IREX Helps Barnes & Noble Accelerate E-Book Competition
By Jennifer Colegrove – Director, Display Technologies, DisplaySearch
It looks like Barnes & Noble is not going to wait until the Plastic Logic Reader is available to push into the e-book reader market. On September 23, IREX Technologies announced that its new e-book reader, the DR800SG with an 8.1″ E Ink display and touch screen, will have Barnes & Noble as a content partner. The reader will be available in October at Best Buy for $399.
In addition to the content agreement, other interesting features involve the device’s connectivity. Wireless access in the US will be through Verizon’s 3G network, making it the third major mobile service provider to announce a deal with an e-book reader maker; also, the device utilizes QUALCOMM’s Gobi technology, which enables 3G access outside of the US.
IREX Technologies has been making a similar e-book for a few years, but it has not shipped large volumes to date. With the DR800SG, IREX has covered the key success factors for e-book readers: touch screen, wireless connectivity, strong content partner, and retail availability. As can be seen in the comparison of the main e-book readers available or planned for the US market, this makes the DR800SG somewhat unique, as the Sony Reader does not have wireless connectivity, the Kindle does not have a touch screen, and the Plastic Logic reader will not be available until next year.
Table 1: Comparison of E-Book Readers
|
|
Sony Reader Touch |
Amazon Kindle DX |
IREX DR800SG |
Plastic Logic Reader |
|
Display |
6” E Ink w/touch |
9.7” E Ink |
8.1” E Ink w/touch |
13.9” E Ink on plastic w/touch |
|
Connectivity |
USB to PC, Mac SD, MemoryStick |
Sprint 3G EVDO |
Verizon Wireless 3G, QUALCOMM Gobi |
AT&T 3G WiFi |
|
Content |
Sony, other eBook stores, Google Books (ePub/PDF formats) |
Kindle (AZW), PDF |
Barnes & Noble (including Google Books), NewspapersDirect, LibreDigital |
Barnes & Noble (including Google Books) |
|
Availability |
Retail, online |
Amazon.com only |
Best Buy |
Unknown |
As competition continues to build in the e-book market, look for the next Kindle to have a touch screen, Sony to add wireless, and other competitors such as Jinke, STAReBOOK, iRiver and Cool-er to try to cut deals with content providers and wireless service providers. As reported in a recent NPD study, consumers are very interested in content other than books, such as magazines. Also, keep an eye out for color (already available in Japan from Fujitsu’s FLEPia) and flexible form factors. Plastic Logic is in a strong position here with their ability to make active matrix backplanes on plastic substrates. For those who can’t wait, DisplaySearch already has a detailed forecast of the e-book market by display technology, touch screen penetration, rigid vs. flexible, and color vs. monochrome.
