Sony has announced it has managed to create the world's first touchscreen e-reader which doesn't impede the quality of the e-ink screen - the next-generation of the Sony Reader Touch.
When TechRadar caught up with Amazon at the launch of the Kindle, Steve Kessel, senior vice president for Kindle at Amazon was vehement that it would never make a touchscreen device as it would impinge on readability.
Kessel noted: "If you put touch on an e-ink display – a reflective display – then anything you put on the top ruins readability. You can already see this with some devices which are out on the market at the moment that have integrated touch into the displays."
No extra layer
Sony knows this and this is why it has managed to create a touchscreen display for the Sony Reader Touch which does away with the extra layer and with it the reflectiveness of the display.
"You usually have to put a film over the e-ink display to make it touchscreen but we have created the only device this year which is finger controlled and with no extra layer," explained Sony Reader marketing manager Omar Gurnah.
The Sony Reader Touch does come equipped with a stylus but the new optical screen technology, called E Ink Pearl, can be used with fingers as well.
The new tech also means improved contrast with 16 levels of greyscale.
Waterstones has the Sony Pocket Edition priced at £159.99 and the Sony Touch retailing for £199.99.
Both of these are currently on pre-order with the UK release date for both the Touch and Pocket set for 17 September.
It will be interesting to see if the next iteration of the Amazon Kindle in the UK will indeed adopt the technology Sony is using or if it will speak to its non-touchscreen word.
Your comments (5) Click to add a new comment
parasitius
September 10th 2010
5. I can see how a touch screen would be useful to the likes of students who like to be able to highlight paragraphs quickly and bookmark locations with just a tap or two of the stylus/finger.
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whalemonster
September 9th 2010
4. Pre-ordered the new Kindle in July (it turned up a day or two before Amazon had promised) and I'm absolutely loving it. Lightweight and incredibly easy to read from, use, and buy books on - one of the best pieces of technology I've ever bought. Very impressed!
I think Amazon is right not to want to over-complicate the device - you don't want the tech getting in the way of the reading experience. If a touchscreen meant that future iterations of the Kindle could lose the keyboard and become smaller/lighter, I'd consider it, but I don't think the device needs a touchscreen per se, just because everything else seems to have one these days. I rather like Amazon's focus on putting the reading experience first and the tech second.
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scaramanga89
September 9th 2010
3. I want a e-book reader that can switch to colour to read comics/magazines. That's where the likes of the iPad has these beaten. Just that functionality, nothing more.
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scottgilbert
September 9th 2010
2. i will be happier when the rumoured new kindle is released at Xmas with a few changes such as
remove existing keyboard and replace with touch screen
reduce physical size by 15mm and increase screen size to match
offer 5 colours like you can do with your phone case
offer the ability to switch from colour screen to b/w to conserve power (a novel doesn't need colour where as an architectural book does)
xpansion slots for up to 32 GB of additional memory
Ability to view photos like a photoframe
This covers the ability to read all books incl. technical, educational, map reading, cooking and magazine subscriptions.
i want to keep the cost low, so no ipad like features, just 1 purpose, the ability to read what i want.
ps Amazon should offer a deal buy 10 ebooks and get this free
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nitrofan
September 9th 2010
1. What I would find even more interesting would be Amazon actually delivering their current WiFi Kindle.
Instead of trying to be Sony Nintendo or Apple and creating a Faux Shortage hype!
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