Dual-screen enTourage eDGe ebook reader gets a little hands-on time

by Darren Murph

We’re still reserving our doubts about the viability of the enTourage eDGe — after all, at $490 you can buy yourself a respectable netbook and a halfway decent ereader for the appropriate occasion — but we won’t say that we’re not interested. Just under a month after it hit the scene, the dual-screen device has landed (in prototype form) over at Gearlog, and while some of the features weren’t functional, the physical build shouldn’t change much when it goes final. At first glance, the whole thing just looks a bit dated, but then again, we’ve still got the ultra-fresh Nook on the brain.

Follow the link for more details – http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/10/dual-screen-entourage-edge-ebook-reader-gets-a-little-hands-on-t/

Samsung shows off color e-paper prototype, PVI might beat it to market in 2010

by Vladislav Savov

Now here’s some yummy news to wrap our minds around. Samsung, a company with a manufacturing portfolio so wide that you wouldn’t be surprised to see it selling toothbrushes and perfume, clearly also wants a slice of that growing ebook market and has now unveiled a 10.1-inch color display with that purpose in mind. It’s still very early days, with a measly 10:1 contrast ratio and the ability to display only 7% of the NTSC color gamut, but baby steps are better than no steps, right? While Sammy is shooting at delivering this within two years, PVI — the maker of displays for Kindles and Sony Readers — is expected to ramp up production of its own color screens in the second half of 2010. Add these two heavyweights to the color e-readers already expected from Plastic Logic (spring 2010) and Bridgestone, and what you get is one hell of a thriving marketplace — as long as Pixel Qi doesn’t render them all useless when it launches later this year.

Read – Samsung Exhibits 10.1-inch Color E-paper
Read – PVI to ramp up flexible and color EPD in 2010

http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/samsung-shows-off-color-e-paper-prototype-pvi-might-beat-it-to/

ASUS to launch 3G, WiMAX-equipped e-book readers by March, 2010?

by Donald Melanson

We’ve already heard some talk that ASUS might possibly be launching an e-book reader before the end of the year that may or may not be the world’s cheapest, and it looks like some unnamed execs at the company have now dropped a few more details on the matter. While it’s all still far from official, CENS reports that ASUS’ e-book reader could hit both American and European carriers by March, 2010, and that it’ll include both 3G and WiMAX versions (plus WiFi, naturally), but presumably not a version with both 3G and WiMAX. As previously rumored, the e-book reader is also said to have a larger than usual 9-inch screen, and those same unnamed execs reportedly say its price will be “competitive” with the Kindle and Sony’s e-readers.

[Via SlashGear]

http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/29/asus-to-launch-3g-wimax-equipped-e-book-readers-by-march-2010/

Liquavista’s Wicked E-Ink Technologies Could Revolutionize E-Readers

by Shawn Oliver

LCDs may be neat, plasmas may be entertaining and projectors may be awe-inspiring, but e-ink is the future. With the e-book reader revolution fully upon us, there’s little doubt that e-ink manufacturers will be pumping out mind-blowing new modifications to improve upon the greyscale versions that we’re used to.

Liquavista is aiming to be one of the first to break the mold, and if the video posted below is any indication, this company may have something special in store for future-generation readers from Sony, Plastic Logic and Amazon. The LiquavistaBright technology is faster, brighter and more responsive than existing e-ink technologies, enabling users to see their doodles quicker, turn pages faster and see web pages pop up more hastily. If you’ve ever used an e-reader, you know just how sluggish the screen refresh is. In fact, the monochrome reflective display even boasts video capability, which is a first for e-ink. Can you imagine watching an actual movie on your next Kindle or Nook? Pretty wild idea.

Like other e-ink displays, this one also boasts indoor/outdoor viewability, and while actual technical details about the three major platforms (LiquavistaBright, LiquavistaColor and LiquavistaVivid) are still under wraps, the video pretty much says it all. Also, take note that the camcorder refresh rate and the screen refresh rate were in sync all of the time, so any jaggies you see aren’t actually there. Product implementation is planned for 2010/2011, so get ready!

Follow link for Video – http://hothardware.com/News/Liquavistas-Wicked-EInk-Technologies-Could-Revolutionize-EReaders/

Bridgestone announces flexible touchscreen color e-reader

by Joseph L. Flatley

When we heard word of a “big announcement” back in July we imagined an e-reader of some sort, but what is it that we have here? Based on a technology Bridgestone calls Quick-response Liquid Powder, the company’s all-color touchscreen e-book reader is about 5.8mm thick, features a 13.1-inch touch-sensitive e-paper display (with 4,096 colors and a refresh rate of about 0.8 seconds), and some sort of unspecified mobile phone connectivity. Most exciting, of course, is that the entire package — circuit board, touchscreen, and housing — are designed to bend together. A neat trick, sure, but probably not too practical for jotting down notes with your stylus. Still, we’d take two. Trials begin at the Kansai Urban Banking Corp early next year, but you can check it out sooner at FPD International 2009 in Yokohama City, Japan, starting tomorrow.

