Alex Dual Screen Android Powered eBook Reader Unveiled By Spring Design

Oct 19 2009, 6:10am CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

What is this? We just received a press-release announcing an eBook reader with two screens running Android dubbed Alex. The Alex eBook reader is by California based Spring Design.
Alex looks pretty much like the leaked photos of the alleged Barnes & Noble eBook reader that is supposed to be announced tomorrow.
Alex is the first e-book based on Google Android featuring full browser capabilities and patented dual screen interaction technology, the Duet Navigator.
Alex's dual-screen display design brings together the efficiency of reading on a monochrome EPD (electronic paper display) screen while dynamic hyperlinked multimedia information and third party input on its secondary color LCD screen, actually an integrated Android mobile device, opens a rich world of Internet content to support the text on the main screen.

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Alex is providing full Internet browsing over Wi-Fi or mobile networks such as 3G, EVDO/CDMA and GSM.

Alex™ features a 6" E-Ink EPD display and 3.5" color LCD display, earphones and speakers. A removable SD card will free up library space on the device while letting users archive content for future reference. The enhanced Android OS is optimized to support integration between the color and monochrome displays while preserving battery life. Users can capture and cache web content from their online experience on the LCD screen, and toggle to view it on the EPD screen without taxing the battery life. Browser features such as bookmarking, history, and security settings are built in and the device, with full Android browsing capability, is mobile-enabled with smart phone capabilities.

Spring Design says that the company is currently in discussion with, and enlisting major content partners and plans to release the Alex device for selected strategic partners by the end of this year. So Alex is apparently not the B&N reader that will be announced tomorrow.

About Spring Design:
Spring Design Inc., founded in 2006, delivers innovative e-reader solutions and products to the e-book market, offering overall "Link Notes", a content authoring and multi-media publishing tool as add on editions to original text. Spring Design Inc. is located in Fremont, California with engineering offices in Taiwan and China. Spring Design Inc. pioneered its patent-pending dual screen design with Duet Navigator™ capability in 2006, and has been working with major book stores, newspapers and publishers over the last 2 years, sharing the vision and the capabilities of the dual screen device. Spring Design's innovative patented technologies incorporate the seamless interaction of dual display and multi-online access in a single device, benefiting and leveraging the technology and resources of the Web to enhance the reading experience with "Web Grab". Via the Spring Design site

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Luigi Lugmayr
Luigi is the founding chief Editor of I4U News and brings over 15 years experience in the technology field to the ever evolving and exciting world of gadgets. He started I4U News back in 2000 and evolved it into vibrant technology magazine.
Luigi can be contacted directly at ml@i4u.com. Luigi posts regularly on LuigiMe.com about his experience running I4U.