Sometime today Spring Design will be opening up pre-orders for their dual screen Android powered e-reader, the Spring Design Alex.
I have watched this device with great interest since I found out about it last fall. The Alex uses a standard E-Ink screen like all it’s rivals, but adds a 3.5″ color capacitive touchscreen running the familiar Android interface. This makes the Alex a useful, dual purpose gadget; one that can be used for reading your ebook library and one that can also be used as a pseudo-tablet device that can browse the web and use Android apps.
The Alex comes in two flavors: wi-fi only, and wi-fi and 3G. The version going up for pre-order today is the wi-fi only version. Those looking to be one of the first to score an Alex will have to pony up $399 for the privilege.
Is the Alex worth it at $399? The addition of the 3.5″ capacitive touchscreen is a tasty addition, and certainly leverages the value of the Alex by making it a just as useful as a handheld computer as it is as an ereader. Also, Spring Design has scored a partnership with Borders, who will be supplying the ebook store for the Alex. This won’t be up until June, however.
But the iPad is coming and is only $100 more at $499. Yes, but what do you want, a tablet or an ereader? Despite Apple’s marketing the iPad as an ereader, go read for 3 or 4 hours on a backlit traditional lcd and get back to me on how your eyes feel. The iPad is an attractive tablet at $499, but not an attractive ereader at any price.
So, if you want an ereader, there really isn’t any dilemma at all. The Spring Design Alex raises the bar for all ereader devices and the addition of a 3.5″ capacitive touchscreen certainly justifies the $150 price increase over a device that only functions as an ereader.
….except new display technologies are headed our way that may make every existing ereader obsolete because the screen technologies they use function equally well for tablet computer and ereader use. The Notion Ink Adam, using Pixel Qi technology, and whatever devices end up utilizing Qualcomm’s Mirasol technology, for starters.
So, while I definitely like the idea of the Spring Design Alex and see it as a useful, dual purpose toy, I am holding off until the jury is in on the Adam and any similar devices that are launching this year. It’s a shaky time to be launching an ereader, as it just may be that E-Ink technology is obsolete in it’s infancy due to superior technologies coming down the pike.
