An Awesome case that takes iPhone photography and ability a step further. Its called “Popslate” and its a pretty cool cover that adds a second (E-Ink) display to the back of the iPhone which is also touch sensitive. The iPhone app lets you take a picture with your phone and display it on the back of the device instantly , the always-on, ultra low-power, black and white display can also become a canvas for notifications, sports scores, maps, lists and notes.
The open API will let you cutomize your apps to work with Popslate, The company has a partnership with E Ink to use the latest in ruggedized e-paper technology and is hoping to raise enough funds to make Popslate a reality. The Popslate will be available in two colours at launch (White and Black like the iPhone) and will be available for US $79 for the first 500 supporters and US$99 post the 500 mark.
The company does not have a prototype yet and has assembled a team of engineers and designers, to make the Popslate a reality. However if you look at their video, it seems quite unlikely that an E-Ink display fitted case could be that slim, and the display that responsive. Also with the display running on the iPhone’s batteries, it may be a major concern. Since the iPhone 5 is not doing great in the battery department anyway. Checkout the Video below and hit the link if you wanna buy one.
Barnes and Noble, popular book vendor and online book store has launched their own series of Branded Headphones. Known as nook Audio, details are scant on the cans but looks like there is only one variant and only one color. Check out the link below for more updates.
LG has today made an announcement of a six-inch display that promises to “revolutionize the e-book market.” With a native resolution of 1024 x 768 px the display can be bent and squished at an angle of up to 40 degrees. The display is only 0.7 millimeters thick and weight only 14 gms.
When LG Display’s plastic EPD was put through repeated drop tests, from 1.5m above the ground or the average height of reading when standing, no damage resulted. When put through a break/scratch test involving hitting the display with a small urethane hammer, no scratches or breakage resulted.
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LG Display Begins Mass Production of World’s First Plastic E-Paper Display
With advancements in functionality and design, Plastic EPD to revolutionize E-Book market
Seoul, Korea (March 29, 2012) – LG Display [NYSE: LPL, KRX: 034220], a leading manufacturer of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display, announced today that it has started mass production of the world’s first plastic electronic paper display (EPD) for use in E-Books. The 6″ XGA (1024×768), e-ink, plastic EPD is expected to revolutionize the E-Book market with its advancements in functionality and design.
“With the world’s first plastic EPD, LG Display has once again proven its reputation for leadership and innovation with a product we believe will help greatly popularize the E-Book market,” said Mr. Sang Duck Yeo, Head of Operations for LG Display’s Mobile/OLED division. “Based on our success in mass-producing plastic EPD, we are excited as we look toward applying concepts from this experience to future developments like plastic OLED and flexible displays.”
Innovations in Functionality and Design The world’s first plastic EPD from LG Display offers users a paper-like reading experience with a plastic substrate that is as slim as cell phone protection film, and a flexible design that allows bending at a range of 40 degrees from the center of the screen. Compared to glass EPD of the same size and resolution, LG Display’s plastic EPD realizes a super slim thickness of 0.7mm which is 1/3 slimmer than existing glass EPD; as well as a weight of 14g which is more than 1/2 lighter.
E-Book users have long expressed a desire for more durable EPD, since around 10% of them have damaged their product screens from accidentally dropping or hitting them. When LG Display’s plastic EPD was put through repeated drop tests, from 1.5m above the ground or the average height of reading when standing, no damage resulted. When put through a break/scratch test involving hitting the display with a small urethane hammer, no scratches or breakage resulted.
As EPD gets thinner, lighter, and more durable with the introduction of plastic EPD, E-Books will be able to offer certain unique benefits compared to smart devices and tablets, including reduced eye fatigue and more efficient electricity consumption in addition to lower prices.
A Manufacturing Breakthrough LG Display developed a unique technique to utilize the high TFT process, typically employed in general LCD manufacturing and with temperatures exceeding 350 degrees, in the production of its plastic EPD. By overcoming the obstacles associated with applying the existing production process to heat susceptible plastic, LG Display achieved a breakthrough with the successful mass production of plastic EPD able to maintain strong durability in high temperatures.
Availability The world’s first mass-produced plastic EPD from LG Display will first be supplied to ODM companies in China, followed by completed products to be released in Europe at the beginning of next month.
Apple has released a new version of the iBooks publishing platform yesterday at the Guggenheim museum in New York City. The new iBooks 2 app is available today as a free download from the App Store. It features a lot of new improvements including the ability to share textbooks. The reason for giving iPad’s to students in universities becomes even more useful starting today.
The App allows fullscreen books, interactive 3D objects, diagrams, videos and photos, the iBooks 2 app will let students learn with just a tap or swipe of the finger.
Education is deep in Apple’s DNA and iPad may be our most exciting education product yet. With 1.5 million iPads already in use in education institutions, including over 1,000 one-to-one deployments, iPad is rapidly being adopted by schools across the US and around the world, Now with iBooks 2 for iPad, students have a more dynamic, engaging and truly interactive way to read and learn, using the device they already love.”
