QUE proReader hitting Barnes & Noble retail stores in 2010
In a rather odd unfolding of events, it seems as if Barnes & Noble is finally clearing up the mystery behind that Plastic Logic e-reader slated to hit its retail locations by Spring of 2010. After making said announcement, the book seller then went out and introduced an e-book reader of its very own in the Nook, and only now are we learning that the Plastic Logic-built QUE proReader will also be splashing down at the outfit sometime next year. In a brief release posted today, we’re told that the recently teased big-screen reader (8.5- x 11-inches) will be sold throughout B&N’s retail footprint and on its website; makes sense given that B&N is powering the proReader’s online e-book store, but the fact that it’ll be placed prominently near the outfit’s own (somewhat competing) device is certainly interesting. We’re expecting to see more come CES 2010, and seriously, with the rate at which these readers are hitting brick-and-mortar locations, Amazon might want to consider implementing some kind of physical trial in order to not go overlooked in its corner of the web.
Continue reading QUE proReader hitting Barnes & Noble retail stores in 2010
Filed under: Displays, Handhelds
QUE proReader hitting Barnes & Noble retail stores in 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Posted: October 27th, 2009
at 10:09am by Darren Murph
Topics: BAndN, Barnes & Noble, BarnesAndNoble, BarnesNoble, Ces2010, E-bookReader, Ebook, EbookReader, OnSale, PlasticLogic, QueProreader, b and n, barnes and noble, ces, ces 2010, e-book, e-book reader, e-reader, epub, on sale, plastic logic, proReader, que, que proreader
MSI Confirms Plans for Nvidia Tegra-Based eReader in 2010 [EReaders]
That rumor about an MSI eReader looks good-to-go: their chairman acknowledges a reader with Tegra graphics is coming, but they’re ironing out some problems at the moment. Meanwhile, Asus also has some some cool-sounding readers in the works. [DigiTimes]
Tire maker Bridgestone shows world’s first flexible e-book reader
Tire maker Bridgestone isn’t the first company that comes to mind when thinking about electronic paper, but the company has been experimenting in this field for quite some time now. Today, Bridgestone claimed that it has developed the world’s first flexible e-book reader [JP]. The device, which is pictured above, uses electronic paper (instead of, say, an LCD) and will display the content on the screen even after you turn it off.
Bridgestone says the prototype has a 10.7-inch-screen, is just 5.8mm thick (Kindle 2: 9.1mm) and can display color pages. The device can be bent to some extent since the circuit board and the electronic paper are flexible.
First tests with end consumers will begin in spring of next year, but Bridgestone already said it doesn’t plan to commercialize the e-book reader at this point.
The company also unveiled another device that features a 13.1-inch e-paper (touch screen) that can display up to 4,096 colors, communicate with cell phones and comes with a reaction rate of 0.8sec (that’s how long it takes to refresh a screen). It’s pictured above.
Amazon spokesperson affirms that Kindle app for Mac is being ‘worked on’
Don’t pretend you didn’t see this one coming — just days after Amazon confirmed that a Kindle application was indeed coming soonish for the PC, a company spokesperson has now stated that a Mac version is also in the works. With the explosion of e-reader competition, it’s no shock to see Amazon branching out in an effort to spread the Kindle name (and business model) to more areas. To quote the aforesaid spokesperson: “Yes, we are working on a Kindle app for Mac.” Unfortunately, no further details were provided, but you can bet that Bezos wants this one out as soon as humanly possible.
[Via TUAW]
Filed under: Displays, Handhelds
Amazon spokesperson affirms that Kindle app for Mac is being ‘worked on’ originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Posted: October 24th, 2009
at 9:29pm by Darren Murph
Topics: Apple TV, AppleTv, E-bookReader, EReader, Ebook, EbookReader, KindleDx, OsX, SoftwareDevelopmentKit, e-book, e-book reader, e-reader, mac, os x
Amazon Dumps Sprint for Kindle 2, Embraces AT&T
In a stealthy yet significant move, Amazon has dropped Sprint as its wireless partner for the latest versions of the Kindle 2 e-book reader. From now on, new Kindle 2s, in the U.S. and worldwide, will be powered exclusively by AT&T’s 3G network.
“Due to strong customer demand for the new Kindle with U.S. and international wireless, we are consolidating our family of 6-inch Kindles,” says Drew Herdener, spokesperson for Amazon.
The move was announced in a quiet update to Amazon’s product page for the Kindle rather than through a press announcement.
The move is a big blow to Sprint, which was the first U.S. telecom carrier to experiment with supporting mobile devices beyond cellphones and netbooks. It also means AT&T has all but cornered the wireless-connectivity market for e-readers. In addition to the Kindle 2, AT&T’s network forms the backbone of the new Sony touchscreen reader and Barnes & Noble’s recently introduced Nook e-reader. All that’s left for Sprint? Providing service for Amazon’s XL-sized Kindle DX, and supporting all the existing Sprint-connected Kindles.
When Amazon introduced the Kindle in 2007, the company highlighted wireless downloads of books as the device’s unique feature. The move helped the Kindle gain an edge over Sony, which had introduced its e-reader earlier but without wireless connectivity.
Earlier this year, Amazon offered a second-generation Kindle called Kindle 2 and a big-screen reader called the Kindle DX. Kindle 2 has a basic browser and lets users check text-heavy sites such as Wikipedia. But the devices were restricted to the United States.
Finally, this month, Amazon debuted an international version of the Kindle 2. It was the first Kindle to use AT&T’s network instead of Sprint’s. Kindle DX is still not available outside the states.
“Now that they are selling a Kindle overseas, it makes sense for them to have just one product that they can sell in all markets,” says Charles Golvin, an analyst with Forrester Research. “And, since, in most of the world GSM is what is used, having a single product helps drive down costs for Amazon.” Sprint’s network is based on the CDMA standard.
That doesn’t mean Kindle buyers who bought their device before October will be switching to AT&T.
“Existing Kindle users, owners of the first- and second-generation Kindles and Kindle DX, will not notice any change to their experience. They will continue to utilize the Sprint network in the U.S.,” says Herdener.
And at least until Amazon introduces an international version of Kindle DX, Sprint will continue to be in business with Amazon.
“Sprint still powers the Kindle DX,” a Sprint spokesperson told Wired.com. “So it is not accurate to say that our relationship with Amazon is over.”
Meanwhile, for Kindle users, the switch from Sprint to AT&T raises questions about reliability of service. Weighed down by heavy data use from the iPhone, AT&T’s U.S. network has become congested, leading to slow connectivity and dropped calls.
And with about 3 million e-readers expected to be sold next year, could AT&T’s network face additional strain? Not really, says Golvin. “The type of connection that the Kindle needs is different from that of a phone, since there is no voice component, only a data component,” he says. “The actual capacity consumed by all Kindles now and those coming on to the network is very, very small compared to the rest of the network.”
Kindle users are also less likely to notice small delays or disturbances in the network, says Forrester’s Golvin. Unlike a web page, downloading a book does not require near–real-time display of different components.
“On an e-book reader, the congestion is invisible,” says Golvin. “The downloaded book arrives when it arrives, and a few seconds’ wait does not change much.”
See Also:
- Hands-on with International Kindle
- Barnes & Noble Unveils Kindle-Killing, Dual-Screen ‘Nook’ E-Reader
- Amazon Kills U.S. Kindle, Cuts International Price
- International Kindle Now Shipping: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
- Kindle Goes International — With a Little Help From AT&T
- Review: Amazon.com Kindle 2
- Review: Amazon.com Kindle DX
Top photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com
Homepage photo: Gubatron/Flickr
