Apparently Google is trying to open an online bookstore which will bring the eBook back into the attention of the public. I love the idea of eBooks, but I am not ready to go that way until a solid eInk based eBook reader is introduced to the American market. Sony introduce the Librie eBook Reader to the Japanese market over a year ago and it was received with a resounding thud. Sony imposed too many restrictions on the reader, used draconian DRM measures, and essentially tried to force readers to purchase eBooks that would self destruct through the Sony bookstore. The unfortunate part of it is that the reader was well built, had a good form factor, and the battery life and readability were amazing due to eInk. Hopefully since Google wants to get involved
this time the hardware companies involved will take into consideration what the public actually wants and needs in a reader, rather than what they can put in the device to allow it to line their pockets more heavily.

My eBook reader would have to have:

• A small form factor (the size of the Librie was perfect for me)
• Wi-Fi for downloading books on the fly
• The ability to read PDF, DOC, RTF, TXT, and various other common document files (including secured docs and pdfs)
• A formidable amount of upgradeable memory (4gb plus)
• Web Browsing
• RSS Aggregator
• Backlight
• The ability to use both rechargeable and standard batteries
• The ability to read multiple types of eBook formats with or without DRM
• The ability to be used in tangent with multiple eBook services

I think my needs are a little more advanced than the average reader so I don’t anticipate that all of them will be met by the first few readers to hit the market (especially not the ability to be used with multiple eBook services). At this point I don’t think I would be so concerned with price provided that the readers that came out could accommodate my needs. I would easily pay $500 for a tweaked Sony Librie just as long as I am not tied down by DRM and locked into shopping for new books at one store.

Sony is launching an amazing new eBook reader and I’m so psyched about it! The Sony Librie is going to be much bigger than a PDA but boy is it worth it. Not only does it size in close to a paperback book, but the resolution is a stunning 170dpi. This means that text will look more like it’s supposed to, you’ll be able to clearly read serif text, and the “pages” will look more like those of a book. The Eink technology used to produce the super text is amazing because it only draws current when the screen is being repainted. No current is necessary to maintain a screen, therefore the battery life on this little baby is going to be astounding. In typical sony style they’ve jammed some other useful features into it including a USB port, a Memory Stick slot, voice recording capability and most likely a qwerty keyboard. All of this in a stylish little package means that Elise is going to save a lot of money on tech eBooks that get re-written ever 12-18 months anyway and there will be more space on her bookshelf for Harry Potter, The Gunslinger and Rand Al’Thor.