-said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
Apple Reinvents Textbooks with iBooks 2 for iPad New iBooks Author Lets Anyone Create Stunning iBooks Textbooks
NEW YORK-January 19, 2012-Apple® today announced iBooks® 2 for iPad®, featuring iBooks textbooks, an entirely new kind of textbook that’s dynamic, engaging and truly interactive. iBooks textbooks offer iPad users gorgeous, fullscreen textbooks with interactive animations, diagrams, photos, videos, unrivaled navigation and much more. iBooks textbooks can be kept up to date, don’t weigh down a backpack and never have to be returned. Leading education services companies including Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill and Pearson will deliver educational titles on the iBookstore? with most priced at $14.99 or less, and with the new iBooks Author, a free authoring tool available today, anyone with a Mac® can create stunning iBooks textbooks.
“Education is deep in Apple’s DNA and iPad may be our most exciting education product yet. With 1.5 million iPads already in use in education institutions, including over 1,000 one-to-one deployments, iPad is rapidly being adopted by schools across the US and around the world,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Now with iBooks 2 for iPad, students have a more dynamic, engaging and truly interactive way to read and learn, using the device they already love.”
The new iBooks 2 app is available today as a free download from the App Store™. With support for great new features including gorgeous, fullscreen books, interactive 3D objects, diagrams, videos and photos, the iBooks 2 app will let students learn about the solar system or the physics of a skyscraper with amazing new interactive textbooks that come to life with just a tap or swipe of the finger. With its fast, fluid navigation, easy highlighting and note-taking, searching and definitions, plus lesson reviews and study cards, the new iBooks 2 app lets students study and learn in more efficient and effective ways than ever before.
iBooks Author is also available today as a free download from the Mac App Store and lets anyone with a Mac create stunning iBooks textbooks, cookbooks, history books, picture books and more, and publish them to Apple’s iBookstore. Authors and publishers of any size can start creating with Apple-designed templates that feature a wide variety of page layouts. iBooks Author lets you add your own text and images by simply dragging and dropping, and with the Multi-Touch™ widgets you can easily add interactive photo galleries, movies, Keynote® presentations and 3D objects.
Apple today also announced an all-new iTunes® U app giving educators and students everything they need on their iPad, iPhone® and iPod touch® to teach and take entire courses. With the new iTunes U app, students using iPads have access to the world’s largest catalog of free educational content, along with over 20,000 education apps at their fingertips and hundreds of thousands of books in the iBookstore that can be used in their school curriculum, such as novels for English or Social Studies.* The iTunes U app is available today as a free download from the App Store.
*Some content is available only for iPad.
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.
The numbers are in, Amazon has sold over 4 Million Amazon Kindles this Holiday season including global shipments and including shipments to countries ilk India and China. The company also noted that its #1 and #4 best-selling eBooks released this year were published by independent authors through its Kindle Direct Publishing platform.
We are grateful to our customers worldwide for making this the best holiday ever for Kindle, And in a huge milestone for independent publishing, we’d also like to congratulate Darcie Chan, the author of ‘The Mill River Recluse,’ and Chris Culver, the author of ‘The Abbey,’ for writing two of the best-selling Kindle books of the year.”
-Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos
The Kindle Fire was the most popular device followed by the Kindle Touch and the Kindle, The company report states that E-Book gifting also went up 175% from Last Year. Read the extensively exhausting Press Release below for the full numbers
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2011 IS THE BEST HOLIDAY EVER FOR KINDLE
Amazon customers purchased millions of Kindle Fires and millions of Kindle e-readers
#1 and #4 best-selling Kindle books released in 2011 published independently by authors using Kindle Direct Publishing
Businesses selling on Amazon have record-breaking holiday sales
SEATTLE, Dec. 29, 2011 – (NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon.com, Inc. today announced that 2011 was the best holiday ever for the Kindle family as customers purchased millions of Kindle Fires and millions of Kindle e-readers. Authors also continue to benefit from the success of Kindle — the #1 and #4 best-selling Kindle books released in 2011 were both published independently by their authors using Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).
“We are grateful to our customers worldwide for making this the best holiday ever for Kindle,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder and CEO. “And in a huge milestone for independent publishing, we’d also like to congratulate Darcie Chan, the author of ‘The Mill River Recluse,’ and Chris Culver, the author of ‘The Abbey,’ for writing two of the best-selling Kindle books of the year.”
More Kindle holiday facts:
· Throughout December, customers purchased well over 1 million Kindle devices per week.
· The new Kindle family held the top three spots on the Amazon.com best seller charts – #1: Kindle Fire, #2: Kindle Touch, #3: Kindle.
· Kindle Fire is the #1 best-selling, most gifted, and most wished for product across the millions of items available on Amazon.com since its introduction 13 weeks ago.
· Kindle is also the best-selling product on Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es and Amazon.it this holiday season.
· Gifting of Kindle books was up 175 percent between this Black Friday and Christmas Day compared to the same period in 2010.
· Christmas Day was the biggest day ever for Kindle book downloads.
· Kindle Fire is the best-selling product on Amazon.com’s mobile website and across all of Amazon.com’s mobile applications.
Additional Kindle Direct Publishing successes include:
· December’s #1 best-selling Kindle Direct Publishing book “Wife by Wednesday” was also the #5 overall best-selling Kindle book in December and has appeared on both the USA Today and Wall Street Journal best seller lists. Author Catherine Bybee was formerly an emergency room registered nurse, and has now left her job to focus on writing full-time.
