PocketBook Mirasol E-Reader due Q3 2011

PocketBook Mirasol

PocketBook has confirmed that it will be launching a new ereader called Mirasol, at CES 2011 next January. This device will use Qualcomm’s mirasol e-paper technology. According to sources at the company, the Mirasol reader will reach the market in Q3 2011 and the color display costs around 1.5x what a monochrome E Ink panel would be.

Press Release:

PocketBook USA, the North American division of PocketBook International, will display their entire line of e-reader products at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, January 6-9.

One of the world’s top five producers of electronic reading devices, PocketBook sells more than 50,000 e-readers each month through offices in the USA, Germany, Russia, China and the Middle East with a distribution network covering more than 20 countries worldwide.

The company will showcase six different product models — PocketBook Pro 602, Pro 902 – standard models, PocketBook Pro 603, Pro 903 – premium class models, PocketBook IQ701, and Mirasol – PocketBook’s newest model.

The IQ701 offers a number of different features including a seven-inch color TFT touch screen with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. Functioning on the Android 2.0 operating system, this model is best suited for customers seeking entertainment in an e-reader. The newest PocketBook model, Mirasol, features Qualcomm’s full-color Mirasol display which is based on a reflective technology.

[Source Slashgear]

ViewQuest BookBox - Color eBook Reader

ViewQuest BookBox

ViewQuest BookBox is a device that can read eBook in various format EPUB, PDF, TXT, FB2, PDB and HTML format. The BookBox features also enable you to do bookmarking, flow auto flip, zoom in and out, screen rotation and text back. It also functions as mp3 player and can play videos on its 5-inch (800 x 480) TFT-LCD display. There is everything from an arm 9 + DSP 400MHz CPU driven like on Polk Audio RC85i Speakers. It has 2GB of integrated memory, expandable via an SD memory card. It’s all in a rubberized casing so that it could be a device for the kiddies are shown dressed.

[Source hitechreview]

Hanvon's Color E-reader Coming in February for About $530

Hanvon E Ink

A couple days ago E Ink revealed their new e-reader, the Hanvon, that has Triton color e-paper screens.

The device has 9.7 inches which is larger than most e-readers out today, come with color screen, will be selling in February for a mere 3500 yuan, which is equivalent to something between $500 and $550 depending on exchange rates. A 3G version would be offered for a few yuan more. We don't know if it will be available in North America or Europe.

[Via Crunchgear]

enTourage Pocket eDGe Dual-Screen Android E-book Reader for $339.99

enTourage launches the Pocket eDGe dualbook, a dual-screen e-book reader running Android OS. The Pocket eDGe, as its name tells, is a smaller version of the original eDGe, replacing the 9.7-inch e-ink display with a 6-inch 800×600 e-ink screen, and the 10.1-inch color LCD screen with a 7-inch 800×480 one.

The Wacom penabled e-ink display is for low eye strain and glare-free reading of books and newspapers in ePub and PDF format while the resistive touch color LCD display is for users to enjoy music and video, surf web, viewing photos and pictures, using the Google Android OS. The Pocket eDGe has 4GB internal memory, a 2 Megapixel camera with video recording, WiFi connectivity, Bluetooth, built-in microphone and stereo speakers and a microSD/SDHC card slot. It is available at Amazon for $339.99.

[Source itechnews]

Barnes & Noble Introduces Nook Color

Barnes & Noble introduce Android powered second-gen Nook. It has a 7-inch color LCD for displaying the content. Since Android is inside, it’s slightly more than an ebook reader and slightly less than a tablet. There are social networking apps like Facebook and Twitter, along with the ability to display videos as well as the standard ebook content.

The Nook Color has an array of apps including Pandora, games, access to Google and Wikipedia, a contact manager and more. There’s even a full-featured magazine reader that will probably be highly advertised. There’s no Android Marketplace.

As for the hardware, the Nook Color is void of any phyiscal buttons. Instead there’s a 1024×600 7-inch screen, laminated to reduce glare traditionally associated with LCDs. There’s a MicroSD card slot as well as WiFi. The entire thing weighs in at 15.6 oz with a thickness of .48-inches — that’s just 5.4 oz heavier and .12-inches thicker than the new Kindle.

The price is $249.99. That places it at half the price of the iPad, but over $100 more than the WiFi-only Kindle.

[Via crunchgear]

M-Edge’s New Accessories for Kindle 3

M-Edge  offers accessories of more than 20 jackets, sleeves, stands, and lights for the new Kindle. Those include Cambridge Jacket, Classic Jacket, New Yorker Jacket, GO! Jacket, Executive Jacket, Platform Jacket, Capital Jacket, Latitude Jacket with TheaterStand, and many more.

