In October, Sony will ship what they are calling the “World’s Lightest 6-inch eReader.” The WiFi-enabled PRS-T1 eReader weighs just 168 grams and boasts a thin 8.9mm profile. As far as battery life, Sony says the eReader will last over a month, unless you leave the wireless on in which case a charge should last about 3 weeks. Resolution on the 16-level grey scale display is 600 x 800 pixels, and the eReader will be available in three different colors (see photo). For a limited time, Sony will include a free download of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for those who purchase the black model.
The release of Sony’s eReader comes a bit late with Amazon’s Kindle and the Barnes and Noble’s NOOK already embedded in the market. But Sony is taking an interesting approach by tying in the public library system, both in the U.S. and Canada, and Google’s free public domain books. Sony says you’ll be able to download & borrow free books from the public library via WiFi from your home – that is, of course, if you have an active library card.
“We believe in giving readers more freedom and flexibility while reading, and the new Reader Wi-Fi gives avid readers more access to content than ever. Bibliophiles can now buy, borrow or download free books and periodicals wherever there’s a Wi-Fi connection,” said Tim Algate, Marketing Manager for Reader Digital Books at Sony of Canada Ltd.
Other features include capacity of about 1200 book titles, 2 English language and 10 translation dictionaries, digital note-taking, and a headphone jack. The Sony eReader is expected to sell for about $169.
