Astak, IREX Launch New E-Readers

Filed in archive Mobile on August 7, 2009

Just when you thought Plastic Logic was providing the only real Kindle competition in town, both Astak and IREX have announced their own new e-reader models as well...

"Until now, IREX, one of the early e-reader pioneers (you remember the iLiad, right?), has mainly offered more business-oriented readers that are rather pricey and sold primarily to European customers," writes Crave's David Carnoy. "However, this model is a consumer model that will be sold in the U.S., as well as other countries (here in the States, I suspect it will cost less than $400 and possibly less than $350). Allegedly, the unit will have a tie-in with one of the large online e-book sellers, though IREX wouldn't say which one."

"Astak, based in San Jose, Calif., will ship this month an e-reader sporting a 5-inch screen (without 3G wireless connectivity) called the Pocket Pro, joining the company's earlier model with a 6-inch screen," writes TWICE's Amy Gilroy. "The Pocket Pro supports 20 formats of books in the public domain as well as copy-protected PDF files."

More here from Engadget ... more here from Ubergizmo ... and more here from Electronista.