IREX Coming to Barnes & Noble — e-Books Getting Hot, Hot, Hot!
We love e-books, and the whole space is heating up quite nicely. Amazon has everyone’s attention with the success of the Kindle, and Barnes & Noble is entering into competition with both feet. Our exclusive conversation with B&N a while back centered around the company’s commitment to the e-book space, and everything they are doing backs up that view. Dutch e-book reader maker IREX Technologies has announced a partnership with B&N to provide an electronic reader to sell in B&N stores and online this year. This reader will join the competing one from Plastic Logic that has also partnered with B&N to produce a reader.
The new IREX reader sounds interesting with the 8.1-inch touchscreen coupled with 3G connectivity. This would make it allow it compete well with the Kindle and even surpass it functionally, given the ability to operate it via touch. iRex produces the Iliad line of readers so they are no strangers to this business.
This deal further emphasizes that B&N will be going head-to-head with Amazon, and sooner than some people think.
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A larger, back-lighte screen is what I desire/need. With age, I can no longer read the newspaper due to small font and contrast between the paper and text. Reading on the iPhone is working quite well–I use the Larger font and the back light is terrific. My wish is for something to replace the newspaper. I love reading the newspaper, including the local ads. The Kindle DX is the right form factor but I need the back-light. Won’t someone help me please. Price is no object here–well almost no object. WiFi is required while wireless would be convenient.
Whomever gets there first, gets my business.
Any UMPC or slate Tablet PC with Adobe Digital Editions or similar software installed would fit the bill, as they’re all guaranteed to have backlit color LCD screens. You’ll just have to find one that’s the proper size and has long enough battery life.
What mostly separates the dedicated e-book readers is the use of e-ink screens.
Noone of the e-Ink devices will be backlit: physically impossible. And as Sony learned the hard way, trying to supply edge lighting doesn’t work well either.
I personally suggest the Kindle DX with your choice of high quality reading lamp with an LED light bulb of the correct color temperature for your eye sight. (my own personal setup)
I take the LED light bulb on the road with me and screw it into a handy lamp when I get to my destination.