In 2011, KDP and CreateSpace author CJ Lyons reached #2 on the Amazon best seller list, #2 on the New York Times best seller list, and #4 on the USA Today best seller list. As a former pediatric ER doctor, CJ has lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge suspense novels, and she quit her job in medicine after 17 years to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time novelist. Her latest work includes “Face to Face” and “Hot Water.”
Businesses Selling on Amazon
2011 was also a record-breaking holiday season for businesses that sell on Amazon. Third-party sellers experienced record holiday growth: the number of sellers who exceeded $5,000 in sales during the holiday season increased 44 percent year-over-year. For the year, businesses on Amazon sold hundreds of millions of units worth billions of dollars worldwide.
Scharf Industries, an office supplies and electronics provider, increased its sales on Amazon by over 500 percent this holiday season compared with last holiday season.
“We greatly value the cooperation that we have developed with Amazon,” said Andrew D. Scharf, CMO of Scharf Industries. “They have provided us with the tools necessary to grow our business in a rapid and efficient manner.”
Ken Reiss, the owner of Reiss Innovations, LLC, started with one Amazon Webstore, selling five to 10 mouse pads for the year. Six years later he has a successful eCommerce business, selling through multiple Amazon Webstores. Just this year alone, Reiss saw a 21 percent increase in sales compared with the holiday season last year. He has also increased the number of product listings by 50 percent over 2010 and recently extended his business to Canada.
According to Reiss, one of the most beneficial aspects of his relationship with Amazon is that “It allows me to scale in efficiency. I can devote my time to building vendor relations and growing my inventory, rather than worrying about logistical aspects, such as shipping products.” Reiss currently stores 90 percent of his inventory in Amazon’s warehouses, up from 75 percent last year.
Other seller successes include:
· Amazon’s third-party sellers sold enough cameras for every fan at the next 10 Super Bowls to snap their own shots of the winning touchdown.
· Amazon’s third-party sellers sold enough toys in 2011 to give a toy to every resident of Chicago. In fact, they sold as many Lalaloopsy Dolls as there are lights on the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New York City.
· Debra Keyes, CEO of The Internet Department Store, which sells costumes for both adults and children, beganutilizing Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) – the Amazon service that stores, packs and ships orders for third-party sellers – as soon as it launched. By January 2011, she had 1,300 products listed in FBA. That number has now grown to 7,800 products by November 2011. During that same time period, the company’s sales increased by 34 percent.
Holiday Fun Facts
Shipping:
The last One-Day Prime order that was delivered in time for Christmas was placed on Dec. 22 at 11:59 p.m. PST and shipped to Ballwin, Mo. The item was “The Cook’s Herb Garden,” a book by Jeff Cox and Marie-Pierre Moine.
The last Local Express Delivery order that was delivered in time for Christmas went to Seattle, Wash. It was a Sony Rechargeable Battery Pack that was ordered at 2:35 p.m. PST on Christmas Eve and delivered at 6:15 p.m. PST that same evening.
Earlier this year, an Amazon customer called with an urgent request for large volume of a single book, which they needed at the airport the next day before they boarded a flight. The books were special gifts and no other retailer had them available in such short notice. Even though the cutoff time had passed for all traditional delivery methods, Amazon was able to arrange a delivery to the customer’s hotel just prior to their departure for the airport.
· Amazon customers purchased enough copies of Walter Isaacson’s “Steve Jobs” book to create a stack taller than Mt. Everest.
· The cumulative weight of the Bowflex 552 Adjustable Dumbbells purchased by Amazon customers would outweigh more than 70 adult elephants.
· If you unfolded and stacked each pair of jeans purchased by Amazon customers this holiday, the height would be 2,500 times taller than the Statue of Liberty.
· Amazon customers purchased enough sweaters to outfit each of Santa’s reindeer during Christmas Eve deliveries for the next 14,000 years.
· Amazon customers purchased enough copies of Just Dance 3 to give 15 copies to each person who participated in setting the world record for simultaneous dancing.
· Amazon customers purchased enough HeatMax HotHands Handwarmers to give a pair to each resident of Iceland.
· Amazon customers purchased enough Rory’s Story Cubes to give a cube to each person watching the New Year’s Eve ball drop live at Times Square.
