Official Site: SpringDesign.com
Specs: Main screen: 6”; Color touchscreen: 3.5”; Android 1.6 OS; Wi-Fi 802.11b/g; 256MB DRAM
Company: Spring Design, Inc.
It is hard to throw a rock these days in the tech world without hitting a new eBook reader. In the wake of CES 2010, digital eReaders are being announced at a furious pace. As is the case when most trending gadgets start to flood the marketplace, you will get your fair share of healthy competition and a dose of rush-job garbage.
From everything we have seen thus far out of the innovative Alex eReader from Spring Design, this particular entry seems to have some legs. While the early life of the Alex eReader has been filled with behind-the-scenes controversy, the $349 eBook reader has found a retail partner in Borders, and has the tech potential and support to be worth your attention.
If the Alex eReader looks a little familiar to you, that is because, according to Spring Design, Barnes & Noble ripped off the design concept and used it for its own eBook reader, the nook. Legal allegations aside, the Alex has found a home with Borders, which has pledged to dedicate store space and heavy support to the dual-screen format gadget.
The upper third of the device fits right in line with products like the Amazon Kindle, using a 6-inch electronic ink display screen. It is the bottom part of the Alex where things start to get very interesting thanks to a 3.5-inch color touchscreen that runs Google’s Android 1.6 operating system. The two screens work in perfect harmony with each other, as you can surf the web on the bottom touchscreen, and then shoot an article or blog you are reading up to the large display for reading that is easy on the eyes.
The key with any of these numerous eBook readers is the content library and supporting partners. In that regard, the Alex has joined up with a couple of heavyweights, as it uses Google Books and Borders for its exclusive material. The Alex is Wi-Fi enabled, and with the color touchscreen, is one of the savvier internet browsing eBook’s found anywhere.
The internal memory on the Alex eReader is 256MB, but that can be expanded through the use of microSD cards to 2GB. The one main feature missing from this first-generation Alex eReader is 3G support, which devices like the Kindle use through their Whispernet to allow you to download content from nearly anywhere in the world. While a 3G capable version of the Alex is already planned for future release, the current $349 price tag may feel a little steep for an eBook reader that doesn’t offer the absolute best.
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