Samsung leaving the e-paper business, citing cost issues

Samsung Electronics announced Monday that its halting production of e-paper due to cost issues. While Samsung has yet to out an actual device boasting e-paper, but did show off a prototype late last year which boasted a color display. The official word from Samsung itself is that it will not actually exit the e-reader market, rather that it will produce a device with an LCD, with plans to launch said reader next year. We wait expectantly.

Samsung leaving the e-paper business, citing cost issues originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocketbook announces color touch screen Android powered e-reader and more

Manufacturing upstart PocketBook is clearly still gung ho about e-readers, judging by the five new models it has announced will be released at IFA in September, which include a pair of entry-level ProBook 602 and 902 units, as well as the ProBook 603 and 903 premium units. The 60x designated models sport 6-inch screens, while the 90x models have a bigger 9.7-inch. All models will feature 2GB of internal storage, a Linux-based OS, and include WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. However, the higher-end versions also gain 3G connectivity and a Wacom touchscreen. More interesting and genre-bending though is the so-called “entertainment model” PocketBook IQ that will be available in three case color options, feature a 7-inch TFT color touchscreen, WiFi, Bluetooth, and will run Android 2.0. Access to PocketBook’s own Bookland.net e-book store unfortunately rounds out all the details we know so far, but we’ll be sure to find out more once IFA gets going. Check out shots of the individual readers and get the full translated PR below.

Continue reading Pocketbook announces color touch screen Android powered e-reader and more

Pocketbook announces color touch screen Android powered e-reader and more originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Aug 2010 12:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EC Media launches Wink e-reader in India

While the world holds its collective breath for India to actually mass produce that $35 tablet it’s been trumpeting here lately, the country’s own EC Media International is taking the wraps off of a sparkling new e-reader: the Wink. This cutely titled device doesn’t look much different than older generation Kindles, but it’ll reportedly support 15 languages and will offer 200,000+ book titles right out of the gate. The company has managed to garner the support of publishers like Penguin, Roli, Oxford University, Harper Collins and Permanent Black, and as expected, it’ll also be pushed as a substitute for traditional newspapers and magazines. As for pricing? Mum’s the word on that, but we are told that the EC Media has landed Croma as a retail partner and Redington as its primary distribution partner. Oh, and we guess you’d probably be interested in the specs — there’s a 6-inch (800 x 600) e-paper display, 2GB of inbuilt storage, 802.11b/g WiFi, GPRS wireless connectivity, a battery good for 10,000 page turns (or 10 hours of music playback), 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB 2.0 socket and support for a wide variety of text and audio formats. If that’s not tickling your fancy, it looks as if the outfit has three more options listed as “upcoming,” so hang tight. Short hands-on video after the break.

Update: Digit TV has a hands-on video!

[Thanks, Anish and Siddarth]

Continue reading EC Media launches Wink e-reader in India

EC Media launches Wink e-reader in India originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Aug 2010 08:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Velocity Micro Cruz Reader and Tablet up for pre-order at Borders

We don’t need to explain in any great detail just how badly the world needs another e-reader and tablet option, but you’re wasting your time wishing for fewer selections. Case in point: Velocity Micro has just placed its Cruz Reader and Cruz Tablet up for pre-order at Borders, with both units boasting 7-inch displays and seductive price points. The Reader is going for $199.99 and should ship out by the end of next month, while the Tablet is $100 more and could be at your doorstep a fortnight before Halloween. Hit the source link if you’re in desperate need of a specifications reminder, but be sure and hide that credit card if you’re looking to avoid any and all impulse buys. Press release after the break.

[Thanks, Charles]

Continue reading Velocity Micro Cruz Reader and Tablet up for pre-order at Borders

Velocity Micro Cruz Reader and Tablet up for pre-order at Borders originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pandigital Novel review

It’s our guess that the Pandigital Novel has been turning quite a few heads at retailers across the US during the last few weeks. How could it not? It’s got a full-color, 7-inch touchscreen, 2GB of on-board memory, runs a skinned version of Android and is priced around $180 (depending on where you’re shopping). Oh, and it’s got access to Barnes & Noble’s e-book store. About one-third the price of the iPad, we sure can see the attraction, but after attempting to read an entire novel on it we can’t help but wonder how it found its way past product development and into the stock rooms of Walgreens, Bed, Bath & Beyond and JCPenny, to name a few. Hit the break for our full review and to see just exactly we’re talking about.

Continue reading Pandigital Novel review

Pandigital Novel review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qualcomm building a $2b Mirasol plant after winning ‘major client’?

