New backlit, touchscreen Sony Reader revealed

Sony set to announce new backlit, touchscreen Reader at CES 2009
Sony set to announce new backlit, touchscreen Reader at CES 2009

Sony is set to officially unveil the latest in its electronic book range, the PRS-700BC Sony Reader, at CES later today.

How do we know this? Because Sony has leaked pics and images of the device onto its own website, prior to its CES press conference.

Whatever! The first model of Sony's Reader was far and away one of our favourite gadgets of 2008.

Bibliophilic cynics won over

Even the most hardened old-school bibliophilic cynics in the TechRadar office were all won over by the Reader after a couple of days of living with it.

Sony's PRS-700BC adds the one thing that we wanted from the last model - a backlit screen, so we can read happily in bed way into the early hours, while our partner snores away next to us (and doesn't have to keep waking up to tell us to 'turn that bloody light down!")

It also features a touchscreen, so users can flip the pages by swiping their finger across the screen. Natch!

What else? It will come with more in-built memory (enough space for 350 ebooks) with a battery that Sony claims will last for 7,500 page turns between charges.

We'll not be counting them – that sounds more than enough to get us through any two week holiday sat slouched by a pool with an ice-cold margarita within reach.

We'll be at the Sony presser later on so will be sure to update you with pricing and details on US and UK releases then.

Adam Hartley