An e-reader , also called an e reader or e device , is a mobile electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital e-books and periodicals .
53-399: Any device that can display text on a screen may act as an e-reader; however, specialized e-reader devices may optimize portability, readability, and battery life for this purpose. Their main advantage over printed books is portability: an e-reader is capable of holding thousands of books while weighing less than one. Another advantage is the convenience provided by add-on features. An e-reader
106-662: A MSRP of $ 399; in April 2009 it was selling for $ 349.99. Unlike Sony's LIBRIé, a close cousin of the Sony Reader, the PRS-500 and PRS-505 offered no way for the user to annotate a digital book since those lack a keyboard. This was addressed by the release of the PRS-700. Improvements of PRS-700 vs. the PRS-505 include the following: PRS-700 specifications The PRS-505 was launched on 2 October 2007,
159-569: A folder on a host PC, support for the USB Mass Storage Device profile, and full USB charging capability (the PRS-500 could only be recharged via USB if the battery was not fully drained, and if the Sony Connect Reader software was installed on the host PC). Also, adding books to "Collections" (a feature to organize and group book titles) is now possible on the storage card, unlike the PRS-500 model. Version 1.1 firmware, available as
212-501: A free download since July 24, 2008 adds support for the EPUB format, Adobe Digital Editions 1.5 and Adobe DRM protected PDF files, automatic reflow of PDF files formatted for larger pages enlarges the text to improve readability, and support for high capacity SDHC memory cards. Specifications Launched in September 2006, it has a six-inch E Ink display from and is 13 mm thick. There
265-455: A grayscale-only display, which makes it unsuitable for sophisticated interactive applications such as those found on tablets. This may be perceived as an advantage, however, as the user may more easily focus on reading. The Sony Librie, released in 2004 and the precursor to the Sony Reader , was the first e-reader to use electronic paper. Many e-readers can use the internet through Wi-Fi and
318-447: A multi-function tablet computer called the iPad and announced agreements with five of the six largest publishers that would allow Apple to distribute e-books. The iPad includes a built-in app for e-book reading called iBooks and had the iBookstore for content sales and delivery. The iPad, the first commercially profitable tablet, was followed in 2011 by the release of the first Android -based tablets as well as LCD tablet versions of
371-668: A new generation of reading hardware was produced. E-books (as opposed to e-readers) had yet to achieve global distribution. In the United States, the Amazon Kindle model and Sony 's PRS-500 were the dominant e-reading devices. By March 2010, some reported that the Barnes & Noble Nook may have been selling more units than the Kindle in the US. The Ectaco jetBook Color was the first color e-reader on
424-403: A number of specific industry standards for motherboards , specifying dimensions, power supplies , placement of mounting holes and ports , and other parameters. Other types of form factors for computers include: Sony Reader The Sony Reader ( ソニー・リーダー ) was a line of e-book readers manufactured by Sony . The first model was the PRS-500 released in September 2006 and was related to
477-467: A red edition is available exclusively from John Lewis . On October 2, 2008, the PRS-700, with touch screen and built-in lighting was announced. On August 5, 2009, Sony announced two new readers, the budget PRS-300 Pocket Edition and the more advanced PRS-600 Touch Edition . On August 25, 2009, Sony announced the Reader PRS-900 "Daily Edition." This features a 7" diagonal screen to compete with
530-688: A six-inch E Ink display and a Qwerty keyboard that was released in Japan. Specifications DRM -free Text : BBeB Book (LRF), TXT , RTF , EPUB (PRS-T1: EPUB, PDF, TXT only). Typefaces in PDF files formatted for 216 × 280 mm (8.5 × 11 inch) pages may be too small to read comfortably. Such files can be reformatted for the Reader screen size with Adobe Acrobat Professional, but not by Adobe Reader software. The Reader does support Microsoft Word DOC format. The 'CONNECT Reader' application uses Word to convert
583-509: A smaller screen than the PRS-600, no touch interface, no MP3 audio or expandable memory. It has a similar interface to the PRS-500 and PRS-505. Specifications The PRS-600 was launched in August 2009 and it is also known as the "Touch Edition". The PRS-600 was announced at the same time as the non-touch-screen PRS-300. It is Sony's middle-Range device and it priced at US$ 299. It is the replacement for
