Braille e-reader would be possible

The concept of a braille e-reader seems timely, given the battle between disability groups and the Kindle--as groups demand that the read aloud function be restored. In the same vein, this proposed braille reader would address another need for some readers. Apparently the technology to fashion such a reader is available and a group of people have prepared a prototype.

I think this is one of the better proposed e-readers to come up as of late. I know that the market for such a reader would be quite small but I think it's very refreshing to see technology put to such good use, making e-reader available to those who would otherwise be shut out.

The Kindle going newspaper-sized...maybe!

The rumor mill is abuzz with the news that the Kindle may be expanding its screen size to compete with other newspaper-friendly e-readers in development. Rumor also has it that this device might be available by Christmas 2009--watch out Hearst!

Barnes & Noble working on their own e-reader?

Rumor has it that Barnes and Noble is jumping into the e-reader mix, developing a Kindle-like e-reader of their own. Unlike many other potential e-readers out there, the B&N reader would reportedly take advantage of a Whispernet-like technology via a celluar service (Verizon or Sprint, perhaps). I'm not sure having such a similar device would be competitive, unless B&N could undercut Amazon with a price cut.

Small format color e-reader coming soon?

Via a rumor on Teleread, Netronix and Astak will produce a 9.7-inch color e-reader in 2010. This is the first mention of a smaller format e-reader available in color. Other proposed color e-readers are larger in format, suited for magazines and newspapers.

Kindle Gets Smart on PDF and EPUB?

I was very surprised to read today that the Kindle was now able to read PDF and EPUB files. Wow. There's one big catch--it's not Amazon that has set up this capability. A developer, who swears he didn't hack the Kindle (though I have my doubts), came up with the application that allows the formerly unavailable formats to be viewed on the Kindle. But as with any hack, buyer beware...

Murdoch talks of a color e-reader

Well, this is a short post, because there's not a lot of details on this yet. But, it seems that Rupert Murdoch has mentioned his investment in a larger format, color e-reader that would compete with the Kindle to provide an electronic platform for newspapers. Some have posited that he's refereing to the Hearst e-reader or the Fujitsu e-reader, but I think he may be working with Plastic Logic or some such company. Guess we'll have to wait and see!

Verizon to compete with Sprint in wirelessly connecting other e-readers?

Finally, it seems that the "other guys" might be catching on. Verizon has made murmurings about working with e-readers to support the same kind of wireless connectivitiy that Sprint does for the Amazon Kindle. The Kindle's wireless connectivity is generally what set it apart from other e-readers (ever if the Kindle is less desirable than the other e-readers in other ways). Today's readers demand such connectivity, so it will be exciting to see how soon and how ubiquitious these other networks become.