So Apple just announced it’s new iPad tablet. It will be available for purchase in 60 days (That puts us right around March 27, 2010). Cost will be $499 for 16gb, $599 for 32gb and $699 for 64gb. Tablets have wi-fi built in and you also have an option to get them with 3G capabilities for an extra $130. 3G can be purchased via AT&T for $14.99 for 250mb and $29.99 for unlimited data and there is NO Contract required. You just pre-pay and away you go.
Looks like the iPad has a 9.7″ screen and multitouch. No camera, no flash, and I’m not sure about multi-tasking.
Ah yes, the Barnes and Noble Nook. I received mine on December 9, 2009. So I’ve been using my Nook for about 3 weeks now and I really have to say that I like it. It’s a great little device. It works well with the Barnes and Noble store and it offers support for many more file formats than Kindle. It contains the very same viziplex e-ink display as the Amazon Kindle, but also has a smaller, color LCD screen below the 6″ e-ink display.
The Nook has gotten tons of bad reviews and frankly, I’m not sure why. It seems to be a great device, so far it’s worked well for me and it runs the Android operating system. I’ve read 2 books so far on my Nook and have had zero problems downloading, formatting or reading either of the books I’ve purchased. The wi-fi works fine and as soon as I entered my security key it connected without a problem.
The Nook doesn’t have a web browser available like the Kindle does, and the Kindle browser did come in handy one time when I needed to check my gmail account. Though it worked, the experience was anything like browsing on a regular computer or even on a cell phone. So, I can’t say that I miss having the browser available. A software update that was pushed out for the Nook last week (version 1.1.1) did improve page turns by leaps and bounds and my Nook is running relatively fast and fuss free. I own a Kindle 2 also and I have to say the experience I get from either device is fairly similar. Though so far I find myself heading for the Nook when I want to read something.
The only real drawback I’ve found so far is that Barnes & Noble claims a 10-day battery life. So far, this has been a tad disappointing as I’ve only managed to get maybe 48 hours. And I don’t leave any of the network connections turned on when using my Nook. The Kindle battery life seems to deliver much more as advertised as I’ve left the Kindle on standby for at least a week before with little to no battery drain.
I think I’m in love!! Though this is still just concept. At TekkieFreak we LOVE magazines. I can’t explain why…maybe it’s the pictures, maybe it’s the shiny paper (Ok so no more shiny paper if you are getting electronic magazines). Check out this video that I found over on Gizmodo (this post is for you, Paul). Enjoy:
Well, My Nook arrived today. I managed to get some great unboxing photos for you guys. I haven’t tried it yet, so I don’t have much more to tell you yet. If you click on the little “i” you can see my witty comments. I’m going to go look for a little bit different gallery skin, so you can see my captions without clicking anything, but for now this is how it is.
Posted by admin | Posted in Ebook Readers | Posted on 16-11-2009
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freezing actually. Frankly, the specs package on this Interead Cool-er e-reader is less than amazing and at a MSRP of $250, I think most folks are going to brown bag it for lunch a couple days and come up with the extra $9 to get either the Barnes and Noble Nook or the Kindle 2.
6-inch e-ink screen
1 gb ram
SD card slot
2.5 mm headphone jack (comes with a 3.5″ converter)
Formats: EPUB, TXT, JPEG, PDF, MP3 for audio
This device is meant to be for people who are not technologically advanced. There’s no wi-fi or 3g so all books have to be loaded via SD card or a USB cable. I’m not sure what Interead is thinking. You are making a device for those who aren’t tech savvy and you are expecting them to be able to plug this thing into a computer and move files onto it? For some of my relatives (who shall remain nameless) they don’t understand email…they don’t understand a directory structure and they are seriously frightened to plug anything into their computer. Then again maybe that’s not the market they’re really going for because those are the folks who are scared to even touch my kindle.
Anyway, truth be told, I haven’t actually tried one of these, but the specs along with the relatively high price tag would make me head for Barnes and Noble (or Amazon).
Posted by admin | Posted in Ebook Readers | Posted on 22-10-2009
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or it would if I lived in Japan and had $1000 to spend. Fujitsu is spot-on. The FLEPIA is the e-book lovers wet dream.
The good:
It has a full color e-ink screen. XGA. That’s 260,000 colors people.
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
SD Card slot
40-hour battery life (not quite the 2-weeks you get with a Kindle), but 40 hours works for me.
The Bad:
You have to live in or travel to Japan to get one.
It runs windows CE 5.0….all I have to say to that is WTF?
$1000 is a little out of my price range and probably also your average American consumer.
1.8 second refresh rate. Ouch. A tad on the slow side, but did I mention this is full-color?
The Ugly:
Sorry folks, nothing ugly about this product, except for the fact that we here in the USA are (as usual) in the technological dark ages and can’t get great products like this if we had the cash.
