When I started this blog late last year, there was news story after news story online talking about the latest ebook readers being unveiled.  It was an exciting time and I loved reading all about the latest ereaders that were being developed for production and then distribution.  But now that we’re halfway through 2010,  ebook reader  enthusiasts everywhere are left scratching their heads wondering what’s causing the lull.

At the January 2010 Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the ebook reader was all the rage. These devices were then, just a few short months ago, considered to be the biggest trend in technology.  At the CES, there was a wall of ebook readers on display all over the floor and company reps could be heard proudly boasting of their particular ereader as they allowed eager show attendees to give them a whirl.  The air was filled with electricity and the e-reading device was all the rage!

That was then and this is now. We were expecting a flood of ebook readers to hit the market. So what happened? Did the Apple iPad launch pull the plug on the promising ebook reader world?

One of the most exciting ebook readers many people have been (and still are) waiting for is the Que from Plastic Logic.  The slick, super-thin and light reader features a flexible touchscreen display which was certain to make this ereader stand out from the crowd. The Plastic Logic Que should have been in the consumer’s hands by now, but it’s has been delayed repeatedly.  The only thing we are being told now is that the Que will be available ’sometime this summer’. Hmmm.
Another ereader that stirred up a lot of excitement at the CES was the Skiff. This unique e-reader is also thin and flexible that boasts a 3G connection. The Skiff was supposed to be sold in Sprint stores.  Well, now News Corp. is purchasing the Skiff publishing platform and it seems that the Skiff e-reader is not a part of that deal and that Hearst is looking for a buyer.  So until (and if)  someone buys the device,  the Que is sitting on a shelf somewhere collecting dust.

These are just two examples of how e-readers are seemingly vanishing into thin air.  What exactly did happen between the Consumer Electronic Show and now?  Many people think it was the Apple iPad that happened and maybe they’re right and maybe they’re wrong. Or, it could be that consumers simply lost interest or that many people just were not all that willing to part with a couple hundred dollars for a new piece of technology.  I tend to think it’s a little bit of all of the above and that perhaps even the shaky economy played a role.  But who knows, really?

What do you think is causing the delays in production of dozens of ebook readers?