This prototype smartwatch utilizes a flexible e-paper color display that wraps around the wrist and uses e-ink in combination with a color filter to produce the colors. The concept watch is incredibly thin at only 900μm, although that thickness could go up if a touch panel was imbedded in the watch, which would be likely if it ends up in mass production.

As with other smartwatches, the Plastic Logic watch demonstrates a variety of different features the watch could end up offering, such as a heart-rate monitoring ability, information displays from a connected smartphone, such as message notifications and call alerts, and more. One big potential feature that makes it stand out from some other smartwatches is its durable nature.

Jim Watts, an engineer with Plastic Logic, called the display in the smartwatch “effectively unbreakable,” with the device said to be durable enough to handle the pounding daily use would give it. Of course, while the prototype is appealing, the practical application of the display in a smartwatch would result in a larger device once a battery and backlight, among other hardware elements, were implemented.

[via Pocket Lint]

In fact, since the Plastic Logic screens only require energy to change what they’re displaying, not to maintain an image, the two firms say the ZED can be entirely solar powered. That, coupled with integrated 3G and/or GPRS, means replacing traditional paper timetables needn’t require a significant infrastructure roll-out, just a secure mount and a nearby solar panel with a good view of the sky.

The ZED measures under a centimeter in thickness, and achieves IP54 ratings for resistance to water and other substances. It’ll work in temperature extremes of -15 degrees centigrade to a toasty 50 degrees, and the companies will also be offering it with an optional front-light illumination system.

According to Plastic Logic, color versions of the ZED are in the pipeline – the company has already developed and demonstrated the technology - which will then mean colored metro lines and other information will be clearer. Exactly how much it’ll cost for cities to replace their paper boards with the ZED is unclear, though being able to offset that upfront installation price with reduced staff keeping printed timetables current may help sway things in the plastic panel’s favor.

The teams call those stacks “PaperTabs” and the eponymous slate can show several of them, on-screen, at the same time. That streamlines workflow, so for instance you can easily attach a photo to an email by previewing them at the same time and simply tapping them.

However, there’s also support for less traditional methods of control. For instance, flex-sensors allow for an email to be sent if the top corner of the screen is bent; you could also trigger a send by dropping the PaperTab into your outbox tray on your desk.

Multiple PaperTab units can be placed side-by-side, with the on-screen interface automatically extending to take advantage of the extra real-state, while the UI can be stretched out with simple gestures. There’s also interpretation of physical distance: for instance, when the PaperTab is out of reach, the interface switches to an icon mode to show what’s happening across all apps.

As you might have guessed, PaperTab is just a prototype right now, though Intel, Plastic Logic, and the Queen’s University team say the technology is all functional. Exactly what sort of battery life you could expect from a commercial product based on the hardware, and what kind of price you’d be looking at, is unclear; we’ll find out more at CES 2013 this week.

The concept behind the idea is straightforward: smartphones are incredibly capable, powerful devices, but in being portable they also demand a huge compromise on screen size. Even the Galaxy Note, with its 5.3-inch display, is considerably smaller than the average tablet, and that can make reading news, ebooks, presentations and other content frustratingly uncomfortable.

Plastic Logic’s idea is an ultra-thin companion device using one of its plastic-transistor based displays, paired with a wireless technology such as WiFi or Bluetooth, a battery, touchscreen, and a smartphone app – currently a hastily-cobbled-together Android app – that exchanges data between the two devices. With that app, users could squirt over emailed documents or webpages to the epaper, paging through using the onscreen controls. Alternatively, you can do the same thing with photos taken with the phone, which could be useful for those with partial-sight wanting to enlarge pages.

Although Plastic Logic bills its displays as flexible, in this context the company says its potential carrier partners are more focused on a rugged device: something that can be dropped into a bag or briefcase without concerns that the screen might crack. Rather than the Heath Robinson prototype, the final design is envisaged as a slim frame with a carry-handle on the top that would contain the electronics, battery and other components.

Battery life could be a real advantage over existing tablets. Since the Plastic Logic display only uses power when it changes the on-screen image, it’s far more frugal than a traditional LCD or OLED. That could mean 2-4 weeks use on a single charge, potentially, though final runtimes haven’t been confirmed.

In practice, use is a simple affair. The rudimentary app allows you to pick a file and share it to the display – in this prototype’s case, using a WiFi connection – and, after a couple of seconds, it blinks into life. Photos are shown full-screen and, while it’s currently monochrome and obviously lower resolution than a new iPad, it’s still easier to look at than a compact phone screen. As for multi-page documents, like PDFs, they can be paged through with a few stabs at the on-screen buttons, though there’s the usual blink-refresh we’re familiar with from other e-paper products. That should change if Plastic Logic uses one of its video-capable panels, which has a higher refresh rate.

The deciding factor is likely to be price: Plastic Logic and its partners would need to bring this in significantly lower than regular tablets, which could be a challenge given the $199 Nexus 7 announced yesterday. The company wouldn’t give us an estimate – it depends on who supplies the rest of the components and builds the slate, as well as how carriers decide to market it – but the idea of it being supplied as a freebie with a new phone was vaunted.

Video-capable e-paper has been something of a holy grail for ereader manufacturers, who so far have had to deal with the flickering page-refresh of existing E Ink screens. Plastic Logic’s display isn’t up to the sort of framerates you’d want for true video playback – that demands around 25-30fps – but it’s sufficient for animations and reasonable clips, or indeed Flash content on websites.

Plastic Logic showed us two versions of the screen technology, one a color panel that uses a special filter layer over the top of the e-paper screen itself, and another smaller, monochrome version better suited to a pocket-sized mobile device. Both use the company’s unique plastic transistor technology, meaning they’re virtually indestructible: you can bend and twist them, drop them, or hit them with hammers, and they’ll still keep working. Right now, the color screen shows six smaller video preview panes, something Plastic Logic says is down to its own test driver equipment, rather than a limitation of the panel technology itself.

Although streaming video on an ereader is one obvious possibility – and Plastic Logic confirmed it’s in talks with various ereader manufacturers, though declined to name specific names – another benefit of the faster refresh rate is more natural navigation on a tablet-style device. Flicking between pages using a touchscreen overlay layer, something else Plastic Logic can integrate, would thus allow you to see previews of each page’s content, much as paging through a document on an iPad does today.

We’ll have more from our visit to Plastic Logic very soon.

The news also means that Plastic Logic will shutter its development facility in the US, though a new “center of excellence for plastic electronics R&D” is expected to open in Russia. Possible applications of the plastic transistors the company has specialized in include “paper replacement, rugged displays, and an extensive range of other uses that incorporate flexible plastic electronics technology for both large and small display and non-display solutions.”

Plastic Logic says it has been approached by “several” device manufacturers and others regarding using the display technology it came up with, and there’s the potential for licensing on the table. No news on exactly who that might include, however, though it doesn’t necessarily mean a Plastic Logic display fronting a third-party device.

Plastic Logic volume production:

The technology could just as easily be implemented inside a product, with the plastic construction making for gadgets that can be bent, are more drop-resilient and can resist being stomped on, or that are more weatherproof than traditional electronic components.

Plastic Logic originally intended to put its flexible panel into a large, 10.7-inch ereader focused on business users, the Que, but the ereader market proved hotly competitive and the project was shelved after potential buyers reacted negatively to the expected retail price. Last year, the company made a second attempt with an education-targeted erader.

The color itself has been achieved by stacking a filter on top of the regular grayscale panel, with some of that screen’s pixel density sacrificed for red, green and blue color information. The resulting quality isn’t going to shame any LCD or OLED, but it does have Plastic Logic’s clever flexibility trick in its favor.

That, in case you’ve forgotten, allows the roughly 10-inch color screen to not only bend considerably, but survive being stomped on or otherwise mistreated. Obviously some special sauce has gone into keeping the new color filter layer precisely lined up with the underlying monochrome panel, too.

Plastic Logic isn’t saying when the color display might show up in commercial products, and beyond the company’s shatterproof education ereader of last year, broader availability of anything from the company outside of Russia still is a mystery. That could well change in the next couple of years, however, with a second-gen factory expected to become operational in 2014. Plastic Logic had previously said the color epaper would be in mass production by this year.

