eBook readers or eInk

I recently stumbled across eBook readers, the first time actually on Amazon, the Kindle. Amazon has just anounced the second generation, the Kindle2. And while I am writing this, I noticed that they yet again have relesed a newer version, the KindleDX with a battery life of 4 days while being online. Quite impressive.

I had to learn that eRaeders are around for quite some time, Sony had it’s first out on the market in 2006 and that there are quite a number of readers on the market.

Today, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc (SCE) announced that it will start delivering digital comic books to the PSP (PlayStation Portable), its portable game console, in Japan within 2009.

The latest KindleDX can hold up to 3500 non-illustrated books in its memory. That’s a lot of paper saving and transportation savings. But are those readers as versatile as a good old book, that you can read on the toilet, in the bus or in bed? Can they be read in bright sunlight (very important here in NZ)?

Amazon is only licensing ebooks to customers, meaning that they cannot be transferred to another reader and cannot be sold. In saying so, I noticed that some of my paper books have a copyright notice that prevents them from being resold as well.

I would love to test some eReaders and see whether they stand up to the promise.