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#1732868586982636-522: A software and hardware updated version of the PRS-500 Reader, which it replaced. The 505 keeps the 6" E Ink display of the original Reader, but uses an improved version of E Ink Vizplex imaging film with faster refresh time, brighter white state, and 8-level grayscale. The PRS-505 is thinner than its predecessor (8 mm vs. 13 mm) and comes with more internal memory (256 MiB vs. 64 MiB). Other new product features included auto-synchronization to
689-434: A specific standard. It may also define an entire system, as in a computer form factor. As electronic hardware has become smaller following Moore's law and related patterns, ever-smaller form factors have become feasible. Specific technological advances, such as PCI Express , have had a significant design impact, though form factors have historically evolved slower than individual components. Standardization of form factors
742-427: A word while reading. E-readers can instantly download content from supported public libraries by using apps like OverDrive . Form factor (design) Form factor is a hardware design aspect that defines and prescribes the size, shape, and other physical specifications of components, particularly in electronics . A form factor may represent a broad class of similarly sized components, or it may prescribe
795-491: Is PineNote from Pine64 . However, the software ecosystem of these ebook readers usually aren't mature as mainstream options in the market. In the EU , media products, including paper books, often have a tax reduction. Therefore, the VAT for conventional books was often lower than that of e-books. In legal terms, e-books were considered a service since it was regarded as a temporary lease of
848-442: Is a 6" Wi-Fi only model. Its touchscreen supports zoom in and out, dictionary and adding notes, including export to Evernote . The device has two English languages and four translation dictionaries built-in. PRS-T2 specifications. The PRS-T1 is a 6", Wi-Fi only model. Its touchscreen supports zoom in and out, look up in dictionary and adding notes. Up to 16 different languages are supported. PRS-T1 specifications The PRS-350
901-410: Is a device designed as a convenient way to read e-books. It is similar in form factor to a tablet computer , but often features electronic paper ("e-ink") rather than an LCD screen. This yields much longer battery life — the battery can last for several weeks — and better readability, similar to that of paper even in sunlight. Drawbacks of this kind of display include a slow refresh rate and (usually)
954-502: Is also known as the "Daily Edition". The PRS-900 was announced at the same time as the touch-screen PRS-300. It is Sony's Top of the Range device and it priced at US$ 399. The device has a larger display (7"), 16-levels of grayscale, touch screen and 3G wireless access (through AT&T Mobility in a manner similar to the Kindle's whispernet) which enables computer-free access to the Sony eBookstore in
1007-523: Is an internal memory of 64 MiB. This model was superseded by the PRS-505 in 2007. On November 16, 2009, Sony announced that a firmware update is available to owners of the original PRS-500. This update "will allow your PRS-500 to support the ePub and Adobe DRM format and add the ability to re-flow PDF documents". Owners must send the ereader in to the Sony Service Centers for the updated firmware. Specifications Launched in April 2004, it has
1060-414: Is described in a 1930 manifesto written by Bob Brown titled The Readies , which describes "a simple reading machine which I can carry or move around, attach to any old electric light plug and read hundred-thousand-word novels in 10 minutes". His hypothetical machine would use a microfilm -style ribbon of miniaturized text which could be scrolled past a magnifying glass, and would allow the reader to adjust
1113-501: Is only available to US or Canadian residents or to customers who purchased a US-model reader with bundled eBook Store credit. On July 24, 2007, Sony announced that the PRS-505 Reader would be available in the UK with a launch date of September 3, 2008. Waterstone's is the official retail partner and the Reader is available at selected stores such as Argos , Sony Centres and Dixons; while
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#17328685869821166-406: Is vital for hardware compatibility between different manufacturers. Smaller form factors may offer more efficient use of limited space, greater flexibility in the placement of components within a larger assembly, reduced use of material, and greater ease of transportation and use. However, smaller form factors typically incur greater costs in the design , manufacturing , and maintenance phases of
