Sony launches portable E-book reader

Posted by Rory Satran on September 28, 2006 at 9:45 AM

Sony e-book After prolonged delays, Sony is set to launch its portable E-book reader this week. Sony Reader is smaller than most paperbacks and features enough memory to hold up to 7,500 pages at a time.

The reader costs $350, with an initial $50 credit at the Sony Connect book store. The book store offers 10,000 digital books from the top 6 publishers, including Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins. The books are 25% less than paper books, much in the style of mp3s from iTunes.

In fact, the reader has been described by such publications as Forbes and the Telegraph as a bookish version of the iPod. The comparison has yet to be proven. Although the reader is lightweight and fun, it lacks the affordable price and hipness of the iPod. "It's going to have a hard time making the same kind of impact that Steve Jobs made five years ago," admits Peter Kafka at Forbes.

Sony Reader uses a new screen that simulates the look of real paper.

The reader supports RSS feeds from Sony-approved websites. It does not yet support free RSS feeds.

The device also stores and displays personal documents, blogs, newsfeeds, and JPEGs. It plays unsecured audio files.

The exact launch date is unclear. Paid Content reports it as October 1, but the reader seems to be shipping from the official Sony site "on or about" October 31.

Sources: Paid Content, Sony, Forbes, Telegraph

Posted in :