SG ereader? Well it is back on the
Best Buy websiteagain. This time it is priced at $399 – apparently without the “Limited Edition” content that appeared very briefly on Best Buy’s site in October of last year for a price of $449.
Not sure when it will actually become available for purchase – right now it is listed as “coming soon”.
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A New eReader From BeBook no comments
Endless Ideas, which is the company behind the BeBook ereaders, has announced a new ereader – the Neo. Is this finally The One?
The Neo does have some interesting features. For example, WiFi and a webkit based browser. A Wacom technology touchscreen which gives you glare-free annotating, freehand drawing, etc.
BeBook also claims that the Neo is the fastest ereader currently available, with speeds of up to 2.5 times faster than the competition.
The Neo supports over 15 different file formats including ADE for your DRM ereading pleasure.
I’m not sure about this, but the Neo appears to be a rebranded Boox.
The Neo will be available on February 25, but you can preorder now for $299 plus shipping. This is the lowest price that I have seen yet for an ereader with a touchscreen based on Wacom technology.