[via The Digital Reader]

Eldar Murtazin was on hand at the launch and shot the live image above, reporting back positively about the new school slate. Plastic Logic’s flexible display tech certainly lends itself to classrooms: it’s shatterproof, anti-glare and anti-fingerprint, while the casing is finished in soft-touch plastic. Inside is an 800MHz processor running Windows CE, along with 4GB of storage, though the UI is a custom, swipe-controlled GUI. Connectivity doesn’t include wireless, but does get microUSB.

Underlining and annotation – using an on-screen keyboard – is supported, together with bookmarks and search, and Plastic Logic will be preloading it with 40 textbooks suited to Russian school grades 6 and 7. The Plastic Logic 100 will begin arriving in classrooms later this month, priced at 12,000 Russian Rubles ($396).

The company still has to make up the final $400m, though is apparently confident that is possible in the interim period before the second factory opens its doors; it has already confirmed $100m in debt financing, partially guaranteed by RUSNANO. The exact nature of the new displays is yet to be announced, though Plastic Logic’s original premise – that the panels were more durable than traditional e-ink screens, and could even be bent or flexed without damage – could still find a niche in the industry.

[via VentureBeat]

That facility will help produce the new ereader device, currently in development, alongside the existing plant in Germany. The exact nature of the new Plastic Logic device is unknown; Plastic Logic CEO Richard Archuleta admitted that, in the time it took the company to prepare the original QUE, the market had “dramatically changed” and left it outmoded.

[via E-Ink-Info]

“We recognize the market has dramatically changed, and with the product delays we have experienced, it no longer make sense for us to move forward with our first generation electronic reading product,” said Plastic Logic CEO Richard Archuleta. “This was a hard decision, but is the best one for our company, our investors and our customers.”

It looks like Plastic Logic just accepted the fact that their QUE product wasn’t going to make it out in time to be a competitive product, and in that research, have decided to take the high road. Sure, there will be plenty of folks out there who think that the company should have pushed forward with their current generation of products, but obviously the higher ups in the company feel that taking a step back, and coming back into the market with a better device is the right way to go.

They are going to take the time necessary to make the best ProReader they can, which is the best plan. Time will tell whether or not the next generation of ProReader can compete with the market, whenever it is unveiled, but we’re sure that Plastic Logic has the right methods in hand, and are already hard at work with something that will surprise us all over again. Check out the press release below.

Press Release

Plastic Logic Moves On To Next Generation Product
Revised product strategy to bring industry’s first advanced device using plastic electronics technology to market. | 10 August 2010
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA – August 10, 2010 – Plastic Logic today announced it is revising its product strategy and plans to shift its focus to bring to market a second-generation ProReader plastic electronics-based product. The company said it has cancelled its QUE product, which it debuted at CES in January 2010 and planned to ship earlier this year.

“We recognize the market has dramatically changed, and with the product delays we have experienced, it no longer make sense for us to move forward with our first generation electronic reading product,” said Plastic Logic CEO Richard Archuleta. “This was a hard decision, but is the best one for our company, our investors and our customers.”

Archuleta added: “We plan to take the necessary time needed to re-enter the market as we refocus, redesign and retool for our next generation ProReader product. We continue to perfect our core plastic electronic technology and manufacturing processes that are central to our product’s unique value proposition.

“We remain the industry’s leader in the development of plastic electronics technology for commercial purposes and are continuing to actively advance this technology in our labs and in our manufacturing facility.”

Plastic electronics technology has many economic, manufacturing, form factor and environmental benefits, assuring that it will replace silicon in a variety of devices in the future. The technology makes possible an amazingly thin, lightweight, more robust mobile form factor that the QUE illustrated – and remains unmatched in the marketplace of traditional silicon semiconductor glass-based display products.

“We are fortunate to have investors who are confident and committed to our company’s long-term success in commercializing plastic electronics,” Archuleta noted. “We thank them, along with our partners and suppliers, and most especially our first customers, for their support, dedication and patience — and for standing with us to pioneer the plastic electronics revolution.”

About Plastic Logic
Plastic Logic’s mission is to lead a revolution in the way people acquire, organize and consume information. We are using our proprietary technology leadership in plastic electronics to create a range of innovative products. Founded in 2000 by researchers out of the Cambridge University Cavendish Laboratory, Plastic Logic has research and development in Cambridge, England; high-volume, state-of-the-art manufacturing in Dresden, Germany; and executive management, product engineering, sales and marketing headquartered in Mountain View, California. For more information about Plastic Logic, please go to PlasticLogic.com.

“We’ve been working hard to bring the world’s first product based on plastic electronics technology to market — and have decided that delaying the device a bit longer will result in a better product for you. With that in mind, we need to let you know that since your unit will not ship on June 24 as planned, our automated ordering system has automatically cancelled your order.

We continue to be excited about the potential that our thin, light and shatter-proof ProReader will offer to business users everywhere, and hope we can count you among the first to experience this groundbreaking device.”

That’s the official statement sent to some (un)lucky folks who pre-ordered the QUE. The device is definitely being delayed again, and to make it worse, Plastic Logic have begun to cancel pre-orders. What they are doing right, this time around, is not giving an estimated time of when the QUE might reappear again. Instead, just asking customers to “stay on our list of customers interested in knowing about our progress.” That’s a better way to handle it, especially when weighed against the fact they’re canceling the pre-order.

What we’re hoping this means, is that Plastic Logic is hard at work on making their eReader cheaper. Last we heard, the “base model” cost somewhere in the ballpark of $650, and considering the Amazon Kindle and Barnes and Noble nook have just dropped to below $200, we’re not sure that even a business-oriented individual would pick this up instead.

[via Engadget]

The announcement was made at the International Electronics Forum 2010 in Dresden last week, the same city in which Plastic Logic has set up their first $100m factory.  Production of the QUE is apparently underway, with the first pre-ordered units headed to buyers this summer.

We grabbed some hands-on time with the QUE back at CES in January and while – at $750 – it’s undoubtedly expensive, it’s also surprisingly usable.  More details in our hands-on report and in the video demo below.

Plastic Logic QUE:

[via The Digital Reader]

Plastic Logic are promising free shipping to preorder customers as an apology for the delay; the QUE was originally expected to ship in mid-April 2010.  The device – which uses an E Ink display like other ebook readers, but paired with a unique plastic backplane of Plastic Logic’s own design – is being positioned as a business device, with pricing to match.  The entry-level model kicks off at around $650.

Plastic Logic statement:

From: Richard Archuleta
Subject: QUE proReader Shipping Update

Thank you for being one of the first customers to order a QUE proReader from Plastic Logic. We appreciate your business.

Today, I wanted to personally inform you that we are postponing the first QUE proReader shipments until this Summer in order to fine-tune the features and enhance the overall product experience.
Within the next month we will send you an email with more details about your order. If you also ordered accessories for your QUE proReader, we plan to ship them at the same time as your QUE proReader.
I can imagine that you want to get your QUE proReader as soon as possible. We are sorry for the delay. For your inconvenience, the shipping charges will be on us.
Please note that we will not charge your credit card until your order is ready to ship.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email us at QUEhelp@PlasticLogic.com.
Once again, thank you for being one of our first QUE proReader customers.
Best regards,

Richard Archuleta
CEO
Plastic Logic

At the time pre-orders started the reader was supposed to ship in the middle of April. One person who pre-ordered the device has sent an email received from the CEO of QUE over to Engadget. According to the email, the QUE is being delayed until sometime later in the summer.

The reason given in the email is that QUE wants more time to “fine tune features and enhance the overall product experience.” When companies spout marketing speak like that, what I really hear is “the thing doesn’t work right and we are fixing it.” The upside if you have pre-ordered is that your credit card hasn’t been charged yet and you can cancel and take your $650 to $800 depending on the version you ordered and get yourself an iPad or two.

Frankly Plastic Logic have scored two thumbs-up for both hardware and software with the QUE.  At 10.7-inches the monochrome display is considerably bigger than most mainstream ebook readers on the market, and thanks to the E Ink Vizplex technology it’s just as crisp and easily readable as you’d hope.  It’s also sandwiched into a surprisingly thin chassis, literally magazine-like, and that goes a long way to making the in-hand reading experience feel more natural.  To go with their name, Plastic Logic have attempted to use as much plastic in the construction as possible, and happily they’ve not skimped on quality.  Overall it has the sleekness you want from a new gadget, but it’s also as plain as you need your ereader to be so as to avoid distracting from the text.

