iCell e-reader offers localized content
(Credit: Leonard Goh/CNET Asia)
iCell, a Singapore-based wireless service provider involved in the Wireless@SG rollout, has its eyes set on the e-reader market. While the S$499 (US$400.93) KeyReader is competent in its own right, there are strong reasons students and those in the local education sector will choose this over the competition.
Showcased at the Singapore Media Fiesta 2010, let's start with the hardware. It weighs 300g with a footprint of 196 x 121mm. Like the Samsung e-reader, the 6-inch display uses a EMR (electromagnetic resonance) stylus input which allows for annotations and handwritten notes. Decked with a Wi-Fi radio, the e-reader has a built-in browser for Web surfing. Future firmware updates will include PIM (personal information manager) features such as a calendar and email client. The internal 512MB memory can be augmented by the SDHC slot and data is transferred via a mini-USB port. The KeyReader claims to yield up to 5,000 page flips before requiring a recharge. A 3.5mm audio jack is available for MP3 playback as there are no onboard speakers on the device.
But what really differentiates this device is content. iCell has been working with the Singapore National Library Board to allow users to borrow over 900,000 e-books from the organization. Like a real library book, the maximum number of borrowed novels depends on membership (four for basic, eight for premium). But instead of having to make a trip to return the book, the e-book simple disappears from your device after 21 days. The company is also in talks with SPH to offer Lianhe Zaobao, a Chinese daily newspaper, and the Rednano search engine. In addition, iCell intends to create a private repository for content made by the education sector, to promote sharing and knowledge transfer. Ten-year series and sample exam papers, anyone?
So, how does this compare with other popular e-readers? Unlike the Kindle, which does not support non-Kindle DRM-protected books and the ePUB standard, the KeyReader is compatible with a wide range of file formats, even those with copy-protection. Though the Sony Reader is capable of borrowing books from the National Library (currently the only e-reader able to do so), it does not have a wireless radio and requires a desktop to transfer the novel to the device.
The iCell e-reader will be sold at the IT Show in Singapore which begins next week on March 11.
Update: The article has been changed to reflect the Amazon Kindle's compatibility with eBooks formats.
About the author
Tracking laptop and PC trends since 2005, Darius Chang may have been knee deep in bits and bytes but is certainly not a binary person. Under that big and soft exterior holds a marshmallow core which dotes on his god-daughters and nephew. Suspected of ADD, his interests span disparate fields such as sustainability studies, diving, sports, politics, etc. A true jack of all trades, but master of one (maybe two).
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