Sony Reader | Will ebooks become mainstream?

Monday, November 20, 2006

Over the last few years several manufactures tried to conquer the only field where technology is struggling to break into: book reading. Both the easiness of portability of actual books and some problems with electronic books determined the failure of previous efforts (even those made by big companies).

This time is the turn of Sony that presented its new Reader. The device, priced at $350, features a new technology based on the work of E Ink, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company.

This implementation has several advantages on its competitor. The main one is that the display is not backlighted so the Sony Reader is easy on both the battery and the reader eyes.

It is instead a “reflective” technology that simulates the paper readability. Because of the absence of backlighting it requires light to illuminate the display and read the text (just like normal newspapers or books).

In addition to the possibility to look at something that really resembles a book there are also the intrinsic advantages of electronics. For example the Sony Reader is able to zoom the text by changing the font size or the advantage of carrying in a single device several books.

Ebooks will be available through Sony’s Connect eBook store and the user interface to buy them is similar to the ones used by the iPod. Besides the Sony Reader can also read PDF files, play mp3s (unencrypted) or show photos in black and white using the available slot for a SD or memory stick card.

Lastly it may not be a huge selling point for those interested only in reading the e-books but the Sony Reader is also an elegant device. Its weight is only nine ounces, is very thin and has a six-inch display. It would be a great Christmas gift, isn’t it?