Control is predominantly via the touchscreen – the only hardware controls are a power button on the bottom, next to a USB port, speaker and SD card slot, and the Home key at the top right-hand corner of the display – and so we’re happy to report it’s a reasonably responsive one.  Screen refreshes seem a little faster than the Kindle, certainly better than the nook can be at times, and the on-screen interface is a sensibly laid-out balance between eye-candy and usability.  The down-side to the relatively large display, though, is that text entry in landscape mode can be pretty cumbersome with the on-screen keyboard.

However that expansive screen does mean that e-newspapers and e-magazines can more accurately match the layout of their print counterparts, and Plastic Logic preloaded some examples of USA Today to show just what the new Adobe-developed truVue format can do.  It’s actually one of the best digital text content experiences we’ve had to date; the formatting isn’t always perfect, but it’s far better than poorly-zooming PDFs or ebooks that only offer a few different font sizes.  Meanwhile the home-view – with various panes showing different periodicals, frequently accessed documents and the like – looks like it will work well with the eventual Microsoft Exchange email and calendar support Plastic Logic say they’ll be adding.

We’ll have to put the QUE through its paces more thoroughly when it starts shipping in mid-April 2010 before we can come to any final conclusions, but so far those prices are our only real concern.  CES 2010 is almost saturated with ebook readers, and among that crowd Plastic Logic have managed to stand out; that’s an achievement in itself.

Plastic Logic QUE ereader demo:

The solitary hardware control is the home key in the top-right corner; for everything else you swipe through pages and menus, tapping to select.  There’s an onscreen keyboard for searches, and you can save preset search queries for regular use.

For content, like the nook the QUE uses Barnes & Noble’s ebook store, with wireless access over 3G or WiFi depending on model; you can purchase titles – Plastic Logic are pushing business ebooks, since they’re initially targeting the QUE at professionals, but you’ll be able to pick up regular ebooks too – either from the QUE itself or via a desktop browser and have them wirelessly delivered.  Non-ebook file type support includes PDF, Word, PowerPoint and Excel, and all can be annotated either with a finger or via the onscreen keyboard.  File conversion is handled by a virtual printer or a desktop widget.

QUE is also taking on print news, with a new truVue format – developed in collaboration with Adobe – that can apparently better display page layouts for e-newspapers and e-magazines.  We’re guessing there’s some nifty DRM in there too, to prevent QUE owners handing around content at will rather than individually subscribing to daily downloads.  Content will be available from the Financial Times, USA Today, the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News, MIT Technology Review, Popular Science, and IDG publication titles including CIO, Network World, and Computerworld, together with the Down Jones company and the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, and All Things Digital, as well as Forbes and Fast Company, the Sporting News and several major regional newspapers, including the Sacramento Bee, Miami Herald, and San Jose Mercury News.

Preorders for the QUE proReader are being taken today, priced at $649 for the 4GB model with WiFi or $799 for the 8GB model with both WiFi and 3G.  It’s expected to begin shipping in mid-April 2010.  Later in 2010, QUE will be available through Barnes & Noble, both in-store and online.

Press Release:

Introducing the QUE™ proReader

More than an eReader, QUE is uniquely designed as an essential tool to lighten the workload of mobile professionals.

Sleek industrial design, intuitive user interface, powerful applications and QUE Store define a premium business reading experience. | 7 January 2010
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW, LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 7, 2010 – Plastic Logic today unveiled QUE™ (pronounced “Q”), the world’s first proReader. More than an eReader, QUE is designed specifically to provide a premium reading experience and access to content anywhere anytime, while simplifying the multi-faceted lifestyle of business professionals –and to literally lighten their workload.

With its sleek 8.5 x 11 inch form factor, crisp large touchscreen display, intuitive user interface and powerful tools, QUE stands out in the crowd. QUE is currently on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (Central Hall of Las Vegas Convention Center at Booth 11840 anchoring the e-Book Techzone).

“Today we are introducing two major advancements: the birth of a new market category, the proReader, and a milestone in the evolution of plastic electronics,” said Richard Archuleta, CEO of Plastic Logic. “The QUE proReader was built from the ground up for people who need to read. Starting today, mobile professionals can look forward to a paperless briefcase, a lighter load, and a better way to work.”

Like paper, only better
The inspiration for QUE was an age-old but perfect business tool: a simple sheet of paper. QUE was designed to have the benefits of paper, but without the weight and clutter. Just like paper, QUE is easy to hold and feels good in your hands. But it’s easier to search and find exactly what you’re looking for.

The size of a pad of paper, about 1/3 inch thick, and weighing less than many periodicals (about a pound), QUE features a 10.7-inch shatterproof plastic display — the largest display in the market.

Exclusive plastic display technology
The patented plastic display technology in QUE has been 10 years in development, since Plastic Logic’s founding by researchers from the renowned University of Cambridge (UK) Cavendish Labs. The unique plastic displays are produced in Plastic Logic’s world-first commercial scale plastic electronics manufacturing facility in Dresden, Germany. Combined with E Ink Vizplex® technology, they produce an outstanding reading experience that looks and reads just like paper even in direct sunlight.

QUE Design: A celebration of black and white print
Designed through a unique collaboration between Plastic Logic and IDEO, the QUE design was inspired by black and white print—a communications standard that is both classic and timeless. In addition to being the easiest to read, black and white is often the most visually striking combination.

“We wanted to highlight the optical qualities of plastic,” said IDEO’s Caroline Fagiello, who serves as Plastic Logic’s acting creative director. “Think of pools of black ink captured in a glass ink well against a crisp sheet of white linen paper.”

Plastic Logic created QUE to feel as natural in your hand as a pad of paper, while conveying the level of premium quality craftsmanship of a fine pen. Its proprietary user interface is as intuitive and easy as paper and ink.

The simple, but powerful QUE user interface is uniquely designed for functionality in the day-to-day world of the business professional. Its signature home view provides your appointments for the day and all of the information you need, including a customized view of your content – your daily newspaper, magazines, and other essential materials – as well as immediate access to the QUE Store to get what you need whenever you need it.

All your content, all the time
Designed for more than good looks, QUE provides instant access to the content busy professionals need at their fingertips all day long – all their content anywhere any time: Read a newspaper over morning coffee. Review your appointments imported from Outlook. Have every document you need when you need it. And at the end of the day, relax with a good book.

In addition to highly valued business and professional newspapers, periodicals and eBooks, QUE supports reading and annotating document formats business users need (including PDF, Microsoft Office, ePub documents and more). With the QUE software, it’s easy to quickly convert and transfer content from your PC, Mac™ computer, or BlackBerry® smartphone to your QUE.

The standard 4GB QUE model can hold up to 35,000 documents or the equivalent of up to 35 filing cabinets worth of documents. If your paper-laden briefcase and file cabinets are bulging at the seams, the 8GB model holds up to 75,000 documents or the equivalent of the contents of up to 75 filing cabinets¹.

Powerful tools for interacting with your content
Storage means nothing if you can’t easily access your documents. Thanks to its proprietary touchscreen interface, QUE makes it simple to find reports, spreadsheets and presentations with just a few taps of a finger. And QUE is always on when you need it: its battery can last days, instead of hours.

QUE has integrated reviewing tools and features that maximize efficiency. Add a note and use the virtual keyboard to include your comments, highlight text, scribble free form, and even add a stamp to emphasize a point. No stylus needed. And if that massive spreadsheet with the tiny font is too small, just zoom in for a close-up view. With QUE, it’s easy to instantly go back and forth between documents.

Wireless access to leading publications, professional content on the QUE Store
The QUE Store offers a rich collection of reading material especially geared to the business professional. QUE users will be able to connect to fresh content on-the-go, on the QUE Store: to search, purchase and download wirelessly via Wi-Fi and AT&T’s 3G network².

Powered by Barnes & Noble, the QUE Store offers instant access to the world’s largest eBookstore, in addition to many business and professional newspapers, books, and periodicals. Additionally, Plastic Logic is partnering with Olive Software and premier publishers to give QUE users a richer content and reading experience that is optimized for QUE.

Today, Plastic Logic is announcing new partnerships with some of the leading business publishers and publications, including the Down Jones company and the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, and All Things Digital, as well as Forbes and Fast Company. Rounding out new partnerships are the Sporting News and major regional newspapers, including the Sacramento Bee, Miami Herald, and San Jose Mercury News.

