Posts tagged with ebook

Qualcomm Mirasol ebook reader

Posted on November 19, 2009 4:55 AM

Qualcomm has previewed its Mirasol ebook reader recently, boasting a 5.7" display that offers full color and video playback without causing too much of an impact on battery life. The final product is expected to see color-enabled ebook readers equipped with Mirasol panels, where they're aiming for a 2010 release date by OEMs. This isn't the Holy Grail of e-ink technology, but it does take a step forwards in the right direction. As for its 5.7" display, it will feature 1,024 x 768 resolution and around 220ppi for those who are interested in the nitty gritty.

Aluratek Libre eBook Reader Pro now out

Posted on November 18, 2009 10:49 AM

Aluratek has made available its Libre eBook Reader Pro in white and black colors (seems to be the favorite colors for many an ebook reader manufacturer). This Kindle competitor will come with an SDHC memory card slot, allowing you to theoretically tote around approximately 1,000 copies of The Stand at the very least. You get a 5" e-paper display, 100 free books with a 2GB memory card (Wuthering Heights, Wizard of Oz, Moby Dick, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and a price point of no less than $179.99, depending on where you look online.

BenQ nReader K60 offers more competition

Posted on November 18, 2009 8:01 AM

Looks like the e-book reader market is heating up, with so many more players making their entrance. Case in point, the new nReader K60 from BenQ which will come with a 6" touchscreen e-paper display which relies on SiPix Microcup technology, boasting 800 x 600 resolution alongside the capability to display 16 grey scales. Pretty much similar to the Amazon Kindle in terms of technical specifications, although it misses out on the Kindle's keyboard while being a wee bit smaller and lighter. Other features include 2GB internal memory, a microSD memory card slot, a microUSB port, an USB 2.0 port and a 3.5mm audio jack. Expect this puppy to handle all relevant file formats, including ePub, PDF, TXT and HTML alongside audio and image file formats as well. While it comes with Wi-Fi connectivity, a USB port on top of the device could prove to be its trump card, allowing USB 3G dongles to be connected for portable Internet access. BenQ touts a 7,500 page turning experience per full charge, but this rules out Wi-Fi and 3G access.

Nook could arrive by Christmas

Posted on November 17, 2009 4:40 AM

Folks who have already pre-ordered the Nook ebook reader on the Barnes & Noble site will be pleased to know that shipping commences this December 18th, where it ought to arrive at your doorsteps in time for Christmas. Those who want one even earlier than that might want to try their luck and heading to a physical B&N store there, as selected stores have announced that the Nook is ready for a November 30th release.

Alex eBook prototype hands-on

Posted on November 16, 2009 12:46 PM

This is the prototype that led to the Alex eBook (from Spring Design) that we told you about on Oct 19th. The LCD screen on the bottom runs Android, so it looks like many of the smartphones out there. If you browse the web (via WiFi) and find an interesting page, you can switch to e-Ink mode to read it comfortably. It works really well and the reformatting is very decent. I have not spotted any problems while browsing a few popular sites (NYTimes, CNN...). Obviously, you can use real eBooks too. This was a prototype, so I can't tell you what the real product performance is, in terms of reactivity. The eBook is powered by a Marvell system on a chip (SoC) that is designed specifically for eBooks. Don’t miss our Marvell 166E coverage - that could become a major eBook enabler.

Barnes & Noble gift card does not work with eBooks

Posted on November 6, 2009 11:05 AM

Some guy known as Dave had a Nook pre-ordered for him from the local Barnes & Noble store, picking up a $100 gift card in the process to kickstart the eBook collection. Unfortunately, when the bloke tried to buy a few books virtually, he realized that the gift card was useless, and this without having the staff at Barnes & Noble inform him earlier. Hopefully not too many people will suffer the same fate this holiday season.

