Is the future of dedicated eReaders monochrome or color? Digital photo frame-maker Pandigital continues to bet on color, with its update to the Novel eReader, shipping today.
The new model retains the original’s 7″ 800×600 touch screen while shedding nearly half the weight, coming down to 11.8 ounces from 19, and doubling its internal memory from 1 to 2 GB. As with the previous model, that can be expanded with an SD/SDHC card slot that accepts up to 32 GB. Content is well-supplied by Barnes and Noble’s eBookstore, and that deal brings with it the Nook’s lending feature as well. Internet connectivity is accomplished through a Wi-Fi connection for web browsing and email access. In addition to reading, the device will also let you browse your photos, view videos, and listen to music. It runs Android on a ARM 11 processor.
An LCD screen is certainly a mixed blessing, as it opens the reader up to more vivid fare such as magazines and illustrated books, but at the cost of more eye strain and difficulty reading outside in direct sunlight. But at $199.99 this should make an interesting middle point quandary for people trying to choose between a Kindle (or Nook) and an iPad.
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I have had the Sony PRS 505 since it’s launch in the uk a few years now and I love it and I applaude the launch of new inovative products, but what godes me most is the never ending flow of tweaked models that just confuse and sometimes put off people because no sooner have you got your shiny new ebook reader or any other gadget, you then read the next week or month that theres another version just launched with an added feature that you may or may not use.
When will these companies produce a product that expands with the new product that way we are not compounding too, the ever growing Tech mountain of disgarded gadgets but making the products eco sustainable and helping to reduce the carbon footprint that we appear to be making for ourselves.
Although I like the above product a lot I will wait till the last puff of steam has drifted out of mine before upgrading. Books were meant to be read in B&W not in colour, granted there is a huge market for the comic readership world but thats another story.
I wish there was a single standard format too that way you are not tied to one format or one publishing house/website for the book you are interested in.
Nuff said, now whers my sony reader… ;o)
Pandigital came out with another device a while back and it didn’t go so well. It was an android based device (that was hacked and had Kindle for Android running on it), but they were host to a slew of problems and they also did a recall on the device….Hopefully this revision will work as advertised and give the iPad and other ereaders some stiff competition.
Norman, according to Pandigital, battery life is “up to six hours” in reading mode. We have not had one to test, so real-world life may vary.
…but what is the battery life like?
Before I start let me just say I love reading on my Kindle, and the idea of a colour version just gets my juices flowing.
But this isn’t an e-reader! It’s a basic tablet device that is looking for a home, and what with the i-pad and all the talk of full flavour android tablets from so many producers, its already looking a little out of its depth.
This is just a personal opinion but I think moving forward we should only call something an e-reader if it uses e-ink. If the e-ink is mono-chrome or full colour it doesn’t matter just so long as it is one of them.
Sorry but I know that I for one will not be buying one of these. My Kindle is fine until Amazon (or anyone else) embraces colour e-ink
It’s an interesting step, but I don’t think it’ll be big. I finally bought a kindle after the $140 price drop, and even then, I was hesitant. I still feel $99 is the magic number, but it should be there now. Regardless, the real issue is cost of ebooks… I have no advantage other than a virtual library.
With that said, $200 for reading on an LCD screen, and not having the functionality of iOS or Android… seems like a complete miss. It’s only saving grace is it will play videos, but I’m not confident that will be a… good experience.
Hi,
While there are great advances in eReader technologies and design, it might be worthwhile to cover the technology today with the current crop for displaying and processing non English characters. The non-English/non computer literate audience in the world is huge to say the least. The same goes for non English books availability online. Thanks
Looks great for the color enthusiasts, but with the Kindle dropping it’s prices, I think I’ll stay with that concept. I’m not a Kindle owner yet, but probably Christmas time I’ll gift myself one. Color, well I don’t need it, I think a B&W screen is easer on the eyes, it takes so much to process color. I get eye fatigue, the screen refresh rate or what?!?!?!. With B&W, not hardly at all, I can read for a good long time & not feel tired, maybe it’s just me. Besides, under $200.00 now, Mr. Kindle fits nicely into my budget. Keep em’ rolling Dave, good stuff….. “B”