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.

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Murdoch plans digital-only paid newspaper for tablets and phones

We can’t honestly say whether The Wall Street Journal‘s laggy iPad rendition was a success at $17.29 per month, but either way Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp is gearing up for another try at this whole digital news thing. The LA Times reports that Murdoch is planning an entirely new national publication for the iPad and other devices — in other words, not just a print-to-digital conversion this time. “Unlike News Corp.’s business-centric Wall Street Journal, the new digital newspaper would target a more general readership, offering short, snappy stories that could be digested quickly,” writes the Times, adding that sources say the digital paper could launch by the end of the year. Here’s hoping it debuts alongside that Skiff Reader, eh?

Murdoch plans digital-only paid newspaper for tablets and phones originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony Reader PRS-350 and PRS-650 rumored for release, 3G teased for the latter

It’s about that time, folks. And by “about that time,” we mean “time for Sony to release another round of Readers.” If you’ll recall, the outfit dumped a few on us last year right around this time, and the sleuths over at Sony Insider have dug up information that they purport to be true about Sony’s next Reader duo. Reportedly, the outfit is gearing up to reveal the PRS-350 and PRS-650, each of which will boast E Ink displays and be thinner / more longevous compared to the existing PRS-600 and PRS-300. It’s bruited that they’ll be under 10mm thick, while the 650 will boast a 6-inch display and the 350 a 5-inch panel. We should also see a bump from 512MB to 2GB in terms of internal storage space (at least on the 650), and we wouldn’t be shocked to find both 3G and WiFi support on the higher end of the two. As for software? We’re told that the Reader UI will be refaced somewhat, and the note-taking program in the PRS-600 will find its way onto the lower-end PRS-350. Mum’s the word on pricing, but it shouldn’t be too long before all that gets cleared up — think it over good, Sony. We’ve got options, you know.

Sony Reader PRS-350 and PRS-650 rumored for release, 3G teased for the latter originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget’s back to school guide: E-readers

Welcome to Engadget’s Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we’re here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we have e-readers in our sights — and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they’re added throughout the month.

Engadget's back to school guide: E-readers
Yes, it’s the next round of buying advice for those of you condemned to start hitting the books at the end of the summer. But, with one of these e-readers, you might just have fewer books to hit — or at least lighter ones. Sadly most schools are still dependent on texts of the pulpy variety, but that doesn’t mean an e-reader can’t make your life a lot easier at school, and possibly even save you some money if you’re reading the classics.

Continue reading Engadget’s back to school guide: E-readers

Engadget’s back to school guide: E-readers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS prices 10-inch Android Eee Pad under $399, 8-inch Eee Tablet at $300, other tablets too

ASUS just dumped Windows Embedded Compact 7 for Android for its lower-end tablet devices, and CEO Jerry Shen is passing along the savings. He’s pledging that the 10-inch Eee Pad EP101TC, due to ship in March, will cost under $399 — and if the Notion Ink Adam is any indication that means it’ll be $398. Then there’s the EP121, a 12-inch tablet running Windows 7 that’s positioned rather higher up in the market, as indicated by its $1,000 price tag. Shen says this high cost is due to that docking station able to intriguingly transform it into a laptop when it ships around December or January. Next is yet another Eee Pad due around January, one that will run Windows Embedded Compact 7 on a 10-inch screen and at a price somewhere south of $499. Finally, there’s the grayscale Eee Tablet e-reader thing, formerly rumored to be under $599 but now priced at a solid $300 and, supposedly, shipping in October. Surely we’re mere months away from tablet saturation at this point.

ASUS prices 10-inch Android Eee Pad under $399, 8-inch Eee Tablet at $300, other tablets too originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E Ink begins sampling color and capacitive touch displays, on track for late 2010 launch

E Ink Holdings, the company behind the power-sipping screens contained within Amazon’s Kindle and Sony’s Readers, is keeping to its schedule for the biggest overhaul of its display technology yet. Color panels are reportedly now sampling out to device vendors and China-based Hanvon has already answered the call — it promises to deliver color E Ink readers by the end of this year. Two varieties of touchscreens are also being prepared: the first is a capacitive panel to sate the kids’ need to flick and swipe everywhere, while the second will include a pen-friendly digitizer that should make annotations a doddle (or should that be a doodle?). Better response times and reflectivity are also being touted, though the big question is obviously when this good stuff will make its way into mainstream devices like the Kindle. If you believe Jeff Bezos, that won’t be any time soon.

E Ink begins sampling color and capacitive touch displays, on track for late 2010 launch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 04:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Linux Devices  |  sourceDigiTimes  | Email this | Comments

Kobo e-reader sashays into ten Fairmont hotel properties, adds to your poolside experience

Oh sure, you’ve been able to get your hands on iPads, iPhones and Kindles when checking in before, but a Kobo? Nah. Well, until now. Announced today, the a-okay e-reader company has landed a deal with Fairmont that’ll put e-book readers into the hands of select guests at select properties. Specifically, Fairmont Gold-level guests that are members of the (free to join) President’s Club will be able to trial a Kobo during their stay free of charge, and they’ll find each one brimming with a variety of fiction, non-fiction and high drama titles. Upon returning the device (as if there’s another alternative, right?), patrons will be gifted with a $2 off coupon for Random House titles, and if you’re curious as to which ten properties will be involved in the offer, head on past the break and have a look.

Continue reading Kobo e-reader sashays into ten Fairmont hotel properties, adds to your poolside experience

Kobo e-reader sashays into ten Fairmont hotel properties, adds to your poolside experience originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Plastic Logic kills QUE, ‘shifts focus’ to second-generation ProReader

And just like that, with the swing of a virtual axe, she’s all dead and buried. Plastic Logic has been stuck in a world of perpetual delays ever since wowing the universe with its QUE ProReader at CES, and rather than delaying it again, the company is simply cutting its losses and moving on. To quote CEO Richard Archuleta: “We recognize the market has dramatically changed, and with the product delays we have experienced, it no longer make sense for us to move forward with our first generation electronic reading product.” To that end, the company plans to “shift its focus to bring to market a second-generation ProReader plastic electronics-based product,” but absolutely no details regarding form factor, pricing or an estimated ship date are given. Wilder still, those rumors about a company sale have coincidentally (or not?) flared up again, with the Financial Times stating this go ’round that Plastic Logic could sell a “significant stake” of itself to Rusnano, a Russian state-owned nanotechnology corporation. We’re told that the two are currently “in discussions,” and that if a deal is reached, Plastic Logic’s production facility for this elusive next-gen product would have to be based in Russia. We can’t say we’re completely shocked at the outcome here, but we’re man enough to shed a tear at our loss. Rest easy, QUE — at least we had our times.

Continue reading Plastic Logic kills QUE, ‘shifts focus’ to second-generation ProReader

Plastic Logic kills QUE, ‘shifts focus’ to second-generation ProReader originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Good Reader  |  sourceFinancial Times  | Email this | Comments