Prometheus 6

I could definitely get with having my whole library in my pocket the way iPod users walk around with their whole music collection. If the thing had full text search I'd be willing to spend a month or so with my books, a scanner and a razorblade. But $380 bucks…then I have to rent the book?

Published: April 22, 2004

While hand-held electronic books have been around for years, such gadgets have never really taken off. One reason is that their small display screens are simply not as easy to read as an ordinary paperback.

Now Sony has an electronic book, the Librié, that it says is just as easy on the eyes as the paper version.

Sony's electronic reader is about the same size and weight as a slim paperback and can store hundreds of novels, texts and reference books. But what sets the device apart is its screen, which was developed by Philips Electronics and looks almost exactly like paper. Covered in a thin film of electronic ink developed by an American company, E Ink, the screen renders letters that appear as sharp and clear as those on a printed page. The screen can be read from almost any angle, and it does not fade in bright light.

The Librié draws power only when the user presses a button to turn the page, so the four AAA batteries that power the device will last a long time - some 10,000 page turns, the company says.

Sony plans to begin selling the reader next month in Japan for about $380. Users will be able to download electronic books for less than $5 each from a Web site set up by Sony and a group of Japanese publishing companies. At least initially, the works will be rented rather than purchased and thus will disappear from the device after 60 days. The idea of renting the books is a concession to publishers who are worried about unauthorized copying.

Sony says it will wait to see how well the Librié sells at home before deciding whether to offer it in the United States and Europe.

Todd Zaun