Pulse On Tech-Digital Reader News

The dual-screened Microsoft tablet device that may or may not be called the Courier has been a closely guarded secret for a few months now, but more tidbits of info are leaking out. 

Robbie Tach, Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices prez said during an early-year interview that an earlier video did in fact come out of Microsoft but he declined to elaborated about the device’s development.

The Courier is a 5″ x 7″ (roughly) device when closed and it will run a version of Windows CE operating system.  It seems, according to rules, that the interface will be focused around drawing and writing with handwriting recognition on board.  The so-called Courier will also come equipped with a camera and headphone jack. Rumors contradict one another regarding release date for the Courier-some say it will come out the second part of 2010 but others say don’t expect it until 2011. Nothing to do but wonder and wait and see.

It seems from this point in time at least, that the Courier is Microsoft’s entry into the ebook reader arena. We know nothing about file formats supported, but judging by the photos and what is known, this could be a revolutionary product that is focused on college students and business professionals. It appears from photos (and videos) swirling around that both screens support color. While we do not know the price nor detailed specs of the Courier, it is fairly safe to assume that this smaller and more portable appearing  ‘booklet’ could give the iPad a run for it’s money.

We will keep an eye out for any breaking news regarding Microsoft’s closely guarded secret and let you know right away of what we discover.

With the promise of spring just around the corner, I have decided to give the site a bit of a spring cleaning. I was not that fond of the old theme so had a look around and with a friend’s help, found this.
I think it’s easier on the eyes as well as fresh and clean. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Now, onto something else.
I recently purchased a iPod Touch. It was a second-hand device that I could not resist buying due to the low price. It’s a generation 1 model but yesterday I upgraded it to the 3.1.3 version so now it is much more capable and running the same version as the latest generations of iPhones and iPod Touch devices. The upgrade cost just over $5 so it was well worth it. Now I can choose from thousands of free applications such as a currency and metric converter and the local TV guide for free.

The reason I bought the iPod Touch was that I had become intrigued when I read that many people who are thinking of buying ebook readers already are reading books on their iPod Touch devices as well as on their iPhones . I had visited a book forum a few weeks ago wherein a woman was singing the praises of the reading ability her iPod gave her and how she loved reading from it on her daily commute to work.

You see, you can download (for free) an application called Stanza which allows you to read books on the 3 inch LCD screen. Now, I must admit, I also became very interested in the Touch for other reasons as well. It is a pocket sized computer that browses the web for free using a WiFi connection. I liked the idea of having the web in my pocket whenever I wished to go online and liked too the many applications the little gadget offered. I have had it for about ten days so far and am loving it! Web pages load in mere seconds and the browsing experience is really very impressive.

I took the Stanza download late last night and then briefly looked through the vast selection of free books available and chose a classic just to see how it loaded and read. Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ took about 3 seconds to download completely on the iPod Touch and the text is as clear as a bell! I found that I can easily adjust the text size by ‘pinching’ the screen with my fingers if I wished and by simply turning the device, I can view the pages in landscape mode. To turn a page, you simply swipe your finger across the screen and the corners of the ‘pages’ are shown as you flip to the next page. The page turns themselves are blazing fast too-I was really quite surprised and delighted at the same time.

I have included a photo here that I snapped of a page view from the Oscar Wilde book. The iPod Touch certainly can handle books and now I understand why some people are thrilled with this feature. Of course the LCD screen is small, but the device does indeed serve as an ebook reader! Pretty neat!

Things are rather quiet right now in the ebook reader market as consumers are seemingly waiting for the next wave of digital readers to hit the market.  There are a few less expensive ebook readers due out any time now and I know that many are  anticipating the release of the Asus ereaders.   Since things are a bit slow, I thought I’d write a few lines about this inexpensive tablet that has caught my eye.

If you like a tablet format and want a device with built-in WiFi and a 7-inch touchscreen that browses the internet and that can serve as a reader as well,  the inexpensive Mini Hal may be a good travel companion for you.

With a 600Hz processor running on Ocean Android, the iLet Mini Hal offers you web browsing on the 800×480 resolution screen.   The claimed 16 hour battery life is pretty impressive.  If you wish to load Hal with Windows CE, you can do so for an additional $25.  There is a provided SD card slot and you can even add a 3G dongle to the USB port if you wish.

The iLet Mini Hal sells for $199 and orders made now on the Haleron website will ship out on the 19th of March.  The Mini Hal supports MP3/Audio format, AVI, Motion JPEG/Video, word docs, excel, powerpoint, youtube, games, ePub and html ebook formats. The Mini Hal is available in both white and black (case cover).

The price of the Haleron iLet Mini Hal should turn more than a few heads due to the tablet format and the low cost. It seems likely that the release date was carefully planned so that it precedes the iPad by Apple.  Of course, it goes without saying that Apple is  well, Apple, and known the world over for its outstanding innovations and cutting edge technologies.  This small tablet is certainly not  going to hurt Apple in any way, shape or form, but it may make some undecided iPad consumers decide to go with a cheaper device.

