The Price:

$180

The Verdict:

Relatively cheap, compared to the major ereader brands, but it's probably the worst ebook reader we've tested.

Instead of going for an e-ink screen like the Kindle or the Nook, Aluratek went with a monochrome LCD screen. This is fine, in theory, because it keeps costs low and actually improves refresh rates, it also sacrifices battery life. For example, I could only make it through 80% of the 7th Harry Potter book before it demanded to be charged. You're looking at a day or two's worth of reading at best, and by that I mean reading on and off and not for 24 hours straight.

Performance is pretty horrible as well. Aluratek seems to have only put in a processor strong enough to turn the pages at a decent speed, because startup times, navigation and book loading times were atrociously bad. Granted, this won't be an issue when you're actually reading books, which is most of the time.

The worst thing about the reader is probably the button placement. There are three ways you can turn a page: using the page turn buttons on the bottom left, the arrow keys on the bottom right or the page toggle on the left edge of the screen. They're all pretty clumsy. The bottom left and bottom right methods are too far down the reader for you to hold your hand in that position while you're reading, so you'll have to move it down every time you want to advance. As for the left hand slider toggle, those traction edges that they placed in there to make it easier to grip and scroll is actually too rough for my delicate hands, so I avoided using it when possible. Basically, they've got an ebook reader that's difficult to turn the pages with.

Even if you go beyond the lousy controls, the sub-par performance and the LCD screen that's not all that readable, you've still got yourself a fairly cheap ereader, and it's somewhat compact as well. If you're someone who actually doesn't mind reading books on their computers, this is one—albeit tiny—step higher. [Aluratek]

Screen refreshes faster than e-ink readers

It's cheap (relatively)

Slow

Awkward button placement

Lousy battery life

The update will address many of the quirks users have experienced thus far with the new e-reader. Topping the alleged list are performance improvements and a faster page refresh rate, both of which Wilson identified in his mostly positive Nook review earlier this month.

Update: Our own tipster wrote to say that this is 100% confirmed, citing an announcement that was made on B&N's internal employee network. We may have some visual proof shortly. [Engadget]

A daily news summary will be on offer for WSJ readers, in addition to the digital version of the paper. The digital copy of the paper will sell punters back $14.99 a month, with the daily summary another $5, and the New York Post will cost $9.99 a month, exclusively sold on the Reader Daily Edition.

On sale sometime before 2010 (that's 13 days, then), it'll cost $399.99. [WSJ]

I got that chance on Monday, when the company stopped by CNET with a prototype of the product, which is set to ship in February for $490.

The goal of the Edge, the company says, is to offer a device that can replace the textbooks and notebooks carried around by typical high school students.

"We just thought here was a way to take technology and apply it to what they carry around," said Entourage Systems Vice President Doug Atkinson. "The initial goal was to put a 30-pound backpack in a device. I think we've achieved that."

There are a lot of features to like about the three-pound device, although, it definitely has the look and feel of a first-generation product.

The Edge's main selling point is, of course, the fact that it has two screens to do true work on. Unlike the Nook, which uses its color screen only for navigating the eBook and as an on-screen keyboard, the Edge's LCD can be used to run a variety of Android applications or to browse the Web.

The electronic ink side, meanwhile, can be used not only for reading books, but also for taking notes, using a stylus.

One of the Edge's many neat tricks is letting you go back and forth between the two screens. In particular, one can draw a line over a diagram in an electronic-book and—assuming the graphics are actually stored in color—see the same image in full color on the LCD screen.

The Edge also lets users highlight or annotate text and then navigate between highlights by touching on the color screen, using automatically created bookmarks. The device works with both EPUB and PDF files and has USB ports and SD cards for moving data back and forth, as well as a built-in Wi-Fi connection. It's also one of the first devices to sport a new chip from Marvell.

In addition to its book display abilities, the Edge also has two microphones for recording a lecture and blocking out background sounds with noise-cancellation (It doesn't have is the ability to synchronize one's class notes with the audio, a la Livescribe, but Atkinson said that is something that might be considered for future versions).

For all its cool features, there were a considerable amount of bugs yet to be worked out on the units I saw. Entourage still has a couple months to iron out the kinks, though.

Also, at three pounds and almost $500, the Edge is floating up into Netbook territory on both price and bulk. That, for me, raises my expectations on what the device should be able to do on the browsing and productivity front. I like the idea of a dual-screen e-book, but at that weight and price, it would have to really replace a laptop to earn its way into my already-packed carry-on.

Nonetheless, I look forward to checking out a production unit to see how much progress the company has made.

