AN ‘e’asy read

Source: Exec Digital USA

Date :11/3/2008 11:51:48 AM

The e-book reader market has been flooded with devices varying in size, cost and colour. Exec reviews three of the best

Written by Ellie Duncan

The growth of digital publishing this year has been phenomenal. A May report on the digital editions sector by analysts Gilbane recorded a 250 percent growth rate – a figure that is due to rise even further.

While some have been reluctant to embrace the electronic boom, others have welcomed it with open arms, hailing the readers as revolutionary. Sony’s Reader has already created quite a stir and rival Amazon’s Kindle is set to launch in the UK soon, while sales of e-books are set to double.

It can be argued that e-book readers are a long way from replacing the enjoyment of a hardback or paperback novel, but businesses have found a use for them in the boardroom as an alternative to reams of paper documents. As e-book readers vie to become the iPod of the literary world, the competition should hot up.

Sony Reader PRS-505

The Sony Reader is one of the cheaper devices on the market but no less sleek and user-friendly for it. Available in silver, dark blue and sangria red, Sony’s addition to the e-book reader market has proved popular and also retails on Waterstones.com and in selected Waterstones stores.

Weighing a mere nine ounces and with a six inch display, the Reader utilizes E Ink technology to create a paper-like screen. Though slightly larger than the JetBook, it can still be held easily in one hand. It will hold approximately 160 eBooks in its internal memory and hundreds more with optional removable memory cards. The PRS-505 is definitely more visually pleasing than some of its rivals and its affiliation with the popular high street bookstore means it appeals to a wider, less tech-savvy market.

PRICE: US$299.99

www.sony-style.co.uk

ECTACO JetBook

The Ectaco JetBook reader is a travel-friendly device, suitable for the international executive. Weighing just seven ounces, the super-slim reader incorporates a five inch, high resolution display. Not only does it come with a built-in mp3 player so that users can listen to audiobooks, but it is preloaded with translating dictionaries. Bidirectional dictionaries for certain European languages are also available on the JetBook.

The device is fully compatible with both Mac and Windows-based PCs, so it can be used while on the move or back at your desk. It also comes in a range of highly desirable colours, such as graphite, burgundy, white and grey, making it one of the more stylish readers on the market. It certainly stands out as the most compact of its main rivals – the Sony Reader and Amazon Kindle – although it can still hold a library of more than 10,000 titles.

price: US$349.95

www.jetbook.net

Amazon Kindle

Amazon’s e-book reader offering is the Kindle, which boasts its own wireless delivery system, Whispernet. Its popularity has prompted stronger-than-expected sales and seen shares in the online retailer soar. Its wireless connectivity ability enables users to shop the Kindle Store directly from the device. The e-book is then auto-delivered in less than one minute, utilizing the same high-speed data network as advanced cell phones.

More than 170,000 books are available on the Kindle Store, while the reader itself can hold over 200 titles. On the surface, it is more cumbersome than other models and it weighs in at a bulky 10.3 ounces. However, its simplicity lies in the technology it adopts which means that, unlike the rest of the e-book readers, it requires no computer, no cables and no synching.

PRICE: US$359.00

www.amazon.com