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Gadgets and gear for consultants on the go
No technology product was perfect when it first came to market—
think of televisions, computers or cell phones. But to be among
the first to own the gadget du jour has its own cache—which is why
you just might want to join the ranks of those who own the initial
crop of book readers. You’ll be among the first to find a design flaw—
but you’ll also be one of the few on the plane with one in your hand.
Keep in mind that different readers support different formats, so
you’ll need to do a little homework first. But with that caveat, here’s
a sampling of some choices currently available:
Amazon
Kindle
$399
Now the retailer
from whom
you’ve likely bought
paperbacks is selling
an electronic reader
for them. The Kindle, though, harkens
back to the days
before syncing. No
computers or cables
needed—which makes it very travel friendly, though it does measure 7. 1 inches long. The function-over-form design leaves a little
to be desired, though, and the black-and-white only format
harkens back to days far too long ago. However, what many
users will be thrilled with is the use of free wireless service—
Amazon’s picking up that tab. This reader was very popular
during the holiday season, and as such, may be a little difficult
to obtain—Amazon, of course, suggests pre-ordering.
iRex iLiad 2nd Edition
$699
At 8. 1 inches long, it’s a little bigger
than a traditional book reader.
And at $699, it costs a bit more, too.
The iLiad, which supports the pop-
ular Mobipocket eBook format, is
designed to be readable even on
the brightest of summer days.
But it takes reading a step fur-
ther—the iLiad lets you make
notations on existing docu-
ments, and then transfer
your notes to your computer.
Palm TX Handheld
$ 299
This device is much more than a book reader—it’s a full PDA.
With a full-color screen, Wi-Fi, the ability to edit Word,
Excel, and PowerPoint files, and multimedia capabilities, you’ll
find many uses for this handy gadget. You’ll need to call in
expert help when the battery dies, but there’s clearly a lot to like
about the TX. The Palm also reminds users that you don’t necessarily need a dedicated book reader when one of your current
gadgets may already be able to serve the same purpose—to see
if you have a gadget that may have eBook software capabilities,
visit www.mobipocket.com.
Sony Reader Digital Book PRS-505
$299.99
This isn’t Sony’s first book reader release, so improvements
have already been made, which include, according to critics,
better contrast for reading. You’ll have to purchase your downloaded books directly from Sony, but the reader can store up to
160 of them before you need to look into expandable memory
options, which are available. The sleek silver color available
also makes it a standout.
