If you got an Amazon Kindle, Sony E-Reader or Barnes and Noble Nook this holiday season, don't read this story -- you'll just be depressed.
That's because we're going to see a cavalcade of new and innovative ebooks that will leave those three single-function devices in the dust.
The first, the elegantly designed, but tragically inner-capped enTourage eDGe moves eBooks from the passive, single-function reader into the always-on internet world.
Featuring a unique two screen design, and running on Google's Android operating system, the eDGe has a traditional ebook screen on the left - but a full color screen on the right.
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WATCH A DEMO FROM REVISION3 OF THE AMAZING EDGE IN ACTION
The eBook side uses the digital paper technology found in the other products on the market, but it's much bigger, at 1200x825 pixels, or about 10 inches diagonally. It also uses eInk, which lets you mark-up, take notes, and annotate books using the included stylus.
The screen on the right, though, is where the true innovation happens. This 1024x600 color 10: screen offers full net book functionality, and lets you watch movies, play music, surf the web, and stay in touch with friends through Facebook and Twitter. The device currently connects to the internet via wifi, but will include 3G support in the future.
The two sides of the device work together; you can select a URL on the right, and have it pop up on the left-hand screen. You can easily surf the web to find more information about anything you're reading, or even watch a video, based on an ebook's contents. It also includes a removable battery. It will cost $500 when it is available later this spring.
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I have a Samsung 10" netbook 2,7 lb'r which is just excellent and I brought that and my DX on vacation for several weeks. The netbook has a 160 gig drive and I can do all kinds of work on it. Both go into my backpack and are light that way
The Edge has 4 gigs of internal memory and an SD slot.
It can last about 6 hours. The Kindle can last for about 2 weeks w/o wireless on
while my netbook lasts 7 hours often, 5.5 to 6 hours while using WiFi actively.
There is no way I would go for the Edge over what I have.
i'm enjoying looking at all the other possibilities though.
The Kindle excels because it is a simple, single-purpose device. I travel frequently, and the Kindle slips nicely into my bag alongside my MacBook Pro and assorted other bits of electronica that accompany me.
When I want to pick up on a book I'm reading on the Kindle, or catch the latest AP news, I'm about 4 seconds away from the content (pick up the Kindle, slide the switch to wake it up, and go). There are not 50 different functions, so the UI and UE are not weighted down under too-many-options.
This eDGe thing looks like a product that came straight out of engineering with no thought given to how people will really absorb it into their lives. I was half expecting to see a bottle opener on it as I watched the video. The industrial design also looks like some cheap knock-off shop product.
Bottom line, I think this falls right into that abyss of too-expensive to compete with the Kindle, and too wacky to really replace or challenge netbook or tablet type devices. And this is all without even getting in to the details about accessing content. The Kindle (and Nook) have fairly seamless content access and integration. I can download a new book to my Kindle from almost anywhere without ever leaving the Kindle itself, and without having to join random Wifi networks.