These publications join previously announced strategic partnerships with Financial Times, USA Today, the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News, MIT Technology Review, Popular Science, and IDG publication titles including CIO, Network World, and Computerworld. A full list of content partners can be found at PlasticLogic.com.

Publications on the QUE Store are available ranging from one-time use to ongoing subscriptions.

EXCLUSIVE: QUE truVue – Setting the standard for eNewspapers
The QUE proReader enables newspapers, magazines, and other types of content to have a richer reading experience that is symbolic of their print editions, complete with photos and formatting. The QUE truVue standard, enabled by the Adobe Reader Mobile SDK, provides the familiar look and feel of print publications, and makes eReading easier and more enjoyable.

“Since our inception 27 years ago, USA TODAY has offered a reading experience that millions of people rely on and enjoy, so it’s really exciting that there is an eReader platform that delivers our content the way it’s supposed to look and feel,” said Dave Hunke, president and publisher of USA TODAY.

“Forbes has always been at the forefront of embracing and adopting new media and new platforms; eReaders represent that next generation platform to deliver our content,” said Nina La France, Vice President Consumer Marketing for Forbes. “The QUE proReader caters to our audience: people who are busy, active, mobile, time-starved, and consume content at a great clip. The proReader gives them the full content experience and new capabilities to stay ahead.”

The QUE starts here
Beginning today, preorders for the QUE proReader may be placed at the QUE Store. Beginning in mid-April 2010, QUE will be available for shipping. Later in 2010, QUE will be available through the Barnes & Noble stores nationwide and online at Barnes & Noble.com QUE.com.

The price for QUE will range from $649.00 for the 4GB QUE model with WiFi that holds up to 35,000 documents, to $799.00 for the 8GB QUE model with WiFi and 3G that holds up to 75,000 documents.

To complement its iconic look and profile, Plastic Logic has also designed an entire line of QUE premium accessories, including three carrying cases to match any busy lifestyle. In addition to their classic elegance, the cases protect your QUE from dust, scratches and everyday wear and tear. QUE accessories are available on the QUE store at QUE.com.

Additional information, including high resolution images, are available at PlasticLogic.com.

About Plastic Logic
Plastic Logic’s mission is to lead a revolution in the way people acquire, organize and consume information. We are using our proprietary technology leadership in plastic electronics to create a range of innovative products. Our first product, QUE™, the proReader for business professionals, will enter the marketplace in 2010. Founded in 2000 by researchers out of the Cambridge University Cavendish Laboratory, Plastic Logic has research and development in Cambridge, England; high-volume, state-of-the-art manufacturing in Dresden, Germany; and executive management, product engineering, sales and marketing headquartered in Mountain View, California. For more information about Plastic Logic, please go to PlasticLogic.com.

The QUE trademark and logo are trademarks of Plastic Logic LTD. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Press Release:

Plastic Logic, Good Technology Partner

Plastic Logic and Good Technology™ partner to develop QUE Mail and QUE Calendar. | 7 January 2010

CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW, LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 7, 2010 – Plastic Logic and Good Technology™ today announced a partnership and plans to develop QUE Mail and QUE Calendar for the QUE™ (pronounced “Q”) proReader. More than an eReader, QUE is designed specifically to provide a premium reading experience and access to content anywhere anytime, while simplifying the multi-faceted lifestyle of business professionals – and to literally lighten their workload.

The announcement coincides with Plastic Logic’s debut of QUE today during CES 2010. The ultra-thin, lightweight and wirelessly-enabled QUE is the size of an 8.5 x 11-inch pad of paper, about 1/3 inch thick, and weighs about a pound. QUE stands out in a crowd because it’s a business reader. QUE also distinguishes itself with powerful tools for interacting with and managing content. In addition to hightly valued business and professional newspapers, periodicals, and eBooks, QUE supports reading and annotating document formats business users need (including PDF files, Microsoft Office, ePub documents and more). With the QUE software, it’s easy to quickly transfer content from your PC, Mac® computer, or BlackBerry® smartphone to your QUE.

Plastic Logic said it plans to develop and offer a rich QUE Mail and QUE Calendar service with Good Technology, a leading provider of collaboration, security, and management services for leading mobile device platforms. Initially based on the Good Mobile Email™ and Good Mobile Exchange Access™ components of the Good for You™ solution, the QUE offering will be expanded in the future to include the Good for Enterprise™ solution. The QUE Mail and QUE Calendar offering will provide un-tethered email and calendar updates from a variety of popular email services for business professionals, including Microsoft Exchange.

Good for You, the solution powering QUE Mail and QUE Calendar, delivers an exceptional, integrated user experience for mobile email on the most popular mobile device platforms, including Android, Symbian S60 v3.0, Windows Mobile, BREW and Java. The four components of Good for You — Good Mobile Email, Good Mobile Exchange Access, Good Mobile Portal and Good Mobile Social Networking — work together to give mobile device makers and mobile operators a flexible and extensible white label solution that enables truly differentiated offerings and delivers a great mobile experience to end users.

By integrating with Good for You, the planned QUE Mail and QUE Calendar services enable mobile professionals to have email and calendar updates from a broad range of popular email and calendaring services, including Yahoo!, Google, Windows Live, and Microsoft Exchange, automatically pushed directly to their QUE devices over Wi-Fi and 3G networks.

“We are extremely pleased to be working with Good Technology, a leader in mobile device services, to accelerate development of a world-class email and calendar service and experience for the QUE proReader,” said Plastic Logic CEO Richard Archuleta. “Good is a trusted brand for mobile professionals and gives us a strong foundation for expansion into the enterprise, government and other verticals.”

Plastic Logic plans to offer QUE Mail and QUE Calendar services beginning Fall 2010. While plans with Good Technology initially cover the development of personal email and calendar, Archuleta said the planned roadmap for development of QUE Mail and QUE Calendar includes enterprise and government services thereafter.

“The eReader category is gaining substantial and rapid traction. As the world’s first proReader, QUE has great potential as a mobile collaboration and communications tool and is a perfect fit for the Good for You and Good for Enterprise solutions,” said Good CEO, Brian A. Bogosian. “We are very excited to be working with Plastic Logic to deliver an exceptional QUE Mail and QUE Calendar experience that we know will delight its customers.”

Some of OLPC’s aims are less believable than others; the XO-3 is tipped to use less than a watt of power and have – according to Forbes – an 8GHz processor, despite being half as thick as an iPhone.  A camera on the back and an integrated carrying loop round out the design.  OLPC head Nicholas Negroponte has said that the company may not actually end up building the XO-3 themselves; instead they’re hoping to pressure the market into developing low-cost educational PCs.

Unfortunately, even if OLPC do produce it, there’s some time to wait before you can buy an XO-3; the tablet isn’t expected to reach the market until 2012.  In the meantime, as we heard before, there’s an XO-1.5 coming in January 2010 which will use the same design as the XO-1 but have a VIA processor running at twice the speed of the existing model, and four times the RAM and flash storage.  It will be priced at $200, and followed by the XO-1.75 in early 2011 which will cost $150, have a touchscreen and add rubber bumpers to the XO-1 design.  It will use a Marvell ARM-based processor and go on sale alongside the XO-1.5.

[Thanks Barry!]

The two devices will co-exist, B&N says, because QUE has a business focus while nook is intended as a domestic ebook reader.  Of the two, the QUE is more traditional in its design, with a single large e-ink panel, while the nook has a smaller e-ink display but pairs it with a color touchscreen interface based on Android.

Both are wirelessly-enabled, however, using AT&T’s data network in the US, and both can access B&N’s ebook store, so it’ll be interesting to see which the public plump for.  The nook is available for preorder at $259, while Plastic Logic are promising to reveal QUE pricing at CES in January 2010.

Press Release:

QUE™ proReader by Plastic Logic to be Sold in Barnes & Noble Stores

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA and NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 27, 2009 – Plastic Logic and Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller, today announced that QUE™ (pronounced “Q”), the first proReader designed for business professionals, will be sold through Barnes & Noble’s nationwide network of stores and online at Barnes & Noble.com (http://www.bn.com).

The distribution agreement marks an expansion of the relationship between the two companies. Earlier this year, Plastic Logic and Barnes & Noble announced a strategic partnership through which Barnes & Noble will power the online store for QUE, which is coming in 2010 (information can be found at http://www.QUEreader.com). QUE will also be featured near the recently announced nook™, the Barnes & Noble eBook reader, on free-standing displays with signage offering Barnes & Noble customers choice based on their reading needs.

