NY Times’ Brad Stone reports that the iRex DR 800 SG is going to be announced today, including -
- Unlimited 3G Internet Access from Verizon’s Wireless Network.
- Wireless Downloads from Barnes & Noble’s ebook store.
- Retail presence at hundreds of Best Buys starting October 2009.
- $399 price for a 8.1″ touch screen reader.
We’ve covered the iRex DR800 before. However, a lot of the above details are new. They’re still using the same boring picture -
iRex DR800SG Digital Reader
Perhaps it looks better in real life and they’ll unveil what it really looks like today.
iRex DR 800 SG – Additional Details
Sept 23rd – added updates courtesy CrunchGear’s live blog of the iRex DR 800 conference.
More on the iRex DR 800 SG -
- There will be newspapers and magazines from Newspapers Direct (1,100 to be precise).
- The wireless access is claimed to be worldwide (from NY Times) -
It contains a 3G Gobi radio from Qualcomm, the wireless component manufacturer, which will allow iRex owners to buy books wirelessly when they travel abroad.
- The Internet access will be free, as on the Kindle.
- There is PDF and ePub Support. Also support for Fictionwise.
- Apparently iRex tried to get the Barnes & Noble brand on its eReaders i.e. sell them as B&N eReaders and B&N didn’t agree. Perhaps Barnes & Noble have their own eReader in the works.
- iRex is claiming a color version will be available in 2011.
- Touchscreen with stylus.
- Changeable Font Sizes and changeable margins.
- You can switch between landscape and portrait orientation.
- 2 GB of storage.
- Verizon haven’t made a call on releasing a subsidized version of the iRex DR800.
- Not clear whether the leather cover is included in the price.
- Claim faster page turns than Kindle and Sony Reader.
- The iRex DR 800 SG will launch in Europe in the first half of 2010.
Overall, it’s a very solid product offering, and it’s strange that iRex actually beat Sony in getting a wireless store enabled eReader out. The addition of the free Internet Access is a big win.
iRex got everything except the pricing and branding right.
iRex DR800 SG price is a big stumbling block.
$399 – Seriously?
Now that we have $149 and $219 refurbished kindles and $199 sony readers, a $399 price point is way too high.
An unknown brand has to compete on price, and at $399, the DR800 SG isn’t doing that at all.
Sony and Amazon’s brand recognition gives them the upper hand on iRex DR800 SG.
While the iRex DR800 is comparable on features and functionality with the forthcoming Sony Reader Daily Edition and the current Kindle DX, it has no brand recognition.
What would customers trust more? Definitely not the iRex.
You could make the case that each has its big advantages i.e.
- Kindle DX’s big advantage is its bigger screen and the better range of ebooks in the Kindle Store.
- Sony Daily Edition’s big advantage is the Library Finder feature and Touch-screen feature.
- iRex DR800 SG has the free Internet Access, wireless store, 8.1″ touch-screen.
However, when you’re looking at the $399 to $489 price range, customers will always prefer a brand they know and trust.
Best Buy is adding space to display eReaders to 1,048 of its stores. The eReaders exhibited will include Sony Readers and the iRex DR800SG.
Imagine a customer looking at all these devices and wondering -
Do I get the $399 Reader Daily Edition from Sony OR Do I get the $399 iRex DR800 SG eReader from some company I have never heard of?
Filed under: eBook Reader Devices, news Tagged: | irex dr 800
Valid points on name recognition, but if the irex offers a better reading experience than the sony that could tip the scales. It will have a larger display than the Daily Reader and if they use the same display as the iLiad it will look better than the Daily Reader in a side by side comparison provided they’re using a non-resistive touch screen technology. The big wild card that won’t be readily apparent in the store is battery life. Definitely not the strong point of the iRex products and a great strong point for Sony.
The thing about name recognition is that (for me), it’s not about electronics. If I wanted to buy a television then Sony immediately comes to mind as they’ve been in that business for years. However, I’m more interested in how I will continue to get books, and whether the manufacturer understands readers.
Sony’s design for their readers puts the second concern in doubt, and iRex scares me on both accounts. I ultimately bought a Kindle because I trust Amazon to understand readers, and to continue to support the product for many, many years.
Have you read any of the negative reviews posted on Amazon regarding new Kindle DX screen malfunction or broken a few days after purchase?
Amazon refuses to stand by their product, refund, replace or repair at Amazon’s expense. Also I understand that the Kindle does handle PDF files in a limited way and at an additional expense.
Carl, there is no additional expense for PDFs for the kindle dx.
For the kindle you can convert yoruself or via amazon for free or if you want it delivered wirelessly for 15 cents per MB.
Screen malfunction is covered under the warranty.
Broken screens are not.
> “free Internet Access”
I need to say that this is not equivalent to the Kindle’s free internet access, since the Kindle’s (as I wrote last night), is direct-access to the entire net, albeit slow except on mobile-optimized sites, while both iRex and Sony are offering only unlimited access direct to their stores and nowhere else.
For iRex the stores include B&N and Newspapers–Direct,
For me, the most impressive feature -over- the Kindle is that the periodicals (1,100+) will be in the kind of layout people expect or hope for, rather than the DOS Text version the Kindle sells.
The stylus probably won’t even be enabled to write notes to books because that feature costs an extra $100 on top of the $989 10″ model that iRex sells (DR1000s).
Very iffy size too.
I’m with you 100% on name recognition and am shuddering when thinking of customer support due to what has not been seen as sterling support in the past.
I just saw that PC World got interesting quotes from someone at iRex re the stylus and notes taking:
“He added that while the device is ready for electronic ink based note taking, the application that enables the function wasn’t quite ready but would be added later as a free update.”
[...] eBooks. Engadget gets its hands on an iRex DR800SG and is not impressed. Other smart commentary here and here. Meanwhile, Amazon announces the winner of its Your Amazon Ad Contest. Click here to watch [...]
From what I read on engaget reagarding the 800SG they are either impressed or unsure. I never got the impression of disappointment that Brad seems to have inferred. I have never heard of Irex before about 2 weeks ago, but I an very very seriously considering their reader for my first ereader. You can’t even compare the nook to the 800SG they are on totally different levels and I believe aimed at different users. I really like the nook as well and think it has lots of great features, but to compare the two is like apples to pears (close, but no the same). The Sony Daily Edition is also very intriguing, but approaches the same problem with a different solution (touchscreen) At this point in the technology you can’t have it all (touchscreen and no glare without a non “touch” screen)
I plan on reading a lot of ebook pdf’s so I was planning to buy the Kindle DX for its big screen. That is until I saw all the negative reviews on Amazon about the screens easily breaking and Amazon’s poor customer service (charging $250 for a replacement). It also seems a bit too big to be practical, must be held with 2 hands, is heavy and hard to carry around (never mind the fragility). The DR 800 SG seems like the perfect size for viewing large documents comfortably and with good portability. Add to that the ability to get books from just about anywhere makes it a no-brainer for me
IREX should fix the name tho.