Hasta La Gadget!

What exactly is a PRS-T1? Well, it’s a new Sony Reader and it just so happens to have swung through the FCC with a WiFi n radio in tow. As you can see above, the regulatory label proudly proclaims this to be a “Digital Book Reader,” though we could have guessed that from the PRS model number. What else do we know? Not much sadly. We’re guess the T1 in the model name indicates that, whatever the panel’s size, it’ll be of the touchscreen variety. (Either that, or this is the tapenade colored model.) Despite Sony’s official denials, looks like that rumored August launch for the company’s latest e-ink devices may actually pan out.

Sony PRS-T1 Reader wanders into the FCC with WiFi on board originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  FCC  | Email this | Comments

Fujitsu got to show off its recent color e-reader flossy flossy at the e-Book Expo Tokyo (the former Digital Publishing Fair) in Japan last week. Besting its previous market entry — the FLEPia Lite — this 8-inch, 157 dpi cholestric LCD module sheds both its predecessor’s weight and Windows OS for a 220 gram, Linux-operated, slimmed-down profile. While the 4,096 color range remains exactly the same, it’s the elimation of dithering from the display that’ll be brightening up your future literary experiences. Processing speed also got a significant makeover here, translating into 0.7 second writing speeds — a number the company promises will go down as full color capacity increases. Unfortunately, this slab of technicolor ebeauty doesn’t appear to be headed for a US debut, so interested parties should start saving for that import option. Robo-Brit voice-over video demonstration after the break.

Continue reading Fujitsu’s e-reader gets a refreshed look at e-Book Expo Tokyo (video)

Fujitsu’s e-reader gets a refreshed look at e-Book Expo Tokyo (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  DigInfo TV  | Email this | Comments

When it first announced the launch of its eReader Touch Edition late last month, Kobo referred to itself again and again as the “David” in a reader market full of “Goliaths.” It’s not difficult to see why — the company’s chief competition in the space is Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sony, all giants in their respective fields. In spite of overwhelming odds, however, Kobo has managed to stay afloat, and even competitive. True to form, however, Barnes & Noble launched its own device a mere day after Kobo, which for most intents and purposes, looks an awful lot like the eReader Touch Edition. In fact, the devices were seemingly so alike that we created a head to head, in order to see for ourselves precisely what set them apart.

The new Nook also managed to beat Kobo’s device to market, offering a more than worthy competitor to Amazon’s latest. The question with the launch of the Kobo then, is not only whether the David can compete in a market so dominated by the Kindle, but if the eReader Touch Edition has enough to set it apart from the superficially identical Nook.

Continue reading Kobo eReader Touch Edition review

Kobo eReader Touch Edition review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Remember that Mirasol e-reader display Qualcomm was hoping to release this year? Yeah, it’s not happening. Speaking at a press briefing in San Diego yesterday, Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs confirmed that the 5.7-inch panel has been abandoned after failing to meet expectations. Instead, the company will devote its attention to the “next version” of the technology, which has Jacobs feeling optimistic:

“We have a really interesting roadmap — we’re starting out on e-readers because we figured having E Ink as a competing technology was a good way to get started. But if you think about the power consumption of the screens that are out now [on tablets], they’re very bright OLED screens that use up a lot of the power of the battery. We don’t today have as vibrant color as an OLED display – but we have a roadmap that gets us to a much brighter color.”

Presumably, this roadmap would include that low-power “converged e-reader” we heard about a few weeks ago, slated for release by the end of the year. Jacobs also mentioned that Qualcomm is planning to invest a billion dollars in its Taiwan Mirasol plant, which might help produce the kind of volume that, say, Amazon would demand for its Kindle displays. It’s all speculation, of course, but Qualcomm certainly seems to have some big plans in store for the rest of the year.

Qualcomm CEO confirms death of Mirasol e-reader display, looks forward to ‘next version’ originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Pocket-Lint  | Email this | Comments

Barnes and Noble’s Simple Touch Nook is not a reinvention of the e-reader in any way. It’s a refinement, and a very good one at that. More »