iPhone 4G Will Pack RFID Reader?

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RFID technology has come a long way in the past few years. Chips are now individually very cheap, and thousands of uses for them have been devised by corporations and governments. Now it seems that Apple is looking to help make RFIDs something consumers make use of every day by adding a reader into the new iPhone. AppleInsider says that a site focusing on Near Field Communications has found evidence that Apple has built new iPhone prototypes that pack an RFID reader.

An iPhone-mounted RFID reader could have a wide variety of uses. It could allow “touchless” payments at vending machines, stores and toll booths, as well as enable a variety of AR technologies. RFID chips can also act as barcodes, which would make browsing for deals and 'at a glance' window shopping much easier for people with iPhones. Since many products and services are already embedded with RFID chips, we could see this functionality appear in the very near future.

Posted on Fri, 6 Nov 2009 07:34:14 CST | by Robert Evans

The Cyberus ID700WTA Smart Info Engine; You Got Your E-Reader In My Media Player

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E-Readers are still a fairly young type of product, which means the market is currently glutted with different company's takes on the idea. Some of them, like the Barnes & Noble nook, are really cool looking gadgets that could end up establishing an e-reader dynasty. Others, like the Sony Reader, are about as exciting and inspired as a pair of flannel pajama bottoms. I'm not sure yet which category Cyberus' new ID700WTA “Smart Info Engine” falls under, but I've got strong suspicions it could end up being awesome.

The ID700 isn't a dedicated e-reader, of course. Cyberus bills it as being a hybrid reader and personal media player. I think they need to stop splitting hairs and just call the damned thing a tablet PC, but that's just me. The ID700 has a 7” LCD screen, and comes with a protective folding cover that makes it look slightly more like a book. While Cyberus doesn't run their own e-book store, this reader can handle most e-book formats and, as an added blessing, can read PDF files.

Posted on Thu, 5 Nov 2009 03:46:30 CST | by Robert Evans

ECTACO Releases Cheap jetBook Lite eBook Reader

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A company called ECTACO has unveiled what it claims to be the most affordable eBook reader available called the jetBook Lite. The device sells for $149 and supports most eBook formats. The device has been backed by Barnes & Noble for formats as well.

The jetBook Lite will now support DRM, ePub, Mobi, PRC, RTF, .txt, .pdf, .fb2, .jpg, .gif, .png, and .bmp. the device also supports multiple languages including English, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Chinese, and other languages. Read more

Posted on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

Que proReader Hits Barnes & Noble In 2010

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I bet the boys at Amazon are longing for the good old days when they had virtually no competition. Now there are e-readers coming out of every nook and cranny in the tech world, including several that beat the pants off of the Kindle in functionality. Despite the fact that the nook is the Kindle's superior in almost every conceivable way, Barnes & Noble feels the need to hedge their bets. According to Engadget, they'll be selling two different e-readers come 2010.

The second reader to hit B&N shelves will be the Plastic Logic Que proReader. The proReader just had its press release sent out today, which announced to the world the coming of the 8.5 x 11” tablet. The proReader tablet, like the nook, will use the Barnes & Noble online bookstore to power its library.

Posted on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:51:06 CDT | by Robert Evans

E-Readers: The Future Of Libraries?

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Where would our national libraries be without stack after massive, mouldering stack of books? Based on what we're seeing in the UK, they could be doing pretty well. Certain libraries there have started giving out e-book downloads in lieu of real book rentals. The temporary e-books are deleted after 14 days and, due to their digital nature, are never out of stock or on a waiting list.

For the first time in years, many of these UK libraries are seeing increases in subscriptions again. People are actually getting excited about going to the library again, and it isn't hard to see why. Fourteen days is long enough for most people to read a book, and e-books remove all of the negative limitations normal library rentals have. You'll never find an e-book with a weird stain or have to wait six months to check out a popular title because there's a waiting list.