[Via Tech-On]

http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/bridgestone-announces-flexible-touchscreen-color-e-reader/

Ebooks making libraries popular again

by Vladislav Savov

A few forward-thinking libraries in the UK have started offering ebook downloads as an alternative to borrowing physical copies of books, and the local public’s reaction has been one of overwhelming enthusiasm. Seemingly attracted by the idea of being able to collect and return books without having to actually attend the library, Brits have been eagerly joining up to the new scheme. Free downloads that last for 14 days before self-deleting can be had either in the library or at home, and transitioned onto your Sony Reader, iRex iLiad, or that new hotness, B&N’s nook. Naturally, the proprietary-format Kindle isn’t invited to this party. We’ve already seen a similar initiative in the USA, and can only hope this kind of convenience becomes mainstream before too long.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/27/ebooks-making-libraries-popular-again-can-do-nothing-about-your/

Barnes & Noble nook LendMe feature is severely limited, assumes you have friends

There’s been tremendous fuss made over the Barnes & Noble nook, due at least partly to its ability to lend your purchased e-books to friends — just like real books. Unfortunately, the “world’s most advanced e-book reader” limits the LendMe feature to one 14-day period per book, ever, and that’s only if the publisher gives permission. You also can’t read the title yourself during the loaner period. Of course, nook’s biggest competitors can’t do this at all and LendMe works on any B&N eReader supported device including the Mac, PC, iPhone, iPod touch, and BlackBerry. One-time is certainly better than no-times, eh?

http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/23/barnes-and-noble-nook-lend-me-feature-is-severely-limited-assumes/

Amazon Kills U.S. Kindle, Cuts International Price

By Charlie Sorrel

Perhaps to avoid consumer confusion, or to grab back a few headlines from Barnes and Noble’s sweet looking Nook e-reader, Amazon has dropped the Sprint-powered U.S. Kindle and now sells just the international version along with the super-sized DX. And the price has also been dropped to $260, the same as the old Kindle 2 and the same as the Nook. It looks like this fight is on.

Those of you who already bought the International Kindle for $280 upon launch, you’ll get a $20 refund from Amazon. Here’s the e-mail I got:

Good news! Due to strong customer demand for our newest Kindle with U.S. and international wireless, we are consolidating our family of 6” Kindles. As part of this consolidation, we are lowering the price of the Kindle you just purchased from $279 down to $259. You don’t need to do anything to get the lower price—we are automatically issuing you a $20 refund. This refund should be processed in the next few days and will appear as a credit on your next billing statement.

Good news indeed. Now, Amazon, perhaps you could start selling all titles in the U.S. store to overseas customers, and maybe switch on my damn web browser. Just saying, is all.

Product page [Amazon]

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/10/international-kindle-price-drop-us-version-killed-off/

Amazon Kindle for PC app coming in November

By Chris Davies

In case you missed it, Microsoft announced that Amazon have developed a version of their ebook app for the PC.  Kindle for PC will be a free download and, like the iPhone, iPod touch and standalone Kindle ebook readers, allow users to purchase titles from Amazon’s online store.

As with the other applications, Kindle for PC will remember where readers were up to in each ebook text, and synchronize that with other devices attached to the same account.  It can also view highlights and notes made on the Kindle and Kindle DX, show ten different font sizes, and adjust the number of words displayed per line.

Windows 7 users with suitable multitouch displays will be able to use pinch-zoom, meanwhile, together with (eventually) using finger-swipes to turn pages.  The software will be available in November for Windows 7, Vista and XP.

http://www.slashgear.com/amazon-kindle-for-pc-app-coming-in-november-2261560/

Barnes and Noble prepping Android & WinMo ebook apps

By Chris Davies

Barnes and Noble’s nook fact sheet [pdf link] has revealed upcoming Android and Windows Mobile versions of their ebook reader software, though the software is not yet available to download either from the publisher’s download page or the Android Market.  The document suggests that the apps will support B&N’s last-page-read sync, and be available for free.

Of course, that raises the question of why Barnes and Noble haven’t enabled lending support for their Android client, as is possible on the iPhone, select BlackBerry and Motorola handsets, and a few other clients, when the nook itself is Android based.  Check out our launch day coverage of the nook here.

[via The eBook Test]

http://www.slashgear.com/barnes-and-noble-prepping-android-winmo-ebook-apps-2261473/