Scheduled to premiere January 7, 2010 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (Central Hall of Las Vegas Convention Center, Booth 11840), QUE is the first eReader designed to support the lifestyle of modern business professionals. More than an eReader, QUE means business. ”We are very excited to name Barnes & Noble as our first retail distribution partner and to have QUE featured prominently in its stores,” said Richard Archuleta, CEO of Plastic Logic. “QUE was designed from the ground up as a tool for busy business professionals, expanding the eReader market as its first and only proReader.”

QUE provides access to a file cabinet’s worth of documents, ranging from business and professional newspapers, periodicals and books – with over 1 million eBooks available through the QUE store, powered by Barnes & Noble. It supports the document formats business users need (including PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel documents and more). Extra thin, lightweight and wirelessenabled, QUE is the size of an 8.5 x 11 inch pad of paper, about a 1/3 inch thick, and weighs less than many periodicals. QUE stands out in a crowd because it’s a business reader, but it’s also unique for its shatterproof plastic display, which is based on Plastic Logic’s pioneering plastic electronics technology. QUE also distinguishes itself with the largest touchscreen in the industry, an intuitive touchscreen user interface, and powerful tools for interacting with and managing a range of content.

“We’re excited to expand our relationship with Plastic Logic to include not only an eBookstore, but also a physical presence in our bookstores nationwide and on BN.com,” said William J. Lynch, president of BN.com. “QUE is an incredibly innovative product and a great device for business professionals. Carrying nook and QUE allows us to provide consumers a one-stop destination in Barnes & Noble stores to demo and buy two of the best eBook readers on the market. It also supports our digital strategy to offer customers choice, expand the market overall, and deliver on our promise to provide any book, any time, anywhere.” Full product specifications, availability and pricing of QUE will be announced on January 7, 2010 at CES.

Overall, the whole device measures 8.5 x 11 inches, and is less than a third of an inch in thickness.  As well as the E Ink Vizplex display, the QUE has a plastic screen which  - at least according to Plastic Logic – is shatterproof, meaning you should be able to drop it into your briefcase with few worries.

Battery life and internal storage capacity are unspecified, though Plastic Logic say the QUE measures the former in “days, instead of hours”, and that you can fit “a file cabinet’s worth of documents” inside.  Those documents can include ebook fiction from B&N, together with PDF, Word, PowerPoint and Excel files.  Pricing and availability details, together with full specs, will have to wait until January.

Press Release:

Premiering January 7 at CES: QUETM proReader by Plastic Logic

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – OCTOBER 19, 2009 – Plastic Logic revealed today its plans to unveil QUETM, the first proReader designed for business professionals. Premiering January 7, 2010 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (Central Hall of Las Vegas Convention Center at Booth 11840 anchoring the e- Book Techzone), QUE is an essential tool for busy professionals, providing access to a dynamic ecosystem of content.
With QUE, Plastic Logic is expanding the eReader category, which to date has focused on leisure reading devices and casual users. QUE is designed to simplify the multi-faceted lifestyle of the modern businessperson, and to quite literally lighten their workload. In addition to connecting its users with their business and professional newspapers, books and periodicals, QUE supports the document formats business users need (including PDF, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents) and features powerful tools for interacting with and managing the content.
“The QUE brand stands for a premium reading experience,” said Richard Archuleta, CEO of Plastic Logic. “QUE enhances business performance and gives you a competitive edge. More than an eReader, QUE means business.”
Extra thin, lightweight and wireless-enabled, QUE is the size of an 8.5 x 11 inch pad of paper, less than a 1/3 inch thick, and weighs less than many periodicals. The innovative QUE proReader features the largest screen in the industry, an intuitive touch screen user interface, and provides access to a file cabinet’s worth of documents, plus your favorite—and most necessary—publications.
QUE stands out in a crowd because it’s a business reader, but it’s also unique for its shatterproof plastic display. This exclusive technology from Plastic Logic, along with E Ink Vizplex® technology produces an outstanding reading experience. Its battery can last days, instead of hours.
QUE users will be able to connect to content and download wirelessly via Wi-Fi and AT&T’s 3G network, the nation’s fastest 3G mobile broadband network. QUEreader.com will offer the most significant collection of business reading available on any eReader. The QUE store is powered by Barnes & Noble, the worlds’ largest eBookstore.
Full product specifications, availability and pricing of QUE will be announced on January 7, 2010 at CES.
The QUE for CES starts at http://www.QUEreader.com.
About Plastic Logic
Plastic Logic’s mission is to lead a revolution in the way people acquire, organize and consume information. We are using our proprietary technology leadership in plastic electronics to create a range of innovative products. Our first product, QUETM, the proReader for business professionals, will enter the marketplace in 2010. Founded in 2000 by researchers out of the Cambridge University Cavendish Laboratory, Plastic Logic has research and development in Cambridge, England; high-volume, state-of-the-art manufacturing in Dresden, Germany; and executive management, product engineering, sales and marketing headquartered in Mountain View, California. For more information about Plastic Logic, please go to http://www.plasticlogic.com.

“The video report is inaccurate and the individual (who was apparently filmed while attending a trade show was not an authorized Barnes & Noble spokesperson) was misinformed. We are excited to have Barnes & Noble powering the Plastic Logic e-commerce store. While colour is on Plastic Logic’s roadmap, it is not on the map for the Spring of 2010. Plastic Logic has said for quite some time it is working on colour, but not for a product in the coming year” Plastic Logic statement

Barnes and Noble have not yet commented on the speculation, although it was apparently one of their own employees who was interviewed on video at a tradeshow recently.  That employee suggested not only that a monochrome ebook reader – complete with wireless connectivity – was imminent, but that B&N were working with Plastic Logic on a color version for launch in spring 2010.

Plastic Logic still maintain that they are working on a color ebook reader, however they’re yet to launch the first device.  That is expected to have integrated 3G GSM connectivity, and offer access to various ebook stores and periodicals.

[via Geek]

Video announcement after the cut

The monochrome ebook reader is also tipped to have wireless connectivity, which will allow it to connect to B&N’s ebook store.  Rumors circulated earlier in the year that the company was planning their own ebook device, but until now we’ve only seen the store featured on other devices rather than a self-branded model.

As for the the Barnes & Noble Plastic Logic color ebook reader, that’s expected to have wireless too and, according to the bookstore spokesperson, will drop in Spring 2010.  No pricing news has been given, but the spokesperson also seemingly confirmed that mobile clients for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android devices were also on the cards.

[via Engadget]

The Plastic Logic Reader is an ultrathin, lightweight device that features a form factor about the size of an 8.5 x 11-inch pad of paper and weighs less than most magazines. The PLR has a revolutionary plastic display, which is part of the company’s plastic electronics technology. The WiFi and 3G enabled eReader is the perfect companion for those business professionals who need to keep updated on a constant basis, and read multiple documents while on the go.

“We’re very focused on helping our publishing partners create unique reading experiences for the Plastic Logic Reader, and Olive is a valuable partner with us in achieving that goal. Olive brings deep experience in serving the needs of major publishers in the industry, including many of our strategic partners,” said Daren Benzi, Plastic Logic’s VP of Business Development. “We are excited to have them as a strategic content production partner.”

Olive is a pioneer in the digital publishing industry, with over a decade of experience in the development of innovative, multi-channel publishing, content management and distribution solutions. The company currently produces hundreds of newspapers, magazine titles for industry leading publishers across multiple platforms. This includes electronic reading devices, smartphones, browsers, IPTV and more. Plastic Logic also has announced key strategic publishing relationships with the Financial Times, USA TODAY and the Detroit Media Partnership, which manages the business functions for Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News – with more announcements to come.

Rival carrier Sprint has a similar contract with Amazon for their Kindle, though it’s unclear right now whether the end-user will see the same result.  Amazon charge a relatively high initial price for the Kindle, after which point there are no monthly subscription fees no matter how many books are downloaded.  AT&T, meanwhile, are describing the Plastic Logic deal as “a great revenue opportunity”, a quote which could be interpreted as that the ebook reader will come with some form of service charge for mobile use.

