Yes, that’s right (found courtesy Teleread.org) – Early in 2010 we’ll see a $299 Plastic Logic Reader that’ll compete with the $299 Kindle 2 (or perhaps a $299 Kindle 3) and the $299 Sony Reader 600.
Times Online UK writes -
The Plastic Logic will be launched in the US at the beginning of next year at a similar price to the Kindle, which starts at $299. A British launch is set to follow in late 2010 or early 2011.
It’s rather strange that a technology created in Cambridge and manufactured in Dresden would see the US market 6 to 12 months before it sees the UK market.
Plastic Logic’s screen technology is different from the eInk used in the Kindle and that makes the screen flexible and unbreakable -
the roll up A4-sized “intelligent plastic” display has taken a decade of development and cost £120 million. It is the first screen to be made from a microchip not of silicon but of cheap plastic.
PL have gone with a non-rollable screen because user testing showed that customers preferred something sturdy.
What’s the Impact of a $299 Plastic Logic eReader?
If Times Online’s quoted $299 price is correct (Forbes also mentions $299), it’ll create all sorts of trouble for the Kindle DX -
- $299 is $190 cheaper than the Kindle DX’s $489.
- The screen for the Plastic Logic reader is at least as big as the DX, and might actually be bigger.
- The Plastic Logic eReader screen is unbreakable.
- Plastic Logic has a touchscreen.
Basically, Amazon will be forced to release a much improved Kindle DX 2 or it will get trumped on both screen technology and price.
Thankfully for Amazon, Plastic Logic has no plans of allowing Internet Access.
Plastic Logic’s claimed Business Focus is simply misdirection
All along Plastic Logic have been saying that they are targeting business customers and not book readers. This is obviously nonsense -
- The $299 price targets the Kindle 2.
- They’ve said B&N will provide the ebook bookstore. That’s a lot of books business irrelevant to business use.
- It has an advertising feature. What business wants the capability to distract workers with ads.
With a rumored January 2010 release date, and this rumored $299 price, the Plastic Logic Reader becomes a much more tangible threat to the Kindle.
Filed under: eBook Reader Devices, kindle dx Tagged: | kindle dx vs plastic logic, plastic logic
Well I don’t think it will start at $299. I’ve recently did some research about PL ereader and there are loads of videos of it. If I heard correctly they said the price will be comparable to other ereaders with about the same screen size on the market. Also there is one video I found that the journalist actually asked if it will be around $300, and that PL people stated very clearly that price just won’t do. So what they say the price will compete the other ereader they must mean the kindle DX, or rather something more expensive like iRex’s $600 ereader.
Helene,
am trying to get in touch with Plastic Logic and will udpate if/when they get back to me.
this is new information from the Times Online. Yes, in the past PL have not been specific – however, it really does seem like they want to attack the $299 price-point now. Surely, if that’s not the price they have in mind thye would ask Times Online and Forbes to change the price in the articles?on Plastic Logic internet access
http://venturebeat.com/2009/07/22/att-to-deliver-data-to-plastic-logic-e-reader/
They’ve done it again. AT&T, the company that beat Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile to land an exclusive three-year contract as the iPhone’s network provider, announced today that it’ll be the sole wireless provider for Plastic Logic’s e-reader.
actually that’s just to deliver books and shop. PL have said there won’t be Internet browsing allowed.
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