Archive for the ‘eReaders’ Category

Color Plastic Logic eReader Will Have Barnes & Noble eBook Store in Spring 2010 [EReaders]

B&N will be on the color reader via an eBook store app, according to the gushing rep in this video from CTIA. Interestingly, the news follows rumors that B&N’s own (possibly Android-powered) reader may arrive as early as next month.

And as you may remember, B&N also has its store on the recently-released iRex reader, and the upcoming grayscale Plastic Logic reader. Oh, and apps for the iPhone and BlackBerry. B&N is the freakin’ Borg of ebooks!

In the video, the rep says Plastic Logic’s color reader will be about the size of a paperback. He says no price has been set, but is solid on that spring arrival. Watch out Amazon and Sony. Especially when there are also color readers from Cool-r and Asus in the works. Good times. Thanks for the tips everyone.

Rumor: Barnes & Noble’s eReader Will Run Android [Exclusive]

It’s not certain, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t the best idea I’ve heard in a while: Barnes & Noble’s rapidly-approaching eReader will be an Android piece, according to our source. And it really should be, according to me.

The leak came from someone who (quite convincingly!) claims to work for B&N developing mobile apps—his background knowledge of their app projects was startlingly deep, at any rate—and makes quite a bit of sense as an alternative to the brutally dumb software of current ebook readers.

Think about it. At six inches, it’s a smallish device, and we’ve seen Android on similarly-sized screens already. Wireless connectivity is built into the OS. Extraneous, inappropriate software and settings could be easily stripped out and replaced with relevant ones. A custom-designed interface could be easily dropped in. Apps—oh, sweet apps—could be a huge boon. And hey, E-Ink Android drivers have already been demonstrated on video. Not to mention the fact that B&N has conveniently skirted releasing an Android app, despite putting quite a bit of effort into iPhone and BlackBerry versions of the mobile ebook sofrware.

Simply put, this would be pretty fantastic, and it’s eminently plausible. And from the looks of it, we won’t have to wait long to find out.

Barnes & Noble’s Mysterious eReader Could Land Next Month [Rumor]

Barnes & Noble’s eReader rumors date back to April, but they were thin. With a recent FCC filing, and the WSJ saying it’s coming next month, it’s fair to call it imminent.

The WSJ has sources close to the matter harping on about a pre-holiday release, and that throw a few details out as chum. Remember, this is meant to be distinct from the recently-released IREX reader and forthcoming Plastic Logic units, both of which use B&N’s ebook store:

The device is expected to feature a six-inch screen from digital-paper maker E-Ink Corp. with touch input and a virtual keyboard, like the one used on Apple Inc.’s iPhone. The Barnes & Noble device is expected to also use a wireless connection to download books from the online e-book store that the books retailer unveiled in July, those people said.

A six-inch screen? An onscreen keyboard, huh? That sounds a little like Sony’s pocket readers. There no word on a possible price, hardware partner or carrier relationship, but given that B&N has up until now operated solely in the software sphere, I can’t help but think they’ve got something hidden up their sleeve for their much more secret branded device.

[WSJ via Engadget]

    Newer Entries »