November 25th, 2009

Amazon Kindle 2.3 version update available now

Posted by Rachel King @ 8:15 am

Categories: Amazon Kindle, E-book Readers

Tags: Adobe PDF, Amazon.com Inc., Amazon Kindle, Rachel King

Amazon has just released a software update for 2nd generation and DX Kindles. First-gen owners are out of luck.

The 2.3 version update goodies for U.S. and international wireless eReaders include an 85% increase in battery life (that’s about up to two weeks from just one), manual screen rotation from portrait to landscape, the availability to convert PDF files to the Kindle format, and a built-in PDF reader.

For DX models, specifically, will also get the option to convert PDF files to Kindle files and an extended wait time before the screensaver kicks in (from 5 up to 20 minutes now).

If you are a proud owner, you can download and install the update via USB. For the upgrade files and more detailed instructions, visit Amazon’s specific FAQ page on version 2.3.

November 18th, 2009

Sony Reader Daily Edition available for pre-order now; unclear when you'll get it

Posted by Rachel King @ 9:34 am

Categories: E-book Readers, Sony Reader

Tags: Sony Corp., eReader, Sony Reader, Pre-orders, E-books, Personal Technology, Rachel King

In case you were hoping for one, don’t count on getting a Sony Reader Daily Edition by Christmas. Pre-orders are one thing; shipping seems to be on a different page.

Read the rest of this entry »

November 17th, 2009

Barnes & Noble Nook to make debut November 30?

Posted by Rachel King @ 6:26 am

Categories: E-book Readers

Tags: Barnes & Noble Inc., E-books, Sales Strategy, Personal Technology, Sales, Rachel King

It’s not definite yet, but several tech sites are reporting that the Barnes & Noble e-book reader, Nook, could start shipping as early as November 30. A release during the biggest shopping time of the year is sure to throw the eReader market into a frenzy.

PC World still thinks that we won’t see one in stores or available online until December 18. But I4U (via Computer World) is reporting that there are signs with a sooner release date popping up in stores. Has anyone seen one? If the product is ready-to-go, earlier shipments would be in B&N’s favor, giving customers more of a chance to purchase and ship/receive one before December 25. But with the same price as Amazon’s Kindle ($260), sales could go straight down the middle.

Would an earlier release date change your purchase plans?

November 10th, 2009

Intel Reader combines camera and text-to-speech functions

Posted by Rachel King @ 7:37 am

Categories: E-book Readers, Intel

Tags: Camera, Intel Corp., Vertical Industries, Benefits, Human Resources, Rachel King

Intel is giving gadgets another go with the debut of their portable text-to-speech reader, the Intel Reader. But do not confuse this for an e-book reader alternative. Read the rest of this entry »

November 4th, 2009

Hands-on photos of Spring Design's Alex Android-based e-reader appear

Posted by Andrew Nusca @ 2:00 pm

Categories: E-book Readers

Tags: E-reader, E-paper, Battery, Photograph, Alex, Engineering, 3G, Cellular Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology

Spring Design announced its Alex e-book reader just a day before Barnes & Noble introduced its Nook device, but until now, the Google Android-based device hasn’t been seen in public.

That’s no longer the case.

Read the rest of this entry »

November 3rd, 2009

New Marvell e-book reader platform promises faster product, lower price tag

Posted by Rachel King @ 6:27 am

Categories: E-book Readers

Tags: E-reader, Marvell, E-book Reader, Chip, Rachel King

Everyone wants in on the e-book reader market now. Chip manufacturer Marvell announced plans this morning to team up with E Ink, a major supplier of electronic paper display (EPD) technologies. With the new Marvell ARMADA 166E chip, the companies are aiming to release a model under $200.