Holiday Best Sellers (Amazon.com only; based on units ordered):
Electronics: Kindle Fire; Kindle Touch; and Kindle
Toys: Rory’s Story Cubes; Qwirkle Board Game; and Perplexus Maze Game
· Video Games: Just Dance 3; Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3; and Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Sports & Outdoors: Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation DVD Set; Emergency Fire Starter; and Flexible Flyer Snowball Maker
Home & Kitchen: Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler; Fred M-Cups Measuring Matroyshkas; and Pure Komachi 2 Series Hollow-Ground Santoku Knife
Books: “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson; “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever” by Jeff Kinney; and “11/22/63” by Stephen King
Kindle Books: “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins; “Catching Fire” by Suzanne Collins; and “The Litigators” by John Grisham
CD: “Christmas” by Michael Bublé; “21” by Adele; and “Duets II” by Tony Bennett
Amazon MP3: “100 Classic Christmas Songs” by Various Artists; “Mylo Xyloto” by Coldplay; and “A Very She & Him Christmas” by She & Him
DVD: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2”; “Bridesmaids”; and “The Help”
Amazon Instant Video: “Super 8”; “The Help”; and “Crazy, Stupid, Love”
Watches: Timex 1440 Sports Digital Resin Strap Watch; LEGO Kids’ Star Wars Darth Vader Mini-Figure Alarm Clock; and XOXO Rhinestone Accent Gold-Tone Bracelet Watch
Jewelry: 10k White Gold Round Diamond Stud Earrings; Sterling Silver Amethyst Butterfly Pendant; and White Peacock and Pink Freshwater Cultured Pearl Button 3 Pair Stud Earrings Set
Clothing: Levi’s 501 Jean; Levi’s 505 Straight Fit Jean; and Levi’s 550 Relaxed Fit Jean
Shoes: UGG Australia Classic Tall Boots; Crocs Classic Clog; and BEARPAW Emma Short Boot
Beauty: Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift Eau de Parfum Spray; Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System; and NARS Orgasm Blush
Health & Personal Care: Philips Norelco SensoTouch Electric Shaver; Philips Norelco Shaving System; and Philips Sonicare Essence Power Toothbrush
Tools & Home Improvement: Streamlight Nano Light Miniature Keychain LED Flashlight; Smith’s PP1 Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener; and Black & Decker All-In-One SureGrip Laser Level
Amazon has now officially announced the Kindle Touch and The Kindle touch 3G, It has also upgraded the non-touch Kindle and announced plans for its Android Tablet called Amazon Fire.
Price for the Kindle Touch $99 with ads, $139 without and Kindle 3G is $149 with ads and $189 without. Te new Kindle touch family uses an IR touch system, similar to the latest Nook and Kobo.
Kindle 3G Touch Features
Free 3G wireless, no annual contracts or monthly fees.
Download books anywhere, no hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots
Massive book selection, over 800,000 titles are $9.99 or less
New – Borrow Kindle books from your public library
Tech Specs
Display
Amazon’s 6″ diagonal most advanced E Ink multi-touch display, optimized with proprietary waveform and font technology, 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 167 ppi, 16-level grayscale.
Size (in inches)
6.8″ x 4.7″ x 0.40″ (172 mm x 120 mm x 10.1 mm).
Weight
7.8 ounces (220 grams).
System Requirements
None, because it’s wireless and doesn’t require a computer to download content.
On-device Storage
Up to 3,000 books or 4 GB internal (approximately 3 GB available for user content).
Cloud Storage
Free cloud storage for all Amazon content
Battery Life
A single charge lasts up to two months with wireless off based upon a half-hour of daily reading time. Keep wireless always on and it lasts for up to 3 weeks. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as shopping the Kindle Store, web browsing, and downloading content.
Charge Time
Fully charges in approximately 4 hours via the included USB 2.0 cable connected to a computer. U.S. power adapter sold separately.
Wi-Fi Connectivity
Supports public and private Wi-Fi networks or hotspots that use the 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n (in b or g compatibility mode) standard with support for WEP, WPA and WPA2 security using password authentication; does not connect to WPA and WPA2 secured networks using 802.1X authentication methods; does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks.
3G Connectivity
HSPDA modem (3G) with a fallback to EDGE/GPRS; utilizes Amazon Whispernet to provide wireless coverage via AT&T’s 3G high-speed data network in the U.S. and partner networks outside of the U.S. See Wireless Terms and Conditions.
USB Port
USB 2.0 (micro-B connector)
Audio
3.5 mm stereo audio jack, rear-mounted stereo speakers
Quick Start Guide(included in box); Kindle User’s Guide (pre-installed on device).
Warranty and Service
1-year limited warranty and service included. Optional 2-year Protection Plan available for U.S. customers sold separately. Use of Kindle is subject to the Kindle License Agreement and Terms of Use.
Included in the Box
Kindle wireless e-reader, USB 2.0 cable, and Quick Start Guide.
Kindle Touch + Wifi Features
Most-advanced E Ink display, now with multi-touch
Simple-to-use touchscreen, with audio and built-in Wi-Fi
Massive book selection, over 800,000 titles are $9.99 or less
New – Borrow Kindle books from your public library
Tech Specs
Display
Amazon’s 6″ diagonal most advanced E Ink multi-touch display, optimized with proprietary waveform and font technology, 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 167 ppi, 16-level grayscale.
Size (in inches)
6.8″ x 4.7″ x 0.40″ (172 mm x 120 mm x 10.1 mm)
Weight
7.5 ounces (213 grams)
System Requirements
None, because it’s wireless and doesn’t require a computer to download content.
On-device Storage
Up to 3,000 books or 4 GB internal (approximately 3 GB available for user content).
Cloud Storage
Free cloud storage for all Amazon content
Battery Life
A single charge lasts up to two months with wireless off based upon a half-hour of daily reading time. Keep wireless always on and it lasts for up to 6 weeks. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as shopping the Kindle Store, web browsing, and downloading content.
Charge Time
Fully charges in approximately 4 hours via the included USB 2.0 cable connected to a computer. U.S. power adapter sold separately.
