-
Subscribe to eReader Central
Aug
13
Amazon Kindle: The Buzz Goes On
Filed Under Kindle, News, Reader, Readius, e-Ink | Leave a Comment
The media buzz on the Amazon Kindle continues at mid-week, following a Citigroup analyst’s positive estimates of 2008 Kindle sales on Monday.
The Top Stocks Blog over at MSN Money staked out somewhat of a contrarian position. Under the headline, “Amazon’s Kindle unlikely to set world on fire,” the blogger noted that although some think the Kindle will have a first-year sales record comparable to that of the Apple iPod, “[o]thers believe it’s wishful thinking to assume John Grisham will ever be as popular as Jay-Z.”
After noting some features of the Amazon Kindle — ability to download books over the wireless Whispernet network, the glare-free screen and enlargeable screen fonts, the Top Stocks blogger held firm to the notion of print-and-paper books: “Doodling in the corners and turning the pages into a flipbook, alas, can still only be done in regular books.”
Aug
8
Sony Reader vs Amazon Kindle
Filed Under Kindle, News, Reader | Leave a Comment
Is the competition between the Sony Reader and Amazon Kindle ereader devices a repeat of the competition between the Sony Walkman and the Apple iPod? That’s the position staked out by Financial Times columnist John Gapper.
Noting that Apple managed to integrate the iTunes store, and device hardware and software better than Sony, the article says that in the sphere of ebook reading devices Sony “has just made the same mistake all over again. It has squandered an early lead in a new field because another company was better not just at inventing an electronic device but also at linking it to a wireless network and making it easy for consumers to use.” Amazon, the FT article says, “has swept past Sony with the Kindle, a rival e-book reader that is showing every sign of becoming the iPod of this nascent market.”
Sony was first on the ebook scene with its Reader, the article adds, but a year later Amazon launched the Kindle, with links to the Amazon online store via a wireless 3G network. There are indications that the Sony Reader may also incorporate wireless connectivity, but “[t]he danger for Sony is that it is already too late. Amazon has grabbed the market-leading position from Sony and established a stronger brand, which is what happened with the iPod and the Walkman.”
Aug
5
Phones with e-Ink Display Set for Japan Launch
Filed Under News, e-Ink | Leave a Comment
TechRadar reports that two phones incorporating e-Ink displays are set for launch in Japan by Hitachi and Casio.
The Hitachi W61H will use the ‘Silhouette’ display when it launches in Japan in a design which mimics that of a perfume bottle (so not hard to work out the demographic they’re going for there.)
The Casio G’zOne range will also use the display to provide easy-to-read information in a smaller outer screen, though won’t be as impressive as the Hitachi model in form.
Aug
4
Amazon Kindle - A User Review
Filed Under Kindle, Reviews, e-Book, e-Ink, eReader | Leave a Comment
Over at the Dragonsept Arts & Publishing blog, there’s a user review of the Amazon Kindle. From the blogger’s perspective, the Kindle’s screen is its strong point:
The screen of the Kindle is where it really shines. The resolution is crisp, and it is incredibly easy to read. The text comes out black-on-gray, and very sharp. There is a bit of pixelation at the smallest resolution, but it’s still much better than reading on a small LCD. My preference is settling on the second-smallest text, which is one size lower than the default from the factory. The screen flashes all-black for a moment when changing pages, presumably to reset the electronic ink. It takes less than 1 second to change pages, a very acceptable time.
The weak point identified by the blogger is the lack of open standards compatibility. “Sadly, the only open standards the Kindle natively [are] .txt and HTML. However, it supports Mobi, which you can create from PDFs and other formats without cost. One can also get documents converted to the Amazon format for free by sending them as an attachment to an email address unique to your Kindle.”
Overall, the blogger gives the Kindle a good grade.
I really, really like this device. . . . The electronic ink is a huge improvement over light-emitting screen types. The screen size is wonderful - and this from someone who thought he never cared about the small PDA screen before. The cover that comes with it makes it very easy to hold on to, and protects the screen nicely. It would also be a great place to clip on a book light, if you need to read at night without bothering a bed- or room-mate. I would like it if it supported more formats, but I am content that I am not locked in completely to Amazon’s format.
Do you own a Kindle? We’d love to have your comments and thoughts on. your Kindle experience.
Jul
13
Bookeen Cybook Gen3 - A Video Review and Demo
Filed Under Cybook, Demos, Mobipocket, Reviews | Leave a Comment
A recent addition to the list of dedicated ereader devices is the Bookeen Cybook Gen3. This product is an ultralight, 6-inch device that uses the e-Ink text display technology. The Cybook Gen3 is compatible with a number of document formats, including Mobipocket PRC, and PDF.
Watch this video review and demo to get a better idea of the features offered by the Cybook Gen3.
Jul
13
iRex Iliad Ereader: Watch This Demo
Filed Under Demos, Mobipocket, Reviews, e-Book, e-Ink, ePaper, eReader, iRex Iliad | Leave a Comment
 | US $549.55 (12 Bids) End Date: Wednesday Jan-07-2009 9:58:11 PST Bid now | Add to watch list |
The number of the ereader and digital media devices on the market seems to grow daily. An ereader that’s been around for a year or two is the Iliad, released by iRex Technologies. This Linux-based device uses the e-Ink technology for displaying text.
In this video, an iRex company representative demonstrates the Iliad’s capabilities at the O’Reilly TOC conference.