Acer has unveiled big plans for this year which includes ebook readers, netbooks running on Google’s new Chrome OS, an appstore for its devices and also potentially, a tablet device running on either Microsoft or Google software. More details were unveiled by Jim Wong, Acer’s president of IT Products.
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Ina Fried from CNET has just done a hands-on review of the Entourage Edge. A controlled demonstration by the device’s developers can never compare to such a review, so we were naturally excited to watch it. The device has two displays – one of them is a 9.7″ E-Ink display, and the other a 10″ LCD hybrid with Wi-Fi support.
In the video, we can see the Android OS working on the resistive touchscreen display and being used for browsing the Internet and launching applications. On the other side, there’s the E-Ink display which can read EPUB and PDF files, and also allow you to take notes and manipulate the text with the stylus included with the device.
There’s also the possibility to move content between the two displays, as well as record audio (with two microphones, actually – one used for recording and one for noise cancellation).
The device still has bugs and it “feels like a first-generation product” according to the review though. It’s expected to launch in February at the price of $490 – and we can’t wait to see it in action.
[ Via Engadget ]
Ebook reader seems to be the next big thing in gadgets with everyone from startups to giants want to get a piece of the pie. While it remains to be seen whether the ebook reader market will grow to the extent these companies are expecting it to be, it hasn’t stopped BenQ from being the latest contender in the market.
BenQ has just announced their entry with their nReader device which will debut in Taiwan in January along with an online ebook store. The ebook reader device will later go on sale in Japan and China. The ebook readers currently in the market are the extremely expensive Amazon Kindle and Sony’s Reader series. Many others will be launching e-reader devices the coming year, at around the $150 price level.
It seems to be raining e-readers. Joining the onslaught is Sony, by hitting stores with its new Sony Reader Pocket Edition (PRS-300). You can pick one now for a price of $199.
