E-Book Readers in Singapore

Touch Screen Models: Keyreader, Hanvon N518, Oaxis, iRiver Story, Oaxis W960, Hanlin V3, Hanvon N516, Cool-ER, Jetbook, Eco Reader, JE100, JE200, SmartQ v7, Archos 5/7.

1. As observed by some industry colleagues, 2010 may go down as the Year of the E-book Readers [1, 2].

2. There could be a convergence of the E-Book reader (eg. Kindle 2) and the Tablet (eg. iPad) in the future, however as of today, there are sufficient distinguishing features/strengths/weaknesses for both E-Book reader and the Tablet. In this article, we confine ourselves to the traditional E-book Reader (those that use e-Ink).

3. There are numerous 5", 6" and larger sized E-Book readers in the market. Figure 1 is an extract from an E-Book Reader wiki page [3]:

Figure 1. Range of E-Book Readers in the Market (Global)

4. At first glance, it seems that there are simply to many choices - good for those who are technical but probably mind boggling for the man on the street. However, when we start to filter down by Country, ie. whether the ebook readers are retailed in Singapore, as of Mar 2010, we have only a limited range of E-Book Readers :-(


5. For many of us, the ability to write, underline, bookmark and even highlight on our physical books are taken for granted and one would expect to do such similar tasks on an E-Book. Filtering down the limited range of E-Books Readers with Touch Screen capabilities (either finger or stylus) would yield a Decision Tree similar to that of Figure 2.

 Figure 2. Five/Six Inch E-Book Readers Decision Tree

6. Keyreader in a Nutshell

 Figure 3. Keyreader

• Dimension: 196 x 121 x 10.5 mm (6" display)
• Screen Technology: E-Ink Vizplex
• Display Size: (90 × 120mm) 6" 600 × 800 pixels, 167 ppi 
• Touch Screen Input: Wacom Electromagnetic resonance stylus input
• Weight: 300g
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 
• Built-in browser for Web surfing: Yes
• Internal memory: 512MB
• SDHC slot: Yes
• Mini-USB port: Yes
• Battery life: up to 5,000 page flip
• Audio jack: 3.5mm
• Note taking / highlighting / underlining: Through Stylus
• Audio output: MP3
• NLB Partnership: Access to 900,000 e-books
• Price: S$399 (Basic), S$499 (with Wifi)

7. Keyreader is a partially made in Singapore product from iCell Network. It was supposed to be available for sale during the IT Show 2010 but was unfortunately delayed till end of March 2010 (based on what iCell customer service told me, Tel: 65 6309-4525).

Keyreader related links as at 14 March 2010 (Pre-sales / Pre-available) are:

• http://asia.cnet.com/crave/2010/03/05/icell-e-reader-offers-localized-content/
• http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_494762.html
• http://sgentrepreneurs.com/news-stop/2010/02/28/icell-enters-e-reader-market-with-keyreader/
• http://findebookreaders.com/blog/2010/03/asus-dr-900-ereader-keyreader/
• http://ireaderreview.com/2010/03/03/new-ereaders-asus-dr900-intel-classmate-bebook-neo-keyreader/
• http://iamchiq.fooyoh.com/iamchiq_living_lifestyle/4624846
• http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/shop/singapore-launch-icell-keyreader-ebook-reader-709580
• http://forums.ocworkbench.com/showthread.php?p=459696
• http://techielobang.com/blog/category/techie/mediaplayer/
• Blog (post IT Show 2010 experience): http://pushypanda.blogspot.com/2010/03/it-show-me-icell-keyreader.html
• Forum discussion: http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showthread.php?t=2685341

8. As of 14 March 2010, there is no Keyreader user review However, two good review proxies would be to look at reviews for "Onyx Boox" and "BeBook Neo", which are very similar to Keyreader.

Onyx Boox Videos & Reviews:

