New e-reader Skiff unveiled

Posted by Elizabeth Redman on January 5, 2010 at 4:28 PM

The buzz is building with all the speculation about an Apple tablet, but for now it's Hearst Corp. making headlines after unveiling their new e-reader, the Skiff Reader.

The new device is designed for reading newspapers and magazines. It will also allow users to read other digital content including e-books, personal documents, and blogs.

Larger than a Kindle DX, with an 11.5 inch (29.2cm) touchscreen, it measures a quarter of an inch (0.63cm) thick, and weighs one pound or just under half a kilogram.

The device is designed to be resilient, made from 'e-paper', that is, a flexible sheet of stainless steel foil encased in a glass shell.

3G wireless will be provided through Skiff's partner wireless network carrier Sprint Nextel, and Wi-Fi connectivity is also enabled. It has 4GB of storage, just over 3GB of which is available for content.

Although the device was announced last month, these are the first images available, and the price has not yet been made public. The reader will be available in North America later this year, but release dates for the U.K. and other countries have not yet been announced.

"The Skiff Reader's big screen will showcase print media in compelling new ways," Skiff president Gilbert Fuchsberg said in a statement.

"This is consistent with Skiff's focus on delivering enhanced reading experiences that engage consumers, publishers and advertisers," he said.

Skiff will monetise its content in various ways. It will provide advertisements alongside articles, unlike other e-readers that are designed for books. It will also enable users to download content from a dedicated online store. And of course, users have to buy the device to begin with.

So are e-readers the future of newspapers? It will all depend on the quality of user experience they provide. But they may be more economically sustainable than news websites, so they're a trend to watch very closely.

Sources: AFP, Engadget, Register Hardware