Jetbook Color confirmed for US release this fall – 9.7″ E-ink screen, $350
I’ve just been told by Ectaco that they will be shipping their newest ebook reader to the US in December. And yes, they plan to sell it for $30 less than the Kindle DX.
This is the first color epaper ereader to hit the market anywhere, and it’s based on a 9.7″ color E-ink screen, with a SD card slot, Wifi, and a Wacom touchscreen.The rest of the specs are not finalized just yet.
I’m not sure that ebook reader is actually a good term for this device; it’s not targeted at the same market as the Kindle DX. The Jetbook Color is an academic product. It’s running a lot of customized software that you don’t find on your usual ebook reader, including test-taking, scheduling, reference sheets, and other apps that schools have requested. It will also have TTS courtesy of SVOX, a specialist.
According to Ectaco, this model has been under development in Russia since May. Ectaco has a deal signed with the Russian government to customize the software for Russian schools.
The screen resolution is going to be rather low when displaying (800×600), and screen refresh isn’t very fast, but then again it’s going to cost less than the Kindle DX and come with a color screen. That alone will give the Jetbook Color a shot in the retail market,
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