Orange launches "Read & Go"

[Hadrien]

What is Read&Go? A new terminal combining the reading comfort of paper with the easy access and response of electronic media. With this new e-paper terminal, users can read and refresh five major French newspapers throughout the day: Le Monde, Le Parisien, Les Echos, L’Equipe and Télérama

Today, in partnership with five major French newspapers, Orange has launched the trial of Read&Go – the first 3G-connected mobile newspaper kiosk: a new digital terminal with e-paper technology, combining ease of use with a mobile terminal offering the read comfort of paper. Every morning, testers will be able to read news from Le Monde, Le Parisien, Les Echos, L’Equipe and Télérama, refreshed every hour with the latest information from their electronic editions.

For this innovation, Orange has specifically developed Wifi/3G coupled connectivity with a dedicated distribution platform, user interface and browsing capability. Read&Go has a storage capacity of 1 Gb – more than 200 newspapers – and also contains a e-library of thirty or so books (literature, strip cartoons, children's and practical publications, etc.) provided by Feedbooks, Médiatoon (Dargaud, Dupuis, Lombard et Kana) and Mango editions.

Orange and its partners will be running Read&Go trials with around 150 testers recruited from their audiences for a period of two months providing free, unlimited access. In particular, the trials will enable this new screen to be studied as regards use when reading information in mobile situations as well as the ergonomics of the offering and associated terminal...

Full press release: http://www.orange.com/en_EN/press/pr...ReadGo_ENG.pdf
Video (French): http://orange-innovation.tv/webtv/mo...ang/fr/play/1/

Disclaimer: I'm the co-founder of Feedbooks which is involved in this trial.

[carandol]

Is this just a standard iLiad rebranded, or does it have extra hardware? Anyway, if Orange decide to follow up the trials, it could be a Good Thing for us iLiad users.

Ah, April in Paris with free newspapers. *sigh* If only I spoke French...

[zelda_pinwheel]

thank you Hadrien for this info !! it looks great ! i have applied to be a beta-tester... so Hadrian, do you decide who is selected ? maybe i can i buy you a drink and we can talk about it ? only disappointment is my favorite newspaper (Libé) is not represented... but they say that if the experimentation is successful, they will expand the offer to other newspapers.

[huevos]

Originally Posted by carandol

Ah, April in Paris with free newspapers. *sigh* If only I spoke French...

[Adam B.]

I just want a silver iLiad

[gnuuurff]

it's a great new, hadrien!

i'm just signing to beta-testing this! i hope to be one of the lucky selected for the test.

zelda is right, it is possible to corrupt you for being selected?

[electristan]

thats really cool, hope this catches on all over the place. I didn't know the iLiad came with 3G. Thanks for the info

[Adam B.]

Originally Posted by electristan

thats really cool, hope this catches on all over the place. I didn't know the iLiad came with 3G. Thanks for the info

It's not built in. You'll need an external 3G USB Modem for it to work.

[Hadrien]

Originally Posted by gnuuurff

it's a great new, hadrien!

i'm just signing to beta-testing this! i hope to be one of the lucky selected for the test.

zelda is right, it is possible to corrupt you for being selected?

Well, I'd love a beer but I don't think that corrupting me will be helpful: I'm not in charge of the selection process at all.

But a trial is only successful if you select people with different profiles. There's very few "power-users" for e-paper devices in France: I'm sure that your opinion will be very useful in such a test. Unlike the rest of the population, you can compare the trial with another device.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Hadrien

Well, I'd love a beer but I don't think that corrupting me will be helpful: I'm not in charge of the selection process at all.

But a trial is only successful if you select people with different profiles. There's very few "power-users" for e-paper devices in France: I'm sure that your opinion will be very useful in such a test. Unlike the rest of the population, you can compare the trial with another device.

i hope you are right, although they did not ask us in the questions if we already use an e-ink device...

i am not a "power-user" of e-ink (yet !!!), but i could compare with an eb-1150... and i am a "power-reader" and i'm already used to reading (the presse at least) on my computer, and books on my eb1150 and also i've tried on my telephone (it's ok for the métro). so i could be a novice *and* make informed comparison at the same time ! i'm sure not many people have such a versatile profile !

[electristan]

Originally Posted by Adam B.

It's not built in. You'll need an external 3G USB Modem for it to work.

oh, well that is not as handy as i had though if one has to bring around a second gadget and plug it in. Still, glad to see it being released and i hope i does well

[Mistralain]

Originally Posted by carandol

Ah, April in Paris with free newspapers. *sigh* If only I spoke French...

April in Niort (in the deep, very deep France...) with an Iliad could be fine too (with a protection against rain...) ! But it isn't a nice jazz standard

[msundman]

Originally Posted by Hadrien

Read&Go [...] contains a e-library of thirty or so books

Wow! 30! Can you imagine?! Those 30 practical children's cartoons would keep me busy for years and years!

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by msundman

Wow! 30! Can you imagine?! Those 30 practical children's cartoons would keep me busy for years and years!

heh... well if i understand correctly it's only a trial of about 2 months or so... i really doubt they're going to give out Iliades to 150 people for free to keep *forever* (wouldn't it be nice though...). plus, of course, i think the main focus is the press. not to mention, i imagine there's probably some way to get your own books on there as well (but only if you read every single one of the 30 children's cartoons first !!).

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

heh... well if i understand correctly it's only a trial of about 2 months or so... i really doubt they're going to give out Iliades to 150 people for free to keep *forever* (wouldn't it be nice though...). plus, of course, i think the main focus is the press. not to mention, i imagine there's probably some way to get your own books on there as well (but only if you read every single one of the 30 children's cartoons first !!).

Ok, I must have missed it. Where does it say this will be an iLiad?

BOb