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Creative Zii Mediabook – an e-reader that never was

I was digging through my video library last night when I came across a video that mentioned this ereader. Back in November 2009 someone used their smartphone to record part of a Creative presentation at a trade show. The clip shows a tablet like device with some annotation, video, and media abilities. The video isn’t very good, but it does show some interesting possibilities.

It occurred to me that this particular device is the epitome of the ereader market in 2009. A company decided to go outside their usual market and started developing an ereader. A little info is leaked to the press and everyone gets really excited. Nothing is officially announced, but the media get into a frenzy anyway.

Now that was 2009, you have to admit.

Unfortunately, the Mediabook was never released (or even announced). You can’t really say it was cancelled; it never really  existed. But I think we ever saw it because of either the iPad launch and the Nook/Kindle price war. Either event changed the market enough that the Creative Zii Mediabook never made it out of the lab. Which means the Creative Zii Mediabook is also the epitome of the ereader market in 2010.

Interesting, isn’t it?

TBH, I don’t think the Mediabook died completely. I think the current Zii tablets (7″ and 10″) are probably based on a lot of the same work as the Mediabook. I think they’re too similar to be a coincidence.

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Comments


Zigwalski January 10, 2011 um 1:56 pm

Hey I want a device that I can click on and stuff magically appears in the air. How cool would that be?


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