Dot Com Note » gadget

The Cheapest eBook Reader – ASUS Eee Reader

Dotcom Note — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:27:52 +0000

Yes, ASUS has done it again. After making netbook a main-stream computing device for the masses, ASUS is introducing the cheapest eBook reader later this year. And guess what? Are you ready for this? It will have dual screens. You can open it up just like a printed book and have two screens side-by-side. Now we’re talking about a true eBook reader.

UK’s TimesOnline is reporting that the ASUS Eee Reader will have two versions – a budget model selling for close to $150 and a premiere model priced higher. You can read digital book in one screen and browse the web on the other. Unlike today’s boring monochrome screen, both the screens will be full color. It will also feature speakers, a webcam and microphone for Skype liking applications.

Not only ASUS is a leader in innovating low-priced computing devices like their Eee PC, they also innovate new features like the first SSD-based hard drive in their Eee netbooks. This time, they have done it again with their new Eee reader. Not only it will be the cheapest eBook Reader on the planet, it will have innovative features like dual screen as I mentioned earlier. May be you can use it like a small tablet PC also for web surfing, emailing, web chat besdies its main functionality of reading digital books.

Eee PC 900 – Arrival of Ubiquitous Computing?

Dotcom Note — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 03:52:44 +0000

At last it is confirmed. Asus Eee PC 900 will be on sale in the USA starting on May 12. If you don’t know what an Eee PC is, this Wikipedia entry will help you know every thing you ever wanted to know about Eee PC.

The earlier Eee pcs (the 700 series) had 7 inch display. This new 900 series Eee PCs will boast a 9 inch screen size and a price tag of $549. If you can perform your computing chores under Linux, you will be rewarded with a 20GB of flash storage. If you prefer Windows XP, you have to live with 12GB of solid state memory.

Picture credit http://gizmodo.com/381768/asus-eee-pc-900-hits-us-may-12-for-549

What is so exciting about Eee PC? Being a 2lb sub-notebook, it is the cheapest in its class. The runaway success of Eee PC has created a new market segment for this low cost, ultra light notebooks. Other PC makers are racing to enter this newly created market with their own offerings.

This will be a perfect computing device for most of my daily needs – reading and writing emails, reading blogs and news, writing for a blog post and instant messaging with video.

Though I will not use it every day when I am at my desk, I intent to buy it for using it when I am away form my desk, like when I am lying on the bed and watching TV, when I am on vacation, or when I am out of town on business trips.

I did not like the earlier 700 version because the scree size was too small and it looked like a toy to me. But this one will meet my ubiquitous computing needs for now.

Kindle – Can Bloggers Sell Subscriptions to Amazon?

Dotcom Note — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:45:11 +0000

Amazon has launched an ebook reader called Kindle. Here is a Newsweek article about this latest gizmo that Amazon is positioning as a service rather than a device.

Unlike Sony’s eReader, Amazon’s Kindle will have wireless Interent connectivity using the cell phone data transmission technology.

Kindle has a six-inch screen and it uses e-ink for sharp readable pages. The battery lasts for 30 hours and you can fully recharge it in two hours. With a weight of around 10.3 ounces, it will be easy to carry it around in your backpack.

Image credit: engadget

You will be able to go to Amazon site and download ebooks and reviews from there. You can also subscribe to newspapers and magazines and download them to the reader.

One interesting thing mentioned in the Newsweek article is about blog subscriptions. For $1.99 a month, you will be able to subscribe to one blog from some type of Amazon’s blog subscription service.

Back in September, Engadget had posted two pictures of this device. To me, it really looks ugly. I don’t know if it has a color screen or not. Without a color screen, I am sorry, I can’t use it.

And who is going to pay $1.99 a month for a blog subscription? I will not be paying $1.99 a month to read a blog.

A blog should be available for free. However, if Amazon bundles unlimited blog subscriptions via full RSS feeds for $1.99, it may be an attractive deal for me.