Barnes & Noble Sued Over Nook

Posted on November 2, 2009 10:50 PM

It looks like the eBook reader wars are going to heat up, and despite Barnes & Noble recently unveiling it’s answer to Amazon’s Kindle, it looks set to have to defend itself against a suit from Spring Design. The latter announced its Alex eBook reader just a few days before Barnes & Noble unveiled the Nook, and claims that they had a NDA (non-disclosure agreement) with Barnes & Noble. Apparently Barnes & Noble misappropriated trade secrets in creating the Nook. We’re suspect that Amazon is quite happy with this latest development, wouldn’t you?

Creative to enter e-book market

Posted on November 1, 2009 6:34 PM

Creative is certainly thinking outside of the box by announcing of their plans to enter the e-book market, where the first working model of that dream is known as the MediaBook which will boast a touchscreen display (what else did you expect?), text-to-speech functionality, an SD memory card slot and Creative's very own Zii Technology to complement its Internet connectivity for a complete multimedia experience. Creative hopes that their MediaBook will be able to stand out from the crowd by harnessing an amalgamation of videos, images, text and services in a single device that supports a media rich experience. Good luck finding a balance for the battery life then, boys.

Creative to enter e-book market

Posted on November 1, 2009 6:34 PM

Asustek e-book reader to feature 3G, Wi-Fi and WiMAX

Posted on October 29, 2009 4:16 PM

Asustek's upcoming e-book reader is touted to offer something different from the rest in the market in terms of connectivity, where it will boast 3G, Wi-Fi and WiMAX mobile technologies rolled into a single device, thereby ensuring that you are able to stay connected through a variety of methods at all times and under all circumstances, barring the lack of battery life, of course. These e-book readers are tipped to arrive at European and American telecom-service providers in March next year. Image from Slashgear.

Apple Slate tablet mentioned by NY Times, creates new wave of rumors

Posted on October 26, 2009 9:12 AM

Bill Keller of the NY Times has dropped the bomb by mentioning the upcoming Apple Slate tablet computer. Here's what he says in his speech to the digital group at the New York Times:

Sixth, we need to figure out the right journalistic product to deliver to mobile platforms. I’m hoping we can get the newsroom more actively involved in delivering our best journalistic product..
… times reader, iPhone apps, impending apple slate or whatever comes after that.

The video is in the full post. Now, remember that it doesn't mean that Bill Keller has inside information or has unintentionally pre-announced a product. He might just be expecting Apple to launch such a device soon. In the past, the NY Times has been one of the few outlets to have an early access to Apple's products, and if such a tablet was to exist, you can bet that Apple is talking to media partners right now - including the NYT, to figure out how to make it economically viable for the newspapers. Search previous Apple Tablet stories.

Kindle App for PC coming soon

Posted on October 22, 2009 12:00 PM

Amazon is preparing the launch of its Kindle application for Windows PCs. The application lets you download and read content that was previously available for the Kindle. There's also an iPhone app that is already available. You don't have to have a Kindle device to use the Kindle app for Windows. However, you will need to create an account.

The idea is that Windows 7 new found touch-friendliness might make it a good reading platform. Hum... may be. Anyway, it's a good thing if the content is available to more people by more means. What about Mac users? "It's coming soon" Amazon says. The question is "on a Mac Tablet?" In related news, Amazon has canned the US-only 6” Kindle.

QUE proReader to show up at CES 2010

Posted on October 18, 2009 9:27 PM

Silicon-valley based Plastic Logic will show its QUE proReader eBook at CES 2010. As its name indicates, QUE proReader has been designed for professionals and as such, it can read .doc, .pdf, .ppt and excel documents. QUE ProReader looks really thin, although we don't have a front photo yet. Even though its battery is supposed to last “for days”, it is said to be very light. It connects via WIFI and AT&T's 3G network. Content can be downloaded from Barnes & Noble, which is the only partner that Plastic Logic has mentioned, so far. The design looks pretty hot, so we’re anxiously waiting for more info.

