Cybook Gen3 e-book reader enters production, coming in September

We already had a pretty good idea of what Bookeen had in store with its new Cybook e-book reader, but the company has now gotten all official with it, letting out word that the device has entered production and is set to be available in September. Now dubbed the Cybook Gen3, the device makes use of E Ink's Vizplex e-paper technology to give you a 166 dpi resolution on its 6-inch screen, and promises to last for 8,000 page flips before needing a recharge. What's more, Bookeen's also announced that it's struck a deal with Mobipocket to license and distribute the Mobipocket e-book format, giving Cybook users access to some 50,000 titles. According to Bookeen, it'll be offering the Cybook in a variety of different "packs," the lowest cost of which will set you back $350.

[Thanks, David R]

[Saira @ May 14th 2008 2:01PM]

My only gripe with the Cybook is they're ALWAYS sold out. It looks like BooksOnBoard has the new edition of the Cybook in stock finally... does anyone know if the new firmware supports a hierarchical library listing?

[christapher @ Jul 26th 2007 4:55PM]

that sure looks an awful lot like a certain electronic device's ad materials, which look an awful lot like a certain artist's photograph...

[Bachus @ Jul 26th 2007 5:20PM]

as much as i usually scoff at vinyl/FLAC heads who laugh at my mp3 player because of whatever, i've got to join the analog side on this one. i like my books to have pages.

[Chris @ Jul 26th 2007 9:58PM]

Agreed. The feel of the paper, font size, type face, layout, and smell all contribute to the experience of a book. I'll take paper any day. No point in getting one of these things unless it lowers the price of the books, which are already pretty damned cheap... or free when you borrow them from people.

[PJK @ Jul 27th 2007 5:17AM]

Theres no room on the wide wide web for Luddites! Go churn some butter with the Amish!

[jbcaro @ Jul 26th 2007 7:15PM]

Why is is that e-book readers cost so much???? Small non-color screen, limited storage, can only read e-books, etc, etc.

j

[smudge @ Jul 26th 2007 5:33PM]

Why? Whyyyyy? Why must it be so expensive?!?!?!?!!????

Grrrr...

[Nick @ Jul 26th 2007 8:35PM]

why do e-book readers cost so much? its just a black and white screen, a slow processor, some memory and a battery. i'd probably buy an ebook reader for like $100 but $350 is too much.

[Russ @ Jul 26th 2007 9:20PM]

The creators of 'e ink' recouping their research costs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_paper

[malren @ Jul 26th 2007 5:42PM]

Do any of these e-ink readers read the damn .lit format? Years ago I got suckered in and now I have a fairly extensive digital library - all in protected .lit.

[cc @ Jul 26th 2007 8:58PM]

I used to have a lot of .lit format files and stripped the DRM with "convertlit" a free program to strip DRM. Google it.

[malren @ Jul 26th 2007 5:43PM]

Any chance one of these devices reads .lit?

[malren @ Jul 26th 2007 5:44PM]

Sorry for double post...

[calaban9 @ Jul 26th 2007 5:49PM]

Engadget won't like me linking directly.. but google "Convert Lit"

[malren @ Jul 26th 2007 6:08PM]

Not to expand too much on this, but...secure too? ;)

[calaban9 @ Jul 27th 2007 2:01PM]

Yup.

[Matt @ Jul 26th 2007 5:52PM]

Seriously, these things could really take off if they changed their focus on them a little more.

Lower the price, please. You are never going to get people to spend $300 on a device and then and additional $10-20 on reading material when they can get the paper version for $10-$30.

Where the eReader would be useful is not in books, but rather the disposable reading market like newspapers and magazines. Fields where production are relatively high compared to the attention spent on it. Most people read the paper within and hour or two and then discard it. Magazines, a week at the most and usually discarded.

Having a periodical subscription to an eReader, where can get the updated news on a centralized device/location automatically each morning would be worth it.

It would be great to grab the eReader, open it up for an hour to read the paper, and then close it until tomorrow. People are not going to sit in front of one for several hours to read a book. Get some newspaper companies on board like the NYTimes, Tribune Company, and the Wall Street journal. Sell the subscription for the same price as the regular paper and offer the reader for ~$100 and I think a lot of people would think it is the perfect thing for that ride to work or in the morning.

