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New E-readers Set to Take Stage As NewspaperDirect Readies Support
Source: Newspapers & Technology, October 2008
The number of electronic readers grew by two last month as a pair of companies provided sneak peaks of their devices. The first, Readius, was developed by Netherlands-based Polymer Vision, which previewed the pocket-sized reader at the Ifra International e-reading conference in Paris. The foldable device uses E Ink's Vizplex electrophoretic imaging film, the same material used by Amazon.com's Kindle e-reader.
SmartEditions on Tap
Readius weighs 4 ounces, expands to a 5-inch black-and-white display and sports a resolution of 320 by 240 pixels.
Polymer Vision and Plastic Logic both previewed electronic readers last month. NewspaperDirect adapted its PressDisplay application to allow subscribers to read its electronic editions on Readius. Photos: NewspaperDirect, Plastic Logic.
Polymer said the device supports HTML, PDF and ASCII files and includes integration with several other applications that span an RSS reader, e-mail, audio player and image viewer. The device also acts as a cell phone and can double as a USB storage device.
NewspaperDirect adapted its PressDisplay app to enable its SmartEdition publications to be read on the Readius device.
"With the first release the SmartEditions will be in black and white and display news stories and advertising consistent with the print version," said Igor Smirnoff, Newspaper Direct's director of strategic development. "The navigation will be made easy so users will be able to see the menu and jump to different sections."
The NewspaperDirect Press Reader application was further adapted so that Readius users will be able to update newspaper editions via 3G mobile networks or sync up through a computer via USB port connection.
"We have written special software that synchronized the editions so if you want to read The Washington Post, New York Post or Los Angeles Times the latest edition will be automatically updated as part of your subscription," said Smirnoff.
It comes with 128 megabytes of RAM with 256 megabytes of internal storage and can handle high-capacity graphic cards, the company said.
Polymer Vision said Readius will be commercially released first in Italy, in cooperation with the Italian phone operator Telecom Italia. Pricing information hasn't been released.
Plastic Fantastic
Meantime, Plastic Logic Ltd. previewed its 8.5-by-11-inch thin e-reader device that the Mountain View, California, company contends can store thousands of documents on a plastic — as opposed to glass — display.
The reader, slated to be released in 2009, supports Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Adobe PDF files as well electronic newspapers and other e-publications, said Richard Archuleta, chief executive officer.
"Plastic Logic is really innovating on two fronts that represent major market opportunities," he said. "We have created fundamentally advanced plastic electronics technology, enabling us to develop reading devices that will transform the way we publish, distribute and consume content."
The reader incorporates E Ink technology in conjunction with high-resolution transistor arrays on plastic substrates.
Plastic Logic opened a factory in Dresden, Germany, to manufacture the displays. Pricing for the device will be announced early next year, the company said.
By Marcelo Duran
Associate Editor
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