New Sony Reader Puts a Library's Worth of Reading Material in Your Pocket
05 January 2006 - 12:20PM
PR Newswire (US)
Ground-breaking Technology, Seamless Service and a Broad Range of
Available Content Combine to Revolutionize Reading LAS VEGAS, Jan.
4 /PRNewswire/ -- (CES Booth #14200) -- Destined to transform the
electronic reading experience, the lightweight Sony(R) Reader is
expected to bring a whole new meaning to "book smart." Coupling an
innovative electronic paper display with precise one-handed
navigation and a stylish, durable design, the Sony Reader will
allow active readers to carry as much as they want to read whether
they are traveling on the road or just around the corner. Roughly
the size of a paperback novel, but thinner than most (about .5
inches thin), the device can store hundreds of books in internal
memory with the addition of an optional Memory Stick(R) or Secure
Digital (SD) flash memory card. The Reader can also store and
display personal documents in Adobe PDF format, favorite web
content like blogs or news feeds, and JPEG photos. With a seemingly
limitless battery life equivalent to roughly 7,500 page turns, avid
readers can devour a dozen bestsellers plus War and Peace without
ever having to recharge. "In recent years millions of people have
become comfortable downloading and enjoying digital media,
including eBooks. But until now, there has not been a good device
on which to read," said Ron Hawkins, senior vice president of
Personal Reader Systems marketing at Sony Electronics. "Our
research has shown that people are looking for a device designed
exclusively for immersive reading. The Sony Reader with its
electronic paper display, thin format and extraordinary battery
life fits the bill." Paper-Like Display Part of the magic behind
the Reader's viewing experience is the high- resolution electronic
paper display technology, which delivers a realistic print look
that rivals traditional paper. The result is readable text and
graphics from a variety of viewing angles, even outdoors in bright
sunlight. Since there is no backlight, readers will not experience
the fatigue associated with long term reading on an LCD. And, as
the technology renders each page as a static image, there is no
flicker or constant screen refresh to add to eyestrain. Users with
impaired or limited eyesight will enjoy the Reader's fully
adjustable text size, which can be magnified or reduced on demand.
Connect to Thousands of Titles Sony Connect(R) will support the
launch of the Sony Reader by providing an online store integrated
into an easy-to-use desktop application called the Connect Reader.
The software will allow users to search and browse through
thousands of downloadable eBooks, manage purchased eBooks and
easily transfer them to the Sony Reader device. At the outset, the
Connect Store will offer 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. Additionally, the
Connect Store will offer online content sourced via RSS (Really
Simple Syndication). "Reading books is a vital part of the overall
reading experience, which also increasingly consists of written
content from online news sources, blogs and other forms of web
content," said Lee Ali Shirani, vice president of Sony Connect.
"Connect will allow users to take eBooks, news feeds and other
online media and enjoy that portably, thereby making the Reader the
portable device for all things text." Major Support from Publishers
Booklovers will applaud the broad selection of eBooks already
available for purchase and download to the Reader device. Many of
the world's leading book publishers, including Random House,
HarperCollins Publishers, Penguin-Putnam, Simon & Schuster and
Time Warner Book Group will support Sony's e-reading initiative.
Many independent and specialty publishers will also have eBook
titles available for purchase and download to the Sony Reader.
Manga comics and graphic novels from innovative houses such as
TOKYOPOP are rendered beautifully on the device and will also be
available for download. The Sony Reader will be available in the
U.S. this spring and can be purchased at select retailers, online
at SonyStyle.com or at SonyStyle(R) stores
(http://www.sonystyle.com/retail) in high-end fashion malls around
the country. More information about Sony Reader is available at
http://www.sony.com/reader. Web site: http://www.sony.com/reader
http://www.sonystyle.com/retail DATASOURCE: Sony Electronics Inc.
CONTACT: Valerie Motis of Sony Electronics Inc., +1-858-942-8016, ;
or Bennett Kleinberg or Virginia Anagnos, both of Goodman Media
International, +1-212-576-2700
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