That might mean Plastic Logic owners – who will not only be able to access Barnes & Noble ebooks but newspapers, magazines and periodicals – face some sort of fee if they make use of the integrated 3G connection.  It’s unknown whether AT&T will be making its network of WiFi hotspots available either, as it does for iPhone users, nor if the Plastic Logic reader will support internet access or messaging.  The device is still expected to launch early in 2010, price unknown.

Press Release:

PLASTIC LOGIC EREADER WILL WIRELESSLY CONNECT USING AT&T 3G NETWORK

eReader Built for Mobile Business Professionals to Debut in 2010

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, JULY 22, 2009 – Plastic Logic announced today that AT&T’s* 3G network will provide the mobile broadband connection for the Plastic Logic Reader, the eReader created for mobile business professionals, when it launches in 2010.

The Plastic Logic Reader, which is also Wi-Fi enabled, is the ideal companion for busy, on-the-go business professionals who want to keep up to date on key information and who need to read and review multiple documents throughout the day. The Plastic Logic device is about the size of an 8.5 x 11 inch pad of paper, less than a ¼ inch thick and weighs less than many print magazines. The innovative eReader features the largest screen in the industry and an intuitive touch screen user interface.

“We’re extremely proud to be able to offer the Plastic Logic Reader with the nation’s fastest 3G network through AT&T. This alliance is a pillar in our strategy to provide mobile business professionals with a device that delivers a great reading experience, and is fully connected through 3G and Wi-Fi to deliver easy access to digital content,” said Richard Archuleta, CEO of Plastic Logic.

The Plastic Logic Reader is unique among its competitors due to its plastic display, which is based on the company’s revolutionary plastic electronics technology. The eReader features the first ever, commercial high-quality plastic display and an outstanding E Ink reading experience. Its battery lasts days, instead of hours. Designed specifically with mobile business users in mind, the Plastic Logic Reader will connect its users with their desired business and professional newspapers, books, periodicals and magazine content and will support the document formats business users need, including PDF, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents.

“The Plastic Logic Reader is an impressive device and we look forward to providing the wireless connectivity that will keep business professionals connected to the news, information and entertainment they desire while on the go,” said Glenn Lurie, president-Emerging Devices and Resale, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “There is tremendous market potential for electronic reading devices and we look forward to powering this revolutionary device with the nation’s fastest 3G network.”

Users will be able to connect to content and download it wirelessly through AT&T’s 3G network, which offers the best wireless coverage worldwide. Built on the GSM family of technologies, the de facto wireless world standard, AT&T’s 3G wireless network brings enormous economies of scale to electronic manufacturers who are eager to cost-effectively incorporate wireless technology in specialty devices. AT&T devices work in more than 200 countries and regions. AT&T is also the nation’s largest Wi-Fi provider, with more than 20,000 hotspots in the United States and more than 90,000 hotspots globally in 89 countries through roaming agreements.

Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Pricing and availability of the Plastic Logic Reader will be announced when the product begins shipping in early 2010.

In fact, there are over 700,000 titles available, with new releases and bestsellers priced at $9.99, and that catalog expected to exceed one million books within the next year.  As well as the Plastic Logic, Barnes & Noble will support iPhone and iPod touch via their B&N Bookstore app, already available in the Apple App Store, together with BlackBerry versions and desktop Windows and Mac reader apps.

There’s also free access to the roughly 500,000 public-domain titles corralled by Google.  As with Amazon’s Whispernet system, the Barnes & Noble ebook reader will keep track of a readers’ position in a title, synchronizing it across multiple copies of their software or devices. 

Press Release:

BARNES & NOBLE LAUNCHES WORLD’S LARGEST eBOOKSTORE

Introduces “Every Device” Strategy

Upgrades eReader Application

Free Downloads

Announces eBookstore Partnership with Plastic Logic

New York, New York – July 20, 2009 – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller, announced today the launch of the Barnes & Noble eBookstore, the world’s largest eBookstore, on Barnes & Noble.com, enabling customers to buy eBooks and read them on a wide range of platforms, including the iPhone and iPod touch, BlackBerry® smartphones, as well as most Windows® and Mac® laptops or full-sized desktop computers. In addition, Barnes & Noble announced that it will be the exclusive eBookstore provider on the forthcoming and much anticipated Plastic Logic eReader device.
Barnes & Noble’s launch encompasses:
· Barnes & Noble’s eBookstore offering its customers seamless access to more than 700,000 titles, including hundreds of new releases and bestsellers at only $9.99, making it the world’s largest selection of eBooks available in one place. The company expects that its selection will increase to well over one million titles within the next year, inclusive of every available eBook from every book publisher and every available eBook original, which is a fast growing marketplace.

· More than a half-million public domain books from Google, which can be downloaded for free. Readers can discover and explore this rich treasure trove, including everything from classic works by well-known writers to long-forgotten and obscure titles that are historically much harder to access.

· An upgraded version of its eReader application, which was part of the company’s Fictionwise acquisition earlier this year. This device-agnostic eBook application supports both wireless and wired access to the new Barnes & Noble eBookstore. Millions of internet-enabled devices are currently supported by eReader, including the nation’s two leading smartphone device families from Apple and BlackBerry®, as well as most Windows® and Mac® laptops or full-sized computers.

· First-time users of the eReader will have the opportunity to download free eBooks, including titles such as Merriam-Webster’s Pocket Dictionary, Sense and Sensibility, Little Women, Last of the Mohicans, Pride and Prejudice, and Dracula. See site for further details.

· A strategic commerce and content partnership with Plastic Logic, whose eReader device is especially designed for business professionals. Barnes & Noble will power the eBookstore for the Plastic Logic eReader device. The ultra thin 8.5 x 11 inch wireless eReader is slated to debut in early 2010.

· The free, full-featured B&N Bookstore app for iPhone and iPod touch users, which is now the #1 downloaded book app in Apple’s App Store. In addition to enabling customers to easily place orders for books, movies, and CDs, the app also lets users search millions of products simply by snapping a photo. Using the iPhone’s camera, customers can snap a photo of the front cover and within seconds get product details, editorial reviews, and customer ratings – even find and reserve a copy in the nearest store. The app also includes a store locator, bestseller lists, book recommendations, and a store events calendar.

“Today marks the first phase of our digital strategy, which is rooted in the belief that readers should have access to the books in their digital library from any device, from anywhere, at any time,” said William J. Lynch, President of BN.com. “As America’s #1 bookstore and newsstand, our goal at Barnes & Noble is to build a service that revolves around the customer, enabling them to have access to hundreds of thousands of titles and read on their smartphone, PC, and many other existing and future devices. We want to make eBooks simple, accessible, affordable and convenient for everyone.”
More About the eReader Application
Designed with the reader in mind, Barnes & Noble eReader client software provides an easy-to- use interface to access the Barnes & Noble eBookstore and to manage their personal eBook libraries. It features powerful tools to optimize the reading experience, including the ability to modify type size and font and annotate and bookmark text, as well as an innovative auto-scroll feature enabling users hands free reading. In addition, users will have the added convenience afforded by true eBook portability, allowing them to access their eBooks from any of their eBook software-equipped devices, so that, for example, they can shift from reading their eBook from a smartphone while commuting to a notebook PC or eReader device at bedtime.

For information on free downloads go to www.bn.com/ebooks
About Barnes & Noble, Inc.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 777 bookstores in 50 states. Barnes & Noble is the nation’s top bookseller brand for the sixth year in a row, as determined by a combination of the brand’s performance on familiarity, quality, and purchase intent; the top bookseller in quality for the second year in a row and the number two retailer in trust, according to the EquiTrend® Brand Study by Harris Interactive®. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through Barnes & Noble.com one of the Web’s largest e-commerce sites.
General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company’s corporate website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com.

Social Media Links:
Follow B&N on Twitter: http://twitter.com/eBooksBN and http://twitter.com/BNBuzz
Become a fan of our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/barnesandnoble
Subscribe to our channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/BNStudio

Video demo after the cut

Tapping in the bottom left brings up the toolbar, with options to annotate with handwritten text and other markings, plus real-time searches and access to the folder structure.  Page turns in this prototype are slower than on the Amazon Kindle, at around four seconds, but Plastic Logic expect that to be improved before the final production model arrives. 

The company’s reps wouldn’t be drawn on pricing, but Walt Mossberg suggested around $500.  We’ll have to wait and see whether that figure pans out.  Plastic Logic are aiming at a business audience, not the same ebook audience as the Kindle, who they believe will pay more for more flexible format support and a larger, 8.5 x 11 inch E Ink panel. 