Wi-Fi Connectivity
Supports public and private Wi-Fi networks or hotspots that use the 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n (in b or g compatibility mode) standard with support for WEP, WPA and WPA2 security using password authentication; does not connect to WPA and WPA2 secured networks using 802.1X authentication methods; does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks.
Quick Start Guide (included in box); Kindle User’s Guide(pre-installed on device).
Warranty and Service
1-year limited warranty and service included. Optional 2-year Extended Warranty available for U.S. customers sold separately. Use of Kindle is subject to the Kindle License Agreement and Terms of Use.
Included in the Box
Kindle wireless e-reader, USB 2.0 cable Quick Start Guide.
Kindle Non Touch Wifi Features
30% lighter, less than 6 ounces
18% smaller body, same 6″ screen size – Fits in your pocket
Most advanced E Ink display, reads like paper
Built in Wi-Fi – Get books in 60 seconds
Massive book selection, over 800,000 titles are $9.99 or less
New – Borrow Kindle books from your public library
Tech Specs
Display
Amazon’s 6″ diagonal most advanced E Ink display, optimized with proprietary waveform and font technology, 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 167 ppi, 16-level gray scale.
Size (in inches)
6.5″ x 4.5″ x 0.34″ (166 mm x 114 mm x 8.7 mm)
Weight
5.98 ounces (170 grams)
System Requirements
None, because it’s wireless and doesn’t require a computer to download content.
On-device Storage
Up to 1,400 books or 2GB internal (approximately 1.25GB available for user content).
Cloud Storage
Free cloud storage for all Amazon content.
Battery Life
A single charge lasts up to one month with wireless off based upon a half-hour of daily reading time. Keep wireless always on and it lasts for up to 3 weeks. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as shopping the Kindle Store, web browsing, and downloading content.
Charge Time
Fully charges in approximately 3 hours via the included USB 2.0 cable connected to a computer. U.S. power adapter sold separately.
Wi-Fi Connectivity
Supports public and private Wi-Fi networks or hotspots that use the 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n (in b or g compatibility mode) standard with support for WEP, WPA and WPA2 security using password authentication; does not connect to WPA and WPA2 secured networks using 802.1X authentication methods; does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks.
Quick Start Guide (included in box); Kindle User’s Guide (pre-installed on device). Additional information in multiple languages available online.
Warranty and Service
1-year limited warranty and service included. Optional 2-year Extended Warranty available for U.S. customers sold separately. Use of Kindle is subject to the Kindle License Agreement and Terms of Use.
Included in the Box
Kindle wireless e-reader, USB 2.0 cable, and Quick Start Guide.
[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Introducing the All-New Kindle Family: Four New Kindles, Four Amazing Price Points New latest generation Kindle – world’s bestselling e-reader now lighter, faster, and more affordable than ever – only $79 New “Kindle Touch” with easy-to-use touch screen – only $99 New “Kindle Touch 3G” with free 3G – the top of the line Kindle e-reader – only $149 New “Kindle Fire” – the Kindle for movies, TV shows, music, books, magazines, apps, games, and web browsing with all the content, free storage in the Amazon Cloud, Whispersync, Amazon’s new revolutionary cloud-accelerated web browser, vibrant color touch screen, and powerful dual-core processor – all for only $199
SEATTLE, Sep 28, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) —
(NASDAQ: AMZN)–Millions of people are already reading on Kindles and Kindle is the bestselling e-reader in the world for four years running. Today, Amazon is excited to introduce an all-new Kindle family: three all-new Kindle e-readers that are smaller, lighter, and more affordable than ever before, and Kindle Fire – a new class of Kindle that brings the same ease-of-use and deep integration of content that helped Kindle re-invent reading – to movies, TV shows, music, magazines, apps, books, games, and more.
“We’ve now reached the magical two-digit price point for Kindle – twice: the new Kindle and Kindle Touch are only $79 and $99. Kindle Touch 3G is the new top of the line e-reader with free 3G – no monthly fees or annual contracts – and is only $149,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO. “Kindle Fire brings together all of the things we’ve been working on at Amazon for over 15 years into a single, fully-integrated service for customers. With Kindle Fire, you have instant access to all the content, free storage in the Amazon Cloud, the convenience of Amazon Whispersync, our revolutionary cloud-accelerated web browser, the speed and power of a state-of-the-art dual-core processor, a vibrant touch display with 16 million colors in high resolution, and a light 14.6 ounce design that’s easy to hold with one hand – all for only $199. We’re offering premium products, and we’re doing it at non-premium prices.”
New Latest Generation Kindle–Fits In Your Pocket–Only $79
The new latest generation Kindle is for readers who want the lightest, most compact Kindle at an incredible price. The latest generation Kindle features a new design that is 30 percent lighter at just 5.98 ounces, 18 percent smaller, and turns pages 10 percent faster. Kindle is now small and light enough to fit easily in your pocket and carry with you everywhere, yet it still features the same 6-inch, most advanced electronic ink display that reads like real paper, even in bright sunlight.
The new latest generation Kindle is only $79. Kindle is available starting today at www.amazon.com/kindle.
New Addition to the Kindle Family–“Kindle Touch”–Only $99
Kindle Touch is a new addition to the Kindle family with an easy-to-use touch screen that makes it easier than ever to turn pages, search, shop, and take notes – still with all the benefits of the most advanced electronic ink display. Kindle Touch is also lighter, smaller, eliminates battery anxiety with extra-long battery life and holds thousands of books.
