Sony Reader preview
What we think: It pumps new life into eBook readers with its revolutionary technology, but the value of the Sony Connect service is still in question.
Crave went to Las Vegas and fell in love. But not with a beautiful show girl or a tanned male dancer (steady). We fell for the pale, enduring beauty of Sony’s new electronic book, the Reader.
Once upon a time during CES 2006, Sony introduced its new eBook device, the Sony Reader. The ultraportable device features a cool technology called E Ink that creates an experience in which you feel like you’re reading an actual book — except it’s electronic. Plus, it has the storage capacity to hold a nice library of books, and when you’re tired of reading, it can also play MP3s. The Sony Reader has yet to hit store shelves but is expected to ship sometime in September. Until then, here’s an overview of what to expect.
The Sony Reader is designed to work with the Sony Connect online store, where you’ll be able to purchase and download DRM-protected eBooks, but this part of the service isn’t ready for launch, so we are yet to see the catalogue of contents. Also, in question is how much the eBooks will cost. With the Sony Reader costing a pricey $299 to $399 (￡160 to ￡210) in the US (UK pricing and availablility has not yet been confirmed), we hope the eBooks are offered at a discount or a reasonable price. Also, since there’s no backlighting, we’re curious to see how the device reads in darker environments.
There’s no doubt that the Sony Reader is an übercool and travel-friendly device, but we wonder how many people are willing to make the move from paper to digital books. eBook readers haven’t exactly taken off in the past because of the convenience factor and price. That said, if any device is going to put the technology in the mainstream, we think it’s the Reader, as long as Sony can back it up with a competitive selection of eBooks and pricing. Check back soon for our full review and find out if it’s destined to be a best seller.
Tags: backlighting, best seller, ces 2006, convenience factor, cool technology, digital books, ebook device, ebook readers, ebooks, electronic book, environments, GPS News, mainstream, male dancer, no doubt, pumps, store shelves
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