i'm over here having a brain orgasm over this device
Thursday, Mar. 25, 2004
Bryan found this new device on some website he frequents and actually asked me if I thought I would like one of these. OMG he didn't even have to ask did he? How f**king kewl is this???
For the last several years we've been watching the development of the so-called "electronic paper", being a high-clarity monochrome display to become a foundation for comfortable and inexpensive "electronic papers", etc. So, it's finally happened: Royal Philips Electronics, Sony Corporation and E Ink Corporation announced the first e-Book released by Sony under the new LIBRI� brand. The novelty is to go on sale in Japan late this April.
As for other LIBRI� EBPR-1000EP features, it can store up to 500 books of average size on a 512MB Memory Stick PRO card. The device supports Sony's BBeB (BroadBand eBook) format and utilizes OpenMG copyright security.
LIBRIe EBPR-1000EP features SXGA (800x600) 4-tone grayscale (for better font smoothing) and 5-stage brightness controls. The e-Book also features 10MB memory, keyboard, Memory Stick PRO slot, voice recorder, speaker, and headphones output (for use with a voice recorder), USB2.0 interface. Sized 190x126x13mm, it weighs 190g.
In Japan it will cost about �40,000 ($365). Besides, the sales will lead to content providing services. In Japan the content provider will be Timebook Town. At that, the monthly fee will be �210 ($1.9), two-month fee � �315 ($2.85). The downloaded BBeB files will be available for reading only on LIBRI�.
No information is disclosed when such devices and services will be available outside Japan. Besides, Sony's extremely proprietary data format seems suspicious. Well, let's wait and see in which direction these technologies will be developed.