Well, if this isn’t a statement of intent, we don’t know what is. Those good old market sources are reporting today that Qualcomm has set aside a cool $2 billion to build a new Mirasol display production plant in Taiwan. The chipmaker already has a Mirasol facility in Longtan, a joint venture with Foxlink, but is said to be the sole investor in this new build. The whole thing has apparently been spurred on by a major client having “already started the design-in process” after seeing production samples of the 5.7-inch, low power, color display. We can’t know for sure who that client may be, but Qualcomm’s been doing some real heavy flirting with Amazon and all those overtures might (might!) finally have paid off. Of couse, as Jeff Bezos himself said, a color Kindle isn’t likely to hit the market anytime soon, and this new factory isn’t expected to begin volume production until 2012, but we’ll take a slow and speculative roadmap over no roadmap at all.

Qualcomm building a $2b Mirasol plant after winning ‘major client’? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony’s new e-readers pictured, last one-third longer on a charge?

We’d heard Sony was wrangling up a bunch of new Readers, and it looks like here they are — a pair of familiar-looking e-readers with a distinctly different UI. If these legit-looking images are the real deal, you’ll be getting a good bit more for your buck — especially with the Reader Pocket Edition, which apparently finally managed to ditch the directional pad for a lovely E Ink touchscreen. We won’t list all the improvements here, as you can obviously read them for yourself in the image immediately above, but our tipster confirms the new Pocket Edition will have a 5-inch display and the Touch Edition a six-incher, though he reportedly hasn’t heard a word about 3G connectivity for either model. 2,500 extra page turns and a thinner, faster screen ain’t nothing to sneeze at, but when Sony said it would compete on quality, we have to admit we began hoping for a wee bit more. Spot another picture after the break.

Continue reading Sony’s new e-readers pictured, last one-third longer on a charge?

Sony’s new e-readers pictured, last one-third longer on a charge? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 23:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CVS to sell $100 Sylvania netbook and $179 e-reader this fall, Tylenol not included

Watch out Kmart, CVS is getting its very own $100 smartbook and $180 e-reader and there’s nothing you can do about it! We’ve gotten a hold of some marketing materials which confirm that this fall your neighborhood drugstore will be stocking a Sylvania netbook running Windows CE and a color e-reader. There aren’t too many details on the little laptop itself, although we can only guess that the thing will be very similar to many of the other cheap smartbooks we’ve seen lately. Oh, it does claim to be able to stream video / YouTube, but we’ll believe it when we see it play Bieber’s Segway escape without freezing up. There are a few more details on the 7-inch LookBook e-reader after the break, but it will pack 512MB of storage space, a full keyboard and will have access to Kobo’s e-book store. Seems like some good old cheap tech to us, but we’re willing to bet that more than a few CVS shoppers will be tempted to throw one of these into the basket along with the deodorant and shampoo.

Continue reading CVS to sell $100 Sylvania netbook and $179 e-reader this fall, Tylenol not included

CVS to sell $100 Sylvania netbook and $179 e-reader this fall, Tylenol not included originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nook for iPhone, iPad and PC see updates, slew of new features in tow

Barnes & Noble told us this update was in the pipeline when it introduced Nook for Android, and sure enough, said update is hitting the intertubes this fine morning. The iPhone and iPod touch version of the Nook app is said to be completely overhauled, while the iPad edition is the company’s first to offer an in-app “rating” feature. In case you couldn’t guess, the former also adds support for the iPhone 4’s Retina Display, while also tossing in a slew of new customization options (themes, day / night content options, line spacing, font styles, preferred justification, previews, etc.). Finally, today also marks the reintroduction of the Nook for PC client, though it seems that most of the fanciful new features are reserved for the more portable versions. Hop on past the break for the full skinny, and tap that source link to get to downloadin’.

Continue reading Nook for iPhone, iPad and PC see updates, slew of new features in tow

Nook for iPhone, iPad and PC see updates, slew of new features in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Entourage Edge gets rooted with ease, may get a bit more exciting

It’s probably in large part due to the design, but the Entourage Edge never has taken off the way Barnes & Noble’s Nook or Amazon’s Kindle has. But now, that all has a chance to change. The dual-screen e-reader has finally had its very own root canal, and it’s probably the easiest root process we’ve ever seen. The crafty folks over at Android Police were able to tap into the Edge’s inner workings by entering a simple code into the Debug menu, and from there, it’s a few short steps to installing Superuser. The purpose? To restart the imagination of owners, and to snag Android 2.2, the Android Market and a couple of overclocking opportunities if they’re lucky. Head on past the break for a quick video, and then dart to the source link if you’re itching to replicate this on your own device.

Continue reading Entourage Edge gets rooted with ease, may get a bit more exciting

Entourage Edge gets rooted with ease, may get a bit more exciting originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAndroid Police  | Email this | Comments