Sony has expanded its line of digital readers by launching the third member of its Reader family, the Reader Daily Edition, featuring in-built wireless capability with 3G connectivity. The Daily Edition joins the Reader Pocket Edition and the Reader Touch Edition which were announced earlier this month.
The company said that the seven-inch touch screen display of the new reader provides for navigation and layout of content, including newspapers and magazines, both in portrait or landscape orientation. The Daily Edition has internal memory to hold around one thousand standard eBooks with expansion slots for its memory cards.
Sony added that there are no monthly fees or transaction charges for the wireless connectivity offered by AT&T and users have the option to side load personal documents or content from other compatible sites via USB.
All three readers feature E Ink Vizplex electronic paper display that reportedly emulates the look of ink on paper. Sony claims that its eBook Library software 3.0 makes it easy to transfer and read any Adobe PDF (with reflow capability), EPUB, Microsoft Word, BBeB files, or other text file formats on the reader.
Steve Haber, president of digital reading business division of Sony, said: “We now have the most affordable devices on the market, the greatest access to free and affordable eBooks through The eBook Store from Sony and our affiliated ecosystem, and now round out our Reader offering with a wireless device that lets consumer purchase and download content on the go.”
In addition, Sony has partnered with OverDrive to introduce a Library Finder application, which allows users to borrow ebooks from libraries in OverDrive network. The company said visitors can find the libraries that offer eBooks optimised for the Sony Reader, by typing their zip code into the Library Finder.
Through the selected library’s download website, visitors can check out eBooks with a valid library card, download them to a PC and transfer to their reader. Reportedly, there are no late fees as at the end of the library’s lending period, eBooks simply expire.
The Reader Pocket Edition and the Reader Touch Edition are currently available and the Reader Daily Edition will be available this December at SonyStyle stores and SonyStyle website. It will sell for about $399.