This story originally appeared on CNET

It's great and all that eSlick now supports ePub and eReader in addition to PDF and TXT. But why a separate store that hosts 60,000 available titles when you can browse Barnes & Noble's million-plus eBook inventory instead? Especially when that separate eSlick store is run by a B&N subsidiary? More choice is always great, Foxit. But redundant choice is just clutter. [BusinessWire via Engadget]

Speaking at an event yesterday about France's plans to place the nation's books online, he said:

"We won't let ourselves be stripped of our heritage to the benefit of a big company, no matter how friendly, big or American it is"

It's not the first time Google's been attacked over its Books scheme, with the controversy coming to a head in October when Sergey Brin was forced to defend Google in a column in the New York Times.

Writing for the New York Times, Brin said:

"This agreement aims to make millions of out-of-print but in-copyright books available either for a fee or for free with ad support, with the majority of the revenue flowing back to the rights holders, be they authors or publishers"

With controversy surrounding the Google Books plan for over a year now, I have a feeling this isn't the last of it, especially now that the hot-headed French President has weighed in. [Reuters]

Image credit: Downing Street

The reader has 24 hours of continuous use (not too shabby for an LCD, even if it is monochrome), and supports MP3 and photos. It's 5 inches big, reads ePub and PDF as well as TXT, Mobi, PRC and RTF formats. Those of you who like downloading books from "non-official" sources know that they usually come in one of those formats. But the Libre comes with 100 "free" books, which are most likely public domain books you could get for free.

We'll see how it stacks up to e-ink type readers when we test it, but on paper, this seems like a pretty decent (cheap) alternative. Especially because it promises a faster page-turn refresh rate than e-ink. It comes in black and white. [Aluratek]

Aluratek, Inc., a leading creator of sophisticated yet user-friendly computer peripherals and consumer electronic devices, announces Libre – the new eBook Reader with exclusive LCD technology. Libre provides the most affordable product in the category, featuring superior battery life with up to 24 hours of continuous use, auto-off and page advance features, MP3 and photo support.

Utilizing the latest monochrome reflective light LCD display technology, the Libre eBook Reader PRO provides a crisp black and white 5-inch screen with the same appearance and readability of printed paper. There is no backlighting, so reading on the Libre is as soft on the eyes as reading a book, while also preserving battery power.

The Libre supports Adobe's Digital Edition software allowing Digital Rights Management (DRM) support for ePUB and PDF formats. This allows users to purchase new book releases from a variety of eBook content providers including eBooks.com, one of Aluratek's content partners.

With an MSRP of $179, the Libre is a cost-effective solution for anyone looking to experience the next generation of digital technology related to books. The Libre connects to any Mac or PC with an Internet connection for easy access to the newest book releases as well as timeless classics. It also comes loaded with 100 free eBooks on the included 2GB SD card.

"Unlike e-Ink displays which require multiple flashes for each page advance, I believe the reflective LCD technology the Libre offers will be a welcome change compared to other eBooks currently on the market" said John Wolikow, VP Sales and Marketing for Aluratek. "The ability to store thousands of your favorite books in the Libre is not only convenient but it's also good for the environment by saving trees."

Libre comes with a 2GB SD card, and supports SD and SDHC cards up to 32GB. The audio player feature lets users also listen to their favorite MP3s, and the picture viewer supports BMP, JPG, GIF and animated GIF. Versatile for any user, Libre offers five font size options and also supports Adobe DRM, ePUB, PDF, FB2, TXT, Mobi, PRC and RTF formats.

Other key features of the Libre include: table of contents, bookmark list and page, content search, jump to page, zoom, auto page turn, background music, multiple language formats, auto power off and a help menu.

The Libre eBook Reader PRO is available in either black or white with an MSRP of $179. For more information about the Libre eBook Reader PRO, or any of Aluratek's other innovative products, please visit www.aluratek.com.

The big change happens this Friday, with all books downloadable in the open EPUB format only. The other news is that the Reader Library 3.1 software will also become available on Friday, bringing both Mac and PC support—head's up, Snow Leopard and Windows 7 users. [Sony]

Remember, if you ordered a Nook before November 20th, B&N promises it'll make it by Christmas—but if you waited until after the 20th, your only options are to wait until the backordered Nooks start shipping on January 11th, or fight your way through the likely crowds at the few high-traffic retail stores that'll have them on December 7th. We're also hearing about more general shifting of ship dates—anybody pre-order one and have their estimated time of arrival changed? [Barnes & Noble via Engadget]

The New York Observer reports that the company formed by publishing's Superfriends—perhaps Legion of Doom is more appropriate—will format and publish rags that "work across multiple digital platforms, whether the iPhone, the BlackBerry or countless other digital devices," though they're not developing their own reader hardware.

Which is where it gets a little sticky, says one of the Observer's sources: "The really, really hard part is that you've got so many different kinds of devices running on different operating systems. And how do you handle that? The consortium provides one point of contact for the consumer. When you come to the main store, you can get the content any way you want."

In one sense, the venture will be very much like Hulu—a separate company from the publishers, run by Time's John Squires, who's been behind the whole initiative, as All Things D originally reported. It's like Hulu for another reason, in that it's more like a disjointed confederation whose motto is hanging together or hanging separately since every publisher clearly rolling their own, separate gambit as well: We've got the tabletized version of Wired (Conde); Heart was planning its very own ereader at one point; and Time too.

