Asus to Launch Dual-Screen, Cheap Eee-reader
Asus is launching a dual-screen ereader that should be out before the end of the year. The best part? It's going to be cheaper and a whole lot cooler than the ereaders we're used to seeing.
Ereaders are becoming more and more popular with each month that goes by. However, with each new ereader comes a new feature or innovation that leaves folks wary of purchasing a device that could be obsolete in just a couple of months. This, coupled with the fact that ereaders are a relatively new product with a price point that has yet to stabalize, means there are plenty of people who are unwilling to pony up the cash for a Kindle or a Sony Reader.
Enter Asus' dual screen ereader with a price point that pleases. Predictably named the Eee Reader (admit it, you smiled a little), the device will open like a book but also give users the option of seeing the text on one screen while browsing a web page on the other. Even better, Times Online reports that one of the screens could act as a virtual keyboard, with the other acting as a screen, much like a laptop.
Asus told the Times Online that no one would pay big money for the device, though. "Our ethos is innovation — as our brand is less well known, we have to run faster than the competition to develop new types of products,” said Asus. “Any such product — including an ereader — has to have the right combination of functionality and price. No one is going to buy one for £1,000.”
So, how much are they asking for? Well, a UK spokesperson told the company that they're considering both an entry-level "budget" version as well as a premium version, with the former costing around £100 (roughly $165). Unfortunately it's not yet clear whether this price point would be for the kind of device described above or a more basic version, similar to the Kindle. The report indicates that the cheaper version is likely take on the competition on price rather than features.
How much would you pay for an ereader? Let us know in the comments below!
*Image via Times Online
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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tomtom_32 i'd pay 200 bucks easily for this thing.Reply
any one know the memory on this thing? MB, GB ,TB?
what's the ballpark? -
gorehound I am not going to buy into this technology no matter how cool I think it is.Reply
1. I own over a thousand books and I buy/Sell on EBAY and I do read quite a lot.I enjoy the fell of a 1st Edition Hardcover Book.And if I get sick of it or really broke I can re-sell at a decent price
2. I hate the thought that when I connect a device to the Interent a company could mess with my reader like the 1984 fiasco at Amazon
3. I can foresee a time in the future when unfortunately more and more entertainment will bypass "physical" media like books, music, films
4. When that day comes the lot of you will be really sorry and then folks will wake up and realize we need to have stores (retail).
5. All Digital means a whole lot of businesses like the one I work for personally will go out of business.Then you will not be able to go out with your date and PHYSICALY browse a video rental store to pick out a movie your date enjoys.This can be a fun experience you do after going out to a restaurant.
Or how about meeting at the "book" store and browsing with an intellictual partner pointing out research books and discussing them on the spot.
Lastly I am dreading this kind of future.It is not a step forward but a step backward.People are getting lazy and fat if they can't cope with carrying books.I only weigh 105lbs. and 5'4" and I have no issue carrying around 15 hardcover 300+ page WW2 refernce books on a 2 week vacation of reading and nightly fun. -
Zoonie I think it's important not to see these eReaders only as a replacement for your books. Because I agree that it feels different reading from a paper, and mostly it is more comfortable.Reply
But in some cases, like in my case, being a medstudent, you have tons of pdf's and word documents from classes. And tbh, not only can printing all these documents cost a fortune at times, but a digital format can also be used to search for keywords! And so it ends with many people reading from their computers instead, which can put stress on the body after a few hours.
This thing would be perfect for us students. Sit in the couch and read with comfort! :) -
FallenSniper Aw its so cute. I could see them becoming popular but I could never see myself buying one.Reply -
WheelsOfConfusion Would they have their own e-book store like all the other players seem to have? Introduce their own DRM format? I think these things, requiring licensing deals with publishers, probably take up a big chunk of the price for competitive devices.Reply
And it looks like they're not using "e-ink" displays but normal LCD touchscreens (i.e. rotten battery life compared to the competition and less ink-on-paper look, but full color, backlight, and better response time). That probably accounts for a lot of the price difference.
Also, one of the selling points for Amazon's device is the 3G connection, meaning you don't have to be near a wireless hotspot to get new books. I'll bet the Asus Eee Reader uses normal g/draft-n wireless. -
I wonder if this and other readers can display cbr and cbz (comic book) files. Or can they have the appropriate software loaded to do so?Reply
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th_at Nice to see Asus doing some price-pioneering work.Reply
But it will probably take an Apple reader/tablet and an iTunes book store for the concept of digital distribution to take off.
Ultimately, it is the future. There's no foregoing this. Cheap reading devices, made from flexible e-ink, they're the netbooks of 2015, they are just superior to the book. Sure, some people are conditioned to like the feeling of paper. But there were (are) a lot of people who liked horses, still, I'm condifident the automobile will stick. -
domenic I'll buy it if:Reply
1. I can upload all my pdf stuff.
2. It displays graphics.
3. DRM free (meaning nothing like the Kindle)