| eBook devices represent the ultimate in | | | | Lewis, who leads non-phone device activities for |
| convergence, marrying millenia-old written | | | | the carrier, said that he had been contacted by |
| language with modern telecommunications | | | | five companies. The piece is a bit sketchy on |
| technology. Right now, Amazon offers the Kindle | | | | details, but said that indications are that a product |
| and Sony the Digital Book. | | | | would focus on book types that Kindle does not |
| There may soon be other entrants. The Street | | | | empahsize, such as college texts. Lewis wouldn't |
| and other sites and publications that report that | | | | confirm or deny if Sony - whose device lacks a |
| Barnes & Noble is working with a device | | | | wireless connectivity option - is one of the five |
| vendor and Sprint on an eBook reader. The story | | | | companies. |
| says the chain had been in discussions with | | | | All signs are that Barnes & Noble is intensely |
| Verizon, but the discussions ended. AT&T is | | | | interested in the sector. Besides the fact that it |
| also mentioned as a possible partner. | | | | simply makes sense, the purchase of Fictionwise |
| Barnes & Noble is the biggest book chain in | | | | and the rumors of development of a device for |
| the country, and the way it approaches e-readers | | | | use on the Sprint network, the company late last |
| - both from the technical and business points of | | | | month released a beta of a free e-reader |
| view - is critical. The chain partnered with | | | | application for BlackBerry. This Computerworld |
| Microsoft and Adobe on a tablet-style device | | | | story, which benefits from analysis from Enderle |
| earlier in the decade, but demand was limited and | | | | Group principal and IT Business Edge blogger Rob |
| the partnership ended. The fact that the company | | | | Enderle, confirms that use of smartphones for |
| is ready for another stab at the concept is | | | | eBooks is at best a stopgap due to limited screen |
| evidenced by not only the eReader rumors, but | | | | size and the high demand the application puts on |
| by the purchase last month of Fictionwise, an | | | | batteries. |
| electronic bookstore. This would give it a source | | | | Another player in the eBook reader sector could |
| of content for its electronic content distribution | | | | be Rupert Murdock. T3 reports that News Corp. is |
| initiatives. | | | | interested in producing a device aimed at |
| In parallel to the publishing industry's activities and | | | | newspapers instead of books. The story raises |
| the great increase in cellular and wireless | | | | the interesting issue of how an e-reader could |
| coverage, the fascinating science of flexible | | | | help salvage newspapers. The poor economy has |
| displays is moving ahead rapidly. In late January, I | | | | accelerated the decline of the industry. |
| took a look at activities in the field. Flexible | | | | Conceivably, e-readers could be a converged |
| displays and e-readers overlap but are not | | | | solution that enables at least some version of |
| synonymous: It's possible to use a good, | | | | traditional newspapers to survive. Plastic Logic is |
| old-fashioned rigid screen for an e-reader. The | | | | reported to be designing the device to be |
| coming of screens that can fold, be rolled up and | | | | released early next year. Plastic Logic announced |
| even sewn into clothing certainly will extend the | | | | an e-reader deal with The Detroit Media |
| field, however. | | | | Partnership, which a recent Editor & Publisher |
| At the beginning of the month, The Associated | | | | story gingerly identifies as "the joint operating |
| Press looked at the possible eBook options for | | | | agency" of the Detroit News and the Detroit Free |
| Verizon Wireless. The piece reported that Tony | | | | Press. |