It feels like the early, disjointed days of digital music, at best. There's a good chance stuff you buy now (well, soon) isn't going to work forever. Time's thing. Maybe Apple's thing. Some kind of Adobe formatted thing. Amazon and Barnes & Noble's thing. One of them will stick and we'll have our digital magazines preserving an old print format in a digital way—hey, the publishing industry might even save itself—but I'm just going to cower in a corner with free stuff in my web browser until this all gets sorted out. [Observer]

Microsoft:
• Windows 7: A Weekend Install Guide and More
• You Guys Had Some Wild and Crazy Windows 7 Launch Parties
• Japan's Windows 7 Whopper Is Real, and It's Horrifying
• Behold! The Saddest Example of Promotional Convergence Ever!
• Microsoft's First Retail Store Opens (Like Apple Store With More Colors)
• Windows Mobile 7 Screenshots Leak: Where's the Start Button?
• 38 Surefire Ways (Not) to Make Windows 7 Cooler
• 7 Reasons to Stick with Windows XP
• 27 Takes on Windows 7
• Windows 7 Review: You Can Quit Complaining Now

Apple:
• Apple iMac Review: 27 Inches and Less Chin
• Unibody Apple MacBook Review
• Apple Magic Mouse Review
• Time Capsule and Airport Extreme Grow New Antennas to Get Faster and Stronger
• Mac Mini Updates: Faster Processors, More Memory, and a Dual Hard Disk Server
• 10 Things You Need to Know About Apple's New Stuff

Barnes & Noble
• Exclusive: First Photos of Barnes & Noble's Double Screen E-Reader
• Barnes & Noble's Dual-Screen Nook: $260, Eats the Kindle's Lunch
• Barnes & Noble Compares Nook to Kindle 2: Biased But Fair
• Live From Barnes & Noble's Nook Event
• 8 Reasons You Can Finally Love Ebook Readers (Thanks to Nook)
• Barnes & Noble Nook Up Close: Yep, It's Real Nice

The Rest:
• FCC: We're Going to Make Net Neutrality the Law
• The Totally Predictable Cable Industry Response to the FCC's Net Neutrality Plan
• John McCain's "Internet Freedom Act" Seeks to Block FCC's Net Neutrality Rules
• Motorola Droid Unexpectedly Appears on Motorola's Site Ahead of Schedule
• Canon 1D Mark IV: The $5000 New King of Cameras
• Canon 1D Mark IV 1080p Night Vision Videos Are Simply Incredible
• Canon 5D Mark II Firmware Update Unlocks 1080p Video at 24FPS
• Nikon D3s Hands On Photos and Video: DSLR Night Vision Is a Beautiful Thing
• 48 Stunning Photos of Fall

• Exclusive: First Photos of Barnes & Noble's Double Screen E-Reader: In which we scoop the crap out of BN's crazy two-screened reader.
• Barnes & Noble's Dual-Screen Nook: $260, Eats the Kindle's Lunch: In which the Nook leaks a few hours early.
• Barnes & Noble Compares Nook to Kindle 2: Biased But Fair: In which BN thoughtfully explains why the Nook whups the Kindle 2's butt.
• Live From Barnes & Noble's Nook Event: In which intrepid reporters John Herrman and Matt Buchanan bring you the Nook's official announcement, live, with bonus Q & A.
• 8 Reasons You Can Finally Love Ebook Readers (Thanks to Nook): In which we explain why the Nook has finally gotten us excited about ebook readers.
• Barnes & Noble Nook Up Close: Yep, It's Real Nice: In which we go hands-on with the Nook, and like it.

[Barnes & Noble Nook coverage on Giz]

It's an ugly little mutant, like a Courier screwed an EeePC and Kindle. The e-Ink screen's 9.7 inches—same as the Kindle DX—and readers ePub and PDF files. It'll let you take notes with stylus, or tap them out on a keyboard. On the Android side, which will apparently let you run full Android apps, you've got a 10.1-inch, 1024x600 screen, which you can use to look at images from books (in full color?). Like any good anything that does everything, it also records video and audio. For wireless, it's got Wi-Fi and optional 3G, along with Bluetooth for external keyboards.

Admittedly, I kind of like the idea of a reader I can use to browse the internet too, but I just can't do it on something this hideous. And, I really can't abide stupid capitalization patterns, like eDGe. It's $500, if you can. [Entourage via Cnet]]

The new consumption model grands book purchasers (you) the right to lend a book to their friend—all digitally—but it's still being discussed as far as how many lends people can have and to how many people. Publishers want the number low, and B&N want the number high.

There's also talk of in-store try-outs when you bring your B&N eReader in, but might suggest that the device will only have Wi-Fi and not 3G, like the Kindle. [NYT]