New E-Book Reader

Engadget has a nice little write-up about Plastic Logic's new E-Ink reader.  Finally, FINALLY, it appears that an e-book hardware vendor has realized that one of the keys to a successful e-book reader is a larger display instead of a smaller display.  Amazon and Sony insist on a paperback sized device.  Give me a thin, 8 1/2 by 11 display that will handle web pages, PDFs, and non-DRMed e-book content and I'll be a user for life.  I'll even purchase DRMed content from you too.  Sometimes, even with technology, (a little) bigger is better.  Sign me up!

Filed under: Displays, Misc. Gadgets

Later today, Plastic Logic will be showing off its new e-newspaper reader (name, undecided) for the first time. The black and white, E Ink device features a wireless link to download content, room enough to store "hundreds of pages of newspapers, books, and documents," and a display more than twice the size of the wee Kindle while suffering just half the ugly. Better yet, the device is said to use "flexible, lightweight plastic" rather than glass resulting in a reader about one-third the thickness of the Kindle at about the same weight -- the reader itself (pictured left) looks rigid compared to that flexible display Plastic Logic has demonstrated in the past. Expected to go on sale during the first half of 2009 with more details, including which news organizations will feed information to the reader, promised for CES in January.
Update: Announced official with 8.5 x 11-inch display with gesture-based user interface and additional support for MS Office formats as well as PDF. Second picture added after the break.