New “X-Ray” Feature
Amazon invented X-Ray, a new feature that lets customers explore the “bones of the book.” With a single tap, readers can see all the passages across a book that mention ideas, fictional characters, historical figures, places or topics that interest them, as well as more detailed descriptions from Wikipedia and Shelfari, Amazon’s community-powered encyclopedia for book lovers. Amazon built X-Ray using its expertise in language processing and machine learning, access to significant storage and computing resources with Amazon S3 and EC2, and a deep library of book and character information. The vision is to have every important phrase in every book.
The new Kindle Touch is only $99. Kindle Touch is available to customers in the U.S. for pre-order starting today at www.amazon.com/kindletouch and ships November 21.
New Top of the Line Kindle e-reader–“Kindle Touch 3G” –Only $149
Kindle Touch 3G is a new addition to the Kindle family for readers who want the top of the line e-reader. Kindle Touch 3G offers the same new design and features of Kindle Touch – small and light, easy-to-use touch screen, storage for thousands of books, and extra-long battery life – with the unparalleled added convenience of free 3G. Kindle’s free 3G connection means you never have to hunt for or pay for a Wi-Fi hotspot – you simply download and read books anytime, anywhere in over 100 countries around the world. Amazon pays for the 3G connection so there’s no monthly fee or annual contract.
The new top of the line Kindle Touch 3G is only $149. Kindle Touch 3G is available to customers in the U.S. for pre-order starting today at www.amazon.com/kindletouch3G and ships November 21.
All Kindles have instant access to the Kindle Store with the largest selection of the most popular books people want to read. Millions of free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books are also available to read on Kindle devices, and Kindle customers can now borrow Kindle books from their public library. Kindle books are “Buy Once, Read Everywhere” – on Kindle, Kindle Touch, Kindle Touch 3G, Kindle Fire, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, PCs, Mac, Android phones and tablets, BlackBerry, Windows phones, and web browsers with Kindle Cloud Reader.
All three new Kindle e-readers also come with special offers and sponsored screensavers that appear when you’re not reading. Customers enjoy special money-saving offers delivered wirelessly sponsored by AT&T, the Dove beauty brand and Amazon.com Rewards Visa Card by Chase. Kindle e-reader customers will also receive special offers in their own backyards from AmazonLocal, Amazon’s local deals marketplace with discounts on local services, products, and experiences. Customers can also choose to purchase a Kindle without special offers and sponsored screensavers.
New Class of Kindle–“Kindle Fire”–Only $199
All The Content–Over 18 Million Movies, TV Shows, Songs, Apps, Games, Books, and Magazines
Kindle Fire puts Amazon’s incredible selection of digital content at your fingertips:
* Over 100,000 movies and TV shows from Amazon Instant Video, including thousands of new releases and popular TV shows, available to stream or download, purchase or rent – all just one tap away. Amazon Prime Members enjoy instant, unlimited, commercial-free streaming of over 11,000 movies and TV shows at no additional cost. Kindle Fire comes with one free month of Amazon Prime. * Over 17,000,000 songs from Amazon MP3, including new and bestselling albums from just $7.99 and individual songs from $0.69. * Over 1,000,000 Kindle books, including thousands of bestsellers, children’s books, comic books and cookbooks in rich color. * 100 exclusive graphic novels, including Watchmen, the bestselling – and considered by many to be the greatest – graphic novel of all time, which has never before been available in digital format, as well as Batman: Arkham City, Superman: Earth OneGreen Lantern: Secret Origin and 96 others from DC Entertainment. * Hundreds of magazines and newspapers – including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Wired, Elle, The New Yorker, Cosmopolitan and Martha Stewart Living – with full-color layouts, photographs, illustrations, built-in video, audio and other interactive features are available from the new Kindle Fire “Newsstand.” Kindle Fire customers will enjoy an exclusive free three-month trial to 17 Condé Nast magazines, including Vanity Fair, GQ and Glamour. * All the most popular Android apps and games, such as Angry Birds, Plants vs. Zombies, Cut the Rope and more. All apps are Amazon-tested on Kindle Fire to ensure quality and Amazon offers a new free paid app every day.
Cloud-Accelerated Web Browser – “Amazon Silk”
The Kindle Fire web browser Amazon Silk introduces a radical new paradigm – a “split browser” architecture that accelerates the power of the mobile device hardware by using the computing speed and power of the Amazon Web Services Cloud. The Silk browser software resides both on Kindle Fire and on the massive server fleet that comprises the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2). With each page request, Silk dynamically determines a division of labor between the mobile hardware and Amazon EC2 (i.e. which browser sub-components run where) that takes into consideration factors like network conditions, page complexity, and cached content. The result is a faster web browsing experience, and it’s available exclusively on Kindle Fire. Additional technical details are available in the Amazon Silk press release, released today at www.amazon.com/pr. To see a video about Amazon Silk go to www.amazon.com/silk.