1219-629: The Amazon Kindle DX. It was also the first to feature free 3G wireless through AT&T to access the Sony eBookstore without the need of a computer, and to increase the grayscale level, from 8 to 16. On September 1, 2010, Sony introduced the PRS-350 Pocket Edition , PRS-650 Touch Edition , PRS-950 "Daily Edition" as replacements for the PRS-300, PRS-600 and PRS-900, with both new models featuring 16-level grey scale touch screens. The launch of
1272-692: The Rocket eBook . Several others were introduced around 1998, but did not gain widespread acceptance. Electronic paper was incorporated first into the Sony Librie that was released in 2004 and Sony Reader in 2006, followed by the Amazon Kindle , a device which, upon its release in 2007, sold out within five and a half hours. The Kindle includes access to the Kindle Store for e-book sales and delivery. In 2009, new marketing models for e-books were being developed and
1325-563: The Sony Digital Paper DPTS1 - which only views PDFs and has a stylus for making notes - aimed at professional business users. The PRS-T3S is the latest 6", Wi-Fi only model. Announced in October 2013 in Japan, it is a PRS-T3 without a cover that costs $ 99 and was sold in Japan, the UK, Canada and Germany. The PRS-T3 is a 6", Wi-Fi only model with a snap cover. Specifications The PRS-T2
1378-517: The engineering lifecycle , and do not allow the same expansion options as larger form factors. In particular, the design of smaller form-factor computers and network equipment must entail careful consideration of cooling . End-user maintenance and repair of small form-factor electronic devices such as mobile phones is often not possible, and may be discouraged by warranty voiding clauses; such devices require professional servicing—or simply replacement—when they fail. Computer form factors comprise
1431-553: The Nook and Kindle. Unlike previous dedicated e-readers, tablet computers are multi-functional, utilize LCD touchscreen displays, and are more agnostic to e-book vendor apps, allowing for the installation of multiple e-book reading apps. Many Android tablets accept external media and allow uploading files directly onto the tablet's file system without resorting to online stores or cloud services. Many tablet-based and smartphone-based readers are capable of displaying PDF and DJVU files, which few of
1484-413: The PRS-700 model (although it is missing the front-light feature). It is Sony's higher-scale, touch-screen edition of the ereader. It has a similar interface to the PRS-700. Unlike the PRS-700 which was only available in black, the PRS-600 is available in three colors. Note if the device is locked, using the optional 4 digit pin it will not mount via USB, the lock option needs to be disabled in order to mount
1537-463: The PRS-900 and it is also known as the "Daily Edition". It was introduced as Sony's top-of-the-line device, priced at US$ 299. The device has a larger display (7"), 16-levels of grayscale, touch screen Wi-Fi and 3G wireless access (through AT&T Mobility in a manner similar to the Kindle's whispernet) which enables computer-free access to the Sony eBookstore in the United States. Like earlier Sony Readers
1590-432: The Reader allowed any purchased e-book to be read on up to six devices, at least one of which must be a personal computer running Windows or Mac OS X. Although the owner could not share purchased eBooks on others' devices and accounts, the ability to register five Readers to a single account and share books accordingly was a possible workaround. Ten models were produced. The PRS-500 (PRS standing for Portable Reader System)
1643-627: The T3 is not sold in the US, and Sony has abandoned the North American market due to competition from Amazon, B&N and Kobo. On February 6, 2014, Sony announced that it was closing its North American, Europe, and Australia Reader Stores in late March, migrating all its customers to the Kobo Reader Store. On August 1, 2014, Sony announced that it would not release another ereader but would keep selling its remaining stock. In late 2014, Sony released
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1696-572: The US, with the number predicted to grow by 3.5% in 2016. In late 2014, PricewaterhouseCoopers predicted that by 2018 e-books would make up over 50% of total consumer publishing revenue in the U.S. and UK, while at that time, e-books were over 30% of the share of the revenue. Until late 2013, the use of an e-reader was not allowed on airplanes during takeoff and landing. In November 2013, the FAA allowed use of e-readers on airplanes at all times if set to Airplane Mode . European authorities followed this guidance
1749-460: The United States. Like earlier Sony Readers the display can be oriented horizontally, enabling a landscape style mode, and adds a new mode displaying two portrait-mode pages side-by-side (in a similar fashion to viewing a book). Specifications The PRS-700 was launched in October 2008, it has a touchscreen that can be used as a virtual keyboard . It became available in the U.S. in November 2008 at
