Asus to Launch Dual-Screen, Cheap Eee-reader
Asus is launching a dual-screen ereader that should be out before the end of the year. The best part? It's going to be cheaper and a whole lot cooler than the ereaders we're used to seeing.
Ereaders are becoming more and more popular with each month that goes by. However, with each new ereader comes a new feature or innovation that leaves folks wary of purchasing a device that could be obsolete in just a couple of months. This, coupled with the fact that ereaders are a relatively new product with a price point that has yet to stabalize, means there are plenty of people who are unwilling to pony up the cash for a Kindle or a Sony Reader.
Enter Asus' dual screen ereader with a price point that pleases. Predictably named the Eee Reader (admit it, you smiled a little), the device will open like a book but also give users the option of seeing the text on one screen while browsing a web page on the other. Even better, Times Online reports that one of the screens could act as a virtual keyboard, with the other acting as a screen, much like a laptop.
Asus told the Times Online that no one would pay big money for the device, though. "Our ethos is innovation — as our brand is less well known, we have to run faster than the competition to develop new types of products,” said Asus. “Any such product — including an ereader — has to have the right combination of functionality and price. No one is going to buy one for £1,000.”
So, how much are they asking for? Well, a UK spokesperson told the company that they're considering both an entry-level "budget" version as well as a premium version, with the former costing around £100 (roughly $165). Unfortunately it's not yet clear whether this price point would be for the kind of device described above or a more basic version, similar to the Kindle. The report indicates that the cheaper version is likely take on the competition on price rather than features.
How much would you pay for an ereader? Let us know in the comments below!
*Image via Times Online
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£100 sounds reasonable to me for an e(ee)reader, but the real question is what formats would it be limited to reading, and what format is going to win the format war.... until that question has been answered I ain't ponying up for one!
I just don't understand why these companies haven't realised what most customers have... until the format war is over any ereader you buy now stands a high chance of becoming a not very convincing doorstop in the next 6-xx months.
The key is the platform's extensibility.
For instance I imagine an ereader running Windows.
By the way, is there such a thing?
They shouldn't focus on software features, but on hardware features and acessibility. Having Windows running on it will make developers come up with fantastic features and support for different formats.
It doesn't necessarily have to just an ebook reader but a very slim mini-computer.
Why develop something very specific, just to read ebooks?
Really need a device running a generic operating system, which can then handle any format, thus negating the 'format wars' I'd love something to read both technical manuals / references (in PDF) and comics, and can connect to the internet, so I can use it with a bar code reader to do stock take at the end of the year.
This reader may suit, but if Apple actually came out with a 13-15" tablet, I'd have it in a second! For now. I'll keep reading with Stanza on the iPhone.
What I absultely DON'T want is some proprietry solution like the kindle or the Sony reader, and frankly, these tablets with the swivelling screen that folds down on a fixed keyboard are so old!
While in some ways I hate Apple (and use only Apples at home and work!) they are at least innovative with their new hardware.