Benq got an early start on CES this week. They showed off a 10″ tablet this week which they are planning to sell in China nad Japan. The R100 has a 1024×600 touch screen, Samsung 833MHz CPU, 8GB Flash, a SD card slot, HDMI out, WiFi, and Bluetooth.
There’s no price mentioned, but Benq are claiming 12 hours battery life.
I’m going to bend one of my rules and report on a device that’s been out for a while. I have a video I want to post.
The Avant is sold by the Spanish ebookstore Luarna, and you should recognize the hardware. This is the only e-reader with a Sipix screen on the market, and it’s made by BenQ (both Sipix and BenQ are owned by AUO, the screen manufacturer).
We’ve seen this e-reader before, so I’ll just touch on its specs: touchscreen, Wifi, browser, card slot. You can watch the video for more detail. [Read more →]
The Spanish ebookstore Luarna have added a brand new e-reader to their shelf. The Avant XL is based on a 9″ Sipix screen (16 level grayscale), and it has Wifi, 2GB Flash, a capacitive touchscreen, accelerometer, microSDHC card slot as well as broad ebook format support. Adobe DE DRM is also supported.
Retail is 399€.
This is actually the second e-reader sold by Luarna that used AUO’s Sipix screen. I’d bet that like the Avant, the Avant XL was designed by BenQ, an AUO subsidiary.
There’s a full spec list at the link, but unfortunately it contains errors. The screen resolution is wrong, and the CPU is listed as 400MHz. That’s rather low, and given the over all high quality of BenQ’s other designs I have to assume the Avant XL has a better CPU than the one listed.
So I cam across another distributor of the BenQ QD060B00. ONEXT are a Hong Kong based consumer electronics company with a pretty hefty presence in Russia (that’s where they will be selling this e-reader ).
This is the same e-reader I’ve shown you before. It has a Sipix screen, Wifi, browser, microSD card slot, and broad ebook format support. The retail is going to be 8990 rubles (~$302 USD).
→ No CommentsTags:001·coming·ereader·onext·read·russia·touch
Digitimes are reporting that BenQ have released a limited edition e-reader, the nReader Young Guns. Only 200 will be sold, and they will come with the Young Guns comic book series preinstalled as part of a deal with the publisher. Retail has been set at NT$9,600 (US$300).
The e-reader hardware is BenQ’ s latest model, the nReader.
→ No CommentsTags:benq·edition·ereader·launch·limited·taiwan
Do you want to know how to tell when a market niche has gone mainstream? Well, one sign is that the discount grocery store chain Aldi start carrying it. According to ereader nieuws, Aldi stores in the Netherlands will soon be selling the ProMedia e-reader for 229 euros. If the picture is correct then this e-reader was made by Benq, and you can find it elsewhere in Europe for 260 to 330 euros.
This e-reader has a touch screen, 2GB Flash, a microSD card slot, web borwser, and supports Adobe DRM.
P.S. I added a new category for this manufacturer:
I’ve just come across another e-reader brand (via lesen.net). Prestigio are a consumer electronics company with products sold in 40 countries. They’ve just announced that they will be carrying 3 e-readers, 2 of which are made by Gajah Int.
Prestigio are currently selling the PER3052, which is based on a 5″ LCD screen and doubles as a media player. The spec sheet lists decent audio, video, and ebook support. We’ve reviewed a similar device under the name Delstar Openbook. It had nice hardware, but the software was exceptionally disappointing. Retail price will be around €120.
Next up is the PER3162. I’ve reviewed the OEM version of this one myself. Again, the hardware is very good, but the ebook support is poor. It’s going to retail for €200.
Last up is the PER5062, which (I think) is based on the Benq QD060B00. This is a high end model with a Sipix screen. I don’t have the specs, but I do have the FCC paperwork, and I know of a hands on video (same hardware, but might have different software). Retail should be €300.
via lesen.net
No, I didn’t get the company name wrong (I think).
I found another reseller of the BenQ Qisda QD060b00. Some time back I showed you the FCC paperwork. [Read more →]
→ No CommentsTags:4fff·ereader·n618
Digitimes is reporting that e-reader maker Benq has contributed a number of Wifi equipped nReader K60 e-book readers to patients at a rural area hospital as a part of a pilot program.Their contribution signals Benq’s participation in the Ubiquitous Town project.
I know that’s not much in the way of news, but the interesting thing is that it lead me to the Japan’s ongoing project to bring ubiquitous cloud based services to all of their population. If you’d like to read more, I found this slide show detailing the planned stages of the project and its goals. I find it interesting that they’re not just looking at infrastructure (they already have 98% broadband penetration), but that they’re also looking at how to encourage its use.
This project is a couple steps beyond what could be done in the US. Only about 60% of US households have broadband.
Engadget has found the FCC filings for a new ebook reader. It was submitted to the FCC by Qisda, who used to be known as BenQ. Unlike Amazon, Qisda has left all of the documentation open for public viewing. There’s even a User Manual, and the manual contains the spec sheet:
I think I’ve seen this device before. I think it’s the same hardware as the EB605 video we saw on Youtube. Which is really interesting, because that device is the first to have a Sipix screen. Hopefully this means that we’ll be getting the new device on the market soon here in the USA.
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