Read the rest of this entry »

October 28th, 2009

E-book reader news and releases round-up

Posted by Rachel King @ 5:57 am

Categories: Amazon Kindle, E-book Readers, Sony Reader

Tags: Amazon.com Inc., E-book Reader, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Inc., E-books, Wireless And Mobility, Personal Technology, Rachel King

The last two weeks have been especially busy for the e-book reader industry (and probably pretty frightening for Amazon). Here’s a quick round-up of what’s been released and what we have to look forward to this holiday season:

1. Barnes & Noble Nook: The Nook has gained the most buzz lately, especially after some of the e-reader’s details were released by the Wall Street Journal the night before. With a price tag set at $260, some e-book lending abilities and running on the Google Android OS, BN.com’s Nook will surely provide some competition to Amazon. Furthermore, users will have availability to more than one million e-books online, twice that of what is available on Amazon.com. Also, after a bit of confusion over where exactly the Nook could access Wi-Fi (previously thought only in B&N stores after a mistake at a press conference last week), the Nook can work on Wi-Fi networks in stores and at home for downloading books. Read the rest of this entry »

October 22nd, 2009

Amazon introduces Kindle for Windows 7, Vista, XP PCs

Posted by Andrew Nusca @ 9:24 am

Categories: Amazon Kindle, E-book Readers

Tags: PC, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows Vista, Amazon.com Inc., Amazon Kindle, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows, Desktops, Operating Systems, Software

Amazon announced on Thursday its “Kindle for PC,” a free application that lets users read e-books on their PCs.

The software makes it easier for a tablet PC to double as an e-reader that’s compatible with Amazon’s Kindle store and its 360,000-some books.

Like its namesake e-reader device, Kindle for PC uses Amazon’s Whispersync tech to automatically save and synchronize bookmarks and last page read across devices. (Kindle books can now be read on the Kindle, Kindle DX, iPhone, iPod touch and PC.)

Here’s the feature set, in Amazon’s own words:

• Purchase, download, and read hundreds of thousands of books available in the Kindle Store
• Access their entire library of previously purchased Kindle books stored on Amazon’s servers for free
• Choose from over 10 different font sizes and adjust words per line
• Add and automatically synchronize bookmarks and last page read
• View notes and highlights marked on Kindle and Kindle DX
• Zoom in and out of text with a pinch of the fingers (Windows 7 users only)
• Turn pages with a finger swipe (available in a future release for Windows 7 users)

Microsoft demonstrated Kindle for PC for the first time at the Windows 7 launch event today in New York. Obviously, the reader goes hand in hand with that operating system’s new multitouch capabilities.

Kindle for PC will also be compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista. It will be available worldwide as a free download next month.

October 20th, 2009

Barnes and Noble e-book reader 'Nook' to be unveiled today

Posted by Rachel King @ 6:36 am

Categories: E-book Readers

Tags: E-book Reader, Barnes & Noble Inc., E-books, Personal Technology, Rachel King

It may seem like overkill at this point, but Barnes & Noble is releasing their own e-book reader today: the Nook, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Although an official event and annoucement is scheduled for later today, most of the important information has already been leaked. Like Spring Design’s Alex, it will run on Google Android OS. While it’s roughly the same price as Amazon’s Kindle, it’s not really cheap, with a reported price tag of $259. But with some extra assets like a color touchscreen and e-book lending abilities, I find it a bit more of a deal. Amazon should start planning a major holiday bargain if they want to continue their control of the e-book reader market this winter.

October 19th, 2009

Spring Design debuts Google Android-based e-book reader, Alex

Posted by Rachel King @ 9:53 am

Categories: E-book Readers

Tags: E-reader, Google Inc., Google Android, E-book Reader, E-books, Mobile Operating Systems, Smart Phones, Personal Technology, Consumer Electronics, rking

Meet Alex, the new Google Android OS-based e-book reader from Spring Design. Only one day before Barnes & Noble releases their e-reader and on the same day as the Que release, the Bay Area-based is trying to steal the thunder with its dual-screen, 6-inch Electronic Paper Display (EPD) gadget. Read the rest of this entry »