Acer’s LumiRead e-reader to debut at IFA next week
updated 08:35 am EDT, Thu August 26, 2010
German launch in October
Acer is set to capitalize on the popularity of the e-reader category by launching its Kindle challenger, the six-inch E Ink LumiRead in Germany next week. First revealed earlier this year, the thin device is now being prepped to ship in Germany in October. Content will be delivered through Libri.de in Germany, Barnes & Noble in the US and Founder in China. Agreements with content providers are also being negotiated in order to deliver content in French and Italian as the LumiRead is eventually rolled out across other markets.
Using a Wi-Fi or 3G connection, users will be able to download up to 1,500 books and audio books directly to the device, which is equipped with 2GB of onboard storage. Adding a microSD card will boost storage further if required. Formats supported include PDF, ePUB, TXT, HTML, MOBI, RTF, DOC, and CHM, as well as MP3 for audio books. A unique ability of the device is its in-built ISBN code scanner, which allows users to scan and store the barcodes of books that can then be purchased in digital format as they become available.
When it goes on sale in the US, it is expected to retail for the equivalent of $316. However, it's likely that pricing will confirmed at the IFA technology trade fair in Germany, which starts on September 3. [via Softpedia]
