Sony Updates Electronic Book Reader
Sony unveiled the newest edition of its digital book reader, roughly a year after it launched the first version. It will go on sale later this month.
At a price of $299, it is about $50 cheaper than its predecessor. It will also come in two colors -- silver and dark blue -- and have better controls to browse through books.
While the first reader broke ground in crispness and clarity of display, the newer model has even better contrast, making for clearer images and text, and easier reading in bright sunshine.
The internal battery will last for approximately 7,500 pages, and the device includes magnification and landscape viewing capabilities. Formats other than Sony's proprietary reader files supported include PDF, RTF, text, and JPEG.
To get users started with their devices, Sony offers a credit to purchase about 100 different classic books at no charge. The store includes an additional 20,000 titles for purchase, the company said.
About 160 books could be stored on the device at any given time. ""The Reader can handle a stack of books and other documents that people would rather not carry," Digital Imaging and Audio senior vice president Steve Haber said.
If the user chooses, he or she could store additional books on a Memory Stick Duo or SD card, as the device includes an expansion slot. Additionally, the new Reader can be used as a mass storage device.
Sony said the device will be available through its Web site, and through authorized retailers including Borders when it is released.