I would guess that Hal (seems a bit odd and kind of funny to call a device Hal) may cause Sony, HP, Dell and Samsung to sit up and take notice. I can see this device being purchased by average people who want a tablet PC but are not all that concerned with specs and ratings.   Of course, we have to see how the iLet Mini Hal performs and what consumers have to say about it once it has been out for a while.

The company that offers the Hal is Haleron Technologies which is not exactly a household word. Haleron has recently introduced some impressive netbooks. The Haleron Swordfish Mini is a 7 inch ’smartbook computer’ that sells for just $149.

So, what do you think?  Do you think the Mini Hal will do well? It is certainly interesting, looks good and sounds capable enough considering the rather low price tag. Stay tuned as we follow the developments.

Pulse On Tech-Digital Reader News was taken offline a couple of days ago and at the time, the reason was a complete mystery. After much anguish, discussion, and trying to find where to go for help, I ended up at one of my favorite webmaster forums and employed the help of one of the long-term forum members there.

This nice man who runs ultramatics.net took on the chore of finding out what knocked us off the web. I spent several hours in chat with him as he went through the files in search of the culprit. Finally, he managed to discover a hidden virus that was embedded in the coding. He then proceeded to piece the puzzle back together again in order to bring the blog back up on its feet and return it to cyber space where it belongs.   So, with a sigh of relief, we are back in action and ready to once again, to bring you the latest ebook reader news!

In case you missed seeing the news coverage of one of the most talked about ebook readers at the CES this year, we are reviewing a new and much anticipated ereader expected to hit the open market soon.

California based Spring Design has developed an ebook reader called the ‘Alex’ which offers users dual screens. The Alex Duet Navigator browser brings the world wide web to your fingertips in living color. The 3.5″ LCD screen is located on the bottom third of the ereader that allows you to browse the net, watch videos and view photos. When you’re done on the web, simply switch to the top 6″  EPD screen (with adjustable text sizes) to read the printed pages of the books you have downloaded to the device.

The Spring Design Alex operates on Google’s Android open operating system and makes use of a very responsive on-screen keyboard that lets you quickly update your status on Facebook and Twitter.  On board too is an MP3 media player and speakers for sharing your music with friends.  When you want to listen to your favorite songs in solitude, simply plug earphones into the provided jack and listen away.

The Alex will be sold online beginning in early March of 2010 at the Spring Design web store.  It is expected to sell for $359.  The folks at Spring Design claimed late last year that Barnes and Noble stole their idea for a dual-screen e-reader with their very similarly designed Nook and proceeded legal action against B & N.  Spring Design says too that it was working with Barnes and Noble confidentially since the spring of 2009 but that the book giant ’stole’ the idea to make the Nook.

But let’s set aside the legal haggling and look a bit closer at the Alex. It offers both 3G and WiFi connectivity and brings a new feature to the ebook market that Spring Design refers to as “‘hyperlinking text with multimedia”.  Users are able to create their own images and notes using LinkNotes-Alex’s multimedia authoring tool. You can do some highlighting, use your own voice to record comments or add hyperlinks. A marker will give you a reminder that more related information can found on the EPD screen. Very innovative and interesting!

The Alex is really a very remarkable ereader and it looks amazing. The few lucky individuals at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas who got to play with it said that it was very responsive and fun to use.  I’d say that this is the device that will directly compete with the Apple iPad as opposed to the black and white Kindle.

It will be interesting to see how well the Alex ereader does here in the next few weeks and months. I look forward to seeing one in ‘real life’ and giving it a whirl!

-C Rupp

Taiwan based Acer reported yesterday that the company will not be releasing an ebook reader  “for now”. Wasn’t it just a few short weeks ago that Acer chairman Wang Jeng-tang announced that his company was entering the e-reader arena?  It was indeed.

Now it seems that those plans are being set aside. Perhaps Acer realized that they had to come out with something remarkable and different in order to draw buyers in the ever-growing ereader market.  This means that all you Acer fans out there, myself included, will have to wait and see if they change their minds and decide later to go ahead with their  plans.

If you recall, Acer was going to target the European, Asian and Pacific Rim markets with a 6 inch ebook reader with a monochrome screen. They had also said that they would offer an app store for downloading software and ebooks but apparently these plans  have been put into the proverbial ‘File 13 as well.

Acer enthusiasts can still look forward to the new ultra-thin laptops coming out this year that are less than .7 inches (2 cm) thick.  Acer said earlier in the month that while they can certainly make a tablet device to compete with the iPad, that a tablet just does not fit into the company’s business model.  Go figure. Instead the ultra-thin laptops are what Acer believes will peak the most interest. Acer expects the thin laptops to account for 30% of their sales this year.

