E-Reader News, Resources & Information

China-based Onyx is reportedly working on two new E Ink e-readers. Both will have Wi-Fi, a touch display, 4GB of RAM and a 1 GHz CPU. They will actually be Android (v2.3) tablets, limited by the E Ink display. The BOOX R65 will have an IR touchscreen while the BOOX C65 will have a capacitive touchscreen.

There are also reports that the company is set to launch the E43 Android phone that has a 4.3" E Ink panel and the same 1 GHz cpu in a few months.

There are reports that Microsoft is considering to buy Nook Media in a deal worth $1 billion. Nook is making Android tablets and E Ink e-readers. If Microsoft will take control, it's likely that they will stop making Android tablets in favor of Windows ones (this was an expected move in any case). Nook Media is also expected to wind down the E Ink e-reader business, unfortunately.

Microsoft is already a shareholder in Nook - they hold 17.6% after investing $300 million when the unit was spun-off from B&N back in May 2012.

Barnes & Noble slashed the price of the Nook Simple Touch to just £29 in the UK (about $45). This is a limited-time discount. They also lowered the price of the Simple Touch with Glowlight to £79 (down from £109).

The Nook Simple Touch (known as the Nook Touch before November 2011) is an Android based e-reader with a 6" 800x600 Pearl E Ink display that supports touch, 2GB of internal memory, a microSD slot and a micro-USB connector. It supports ePub and PDF file formats and weights 226 grams. In the US it costs $79.

The PocketBook Color Lux is an 8 e-reader with a front-lit color 600x800 E Ink panel (Triton Gen 2). Other features include Wi-Fi, 4GB of flash memory and a microSD slot.

The Color Lux will launch in Russia soon for about $315.

Engadget posted a review of the new limited-edition premium e-reader, the Kobo Aura HD. While the large high-def display (6.8", 1440x1080) is great, and the specs are very good (CPU, storage, etc.) - it's still larger and heavier than Kindle or Nook, and more expensive too. As such it will only be compelling for new users which are very heavy readers.

As I see it, most heavy readers already have an e-reader, so it'll be difficult to make them switch to the new Kobo platform. That's a shame because the idea of a premium e-reader is great. I love my Kindle and I think I'd be willing to pay more for a better device (although I like the fact that it is small and light).

Kobo's Aura HD is the world's first premium e-reader. It has a large 6.8" E Ink display (virtually all e-ready use 6" or 5" displays) with a very high resolution of 1440x1080 (265 ppi). The Aura HD also sports Wi-Fi, front light, 4 Gb of internal memory and a fast processor.

The Aura HD is now available for pre-order for $169.99

The Bookplace Mono is a budget E Ink e-reader for the Japanese market. It features a 6" (758x1024) E Ink display, a 800Mhz CPU, Wi-Fi, 4GB of internal memory, a microSD slot and a USB port.

The Bookplace Mono is currently available for ¥9800 (around $100) as a special launch price, bundled with some books. The price will climb to ¥13,500 (around $150) soon.