• Official Boox video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmU92ERqTas
• Nice Boox Summary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJUNjmSvaFc
• Onyx Boox at CES 2010 (Interesting interview with the Onyx team): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqdpR-y9ESI
• Image: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI9AU6SbeU0
• Display: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShrWYOVr8-I
• PDF features: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrt_ZZI8vAA
• Web Browsing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnVp29HjAKY
• Txt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuUOjH-oCMs
• Other document support: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cYdA-j7Z_g
• Sketch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPTECCbblp0
• Hands-on Review, eReaders.nl (10m): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_kc2Iu_WUw
• During an exhibition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJrW0FOotvU
• Onyx Boox 60 - e-book with Wi-Fi&Browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldTUmnXYFfc
• Onyx BOOX 60 Review - HackCollege: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OywSxY6Pgro
• Boox unbox: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8p1YxveYXQ
• Unboxing the Onyx Boox 60: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly3gq47APDI
• 9-page Onyx Boox 60 Review (Mobread, CN version): http://www.mobread.com/evaluating/2009538.html
• 9-page Onyx Boox 60 Review (Mobread, EN translated version): http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mobread.com%2Fevaluating%2F2009538.html
• Boox features slide show (by eReader Universe): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCq5MNnwL68
• Onyx Boox eBook Reader – Kindle 2 rival: http://ireaderreview.com/2009/03/02/onyx-boox-reader-kindle-2-competitor/
• Onyx Boox WiFi touchscreen ebook reader gets hands-on: http://www.slashgear.com/onyx-boox-wifi-touchscreen-ebook-reader-gets-hands-on-2257554/
• The Onyx Boox e-BookReader: http://www.e-bookreaders.biz/news/rival-onyx-boox-e-bookreader/
• Boox 60 Ebook Reader @ Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/ONYX-BOOX-Ereader-Leather-Battery/dp/B00351P05Q
• Boox 60 User Manual (119 pages, pdf): http://www.mobileread.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=39191&d=1258223268
• Alt English Manual (119 pages, pdf): http://www.mobileread.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=42091&d=1262045305
• Boox Software Downloads!: http://sites.google.com/site/booxpowerpack/downloads
• Boox Calculator Download: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=45101&d=1265464258
• How to install dictionaries in Boox: http://booxusers.com/viewtopic.php?t=6
• Increasing contrast in Boox: http://www.onyx-international.com/node/70
• More Boox Apps & Games: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47560&d=1268102497
• Additional dictionaries for Boox: http://xdxf.revdanica.com/down/index.php
• Onyx Boox 60 review: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=169461818120
• Boox in Besttabletreview: http://besttabletreview.com/onyx-boox-touchscreen-ereader-ebook-gets-hands-on-review-engadget/
• Offical Boox User Forum: http://booxusers.com/
• Boox forum + review: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59781

Bebook Neo Videos & Reviews:

• Introducing BeBook Neo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9XUdkw3Yn4
• Reading on the BeBook Neo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8m1QFTjjoE
• Internet browsing BeBook Neo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nORZb4a_m4I
• Endless BeBook Neo e-reader: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdG-D7UOGsU 
• Unpacking BeBook Neo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rX0tlTwkSU
• BeBook Neo White Edition video review en unboxing (NL/BE): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAINHdRdXnU
• BeBook Neo e-Book Reader with WACOM Ability Launches: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/bebook_neo_ebook_reader_wacom_ability_launches
• BeBook Neo e-Reader: WiFi and Wacom touchscreen: http://www.slashgear.com/bebook-neo-ereader-wifi-and-wacom-touchscreen-2271089/
• BeBook Neo Offical Website: http://mybebook.com/6-inch-ereaders/c14/p25/bebook-neo-ereader/product_info.html

9.0 Intellectual Property & Patents
We were expecting some related pending patents from Onyx International and to a lesser extent, from Endless Ideas (Bebook) and iCell Networks. The results turns out to be zilch. Am giving Onyx the benefit of the doubt the the patents are still unpublished at the patent office, be it in SIPO, PCT/WIPO, USPTO, etc. I would be surprise and concern for Oynx and to a lesser extent Endless Ideas and iCell Networks if there is no patent protection (be it self or in-license) for their E-Book Reader. Hope that their IP Strategist are on their toes.
Globally, there are over a thousand of e-book reader related patents [4] and it is a question of time when we see more E-Book Readers patent litigation cases - just business.

Some highly cited e-book reader related patents are:

• US5484292, Apparatus For Combining Audio And Visual Indicia, Mctaggart; Stephen I, 1989-08-21 [4], Fwd Citation Count [5,6] = 79
• WO1999045491, Digital Rights Management System, Nuvomedia Inc., Fwd Citation Count = 72
• US6331867, Electronic book with automated look-up of terms of within reference titles, Nuvomedia Inc., 1998-03-20, Fwd citation count = 66
• US5239665, Electronic book having several keys for changing pages and underlining certain portions of text, Kabushiki Kaisha System Gijyutsu Kenkyuusho, 1989-03-30, Fwd citation count = 65
• WO1999049383, Electronic Book System, Nuvomedia Inc., 1998-03-20, Fwd Citation Count = 54

One E-Book Reader litigation:

• US5484292: Publication International Ltd. v. Golden Books Publishing Co. Inc., et al, Filed Oct. 9, 1996, D.C. Illinois, Doc. No. 96 C 6620 (DISTRICT UNAVAILABLE) | NOTICE OF LITIGATION Publications International, Ltd. v. Futech Educational Products, Inc., et al, Filed Jan. 13, 1997, D.C. N.D. Illinois, Doc. No. 97 C 236 ORDERS DATED 12/11/98

10.0 E-books Retailers in Singapore

• http://www.ebookshop.com.sg
• Meizu Singapore Pte Ltd, # 06-54/55, Tel: 6336 5168. Sim Lim Square

11.0 Conclusion

Will update this blog once Keyreader and Jointech JE200 is available for sale in Singapore.

References

[1] http://thenextweb.com/2009/08/27/2010-year-ebook-reader/

[2] http://mdn.mainichi.jp/features/archive/news/2010/01/20100106p2a00m0na006000c.html

[3] http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix

[4] http://www.patentlens.net/daisy/patentlens/2343.html

[5] http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/login.jsp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fiel5%2F8798%2F27841%2F01242391.pdf%3Farnumber%3D1242391&authDecision=-203

[6] http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/login.jsp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fiel5%2F5230479%2F5261733%2F05262201.pdf%3Farnumber%3D5262201&authDecision=-203