QUE proReader to show up at CES 2010

Posted on October 18, 2009 9:27 PM

LG e-book reader gets solar cell

Posted on October 12, 2009 6:57 AM

LG has unveiled an e-book reader that boasts a solar cell to help it stay juiced up whenever possible, with the solar cell measuring 10cm in width and length to fit the 6" display e-book. Measuring 0.7mm in thickness while tipping the scales at 20 grams, the solar cell is thinner than a credit card while weighing like a fountain pen. Currently, the energy conversion efficiency rate of this product stands at around 9.6% - making exposure to sunlight for around four to five hours garnering another day's worth of running time for the battery without having to have it go through additional charging.

Kindle 2 experiences another price drop

Posted on October 7, 2009 1:57 AM

The Amazon Kindle 2 has received yet another price drop - touching an all time low of $259 from its precious price of $299. This makes a 28% cut since its debut from 8 months ago. Guess Amazon is feeling the heat from competitors such as Sony, Google, Plastic Logic and others who have released e-book readers of some sort in recent times. According to Jeff Bezos, Amazon is in a strong position to reduce its pricing due to larger production and sales volume which has resulted in cost reduction, and these will be passed down to the customers. Folks who picked up the Kindle 2 for $299 in the last month can always call Amazon Kindle support and ask for a $40 rebate - that's nice fo them - how come Apple doesn't offer such a plan with their iPods?

Disney digital books

Posted on October 1, 2009 9:31 AM

Want your little ones to pick up a love for reading? Why not let Disney help with their new range of eBooks that will feature a “Disney-level experience.” For example, these eBooks will come with a ‘look and listen’ section that will target beginners, where it will be read aloud by voice actors to accompanying music. This task is made all the easier as each word will be highlighted on the display as it is being spoken. If the child decides that he/she wants to read alone but stumble upon an unfamiliar word, all they need to do is click on it and a voice will read it out aloud. Guess under all the Disney gloss, this is but a Web-enhanced story album.

Bookeen Cybook Opus e-book reader

Posted on September 23, 2009 2:31 AM

The Bookeen e-book reader, also known as the Cybook Opus, is the latest of its kind in the market, tipping the scales at a featherweight 5.3oz. This e-ink reader will come with a 5" display and is capable of showing up to 12 different font sizes, alongside 4-level grayscale and 200 dpi resolution to get you started right out of the box. Nice to see an accelerometer built right into it, allowing it to change automatically from portrait to landscape formats (and vice versa), depending on how you prop it up. Would you fork out $280 for this in order to jump aboard the e-book reader bandwagon?

Eee Reader in final stage

Posted on September 16, 2009 11:17 AM

It's been reported by Taiwanese media that Asus is in the 'final stage' of development. According to Digitimes, a 6" and a 9" version are in the works. It was assumed that the product would be available at the end of 2009, but if they have not entered production by now, it seems unlikely that Asus will offer the product in significant volumes and in many markets in 2009 - that's just our estimation. The question is therefore: who will have it first and how what kind of supply can we expect? If the volumes are low, I suspect that they will launch it in Taiwan first and keep the larger markets for the first half of 2010. If you missed it, the expected price for the eBook is $165...

Toshiba to develop e-book reader

Posted on September 4, 2009 12:29 PM

Guess e-book readers could potentially be the next big thing, eh? Even Toshiba is currently working on their own e-book reader, where it is tipped to hit the market sometime in the middle of next year onwards. According to Toshiba's Business Manager of digital products and services, Graeme Simons, his company will be mulling over a couple of models - 7" and 9" in size, although the cost of the 9" model will need to be taken into consideration before it can actually enter production. Forget about touchscreen capability in either device, as they firmly believe in a traditional button setup to get you up and running, reading digital tomes on your way to work on the subway. Simons also let loose that the e-book readers will boast a battery life of approximately 6,000 page turns.