While for now I’m committed to the Kindle, there are several eBook/eReader competitors that you should keep your eye on. All of these companies, except for Plastic Logic, already have a product in production. Like Amazon.com’s Kindle, they’re all trying to produce the next big thing in digital readers.
Plastic Logic
Plastic Logic’s eReader has my biggest interest, because it has the features I want most in an eBook reader.
- The Largest Screen in the Industry
- Incredibly Thin and Lightweight
- Gesture-Based Interface & Markup
- First-Ever High-Quality Plastic Display
- Long-Lasting Battery
- Wired and Wireless Capability
iRex
iRex Technologies has developed different eBook readers to appeal to different audiences. While they have their iLiad reader, which seems to be targeted at business (and is a bit ugly), they also have the iLiad Book Edition. It has a large screen and is attractive, but the price very high. Regardless, I have no doubt they are using their experience to develop their own Kindle-killer.
Sony
The company competing to have the best eReader, and who also probably has the most resources, is Sony. Their reader is called the Sony Reader, which has been well received. They also have their own eBook store, but it doesn’t have anything close to the selection that Amazon.com does with their Kindle Store.
Asus
As I wrote about earlier, Asus is also getting into the game with a new foldable eBook reader. There’s much news about it yet, and I’m not sure how they’re going to pull off content distribution like Sony and Amazon.com, but they are a competent hardware company. Perhaps their device will be a hit and they’ll be able to partner with Sony to compete with Amazon.com.