Simple and Easy-To-Use
Amazon designed the Kindle Fire user interface from the ground up to make it easier than ever to purchase, manage, and enjoy your digital content. Just like with Kindle e-readers, Kindle Fire comes automatically pre-registered to your Amazon.com account so you can immediately start enjoying your digital content purchased from Amazon or shop for new content. All of your digital content is instantly available to enjoy and manage with a simple, consistent experience across all content types.
Free Cloud Storage
Just like Kindle e-readers, Kindle Fire offers free storage for all your Amazon digital content in the Amazon Cloud. Amazon digital content is automatically backed up for free in the Amazon Cloud’s Worry-Free Archive where it’s available for re-downloading anytime.
Amazon Whispersync Now for Movies & TV Too
Just like Kindle e-readers, Kindle Fire uses Amazon’s popular Whispersync technology to automatically synchronize your Kindle library, last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights across the widest range of devices and platforms. With the introduction of Kindle Fire, Amazon is expanding this technology to include video. Start streaming a movie on your Kindle Fire, and when you get home, you can resume streaming right where you left off on your TV – avoid the frustration of needing to find your spot.
Easy to Hold in One Hand
Just like Kindle e-readers, Kindle Fire was designed to disappear so you can lose yourself in the content. Weighing in at just 14.6 ounces, Kindle Fire is small and light enough to hold in just one hand and carry everywhere you go. The lightweight, compact design makes Kindle Fire perfect for web browsing, playing games, reading and shopping on-the-go.
Brilliant Color Touchscreen
Content comes alive in rich color on a 7-inch full color LCD touchscreen that delivers 16 million colors in high resolution and 169 pixels per inch. Kindle Fire uses IPS (in-plane switching) technology – similar technology as used on the iPad, for an extra-wide viewing angle – perfect for sharing your screen with others. In addition, the Kindle Fire display is chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic, which means it is incredibly durable and will stand up to accidental bumps and scrapes.
Fast, Powerful Dual-Core Processor
Kindle Fire features a state-of-the-art dual-core processor for fast, powerful performance. Stream music while browsing the web or read books while downloading videos.
Free Month of Amazon Prime
Right out of the box, Kindle Fire users will experience the benefits that millions of Amazon Prime members already enjoy – unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of over 11,000 movies and TV shows with Prime Instant Video and the convenience of Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items from Amazon.com.
Only $199
The all-new Kindle Fire – with all the content, Amazon’s revolutionary cloud-accelerated browser, free storage in the Amazon Cloud, Whispersync, 14.6 ounce design that’s easy to hold with one hand, brilliant color touchscreen, and a fast and powerful dual core processor – is only $199. Customers in the U.S. can pre-order Kindle Fire starting today at www.amazon.com/kindlefire and it ships November 15.
For high resolution images and video of the all-new Kindle family, visit www.amazon.com/pr/kindle.[/toggle]
Sony has announced the worlds lightest E-Reader weighing in at just 168 grams (5.93 ounces) and is just 8.9mm thin. The E reader also has a 600 x 800, 16-level gray scale E Ink Pearl display along with 1.3 GB of usable internal storage plus microSD expansion of up to 32GB.
The device will be available in Europe in October for around $149 and India in December for 9000 INR.
Looking at the button configuration the base operating system on the device appears to be Android.
Sony Introduces World’s Lightest 15.2cm (6″) eReader with Enhanced Touchscreen
31 August 2011
· Hold effortlessly in one hand: just 168 grams and 8.9mm thin · Browse and download a huge range of eBooks via Wi-Fi · Turn pages smoothly, zoom in and out, look up in dictionary or make notes, all on advanced, high-contrast touchscreen · Borrow eBooks directly and wirelessly from your public library · Over one month of battery life* lets you read without recharging on holidays or trips away · Available in three fashionable colours: red, white and black
Treat yourself to the most natural and immersive reading experience with the new Reader™ Wi-Fi® (model PRS-T1) from Sony – the world’s lightest1 15.2cm (6″) eReader that also features an enhanced touchscreen.
Now with Wi-Fi, Reader gives you the additional freedom to buy, borrow or get eBooks for free wherever there’s a wireless connection available.
From the latest releases to popular titles and classics, it’s easy to browse and download titles in seconds from a huge range of compatible bookstores and other web sites. You will also be able to purchase and download eBooks and periodicals via Wi-Fi from the rapidly-expanding catalogue available at the Reader™ Store2. What’s more, Reader Wi-Fi is the worlds’ first3 eReader that will allow you to borrow eBooks wirelessly from public libraries thanks to simple, seamless access on the device4 via an on-screen ‘Public Library’ icon.
Slipping effortlessly into a bag or pocket, Reader Wi-Fi is no bigger than a paperback book. 8.9mm thin and weighing just 168 grams it’s supremely comfortable to hold, with a gently curving profile that fits naturally in your hand.
Enjoying your favourite book is even more of a pleasure with the advanced Dual Touch screen. E Ink® Pearl electronic paper displays a clear, glare-free, high contrast image that’s easy to read for hours, even in direct sunlight.
Touch the screen to choose a book. Swipe a finger to turn the page, or zoom in and out by pinching your fingers together or apart. Tap on a word and hold to find its meaning from two built-in English language dictionaries. Words can also be translated to and from English using ten built-in translation dictionaries. You can even write notes on the page or highlight text with a finger or the supplied stylus – just like a real book.
