Barnes & Noble e-reader rumored to be merging of Kindle, iPhone
New information and photos of the device were provided to Gizmodo, which revealed that a majority of the device will have a traditional e-ink display, much like the Amazon Kindle, which provides superior battery life. It will be a 6-inch screen with an 800x600 pixel resolution.
But the bottom portion of the device will have an LCD color display sporting multi-touch technology. It will be used to browse through and select books in a manner described to be like Apple's own coverflow. The second screen is 480x144 pixels with a 150dpi resolution.
"The choice of two different screens (and techs) on one device serves to overcome the shortcomings in e-ink, which lacks of richness and interactivity; and LCD's eyestrain and battery drain," the report said. "(The LCD will remain inactive while books are being read.) Contrast this with the Kindle which uses the e-ink display to emulate a slow menu system and requires a physical keyboard for searching. Likewise, Sony's e-ink readers with touchscreens layers have reduced visibility."
The purported hardware has only a handful of buttons for flipping pages, searching, purchasing books, and connecting to social networking sites. The new device is believed to have a lending feature that will allow friends to share books and post excerpts to sites like Facebook and Twitter. "But that may be cut before launch," Gizmodo said.
The alleged new Barnes & Noble reader. Credit Gizmodo.
Like the Amazon Kindle, the device is also expected to have connectivity with a cellular data network for the purchase and download of books on the go. The price is also expected to be less than that of the Kindle, with losses recouped through the sale of books.
The yet-unnamed device allegedly had an internal name that was reportedly "terrible," but may change before it is announced.
This week, Barnes & Noble invited members of the press to an Oct. 20 announcement in New York. In its invitation, the retailer touted that it will be "a major event in our company's history." Previously, rumors had persisted that the book store would be selling its own branded e-reader hardware, designed by Plastic Logic.
Apple is rumored to be working on its own tablet device, which sources have told AppleInsider will debut in the first quarter of 2010. Recent reports have suggested Apple is looking to portray the device, at least in part, as an e-reader.
The hardware maker has allegedly contacted publications such as The New York Times and publishers like McGraw Hill and Oberlin Press about making their content available in an upcoming device. And a group led by Time Inc. hopes to create a digital store for magazines to allow them to sell their content on Apple's long-rumored tablet.
81 Comments
Looking forward to seeing the apple tablet,
if apple changes the macbook air into a tablet that would be interesting and fitting to the name
Mmmmhhh, Fictionwise was acquired by B&N so they have a good amount of books.
Now I have an iLiad but I would trade the 8" of the iLiad for this ereader.
No tablet can deliver the same experience of an e-ink reader.
Book seller Barnes & Noble is expected to announce its own e-reader next week, and a new report states the device will sport both black-and-white e-ink and a multi-touch, iPhone-like color display. ...
This indicates to me that the biggest problem with larger iPhone-lke products, is battery life and power. Otherwise why go to the trouble of including the e-ink portion at all? It seems logical therefore, that if Apple does release a tablet/eReader and gets sufficient battery life out of it, that this product may already be a loser.
People always trot out that nugget about "LCD eyestrain" also but I've never seen anyone quote an actual study on it nor ever heard of a proper scientific study being done. As an avid reader, an owner of tens of thousands of books and an avid device enthusiast that has used most pocket readers that have ever been on the market in North America, I don't personally believe it's anything more than a myth.
Eyestrain is eyestrain, you get it if you use your eyes too much and as far as I have ever experienced, it's the same for paper as it is for LCD screens.
This indicates to me that the biggest problem with larger iPhone-lke products, is battery life and power. Otherwise why go to the trouble of including the e-ink portion at all? It seems logical therefore, that if Apple does release a tablet/eReader and gets sufficient battery life out of it, that this product may already be a loser.
People always trot out that nugget about "LCD eyestrain" also but I've never seen anyone quote an actual study on it nor ever heard of a proper scientific study being done. As an avid reader, an owner of tens of thousands of books and an avid device enthusiast that has used most pocket readers that have ever been on the market in North America, I don't personally believe it's anything more than a myth.
Eyestrain is eyestrain, you get it if you use your eyes too much and as far as I have ever experienced, it's the same for paper as it is for LCD screens.
e-ink also is reflective, rather than emitive so it can be read in direct sunlight. A huge advantage, I think.
So, we now get Barnes and Noble news too? This isn't about Apple!
Glad to see more e-ink devices, and more competition for the Kindle. Don't know how I feel about the LCD in this device though. Sounds like a screen just for the UI instead of a UI built for the screen.