Posted by admin | Posted in Ebook Readers | Posted on 21-10-2009
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Ah yes, it is only October, but this Christmas it is going to be the season of ebook readers present. As someone who used to read ebooks and news on her palm pilot 15, possibly even close to 20 years ago. I am absolutely tickled Pink that the ebook reader market is taking off. Last spring when I ordered my Kindle, it wasn’t the only ebook reader on the market, but after my usual researching it seemed the best of the bunch. Now, I’m watching the Barnes and Noble Nook. Mine is already on pre-order. It’s being released on November 30. It runs the Android operating system, displays PDF’s, and has both 3g and wi-fi (again the 3g is AT&T)…for a network that constantly whines about not being able to handle all the iPhone traffic I’m not sure why they would pony up use of their network for this…but well I guess they’re better than nothing.
Some great things about the Nook.
Pricing is the same as Amazon Kindle 2 at $259. Again I’d like to see the majority of ebook readers selling for $199 as I think this is the price point where MOST consumers will take the plunge.
Free wi-fi in all Barnes and Noble stores.
When you are in the store, you can read any electronic book free. Just like when you are in the store you can page through any of the real books on the shelves without buying.
It has an SD card slot.
Replaceable battery (This has always annoyed me about the Kindle 2).
It runs the Android operating system (though kindle also runs on linux).
You can lend your books to other people. This was a HUGE rant for many people with the kindle.
Access to Googles extensive library of free books.
Anyway, you can check out the device and pre-order here. It’s supposed to ship by November 30.
Posted by admin | Posted in Ebook Readers | Posted on 21-10-2009
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Plastic Logic recently announced it’s QUE Ereader. Details so far are pretty sketchy, but you can get you very own in January of 2010 at the product launch during CES. This reader is being billed as the first ereader for the professional. It has a touchscreen, does PDF, word, powerpoint and excel documents.
The device sports and 8.5″ x 11″ screen and 3g wireless provided by AT&T (ewe). Not that I’m opinionated or anything. It
will also be driven by the Barnes and Noble online store. I couldn’t find any information on pricing. I’m guessing it will be more than your average consumer will care to spend.
Posted by admin | Posted in Ebook Readers | Posted on 08-10-2009
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Sorry Sony, this looks like a great reader, but my guess is that this reader isn’t going to do much damage to Kindle sales. And truthfully, I haven’t had my paws on one yet, though would love to see one.
The good:
Hello? Touch screen. Yes, I realize that e-ink is a rather new technology, but touch screens have been around for years and years and years. Ever heard of a Palm Pilot? I know some of you are old enough. I love my Kindle, but I would love my kindle even more if it had a touch screen and every person that I have ever showed my kindle to, starts getting their paw prints on the screen, because they are trying to touch the screen to select things. So yeah, this is the feature that would sell me on the PRS-600.
Google Books. Again, has anyone seen this most wonderfully amazing piece of work from google? Books, magazines. Yeah, I absolutely LOVE this. If I could read PDFs on my Kindle I would be so so so happy (see “the bad”). I must admit the PDF thing makes this HUGELY tempting to me.
Library books. Yes, I’m not sure how exactly this works, but the sony reader allows you to actually “borrow” library books. How can you not love that?
The Bad:
No wi-fi, no connectivity. Say what Sony? Seriously, I’m so over having to actually use a physical cord to plug my devices into my computer and “sync” them. Frankly, I’ve been annoyed with my iPod touch of late for this very reason. Yeah, Amazon has this one locked in (pretty much) – A 3g connection that works most anywhere (my Kindle even connects up in the North woods of Wisconsin – albeit it’s not 3g). Sony could offer a wi-fi connection to sync books, magazines and newspapers and yeah this creates a little more difficulty for the user in that they’d have to find the nearest coffee shop or restaurant with free wi-fi to connect. I’ve never been one to turn down a nice hot dark roast though so personally, I wouldn’t have a problem buying a cup of joe somewhere so I can connect and sync.
No response to Amazons lower price point on the 6″ Kindle. I think Sony is going to have to lower their price on this for sales to really take off. Sony does offer a smaller “pocket size” reader with a 5″ screen (no touch screen) for $199.
The Reality:
The Sony PRS-600 looks like a great ebook reader, but like the Kindle, nothing is perfect. I guess I’m not willing to wander around with 2 devices so I can get the great benefits of both. The PDF reader again is FABULOUS, but to me a magazine just isn’t a magazine without color photos and formatting. So for now, I’ll stick with reading news and novels on my Kindle an wait for a product that comes a bit closer to my “ideal” before making another purchase.
Well, it seems Amazon has reduced their price on the Kindle 2. They are now $259 for a US only version or $279 for an international version. They will also be shipping the international version all over the world. I paid the full $359 for my Kindle and I have to say that so far I still love it.
