Coming with a spine and a virtual keyboard apparently
By Leslie Katz
Published: 8 September 2009 09:02 GMT
More details have emerged on the upcoming Asus Eee-book reader.
The company is looking at two versions: budget and premium, a spokesman for Asus in the UK told The Times.
At least one version of the reader, the higher-end one, will have a hinged spine, opening like a traditional book and closing into tablet form. This design would let users view the text of their book on one screen (turning its pages using the touchscreen), while browsing a web page on the other.
One screen could also act as a virtual keypad, according to The Times report, which would move the device into laptop territory.
The Asus e-reader will have a full colour screen, and it may also feature speakers, a webcam, and a mic for Skype, enabling cheap phone calls over the internet, The Times reports.
Prices haven't emerged yet but Asus is known for low-cost products like the ultraportable Eee PC, and speculation has the budget e-reader going for around $163 (Sony's Reader Pocket Edition, in comparison, runs from $200 to $300; Amazon's Kindle 2 also goes for around $300).
Expect to see the Eee-readers surface by the end of the year.
Original article: Asus Eee-reader to open like a book from CNET News.com
How to squeeze the last drops of savings from an outsourcing contract
Revealed: The apps you'll have on your phone in 2012
Clouds clear as Microsoft gives Azure a January launch date
UK ID cards rollout hit by delay as launch date revealed
The software that can save you big bucks? You've already got it
Act as creative input and inspiration for junior designers Work independently on projects but with a view to be responsible for growth and ...
Apply now for immediate consideration, the closing date for this role is 30th November. The new appointee will receive a 40k-45k base salary, super, ...
The General Manager will have responsibility for the resourcing and managing of the administration staff within the office which at present includes ...
Agenda Setters 2009
Welcome to the ninth annual Agenda Setters poll – silicon.com's list of the top 50 most influential individuals in the technology and IT industries, from techies and CIOs to entrepreneurs and business leaders. Find out more in our latest special report.
Stories from the web...
Copyright © 2008 CBS Interactive Limited. All rights reserved. Top of page
Digg
Slashdot
Del.icio.us
Stumble
Reddit
RSS Feeds
Petra Papinniemi
Legal Eye: Ecommerce held back by outdated laws
No wonder no one's buying...
Matthew Cushen
E-tailers: Be choosy overseas
Markets are not always what they seem
Tim Ferguson
'If you look at iPlayer from a distance, it's still very web 1.0'
Q&A: Erik Huggers, director, BBC's Future, Media and Technology
Kit Burden
Legal Eye: Tech could brighten retailers' gloom
Regulation and recession loom
Matthew Cushen
Retailers: Look to emerging markets
Comment: Massive opportunities if you get the IT right
Julian Goldsmith
How Zavvi lost its Virginity
IT director Tony Johnson on the retailer's changing web strategy