1802-423: The built-in software can provide a link to a digital Open Publication Distribution System (OPDS) library or an e-book retailer, allowing the user to buy, borrow, and receive digital e-books. An e-reader may also download e-books from a computer or read them from a memory card . However, the use of memory cards is decreasing as most of the 2010s era e-readers lack a card slot. An idea similar to that of an e-reader
1855-409: The dedicated e-book readers can handle. This opens a possibility to read publications originally published on paper and later scanned into a digital format. While these files may not be considered e-books in their strict sense, they preserve the original look of printed editions. The growth in general-purpose tablet use allowed for further growth in the popularity of e-books in the 2010s. In 2012, there
1908-456: The device. This edition has been criticized for having a very reflective screen, making it hard to read unless it is angled just right in relation to the light sources. This edition offers the possibility to highlight, quote or underline the text you are reading. Moreover, it comes with features such as Music player via a jack. Specifications The PRS-900 was launched in December 2009 and it
1961-469: The display can be oriented horizontally, enabling a landscape style mode, and adds a new mode displaying two portrait-mode pages side-by-side (in a similar fashion to viewing a book). PRS-950 specifications The PRS-300 was launched in August 2009 and it is also known as the "Pocket Edition". The PRS-300 was announced at the same time as the touch-screen PRS-600. It is Sony's smallest ever ereader as well as its entry-level device, priced at US$ 199. It has
2014-886: The earlier Sony Librie, the first commercial E Ink e-reader in 2004 using an electronic paper display developed by E Ink Corporation . The last model was the PRS-T3, after which Sony announced it would no longer release a new consumer e-reader. Sony sold e-books for the Reader from the Sony eBook Library in the US, UK, Japan, Germany, Austria, Canada, France, Italy, and Spain. The Reader also could display Adobe PDFs , ePub format, RSS newsfeeds, JPEGs , and Sony's proprietary BBeB ("BroadBand eBook") format. Some Readers could play MP3 and unencrypted AAC audio files. Compatibility with Adobe digital rights management (DRM) protected PDF and ePub files allowed Sony Reader owners to borrow ebooks from lending libraries in many countries. The DRM rules of
2067-473: The following month. Many of the major book retailers and third-party developers offer e-reader applications for desktops, tablets, and mobile devices, to allow the reading of e-books and other documents independent of dedicated e-book devices. E-reader applications are available for computers running Linux , MacOS , and Windows , as well as for smartphones running Android , iOS and Windows Phone . The introduction of e-readers brought substantial changes to
2120-428: The industry reported e-reader sales worldwide to be around 12 million, with only Amazon.com and Kobo Inc. distributing e-readers globally and various regional distribution by Barnes & Noble (US/UK), Tolino (Germany), Icarus (Netherlands), PocketBook International (Eastern Europe and Russia) and Onyx Boox (China and Vietnam). At the end of 2015, eMarketer estimated that there were 83.4 million e-reader users in
2173-527: The market like BOOX Go Color 7 and Kobo Libera Colour which both utilize Kaleido 3 epaper screens supporting up to 4096 colours. The reading experience on epaper displays which are not illuminated depends on the environment lighting condition. E-readers are usually designed to only offer access to the online shop of one provider. This structure is referred to as (digital) ecosystem and helps smaller companies (e.g. Kibano Digireader) to compete against multinational companies (like Amazon , Apple , etc.). On
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2226-758: The market, but its muted colors were criticized. Since 2021, color E-ink readers have been introduced into the market. Research released in March 2011 indicated that e-books and e-readers were more popular with the older generation than the younger generation in the UK. The survey, carried out by Silver Poll, found that around 6% of people over 55 owned an e-reader, compared with just 5% of 18- to 24-year-olds. According to an IDC study from March 2011, sales for all e-readers worldwide rose to 12.8 million in 2010; 48% of them were Amazon Kindles , followed by Barnes & Noble Nooks , Pandigital , and Sony Readers (about 800,000 units for 2010). On January 27, 2010 Apple Inc. launched
