Archive for the ‘EbookReader’ Category

Amazon’s international Kindle surprises owners with $20 refund, limited web browsing

The only thing better than unannounced functionality is an automatic, surprise refund on your purchase. With the international version of Amazon’s 6-inch Kindle you get both. Several readers who ordered the $279 international Kindle have received the following email:

Good news! Due to strong customer demand for our newest Kindle with U.S. and international wireless, we are consolidating our family of 6″ Kindles. As part of this consolidation, we are lowering the price of the Kindle you just purchased from $279 down to $259. You don’t need to do anything to get the lower price–we are automatically issuing you a $20 refund. This refund should be processed in the next few days and will appear as a credit on your next billing statement.

By “strong customer demand” we assume that Amazon means “we’re trying to stay competitive with the $259 Barnes and Noble Nook,” but that’s just a hunch. A hands-on at the Gadget Lab also reveals the inclusion of web browsing thought to have been disabled. For the most part it is disabled but Amazon does let you browse to the English version of Wikipedia and nowhere else. The hands-on also notes “dead slow” 3G performance and Amazon’s decision to ship the international Kindle with a US power plug regardless of destination. Weird.

[Thanks, Simon]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Handhelds

Amazon’s international Kindle surprises owners with $20 refund, limited web browsing originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch Spring Design Alex push the web to e-reader format (video)

This is frankly a pretty cool little feature of Spring Design’s I-swear-I’m-not-Nook-but-oh-the-timing e-reader / Android hybrid, Alex. Browse to whatever web article / Google book / Wikipedia entry you want to enjoy, press the center button, and watch as Alex “prints” the page to the e-reader screen up top for a more comfortable reading experience. We’ll admit we’re a bit surprised to see a working model already — hopefully this is a sign of good things to come sooner rather than later. Video after the break.

Continue reading Watch Spring Design Alex push the web to e-reader format (video)

Filed under: Handhelds

Watch Spring Design Alex push the web to e-reader format (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barnes & Noble Nook’s first close-up (now with video!)

There she blows, we’ll be getting hands-on and try to scrap together some impressions of the Nook if they let us touch it once this Q&A is done. The device is a bit thicker than some, and certainly looks minimal up front. The LCD is nice, but not overly bright, and that’s about all we spotted before it was snatched away. Check out the gallery for a few more fleeting shots and a look at a non-functioning prototype for a better idea of the unit’s shape.

Update: We got a closer look at the device, though they still haven’t let us touch it. The LCD seems very “passive,” and has a shallow viewing angle — obviously to gather more ambient light and save on battery. The interface appears relatively intuitive, but we’re a little confused and doubtful about the highlighting features — it brings up a software d-pad on screen, and seemed a little unwieldy, though we’ll only find out for ourselves when they actually let us get our grubby paws on the thing.

Update 2: We’ve got some video! It’s so very exciting, and can be found after the break.

Continue reading Barnes & Noble Nook’s first close-up (now with video!)

Filed under: Handhelds

Barnes & Noble Nook’s first close-up (now with video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barnes & Noble Nook dual-screen reader officially announced… for real

Barnes and Noble’s Nook ebook reader might have made an unexpected debut a little earlier than planned today, but it’s all official now. The Nook has a six-inch 16-level E-ink screen with a color touchscreen underneath for navigation and settings, and — it’s running Android! You can lend a book to a friend, and there’s wireless on AT&T’s 3G network as well as WiFi — everything we saw earlier today. Pre-sales are live now at $259, and it’ll be shipping in November. All B&N stores will soon be getting a big crazy display unit that showcases the device and a number of cases from all sorts of designers. And what’s more, Nook owners can connect to B&N WiFi and browse complete ebooks in-store for free — just like a real book. That’s pretty great.

Update: Malcom Gladwell is on stage, talking about syphilis in Baltimore. People are clapping — it’s a little odd. But the first Nook buyers will get a free copy of The Tipping Point, so that’s nice.

Update 2: “Ladies and gentlemen, the bar is now open.” That’s all for now — we’ve got a Q&A session coming up, we’ll let you know what we find out after the break.

Continue reading Barnes & Noble Nook dual-screen reader officially announced… for real

Filed under: Handhelds

Barnes & Noble Nook dual-screen reader officially announced… for real originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barnes & Noble officially launches nook e-reader: $259, pre-orders are live (video)

Looks like all those whispers were true — the “Android-based” nook is alive and well, and it’s calling itself the planet’s “most advanced e-book reader.” Measuring 7.7- x 4.9- x 0.5-inches and weighing 11.2 ounces, the device includes a top e-ink display from Vizplex and a color touchscreen (3.5-inches) below, which supports one-touch control and swipe-to-browse books with full-color covers. The rechargeable battery takes 3.5 hours to go from zero to full if using a wall outlet, and B&N claims that it’ll last for up to ten days if you flick the wireless to “off.” Speaking of which, inbuilt WiFi (802.11b/g) and AT&T 3G is included, not to mention 2GB of internal storage, a microSD expansion slot, MP3 player, built-in mono speaker, 3.5 millimeter headphone jack and a micro USB port. The nook also supports bookmarking, making notes, and highlighting passages, and the ‘LendMe’ feature allows users to lend books for up to a fortnight at a time to other e-readers, cellphones or computers.

B&N also tells us that you can pick up where you left off (with markings and highlights in tact) on your iPhone or BlackBerry using its free eReader software, which just so happens to be the same app that allows sharing to iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, PC or Mac. As expected, the company will also let you sample ebooks before you buy, and you’ll enjoy free WiFi each and every time you sashay into a Barnes & Noble retail location. It’s available to pre-order as we speak for $259, with initial shipments expected to happen at the end of November. Introductory video is after the break, along with a few highlights about accessories and features.

Continue reading Barnes & Noble officially launches nook e-reader: $259, pre-orders are live (video)

Filed under: Displays

Barnes & Noble officially launches nook e-reader: $259, pre-orders are live (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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