[via Incremental Blogger]

Other papers were less reticent to voice their enthusiasm, with the CEO of The Financial Times – which has a 121 year history in print – saying that they are “looking at this with a great deal of interest.”  The recent economic downturn, he says, together with an ongoing drop in circulation, has “rightly focused attention on these devices.” 

Various newspaper subscriptions are already available on the Kindle, delivered daily over its integrated 3G wireless connection.  Meanwhile the Wall Street Journal is claiming that the fruits of the Plastic Logic and Hurst partnership will see their Reader hit the market in early 2010, together with fingering Apple for developing their own “device that may make it easier to read digital books and periodicals”.  It’s possible that this unspecified device is, in fact, a reference to the rumored Apple Media Pad.

[via Engadget]

According to the Plastic Logic rep, the Reader will support Microsoft Office files – presumably Word, PowerPoint and Excel – as well as numerous other formats such as PDF, ePub, eReader and others. What we’re still yet to get clarification on is the wireless formats that the Reader will offer; Plastic Logic have confirmed that it will have wireless connectivity, but there are no details as to whether that’s WWAN as with the Kindle 2, or merely WiFi.

We’re also hoping that they manage to sort out the persistent vertical lines running down the display, at least by the commercial launch in 2010.  Given that this large-display ebook reader is unlikely to be cheap, Plastic Logic can’t cut any corners if they expect to find customers.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/3205133[/vimeo]

[via MobileRead]

Those partnerships mean that Plastic Logic have not only ebooks but enewspapers and emagazines to offer users, once the Reader enters widespread commercial availability in 2010.  The company plan to offer an econtent store, with a range of business and leisure digital content from newspapers, magazines, trade journals, blogs and ebooks, managed by independent retailer Fictionwise.  They’re also inviting publishers to sign up to their Plastic Logic Publishers’ Program, which will not only advise on content creation and DRM, but distribute media through the econtent store.

The Plastic Logic Reader has a  large e-paper display and unconfirmed wireless connectivity, in a device measuring around 8.5 x 11 inches.  It’s expected to go into trials and previews during the second half of 2009, with a full commercial launch following in 2010.

Press Releases:

Plastic Logic Announces First Content Partners for its eReader and eCommerce Content Store

Inks Strategic Deals with the Financial Times and USA TODAY, Plus Pacts with Leading Content Aggregators including Ingram Digital, LibreDigital, and Zinio for Sales and Distribution of Leading Digital Editions of Newspapers, Magazines, Books and More

Partnering with Fictionwise to Build the World’s Most Relevant eContent Store for Business

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA and O’REILLY TOOLS OF CHANGE CONFERENCE, NEW YORK CITY—February 9, 2009—Plastic Logic today announced agreements with its first content partners, including the nation’s leading content aggregators and two of the most valued daily newspapers for business readers. The agreements with Ingram Digital (ebooks), LibreDigital (enewspapers), Zinio (emagazines) and a direct relationship with business newspaper, the Financial Times, and the nation’s top selling newspaper, USA TODAY, lay the foundation for the company to sell and distribute a wealth of content for its forthcoming Plastic Logic Reader.

With these partnerships, plus pending deals and currently available econtent on the web, Plastic Logic’s open platform is building the world’s most relevant collection of digital content for business users on any eReader platform.

The Plastic Logic Reader is a groundbreaking electronic reader that features a large, thin, lightweight and robust form factor that is about the size of an 8.5 x 11-in. pad of paper and weighs less than many print magazines. The Reader is differentiated by its unique and industry-leading plastic display that is based on Plastic Logic’s revolutionary plastic electronics technology.

Concurrent with the release of its electronic reader, Plastic Logic will launch an econtent store where users can download a rich variety of business and leisure digital content from newspapers, magazines, trade journals, blogs, ebooks, etc. Plastic Logic will work with a wide range of content aggregators, publishers and content creators large and small to ensure a broad variety of content. Today, Plastic Logic is also announcing that a central part of Plastic Logic’s online store is its partnership with Fictionwise Inc. to create and run the econtent store. Fictionwise is the leading independent econtent retailer on the web.

“We want Plastic Logic Reader users to have all the content that they need and want at their fingertips,” said Plastic Logic CEO Richard Archuleta. “With today’s announcements we are amassing one of the largest collections of content available for an eReader and we’re just getting started. We intend to create a large and dynamic marketplace to support the Plastic Logic Reader.”

Toward this goal, the company simultaneously announced today the framework for the Plastic Logic Publishers’ Program (See separate press release also issued today: “Plastic Logic Publishers’ Program Enables a Trove of Business and Leisure Content for its eReader.”)

Plastic Logic plans to make its Reader available in trials and pilots with partners and key customers during the second half of 2009, followed by widespread commercial availability in 2010.

Plastic Logic’s First Content Providers Discuss Their Plans

Fictionwise

“Fictionwise is extremely excited to be powering the Plastic Logic content store,” commented Steve Pendergrast of Fictionwise, Inc. “Plastic Logic is on the cutting edge of technology and we believe their device is going to shake up the eReader industry. It is uniquely suited for business reading with its large, crisp screen technology.”

Fictionwise.com is the largest independent eBook retailer in North America. Fictionwise sells award-winning and high-quality eBooks by top authors in every major eBook format, and they own one of the leading formats, eReader. Established in June 2000, Fictionwise has sold millions of eBooks to hundreds of thousands of loyal customers. Fictionwise operates not only their flagship storefront, Fictionwise.com, but also eReader.com, eBookwise.com, and storefronts for many other companies.

Financial Times

John Ridding, Chief Executive of the Financial Times, commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with Plastic Logic to provide our award winning journalism through its innovative new eReader. Digital distribution is integral to the FT’s strategy as we seek to offer our customers the opportunity to consume FT content across any channel that suits them.”

Plastic Logic is another promising channel for the Financial Times as it continues to seek new ways to distribute its content to customers, boosting digital revenues through growth in FT.com audiences and a new corporate content licensing strategy that has enabled the FT to secure direct agreements with over 350 corporate customers.

The Financial Times, one of the world’s leading business news organisations, is recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. Providing extensive news, comment and analysis, the newspaper is printed at 24 print sites across the globe, has a daily circulation of 432,944 (ABC figures, January 2009) and a readership of 1.3 million people worldwide. FT.com is the definitive home for business intelligence on the web, providing an essential source of news, comment, data and analysis for the global business community. FT.com attracts 7.1 million unique users, generating 72 million page views (ABCe figures, March 2008) and has over one million registered users.

Ingram Digital

“By partnering with Plastic Logic, we continue to advance our mission of expanding access to premium digital content to the widest possible audience,” commented Andrew Weinstein, vice president and general manager of Ingram Digital’s Retail Solutions. “We are excited to be collaborating with Plastic Logic to deliver a superior experience to its eReader users, and add this leading edge technology to the range of devices we support.”

Ingram Digital is a leading provider of solutions for digital content hosting, management, distribution and promotion. Ingram Digital is an Ingram content company. The Ingram content companies provide a broad range of physical and digital services to the book industry, and immediate access to the largest selection of books and book-related products in the industry. The content companies are Ingram Digital, Lightning Source Inc., Ingram Book Company, Ingram International Inc., Ingram Library Services Inc., Coutts Information Services, Ingram Periodicals Inc., Ingram Publisher Services Inc., Spring Arbor Distributors Inc., and Tennessee Book Company LLC.

LibreDigital

“Newspaper and econtent fans will love the portable, durable and full-page format of the Plastic Logic Reader,” noted Russell P. Reeder, President and CEO of LibreDigital. “Working with Plastic Logic, we can deliver digital content on-demand to its content store, ensuring that people have access to hundreds of the world’s top newspapers and econtent from the day they turn on their new devices.”

For nearly a decade LibreDigital has helped some of the world’s top publishers to deliver true-to-print replicas of their content across an expanding array of digital channels, including eReaders, search engines, online stores and mobile devices

USA TODAY

“Plastic Logic has created an exciting new platform for publishers to reach new and existing readers” said Jeff Webber, publisher of USATODAY.com. “USA TODAY is looking forward to working with Plastic Logic and extending the reach of our content to a wider audience through their innovative and distinctive technology.”