Finding your way around the longest title is refreshingly quick and intuitive. Bookmark pages and return to them instantly, or search for particular passages and jump straight to the text you’re looking for.
While you’re reading, get extra information easily on a word or phrase with in-text access to Google™ and Wikipedia® look-ups. A simple browser also lets you download other compatible5 documents from the web via Wi-Fi for easy reading while you’re on the move.
Reader Wi-Fi handles a wide range of digital formats, including the popular EPUB eBook standard plus PDF and TXT documents. View your collection of digital photos on screen, or plug in a pair of headphones and listen to stored music tracks while you’re reading. The front cover image of your current title or a favourite photo can be displayed as a screensaver when Reader is in standby.
Fine-tune your reading experience with eight adjustable font sizes plus a choice of six font styles. Screen contrast and brightness are easily adjusted for comfortable viewing in any lighting conditions.
Its long battery life lets you read for over one month without needing a recharge (3 weeks with wireless on). Reader Wi-Fi can be used while the battery charges via USB on a connected PC, so there’s no need to interrupt your favourite book.
With a capacity of 2GB – enough to hold around 1,200 eBooks – internal memory space is easily expanded with an optional microSD card to hold tens of thousands more.
Style-matched optional accessories for your Reader include a form-fitting cover with built-in lighting arm that angles for reading at night or in dimly lit places.
Reader Wi-Fi with Pottermore download offer6
Sony’s first offer in its collaboration with J.K. Rowling’s eagerly anticipated Pottermore website (www.pottermore.com) is a specially-created limited edition of Reader Wi-Fi (PRS-T1) which includes a voucher that enables Harry Potter fans to download the first Harry Potter eBook title, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, from Pottermore. Pottermore, a unique website which builds an exciting and immersive online experience around the Harry Potter books and is the exclusive retailer of the Harry Potter digital eBooks, is partnered by Sony.
Reader Wi-Fi (model: PRS-T1) by Sony is available in Europe from October 2011, depending on country.
1 The world’s lightest eBook Reader with diagonal screen size of 15.2 cm (6″) as of 31st August 2011.
2 Reader Store will soon be available in Europe, coming first to the UK, Germany and Austria in 2011.
3 World’s first according to Sony research as of 31st August 2011.
4 Requires valid library card. Device feature – available only in UK, US, and Canada.
5 Unencrypted ePub and PDF files.
6 Availability of Reader Wi-Fi Pottermore special edition varies by country.
Sony’s yet to be heard of E-reader the PRS-T1 has been leaked at a Dutch online retailer. Set at a price of about INR. 10,000/-
6″ Display 800×600
E-ink screen
Dual-touch gestures
Plastic body
168g
Wikipedia and Google search
Android OS (Speculated)
At a price like that it looks like a great reader alternative to the Kindle. But, if it runs Android it might just be an excellent device for the price.
Amazon has bought several domains related to the Kindle, including KindleAir.com, Kindlesocialnetwork.com and Kindlesocianetworking.com. The Kindle Air could be the next version of the Amazon kindle, possibly the one with a color E-ink display.
The name is pretty evident of the fact that the company is going the Apple way, and may announce a Thinner and Lighter Kindle possibly unibody construction.
Panasonic has just announced a EBook Reader Tablet for the Japanese market. The device is based on the Android OS and features a 7-inch 1024 x 600px display, expandability via micro SD slot, a front facing camera, and WiFi. The device will come with 600 Preview titles when its launched. Weighing in at just 400gms. There is no news on Pricing or date of release.
Google had launched an e-bookstore in December but the store never really took off as using it with an e-book reader was quite a pain. You had to download stuff to your PC and sync it across to your device. Now, a new e-book reader is all set to change that process and challenge the likes of the Kindle and the Nook.
Created by iRiver, the company behind a range of MP3 players, the device is called the Story HD and hooks directly into the Google Library. The Story HD will pull books directly from the Google Library without having to use a PC to perform a sync to the device. This means that the device will have access to over three million free titles as well as access to hundreds of thousands of paid books.
There are over 80 devices that currently support Google’s e-book format when synced via a PC including the Kindle and the Nook. None of the readers natively support the e-bookstore however, if you have a smartphone, you could just use the Google Books app to access the store.
The iRiver Story HD will be available for $140 online. The device will have built in WiFi as well as a black and white screen with a QWERTY keyboard. For comparison, the Nook and the Kindle are available for the same price as well.
The video says it all, the Future of displays is getting closer and closer. While Polymer Vision shows of the new Rollable Display can be rolled up 25,000 times at a radius of only six millimeters, There are no Pricing or availability details yet.
While woes for Sony’s loss and security breaches continue. They have just showcased their new foldable and super-flexible Organic TFT display. The displays like the one above can be bent to a 5mm curvature radius. The 13.3-inch sheet has a 1,600 x 1,200 (150ppi) resolution and is powered by organic TFTs.
An Awesome case that takes iPhone photography and ability a step further. Its called “Popslate” and its a pretty cool cover that adds a second (E-Ink) display to the back of the iPhone which is also touch sensitive. The iPhone app lets you take a picture with your phone and display it on the back of the device instantly , the always-on, ultra low-power, black and white display can also become a canvas for notifications, sports scores, maps, lists and notes.
