2010 eReaders: Contenders or Pretenders?

2010 has started with a bang for the e-book industry. Not only e-book fans were treated with devices from more established brands (e.g. Sony Reader Daily Edition), many new e-book readers are making their way to the market. Plastic Logic, Skiff, and Alex are all new e-book readers that intend to bring e-book junkies a better reading experience than Kindle. Not all these gadgets are going to be contenders however.

I have written about Plastic Logic reader in the past, and while the device has a lot of potential, the device is too pricey to go mainstream. In fact, it’s tough to see how businesses can justify the price of the device. Que Reader is based on an exciting proprietary technology, and it’s logical for the device to be expensive at first. The device is well worth a look if the price is more manageable.

Skiff reader is truly an innovative e-book reader that is unlike anything else we have seen on the market so far. The device is designed to handle complex layouts that you get in a magazine or newspaper. The device is shatter-proof which helps.

Alex Reader may not be as fancy as Nook, but it runs Android and comes with an innovative navigation screen that helps you navigate through your files much more easily. Nook also runs on Android, but while B&N has shown some interest in letting developers enhance Nook’s functionality with their apps in the future, Spring Design is banking on it.

There are more e-book readers on the way, so it’s tough to say how the market will look like in a matter of months. But Skiff seems to be the device with the most potential here. Que Reader and Alex are both interesting devices and will have their own fans. But Skiff opens new doors for publishers and consumers. Let’s not forget that you won’t have to worry about breaking your screen ever again if you are a Skiff reader owner.