USA TODAY is the nation’s top-selling newspaper, with a total average daily circulation of 2.3 million. USA TODAY is available worldwide. USA TODAY is published by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI). The USA TODAY brand also includes: USATODAY.com, an award-winning news and information Web site that is updated 24 hours per day; USA TODAY Sports Weekly, a magazine for enthusiasts of college and professional football and baseball; USA TODAY Mobile, offering up-to-the minute news and information on a variety of mobile platforms and devices; and USA TODAY LIVE, the television arm of the USA TODAY brand that brings the spirit and quality of the newspaper to television.

Zinio

“As a pioneer in the digital publishing space for almost a decade, we hold a great deal of respect and excitement for the innovation that Plastic Logic is introducing to consumers with their reader,” said Rich Maggiotto, Zinio’s CEO and President. “Plastic Logic’s initiatives help redefine the publishing industry’s digital role.”

Zinio is the global leader in digital and interactive publishing products and services, with over 1,000 digital magazine titles currently in its stable. As a worldwide distributor, Zinio has offices in San Francisco and New York and distribution partners across the globe. Zinio’s partners include Bonnier, Hearst, IDG, Gruner + Jahr, Hachette Filipacchi, IPC Media, Mariah Media, McGraw-Hill, The National Magazine Company, Playboy Enterprises, Rogers Publishing and Ziff Davis.

About Plastic Logic

Plastic Logic’s mission is to lead the plastic electronics revolution, and the way people acquire, organize and consume information. We are using our proprietary technology leadership in plastic electronics to create a range of innovative products. Our first product, an eReader for business focused on reading digital content, will enter the marketplace in 2010.

Founded in 2000 by researchers out of the Cambridge University Cavendish Laboratory, the Company has received more than $200 million in funding from leading international technology firms and investors. Plastic Logic has research and development in Cambridge, England; high-volume, state-of-the-art manufacturing in Dresden, Germany; and executive management, product engineering, sales and marketing headquartered in Mountain View, California. For more information please go to http://www.plasticlogic.com.

Plastic Logic Publishers’ Program Enables a Trove of Business and Leisure Content for its eReader

Open Platform Encourages Publishers Large and Small to Publish and Distribute Books, Newspapers, Magazines and Blogs for the New Plastic Logic Reader

Will Deliver on Plastic Logic’s Goal to Build the Most Relevant Business Content for Business Users

O’Reilly Tools of Change Conference, NYC and Mountain View, CA—Feb. 9, 2009—Plastic Logic today announced the creation of the Plastic Logic Publishers’ Program to enable all content creators, publishers and content aggregators to easily create, format, sell and distribute content for easy viewing and use on the Plastic Logic Reader.

“With our open platform, we intend to create a large, dynamic market for eReader content. We want content authors large and small – from big companies to self -publishers – to publish for the Plastic Logic Reader,” said Plastic Logic CEO Richard Archuleta. “Foremost, we aim to provide our publishing partners with the tools and information that they need to be onboard at our product’s launch.”

Plastic Logic plans to make its eReader, specifically targeted to mobile business professionals, available in trials and pilots with partners and key customers during the second half of 2009, followed by widespread commercial availability in 2010.

Publishers interested in participating in the Plastic Logic Publishers’ Program should go to http://www.plasticlogic.com and fill out the online form.

The Plastic Logic Publishers’ Program has two major components:

Content creation, format and protection information

Plastic Logic will provide information on creating content, document formats supported, common layout conventions, style guides, and the use of Digital Rights Management (DRM). The information is intended to make sure publishers, enterprises, and organizations can create content for viewing on the Plastic Logic Reader.

In support of this effort, Plastic Logic is also announcing today it is licensing Adobe technology to provide PDF, EPUB and Adobe DRM/eBook support on the device.

· Content sales and distribution through the Plastic Logic econtent store

Plastic Logic announced plans to launch a content store concurrently with the Plastic Logic Reader. The Company will work with a wide range of content aggregators, publishers and content creators large and small to offer a wide range of business and leisure content including newspapers, magazines, trade journals, blogs and ebooks at launch.

Today, Plastic Logic also announced the first partners to distribute and sell content via its store, including the Financial Times, USA TODAY and leading content aggregators including Ingram Digital, LibreDigital, and Zinio for sales and distribution of leading digital editions of newspapers, magazines, books and more. The Company is also working with Fictionwise to build its econtent store. (See related press release also issued today: “Plastic Logic Announces First Content Partners for its eReader and eCommerce Content Store.”)

An eReader Form Factor That’s Perfect for Publishers

The Plastic Logic Reader is a groundbreaking electronic reader that features a large, thin, lightweight and robust form factor that is about the size of an 8.5 x 11-in. pad of paper and weighs less than many print magazines. The Reader is differentiated by its unique and industry-leading flexible plastic display that is based on Plastic Logic’s pioneering plastic electronics technology.

“We have received an overwhelmingly positive response to our eReader from the publishing industry,” said Daren Benzi, vice president of business development for Plastic Logic. “Today, we are proud to announce our first group of partnerships with several industry leading companies. Our goal is to provide our innovative eReader as a platform to help our partners reach new markets and develop new customer relationships. The Plastic Logic Reader, with our thin, large and lightweight display, opens up new possibilities for the publishing industry and provides consumers with a rich content, brand and customer experience.”

“Our open platform for content, formats, applications and additional focus on advertising, makes Plastic Logic an ideal partner for publishers and content providers that want to serve consumers in new and exciting ways,” Benzi added.

About Plastic Logic

Plastic Logic’s mission is to lead the plastic electronics revolution, and the way people acquire, organize and consume information. We are using our proprietary technology leadership in plastic electronics to create a range of innovative products. Our first product, an eReader for business focused on reading digital content, will enter the marketplace in 2010.

Founded in 2000 by researchers out of the Cambridge University Cavendish Laboratory, the Company has received more than $200 million in funding from leading international technology firms and investors. Plastic Logic has research and development in Cambridge, England; high-volume, state-of-the-art manufacturing in Dresden, Germany; and executive management, product engineering, sales and marketing headquartered in Mountain View, California. For more information please go to http://www.plasticlogic.com.

“Plastic Logic, a privately held Silicon Valley startup that plans to begin field testing its version of an e-reader later this year, says it will announce the identity of its first publishing partners at the O’Reilly conference. The company has been working for more than a year with Hearst’s secretive e-paper venture, FirstPaper, in Palo Alto. Plastic Logic officials confirm that their 8.5-inch-by-11-inch display screen is designed to accommodate traditional newspaper layouts” Bill Richards

Unfortunately we’ll have to wait a little longer for the Plastic Logic ebook than first expected.  Initial delivery predictions pegged it for a 2009 launch, but we now know it’s more likely to be 2010. 

That delay could let Amazon slip through with their next-generation Kindle 2, ironically also rumored to be announced on February 9th in New York.  The Kindle 2 will have integrated mobile broadband, versus the Plastic Logic Reader’s unspecified wireless connectivity, together with access to Amazon’s broad ebook catalog.  However the Kindle service has focused more on ebook content than it has on magazines and newspapers, meaning there’s still room for the larger-screened Plastic Logic to carve its niche.

[via MobileRead]

It’s also tremendously durable, with the epaper panel itself being entirely flexible and the plastic construction of the overall device being resistant to scratches and knocks.  At only 7mm thick (and resembling, as Steven Rosenberg of the BBC harshly puts it, “just like a table mat”) it’s perhaps the closest we’ve got to the concept of a futuristic digital newspaper.

The Plastic Logic factory opened last month, and is the world’s first commercial scale plastic electronics manufacturing plant.  Check out the last video demo here.

[via GottaBeMobile]

Check out the DEMO video of the Plastic Logic e-newspaper after the cut

As well as using the microUSB port to sync up the Plastic Logic with your PC (and charge it), you can use either Bluetooth or WiFi to connect to the internet and download subscriptions that way, or to link up with another e-newspaper nearby and swap content that way.  The company are still playing coy with who exactly has signed up or stated interest to provide regular media for the device; we’ll have to wait until CES 2009 to find out exactly.

The touchscreen allows for not only gesture control, flipping through pages and the like, but annotation.  That will work in not only subscription-based content, such as newspapers and magazines, but Word files, slides from PowerPoint presentations and PDF documents.  Plastic Logic, though, are not describing the e-newspaper as a direct Kindle rival, but rather a reader and reviewing device for executives with a catalogue of existing documents.