[Amazon]

Sharp Announces 5.5-Inch And 10.8-Inch Android Tablets Called Galapagos

Sharp Inc. announced e-book reader with the name “Galapagos” in Tokyo yesterday. There are two versions: the smaller one, the “mobile type”, has a 5.5-inch LCD screen (1,024 × 600 resolution) that’s optimized for displaying paperback books (it will be available in red and black). It also comes with a trackball to scroll through pages.

The other model, the Galapagos “home type”, need you to turn pages just like you do on the iPad. It has a 10.8-inch LCD screen (1,366 × 800) for magazine content formatted across a two-page spread. By way of comparison: The iPad has a 9.7-inch LCD screen featuring 1,024×768 resolution.

Sony Announced the Company's Refreshed Lineup of E-Readers

Sony today announced the company's refreshed lineup of e-readers and new touchscreen technology ups the ante over its competition. New versions of its 5-inch Pocket Edition, 6-inch Touch Edition and 7-inch Daily Edition are being introduced. All three come with touchscreen support and the new higher-contrast E-Ink Pearl display already seen on the new Kindle and Kindle DX.

The 5-inch Pocket Edition (model PRS-350) will come with 2GB of internal memory, a microUSB port, support for a number of text formats including PDF and EPUB, 6 adjustable font sizes, and a battery good for about 2 weeks worth of reading. Available in silver and pink, it is now available for US$179.99

The 6-inch Touch Edition (model PRS-650) is very similar to its smaller sibling but aside from the larger display, adds SD and Memory Stick Duo expansion slots, a headphone jack, and support for MP3 and AAC audio files. Available in black and red, it will sell for US$229.99.

The new Daily Edition will have double onboard memory to 4GB and will come with 3G connectivity from AT&T, Wi-Fi, improved battery life (up to 27 days on a single charge with wireless off). Final price has not been set but should be around US$299.99. It is expected to come later this fall.

With its latest models, Sony definitely shows its still in the game. While the touch screen technology really does bring the best of both the E-Ink and LCD worlds to an e-reader, the higher price may be a deterrent that holds consumers back. On the other hand, if the idea of touch navigation—swipes to change the page, for example—is a must-have feature, the extra dollars may be worth it.

pcworld

New Kindle WiFi/3G - 3rd Generation

Amazon just released its new version of e-book reader Kindle that make the competition in this market is getting tough, as they come cheaper and cheaper with newest features. The new Kindle comes in two version: the Kindle WiFi costs $139, and Kindle with both WiFi and 3G costs $189 (the same price as the previous Kindle 3G only).

The features:

• New, high-contrast E-ink screen
• Read in bright sunlight
• Lighter than a paperback
• Holds 3,500 books
• Battery life of up to one month
• Free 3G wireless. No annual contracts, no monthly fees
• Global 3G coverage
• Built-in WiFi
• Connect to Wi-Fi hotspots at home or on the road.
• Quieter page turn buttons
• Share meaningful passages
• Simple to use - no setup, no software to install, no computer required
• Massive Selection, over 630,000 books
• Free, out-of-copyright books
• Low book prices
• Over 510,000 books are $9.99 or less, including 80 current New York Times Best Sellers
• Free book samples
• Read-to-Me feature
• Improved PDF Reader

[ amazon.com ]

Barnes & Noble's Dual-Screen E-Reader

It seems that there will be more and more choices of e-book reader out there. According to the news in the blogs world, Barnes & Noble will soon release its new e-book reader. It probably has a 6-inch monochrome e-ink screen that's very much like the one on Amazon's Kindle or it may come with color e-ink screen.

This e-book reader  also has a color multi-touch LCD display beneath the main screen which is home to feature like the keyboard and much of the book-shopping interface, like an iPhone.

 [Via Gizmodo]

Amazon Kindle GSM International Edition Launched

Until now in USA Amazon kindle rely on CDMA-based “WhisperNet” that basically won't enable you to use its wireless capability when you go to other continent.

Now you can download your e-book even when you travel to Asia or somewhere else. The new US & International Edition Kindle comes equipped with a SIM card from AT&T. That means that this is a GSM Kindle. With this new Kindle. while in US it will use the AT&T network and download the contents and while it is brought to travel outside US it can roam on a GSM network to download the content. According Amazon this GSM-based kindle works in 100 countries around the world including Canada.

[Source]