Posted on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:49:39 CDT | by Robert Evans

MSI eBook Reader Based On Nvidia Tegra Coming 2010

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eBook readers are soon going to be a standard offering by computer makers. According to Digitimes, MSI chairman Joseph Hsu said that MSI is currently in development of a Nvidia Tegra powered eReader.
Further details about the MSI eBook reader are supposed to be revealed in the first half of 2010. I assume we will see at least a glimpse of the MSI eBook reader at the CES 2010.
Read more

Posted on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

enTourage eDGe: The First Dual-Screen E-Reader

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Well gang, Microsoft's Courier has been beaten to the punch by enTourage. They've just released the enTourage eDGe (via Gizmodo), a dual-screen E-Reader/Android tablet. Sure, it doesn't have the style, the incredible UI design, or the outstanding potential for organizational tasks that Microsoft's Courier does. But right now, it has one massive advantage over Redmond's slumbering giant; it exists.

The eDGe is not the sexiest gadget ever built. On the outside, it looks pretty much exactly like a netbook. Unfolding it reveals two screens. One, a 9.7" E-Ink screen that can read ePub and PDF files. The other, a 10.1" color LCD touchscreen that houses an Android tablet. The eDGe has WiFi, optional 3G, Bluetooth, and the ability to record video and audio.

Posted on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:23:10 CDT | by Robert Evans

Nook Is Barnes & Noble Color eBook Reader To Be Unveiled Today?

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I just got used to Kindle as a name for eBook readers, but Nook? According to the WSJ the Barnes & Noble eBook reader will be called Nook and have a color touch-screen.
The B&N Nook will have the same price as the Amazon Kindle ($259).

The WSJ got the above information from an Ad that will appear in the New York Times Book Review on Sunday. Read more

Posted on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:09:31 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Alex Dual Screen Android Powered eBook Reader Unveiled By Spring Design

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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. Read more

Posted on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:10:32 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Plastic Logic Que eBook Reader Debuts At CES 2010

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Plastic Logic announced today the Que reader to be unveiled at the CES 2010. Plastic Logic says that the Que is the first proReader designed for business professionals.
Why is Plastic Logic announcing the Que already today and is not waiting to at least December as the CES 2010 is still over two month away? I assume it as to do with the Barnes&Noble ebook announcement scheduled for tomorrow. Read more

Posted on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:42:32 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Photos Of Barnes & Noble eBook Reader Leak

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Barnes & Noble has invited the press for an event next week October 20th. The event is obviously about the new eBook reader.
Today Gizmodo published a set of photos supposedly showing the new B&N eBook reader. The new Barnes & Noble eBook reader would actually have two displays. A large e-ink grey scale display would be used for text and a second color touchscreen below for the user interface. Read more

Posted on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:36:32 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

WikiReader Gadget By OpenMoko Is On Sale

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Openmoko announced today the availability of WikiReader. The WikiReader is an offline handheld gadget that offers the more than three million English language articles of Wikipedia anywhere you go.
The WikiReader eReader for Wikipedia runs on two AAA batteries and features a monochrome touchscreen.

Articles are scrolled with a stroke of the finger and hyperlinks selected with a simple tap. Three buttons, Search, History and Random, offer the convenience of reading specific topics or the serendipitous pleasure of discovering something by chance within Wikipedia's rich array of articles ranging from Freud to Final Fantasy. Read more

Posted on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:40:12 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Barnes & Noble E-Reader Will Be In Color, Spring 2010?

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When news about the upcoming Barnes & Noble E-Reader first leaked out, I was somewhat less than enthused. Sure, a new reader with B&N's library at its back sounded cool, but we had no hint that Plastic Logic was going to make the actual device be anything more than a Kindle clone. Today it's starting to look like I was wrong. First we heard rumors that the new reader would run on the Android OS, and now it seems the B&N reader could be the first color E-Reader. (Electronista)

This is huge news, as one of the things holding E-Readers back as a market is the fact that they are all black-and-white devices. This information came out of the CTIA conference this week, when Daniel Joresson of Barnes & Noble confirmed that the E-Reader will be in color, and will be out by Spring, 2010.

