Opening the next chapter of its eBook adventure, Sony comes up with a better screen and sleeker design for its new eBook Reader.
In its version of a literary sequel, Sony is taking the cover off a new edition of its Reader Digital Book this month. The new PRS-505 Reader features a svelte body design (6.9 by 4.8 by 0.3 inches, 9 oz.) and is available in two colors - silver and dark blue. Re-styled controls more closely mimic paper page turns and allow for quick, intuitive navigation.
A 6-inch next-generation electronic paper display from E Ink delivers faster response and a higher contrast ratio for easy reading and clear text, images and graphics.
With the capacity to store up to 160 typical eBooks, the Reader can act as a mobile library. Expansion slots for Memory Stick Duo or SD memory cards make the device's library potential even greater. More advanced users will appreciate the new USB-based mass storage capability that allows them to use the device as a portable drive for the direct transfer of documents, images and other files to the Reader. A new auto-sync feature also lets users set up folders with books and documents that can be automatically synchronized when the device is connected to a PC.
Since Sony's launch of the CONNECT eBooks store last year, the number of downloadable eBooks offered has expanded to more than 20,000 titles with new ones added weekly. Recent newcomers to the store include Reader's Digest, the first magazine to produce content for the Reader and Dorling Kindersley with titles coming soon. The site also boasts a number of Rough Guide travel titles.
For a limited time, when a Reader is registered on Sony's CONNECT eBooks Store, customers will receive a credit good for the purchase of 100 available CONNECT Classics titles, including the works of William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, H.G. Wells and more. The CONNECT store offers a broad selection of fiction and non-fiction, bestsellers, well-known authors, classics and more, with rich descriptive content in the form of author biographies, expert book reviews and reader commentary.
The Reader's high-resolution electronic paper display delivers a realistic print look that rivals traditional paper and uses minimal power. A single battery charge provides up to 7,500 pages of continuous reading. The option to magnify the text in three sizes offers a distinct advantage for sight-impaired readers. Switching the Reader to landscape mode offers yet another level of magnification as well as a wider page view. In addition to electronic books, the Reader can also store and display personal and business documents in Adobe PDF format, RTF and JPEG images.
The new Reader will retail for about $300 and come complete with a USB cable; eBook Library PC companion software; and a color-coordinated, protective soft cover. The Reader and optional accessories such as pink or black leather covers and an AC wall charger will be available in late October 2007.
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