Asustek announces WiMAX enabled E-Books coming soon

Asustek will be launching an e-book reader in the near future that will combine wi-fi with WiMAX mobile technologies as soon as the end of 2009. Asustek will most likely release the reader under the extremely popular EEE name here in the U.S. Looks like the predictions back in August were right.
Information is somewhat sparse at this time, but we do know that Asustek has made WiMAX hardware before, for companies like Clearwire, so that part of the technology isn’t new to them. Of course, Asustek frequently produces hardware and sells it to other vendors for re-branding, so we might see this technology under another brand name. We can probably expect Asustek to price their reader in the range of Amazon and B&N, in order to be competitive. One thing for sure, it’s turning out to be a good year for e-book readers.
[CrunchGear]

Tire maker Bridgestone shows world’s first flexible e-book reader

Tire maker Bridgestone isn’t the first company that comes to mind when thinking about electronic paper, but the company has been experimenting in this field for quite some time now. Today, Bridgestone claimed that it has developed the world’s first flexible e-book reader [JP]. The device, which is pictured above, uses electronic paper (instead of, say, an LCD) and will display the content on the screen even after you turn it off.
Bridgestone says the prototype has a 10.7-inch-screen, is just 5.8mm thick (Kindle 2: 9.1mm) and can display color pages. The device can be bent to some extent since the circuit board and the electronic paper are flexible.
First tests with end consumers will begin in spring of next year, but Bridgestone already said it doesn’t plan to commercialize the e-book reader at this point.

The company also unveiled another device that features a 13.1-inch e-paper (touch screen) that can display up to 4,096 colors, communicate with cell phones and comes with a reaction rate of 0.8sec (that’s how long it takes to refresh a screen). It’s pictured above.
[CrunchGear]

Barnes and Noble's E-Reader Like a Kindle/iPhone Chimera: First Photos and Details [Ebooks]

Barnes and Noble's late to e-books. But the company's new gadget—first seen here—should address the weaknesses of all other readers with multiple screens, each playing to tech strengths. A source from within reveals the first photos and details.
The Barnes and Nobles e-reader project, set to be revealed next week, has been under development for years, with several devices of varying size and capability in the pipeline. First rumors said it would have a color e-ink screen. Then people said it didn't. They were both kind of right: The layout will feature a black and white e-ink screen like the Kindle has—and a multitouch display like an iPhone underneath. Pow!
More details and photos of the Barnes and Noble E-Ink/LCD reader here:

What's interesting is that B&N will sell the books it also publishes (yes, remember, they are also a publisher and not just a store) at a deep discount compared to print editions. And the device will have some sort of access to all books scanned by the Google Books project; probably books that are out of print.
The name of the gadget, which I cannot reveal and may have changed anyhow, is freaking terrible. I hope they change it before it ships.
[Gizmodo]

eBook Craze Goes Outside [Ebooks]

eBook Craze Goes Outside [Ebooks]: "

With the introduction of a solar-powered eBook from LG Display, owners will soon be able to read for hours on end, so long as they're outside and the sun is up.
This is because the new offering boasts both an eBook and a thin-film, 10cm solar cell. Surprise!
Four to five hours of sun exposure yields an additional day's worth of reading time. You can read inside too, of course, thanks to the battery, but if you do that how will you show off the fact that you're on the cutting edge and hip with your eBook?
[Gimodo via OLED Display]

8.1-inch iRex e-book reader will be sold at Best Buy, use Verizon network

Our own Nicholas Deleon is on his way to the official announcement this morning but here’s the latest on the iRex e-book reader that’s set to be launched in partnership with Barnes & Noble.

• The screen: 8.1-inch touchscreen
• Wireless downloads? Yes, via Verizon
• Where can you buy it? Best Buy, starting next month sometime
• How much? $399
• Other features: content from Barnes & Noble digital catalog, over 1,100 periodicals served up by NewspaperDirect, compatibility with the ePub format

[CrunchGear via New York Times]

Budget COOL-ER Reader with Color Touchscreen and 3G Planned for Early Next Year [Ebook]

When we reviewed the Cool-er reader, we liked its lower price, but felt it lacked the polish of the Kindle. Well, now Interead says it's working on a color Cool-er that should not only be touch-capable, but low-priced, too.
That means it'll face off against a planned dual-screen Asus reader. And Asus has said it hopes to kick that out the door as early as Christmas.
Interead confirmed it has 'big plans' for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, so there may not be long until the budget color reader showdown begins. [ElectricPig]

Asus Eee Reader Could Have Dual Color Touchscreens [Ebook Readers]

So about that Asus e-book reader expected by Christmas: The Times suggests that not only could it have dual color touchscreens like the prototype Asus showed at CeBIT (pictured), but it might even undercut Sony and Amazon on price.
Asus pretty much kick-started the whole netbook craze, so it'll be interesting to see if they can shake up e-book readers, too. A second display could be used for a virtual keyboard and Web browsing, allowing the device to even compete with netbooks. The company says it's also thinking about built-in speakers, and a Webcam/microphone for cheap Skype calls.
Budget and premium versions are likely, and it's expected the pricier option would feature 3G. Right now, the two cheapest readers are the 6-inch Amazon Kindle 2 ($300) and Cool-er eBook Reader ($250). The Times says Asus is aiming closer to around $160. Previous Eee PCs have been cheaper than the competition, so you just never know… [The Times]