Gearlog lays hands on the enTourage eDGe eBook reader
Gearlog has the goods on the enTourage eDGe, a dual-screen eBook reader that features a 9.7-inch electronic ink display next to a 10.1-inch LCD, first mentioned here a few weeks ago. After reading their description, it’s clear I should have taken a closer look back then.
The 10.75-x 8.25-x 1-inch (HWD) device, at 2.75 pounds. is larger and heavier than most eBook readers, thanks to its dual displays and vastly superior connectivity options. The device’s LCD offers a 1024-by-600-pixel resolution, and features resistive touch, responding to anything from a stylus to your finger for navigation. The 1,200-by-825-pixel electronic ink display is Wacom Penabled, so you’ll need to use the included stylus for navigation and note taking.
Whoa, did I read that last part correctly? Are my eyes deceiving me when I look at that photo? There’s a Wacom Penabled active digitizer under that e-ink screen for pen input? Okay, enTourage, you scared me off earlier with that $490 price tag, but now I’m really interested. Instead of seeing a pricey eReader, I’m seeing a mobile ink blogging machine, and I like the sound of that. You extend that pen input over to the color LCD in a future version, and I will be unable to resist.
BTW, I must say, that name is a real pain to write. With auto-correction or predictive recognition, it would take a ridiculous amount of time to hammer out “enTourage eDGe.”
About the Author: A pioneer in the field of ink blogging, Sumocat works diligently to promote digital ink and Tablet PCs, earning him a Microsoft MVP award for Tablet PCs in 2008. He also champions the cause of mobile computing in general, dabbing in various forms of mobile blogging as part of an ever-evolving experiment in the field.
Andrew Stromme | Nov 11, 2009 | Reply
That software looks very suspiciously like xournal (xournal.sf.net), the linux tablet notepad. Does this ebook reader run a linux os?
Sumocat | Nov 11, 2009 | Reply
Andrew: Yes, depending on your view of Android. Given that Xournal is open source, it makes sense that they’d use it for their note-taking app. That said, basic note-taking apps are all going to look pretty similar, just as basic notepads look similar. I don’t think it looks any closer to Xournal than it does to Windows Journal.
frblckstr | Nov 12, 2009 | Reply
That e-Reader digitizer looks like what the 8″ iRex is doing, its has a anotation option also (and merge into PDF’s)
“enTourage eDGe.” [right-click] add to dictionary :)