Kindle Review – Kindle 3 Review, iPad Review

The rush into the eReader Market continues with two more companies drumming up their new eReaders (both 2010) -

BridgeStone Color eReader Prototype using QR-LPD

BridgeStone has a news release (translated by Google) with details on its new superhero eReader -

1. 13.1 inches pages (A4 size) refresh in 0.8 seconds.
2. However, they also mention 10.7 inches screen size and that might be the actual size.
3. Color with 4,096 colors. It looks impressive -
   

   QR-LPD means Color Bridgestone eReader

4. Touchscreen that supports handwriting.  
5. Ability to connect to mobile phones.
6. Focused on ebooks, newspapers and documents.
7. Kansai Urban Banking Corporation will start a trial in Spring 2010.

It certainly seems like color eReaders might go mainstream in 2010.

Liquavista wows with Prototype eInk that supports Video, Fast Refreshes

Engadget has the scoop on 3 new ePaper technologies from Liquavista –

The main focus seems to be on supporting video and faster screen refreshes. They also have a color eInk technology they’re working on (no release data indicated), and something called Vivid that comes out in 2010 or 2011. As opposed to electrophoretic displays (which is what eInk is) these are electrowetting displays and that allows for faster refresh speeds and video support.

MSI eReader with Tegra Chip

The MSI eReader is based on NVIDIA’s Tegra processor. Digitimes has the actual scoop –  

Micro-Star International (MSI) chairman Joseph Hsu revealed that the company is currently in development of an Nvidia Tegra-based e-book reader, but since the device still has some problems are waiting to be fixed, the company will wait until the first half of 2010 to announce further details.

 The Tegra series of chips have features that make you wonder why it’s used (these are for the lower powered chip) -

1. 720p HD video playback.
2. Low Power.
3. Ability to access visually intensive applications like mapping and gaming.

The use of Tegra hints at an eReader/Netbook hybrid, much like MSI’s netbook rival Asus. Electronista also arrives at the same conclusion.

Apple Slate rumors reappear - Apple ready to give Newspapers 70%

The Sydney Morning Herald thinks the Apple iReader/Slate might be out early next year, based on Apple talking with Australian media companies -

Apple is preparing to release a groundbreaking tablet computer in Australia and around the world early next year and has been in discussions with media companies …

 It will have a touch screen and be targeted at users who mainly want to surf the web, read books and newspapers or watch movies

While early next year definitely doesn’t gel with imminent Apple Slate, it does confirm that books and newspapers will be targeted.

What should be really interesting for newspapers is the Herald’s claim that Apple is offering newspapers 70% of revenue -

Apple’s model has been to give developers 70 per cent of the revenue and to keep a 30 per cent cut. It is expected a similar deal will be offered to media companies

Since Apple users pay their mobile carrier separately for network use, the bandwidth prices that drive Kindle subscription costs higher don’t apply.

Meanwhile, Peter Kafka at Media Memo claims that Bill Keller won’t confirm or deny the Apple Slate and that other news organizations aren’t privy to Apple Slate information (which obviously clashes with the Herald’s report).

Barnes & Noble to sell Plastic Logic Que eReader in stores, will only have demo Nooks in some stores

In a strange twist Barnes & Noble announced two news items that make little sense together -

Some B&N Stores will only have Demo Nooks

Paid Content confirms that only some BN stores will carry the Nook for on-the-spot sales.

That means at other stores users get to play around with a Nook and then wait for their Nook to be shipped to them. The Paid Content Article also includes a Q&A that dispels some myths i.e.

no browser, no Text To Speech, some publishers have opted out of LendMe or blacked out portions of their catalogs.

more favorable sharing of revenue with publishers – However, B&N will own the customer relationship.

No discount on Nook for B&N members. No Advertising initially beyond B&N’s in-store and online promotions.

Good to get confirmation on some of these ideas. Wonder what cut B&N will offer Publishers.

B&N Stores will sell Plastic Logic Que eReaders next year

While B&N won’t be selling Nook at all stores, they will be selling Plastic Logic’s Que.

The only conceivable reason B&N are doing this is that they feel the Que takes on the Kindle DX and not on the Nook. Nonetheless the fact that we might end up with Barnes and Noble stores that sell Ques and not Nooks is weird.  

ReadWriteWeb asks a valid question – Are B&N partnering with too many eReaders?

The answer would be yes. What’s worse than the confusion of choosing between Que, Nook, iRex?

There will actually be stores where you can get a Que or an iRex instantly – but for the Nook you have to wait to get it in the mail.