[TIMMAH! @ Jul 26th 2007 6:08PM]

"Where the eReader would be useful is not in books, but rather the disposable reading market like newspapers and magazines. Fields where production are relatively high compared to the attention spent on it. Most people read the paper within and hour or two and then discard it. Magazines, a week at the most and usually discarded."

Yeah I'm surprised it's sale isn't being blocked by the paper industry lobby, or the printing press operators union...

[Adrian Morgan @ Jul 30th 2007 6:13AM]

Hi, great idea, i agree totally. The amount of Pc/360 mags i throw away and the newspaper, that is definitely the way to go.

[Jeff Myers @ Jul 30th 2007 7:11PM]

I like the idea of news and magazines being available, but I also would like books, especially on trips, but even for everyday use. I always carry at least one book with me, often more as well as at least one magazine. Replacing that with a 6 oz. reader would really lighten my load!

If it could also play mp3s, it might even be worth the price (well, almost).

[Ivan @ Jul 26th 2007 6:32PM]

Cool stuff. This looks like it will be an awesome e-book reader, but it's still way too pricy. Hopefully it will come down in cost to make it more affordable. Once e-book readers become cheaper, then they we can start the future of reading. Until then, there's too small an audience to have an impact on the world. I really hope e-book readers can come down in price. It may lower the price of books (publishers know that consumers are willing to pay the amount we've been paying, so might not change the price we pay), and will lower the resources used to produce them. If everyone can have an electronic reader, we won't need as much paper (a great benefit for the environment). I hope this oppurtunity is not wasted.

-Vainentree
http://thenerdcan.wordpress.com/

[mark @ Jul 26th 2007 6:44PM]

I'd love to have my textbooks on something similar to this...it's a bit of a pain to carry them round ya know :)

[Russ @ Jul 26th 2007 9:18PM]

that's an awesome idea - and the textbook makers would like the fact u can't sell your ebooks at the end of your course.

[iball @ Jul 26th 2007 11:35PM]

The Nokia N800 is a great ebook reader with excellent battery life for about the same price or cheaper than these things. Plus it now does Skype and full-on VoIP as well as both Firefox and Opera.

[v1m @ Jul 27th 2007 6:00AM]

Forget this. Spend the money on an N800, run the brilliant open source FBReader, and get wifi, Skype, mp3, video, etc., all for the same price.

[Paul Kishimoto @ Jul 27th 2007 9:55AM]

I'm waiting for someone to come out with a device that uses E-Ink's 8" or 9.7" displays: http://www.eink.com/products/matrix/High_Res.html

I don't get the gripe about colour and backlighting. Most of the things I'd use an eBook/PDA for (novels, calendar, address book, dictionary, textbooks) don't require colour, and I'd happily sacrifice backlit colour for the superior readability of an e-paper display. Squinting at LCDs all day strains my eyes too much already.

[Luddite @ Jul 27th 2007 10:02AM]

As much as this is "neato-keen", I'll stick with paper, at least I know it'll support my reader (my fuggen eyes), and I won't have to worry about shit like DRM or abandoned formats.

[Keith @ Jul 27th 2007 11:41AM]

I would really love to buy an ebook reader, but I would never spend more than $100. I don't need fancy features, all I want is a way to read a book in bed without turning pages.

[guffaw @ Aug 2nd 2007 5:48AM]

could someone give details as where to find comprehensive list of all e-book readers thanks

[brecklundin @ Aug 4th 2007 7:21PM]

I have found this site for oodles of info on eink based readers:

http://www.mobileread.com/

so far seems they have the table 'dutched' to cover all the different readers...

[Phillip Gwinn @ Aug 26th 2007 8:45PM]

I agree that it is waaaaay too expensive. I want something that is cheap (in the fify bux range) and is programmed to do nothing but read books and magazines in the common formats. I have lots of .pdf books, but reading them on a desktop is just too wearing.

I like the disposable comment above. Magazines and Newspapers would be an ideal content. Think inkjet printer market where one gives away the hardware and makes money on the refills.

Actual novels will still cost a lot because you must compensate the author for thier time and creativity.

Am I the only one who used to watch "The world of tomorrow" in the late sixties and is really pissed that it hasn't come to pass?

[Robbie @ Sep 3rd 2007 5:38PM]

I want one that can be used the local library e-books, right now I have to download them to my laptop. I am with everyone else, why would I pay the same for an ebook as for a hardcopy?? That's why I didn't buy the Sony reader.