2279-593: The new models also represented the introduction of the Sony Reader into the Australian and New Zealand markets for the first time. On August 31, 2011, Sony announced a new reader replacing all of their previous models, the PRS-T1, featuring a 6" screen. On August 16, 2012, Sony announced the PRS-T1 successor, the PRS-T2. On September 4, 2013, Sony announced the PRS-T2 successor, the PRS-T3. Unlike previous Sony reader models,
2332-427: The other hand, customers only have the possibility of purchasing books from a limited selection of ebooks in the online shop (accessible via the e-reader) and therefore do not have the possibility of purchasing e-books from the open market. Because of the use of ecosystems, companies are not forced to compete against each other and therefore the cost of e-books do not decrease. With only the option of using an online shop,
2385-583: The possibility of being tracked. E-readers can hold thousands of books limited only by their memory and use the same physical space as a conventional book. Most E-ink displays are not back-illuminated and therefore seem to cause no more eye strain than a traditional book and less eye strain than LCD screens , with a longer battery life. Features such as the ability to adjust font size and spacing can help people who have difficulty reading or dyslexia . Some e-readers link to definitions or translations of key words. Amazon notes that 85% of its e-reader users look up
2438-460: The product. Therefore, ebook prices were often similar to paper book prices, even if the production of ebooks has a lower cost. In October 2018, the EU allowed its member countries to charge the same VAT for ebooks as for paper books. Richard Stallman has expressed concern about the perceived loss of freedom or privacy that comes with e-readers, namely the inability to read whatever a reader prefers without
2491-433: The publishing industry, also awakening fears and predictions about the possible disappearance of books and print periodicals. The graphical design of ebooks underlies the format and technical limits of e-readers because till recently the vast majority of E-ink readers did not support color displays and had a limited resolution and size. As of 2024, however, colour e-readers aren't that rare and there are many colour devices in
2544-465: The social interaction of buying or borrowing a book disappears. There are, however, notable exceptions such as Onyx Boox and Meebook devices which run an open Android system. Then the users can download and read ebooks from whichever source they prefer either by installing a bookstore app(e.g. Kindle , Kobo and the like), use a web browser or directly download the ebook file. There are also ebook readers with an open Linux system. A notable example
2597-439: The type size. He envisioned that eventually words could be "recorded directly on the palpitating ether". The establishment of the E Ink Corporation in 1997 led to the development of electronic paper , a technology which allows a display screen to reflect light like ordinary paper without the need for a backlight. Among the first commercial e-readers were Sony's Data Discman (which was using Mini CDs with special caddies) and
2650-407: Was a 26% decline in e-reader sales worldwide from a maximum of 23.2 million in 2011. The reason was given for this "alarmingly precipitous decline" was the rise of more general-purpose tablets that provided e-book reading apps along with many other abilities in a similar form factor. In 2013, ABI Research claimed that the decline in the e-reader market was due to the aging of the customer base. In 2014,
2703-405: Was launched in August 2010 and it is also known as the "Pocket Edition". The PRS-350 was announced at the same time as the touch-screen PRS-650. It is Sony's smallest ereader as well as its entry-level device replacing the PRS-300 and it is priced at US$ 179. It has a touch screen, and two GB of Memory but lacks an SD Card Slot and does not support MP3 playback. PRS-350 specifications The PRS-650
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#17328685869822756-470: Was launched in August 2010 and it is also known as the "Touch Edition". The PRS-650 was announced at the same time as the touch-screen PRS-350. It is Sony's mid-range device, priced at US$ 229. As the replacement for the PRS-600 model, it is Sony's higher-scale, touch-screen edition of the reader. It has a similar interface to the PRS-350. PRS-650 specifications The PRS-950 was launched in August 2010 replacing
2809-457: Was made available in the United States in September 2006. On 1 November 2006, Readers went on display and for sale at Borders bookstores throughout the US. Borders had an exclusive contract for the Reader until the end of 2006. From April 2007, Sony Reader has been sold in the US by multiple merchants, including Fry's Electronics , Costco , Borders and Best Buy . The eBook Store from Sony
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