Posted on Fri, 9 Oct 2009 09:28:32 CDT | by Robert Evans

Barnes & Noble eBook Reader Rumored For A November Release

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Barnes & Noble already sells eBooks and you can read these for instance already on the iPhone with the B&N eReader.
Barnes & Noble already announced in July a partnership with eReader maker Plastic Logic. The WSJ reports now that Barnes & Noble is according to sources ready to launch their eBook reader in November. Read more

Posted on Thu, 8 Oct 2009 01:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Barnes & Noble To Make Android-Based E-Reader

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Put on your rumor hats, board the rumor train, and buckle on your safety belts; we've got some juicy tech gossip for you that's just a little out there. Gizmodo has heard rumors from an undisclosed source that the upcoming Barnes & Noble E-Reader will run off of the Android OS. The rumor supposedly comes from someone who develops apps for Barnes & Noble.

Whether or not the rumor is true, an Android-run E-Reader is a fantastic idea. Most of the devices currently on the market (even the Kindle, in my opinion) have UIs that are sub-par at best, and godawful at worst. Any E-Reader running Android would have to seriously customize the OS, but it'd still offer a better user experience than anything else on the market.

Posted on Fri, 9 Oct 2009 00:05:00 CDT | by Robert Evans

Interead Cool-er eBook Reader Will Be On A QVC TSV

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We first reported about the Interead Cool-er eBook reader back in June. Yesterday Amazon cut the price of the Amazon Kindle to $259. This new price puts the pressure on other eBook reader makers that have been selling at that price-point.
The Interead Cool-er sells for $249, but has no wireless service. The Cool-er looks cool and is lighter than the Kindle, but the big thing about the Kindle is the easy to use eco-system. Read more

Posted on Thu, 8 Oct 2009 07:48:58 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Sony Offers Pink eReader and Mini Notebook Bundle

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With Breast Cancer Awareness Month in full swing, many electronics manufacturers are helping support the cause by donating to various cancer research organizations. Sony has announced that it will be donating to breast cancer research for $110,000.

To raise the money for the donation Sony is offering a couple, special edition products, naturally pink in color. Sony has offered a Pink W Series mini notebook PC Bundle that includes the notebook, a mouse, and what appears to be a pink case. Read more

Posted on Fri, 2 Oct 2009 05:24:28 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

Astak 5'' EZ Reader On Sale Now

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Are you looking to try out an e-reader on the cheap? Does the Kindle just not appeal to you? If so, you might want to look into grabbing an Astak EZ Reader. This new reader just went on sale today at Newegg for $250 (via Engadget) which is a very good price for a 5" reader. The Astak has a 400 MHz CPU, 512 MB of RAM, an SD slot, and a built-in MP3 player.

Posted on Thu, 1 Oct 2009 11:12:11 CDT | by Robert Evans

New Hexaglot N518 eBook Reader Supports Handwriting Recognition

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Hexaglot offers in Germany a new eBook reader with E-ink touchscreen that lets you scribble on book pages and even add text. The Hexaglot N518 has integrated handwriting recognition.

Other features of the Hexaglot N518 include 5-inch E-Ink touchscreen with 8 shades of grey, 512MB Flash memory, SD-card slot, ePUB (Adobe DRM), PDF, TXT, HTXT, HTML, Microsoft Word format support, battery life is 15 days of intensive reading.

If the Hexaglot N518 would support WiFi or a 3G network it would be more advanced overall than the Amazon Kindle. Watch out for future Kindle eBook reader to support annotating pages and taking handwritten notes. Read more

Posted on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:28:53 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

IREX DR800SG E-Reader Is Official

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IREX Technologies today officially announced the impending launch of their new DR800SG e-reader, which will be available exclusively in Best Buy this October. We reported about this new eReader contender earlier today. With this reader, Irex says that users will be able to wirelessly purchase newspapers, magazines, and books from Barnes & Noble's online store.

The DR800SG has an 8.1" e-ink display with 3G enabled. Its design seems very stripped down and sparse, but I think I've been spoiled by the Microsoft and Asus e-reader rumors. The cool thing about Irex readers is that you can transfer content downloaded onto your DR800SG over to any other device that you please.

Posted on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:45:32 CDT | by Robert Evans

Bluetooth Handset+SD Reader = Hot Gadget

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The best things are two things in one. Take the "Ultimate Bluetooth Handset" (via Gizmodo) from Brando. This gadget is just a normal Bluetooth headset with a hidden microSD card reader inside its body. You just pull out the end cap to insert an SD card, or reveal the USB plug.

Posted on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:18:31 CDT | by Robert Evans