Hasta La Gadget!

E-readers are likely to get hotter with the next generation of devices sporting color screens and large displays expected to launch through the year.

One of the first products to announce its arrival is the Skiff e-reader, a lightweight device with a 11.5-inch full flexible touchscreen that makes it the largest e-reader on the market, beating the 9.7-inch display Kindle DX.

Unlike other e-readers designed for reading mainly books and PDF files, the Skiff is optimized for newspaper and magazine content and will use Sprint’s 3G network to offer wireless connectivity. The device will debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas later this week. The company hasn’t announced availability and pricing for it yet.

Electronic book readers are a emerging yet fast growing category of devices. Since the launch of Amazon’s Kindle in 2007, a slew of new devices have entered the market. About five million e-readers were sold last year, estimates research firm iSuppli. Though the Kindle DX is the only e-reader with a screen size larger than the standard 6-inch available in the U.S. currently, more plus sized e-readers are set to hit the market. For instance, Plastic Logic’s Que will have a 8.5-inch by 11-inch screen.

At over a quarter-inch in overall height, Skiff’s display will have a resolution of 1200 x 1600 pixels.  It weighs just over one pound and offers a week of average use between charges, says the company. The device will have both 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Like all other e-readers, Skiff uses the black-and-white display technology developed by E Ink. But the underlying electronics that power the display has been developed by LG. LG has used a sheet of stainless-steel foil for the back of the display, instead of the glass layer that is the the foundation of most e-paper displays available currently. The result is a thinner device that is less likely to break.

Skiff’s touchscreen will help users navigate newspapers, magazines, books and other digital content they purchase through the Skiff Store–its own e-reading service. Readers can expect to see visually appealing layouts, high-resolution graphics and other design qualities that would enrich the reading experience, says the company. After all, Skiff has strong roots in the print media. It’s parent company is Hearst, which publishes magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Popular Mechanics and Smart Money.

See Also:

• Barnes & Noble Unveils Kindle-Killing, Dual-Screen ‘Nook’ E-Reader …
• Nook E-Reader Gets Hacked to Run Apps, Browser
• Roundup: E-Reader Gift Guide
• Dual-Screen Device Combines E-Reader, Netbook
• Stanza v2.0: The iPhone’s Best E-Reader Just Got Better

Spracht. It’s probably not a company name you’re intimately familiar with, but as with Jawbone, we’re fully expecting it to become a mainstay in the Bluetooth earpiece sector after this unveiling. The Aura EQ earset is one of the wildest BT devices we’ve seen to date, boasting a slick, almost futuristic design and a smattering of features that are startlingly unique. For starters, it ships with twin switchable, focusable microphones, and if its ability to pair with up to eight phones doesn’t bowl you over, maybe the built-in six-band equalizer will. Essentially, this headset will amplify and equalize the voice of whoever is speaking, which compensates for volume loss in certain ranges when communicating on a windy day or over a lackluster connection. Finally, exterior touts a capacitive volume control: simply slide your finger up or down the base, and the volume increases or decreases. No knobs or minuscule rocker switches to fuddle with. You’ll be able to check this out worldwide in March for around $79 (estimated street price).

Spracht Aura EQ Bluetooth headset boasts dual mics, equalizer and capacitive volume control originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

BenQ’s Joybook Lite U103 packs an SSD for when you’re feeling frisky, HDD for when you’re not originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Fareastgizmos.com  |  BenQ  | Email this | Comments

Thought digital delivery would get left behind in the jump to 3D? Roxio’s CinemaNow 2.0 platform is ready to build on the success of its predecessor — already embedded in many devices and powering the online stores for Blockbuster, Best Buy and Zip.ca — and flip the switch bringing streamed or downloaded 1080p or 3D, plus the ability to add additional background info on each movie or previously disc-exclusive extras like multiple audio tracks, subtitles and more. Also new for 2.0 are plans for access on Android and Windows Mobile devices. We’re still thinking a combo of lower prices, all you can eat subscriptions or a disc tie-in is the logical next step, but we’ll wait for a CES demo to ask about that, and whether the new features will be backwards compatible on old hardware.

CinemaNow 2.0: 3D, 1080p, Android & WinMo get a taste of online movie distribution originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  CinemaNow  | Email this | Comments

Interead expands COOL-ER e-reader line-up, announces additional content originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  COOL-ER e-readers, Coolermatic  | Email this | Comments