I think the comment more focusses on NewsCorp buying the E-Reading Platform Skiff From Hearst and neglects to mention that NewsCorp only bought the platform and not the ereader hardware itself.
At least that is what I read at other places.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20007666-93.html
Quote:
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News Corp. announced Monday that it has purchased Skiff from Hearst--but only the publisher's e-reader software platform. The device itself remains the property of Hearst, but it doesn't want it, either: I'm told the publisher is trying to find a buyer.
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But he, it's a good device, well at least the prototype seemed to be, at a reasonable price it would be a big success imho.
Large format, Color (2nd prototype), flexible, what more could you ask for
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Well, more flexible maybe so you can actually fold it.
Yet one key point in flexibility is that it makes the device less vulnerable to breaking, at least that is my understanding, so that would already be the case.
I guess reduced weight could still be an attribute that should be worked on, the lighter the better, if those devices weigh somewhere around a pound they are a little too much on the heavy side I think.
Eventually devices like that will come, it's a matter of time, so if it's skiff or something else doesnt really make a difference does it.
I am pretty sure that flexible color e-ink readers are the way to go, you can hardly underestimate the potential of that can you?
And the industry, especially corps. behind newspapers and magazines as well as the electronics producers must know that, well they better should.
But the way it looks now, skiff or any other similar device won't be introduced to the market in the next 2 years, that's apparently only my personal prognosis
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And frankly, it could very well be another 4 years if you ask me.
From prototype to a device that's market-ready, reasonably priced, more or less free of crucial bugs, it's a long way isn't it.
The question "what will the price of those gadgets be" still has to be answered.
I'm afraid the 1st devices will be pretty expensive.
Considering the not-so cheap prices of the available large format devices that are b/w and non-flexible.
I suppose developping a device like that, producing it (hopefully without exploiting factory workers) and creating a good infrastructure for publishing material on it, is pretty costly.
Greets
Hobo