South Korea’s third largest producer of electronics and telecommunications products, LG- has announced that it will be releasing some sort of an ereader that will directly compete against Apple and Amazon.  KW Him, LG’s Middle East and Africa Operations head says that the product may hit the marketplace as early as April 2010. He failed to release any details, photos or specs which is a bit strange when you make a bold statement such as his, but at minimum we can safely guess that it will be some sort of an electronic reader.  Whether the new LG device will be more of a tablet than a traditional ebook reader is anyone’s guess at this point.

LG is one of the world’s top display manufacturers so it is likely that it is using its extensive research of e-paper and other screen technologies to develop an innovative product. We know that LG has been working on a solar powered digital reader as well as a flexible screen ereader that sports color so the company is certainly going to give us something impressive.

So for now, we can only wait and wonder. The vagueness of Him’s announcement is intriguing and maybe the timing will be perfect considering we are now waiting for some other highly anticipated ebook readers to make their grand entrance such as the Asus ereaders that are supposed to be highly capable and low priced.

I happen to have access to a BeBook One reader. It belongs to my best friend so I have had the pleasure of using it on more than occasion.  This is one digital reader that has not gotten so much press, at least compared to the Kindle, and I think it deserves a bit of attention.

The first time I picked up the BeBook One while it was still in its smart leather case with the magnet snap closure, I was struck by how nice and solid it felt.  I got the immediate impression that it ‘felt expensive’.  The One ereader sports a 6″ e-ink screen that is remarkably clear. Lettering,  graphs and sketches look remarkable and you are able to increase the font size to four different settings.  If you want that ‘book feel’ you can simply leave the One in the leather cover so that you can hold it like you would a book. If you are more comfortable holding just the device as you read you only need to release it from the cover.  It should be noted that none of the other top selling ereaders come with a free cover. As a matter of fact, you can expect to pay upwards of $30 to purchase one from the manufacturers.

The BeBook One offers fast page turns and up to 7000 before the battery needs a charge. It comes loaded with four free books and has room on its 512 MB memory for 1,000 books. Thanks to the SD card slot you are able to expand the memory up to 4GB which would allow you to carry your entire library consisting of thousands of books on this one,  thin device!

The BeBook One supports 23 file formats, making it the best in the industry. But what impresses me most about this device is the fact that it is able to support numerous languages. This is outstanding considering the fact that there are many non-US citizens in the world who want to purchase  ebook readers but are not sure which models to buy. This particular model came pre-set with a Swedish language menu because as I stated, it was sold as a promotion from one of Sweden’s largest book retailers.

If you are living outside the US, or if you live in America but still want an outstanding and great looking ebook reading device, be sure to consider the BeBook One. It’s got all of the features you would expect in a high quality reader.  I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a great reader.   The BeBook One just makes good sense!

-C Rupp

Buy the BeBook One Here

Using ebook readers in the classroom is something that certainly could become a reality and in many ways it makes perfect sense.

The ebook readers that are on the market today are lightweight, handheld devices. These electronic devices could be a great way to get otherwise reluctant readers interested in reading. Young people today are totally ‘plugged in’ with their cell phones, video games, ipods and other gadgets that they use on a daily basis. Offering students a cool, handheld device to use in the classroom may be a way to make learning fun. It could be a motivator to students to become more involved with their learning.

Kids today are growing up in an environment that is electronic-rich. They have access to computers at school, the library and at home. Even the youngest kids have cell phones these days. Ebook readers in the classroom could be great motivational tools in the sense that kids would want to do more with them because of the fact that they are electronic.

Kids are so immersed in technology that even young children know and understand technical terms such as WiFi and 3G-terminology many of us adults struggle to understand. Kids embrace technology and in today’s technology-driven society it should not surprise us all that much. It is alarming however knowing that many kids today rush home to get on their computers or to play the latest video games instead of hurrying outside to meet the neighborhood gang for a rousing game of kickball. Many children do not even know the other kids on their block and yes, this is sad, but this reality and up to the parents to deal with.

Nothing can compare to the wonderful feeling of holding a book in your hands and the smell of ink on paper when you’re deeply engrossed in a story. Marking the pages, signing your name inside the front cover and adding little tabs to mark the important sections are wonderful, small rituals and also ways for us to interact with the book and somehow with the mind of the author. At the deepest level, an electronic device could never replace the true reading experience.

Even though we love our books I think there is a place for electronic textbooks. The name Kindle for example means ‘to light a fire’. Imagine the potential the ebook reader has for students with disabilities or visual impairments. A text-to-speech feature that is included on a few models today could give students who are visually impaired access to the books that their sighted peers use. The social implications would be great-the ‘fitting in’ with classmates. Students with learning disabilities could benefit from the audio capabilities as well.

What do you think? Do you think there’s a place in the classroom for ebook readers?