ASUS Preps Color E-Reader with Flash Playback

Up until less than a month ago, the e-reader market was only represented by three or four devices, with Amazon Kindle giving all the others a serious run for their money. Now, however, after the multiple models released at the 2010 International CES, it seems that the Kindle's supremacy might be in jeopardy. Not only have the Skiff and LG's A3-sized flexible e-paper made their debut, but it seems that, by this year's end, a newcomer from ASUS will attempt to sweep the market off its feet.

According to Times Online, ASUS is working on a new type of e-reading device. Currently known as the DR-570, the e-book reader is intended to boast a 6-inch OLED color display, possibly with touch capabilities, that will be paired with a platform both strong and long lived.

The device will be able to buy and download books online through its 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity and will have another special feature. What the DR-570 will supposedly be capable of is Flash playback.

The color display may not exactly be so surprising, considering that the monochrome nature of the e-paper is the main limitation that hardware makers are now trying to bypass. What the upcoming product does have as a means to impress buyers is its significant battery life under full use. The DR-570 will supposedly be able to last for up to 122 hours on a single charge, even if it is extensively used for Flash playback over Wi-Fi/3G instead of just displaying e-book contents.

There are, naturally, no indications of what price such a device will have, nor are there any clear details on its availability. All that is known, according to Times Online, is that ASUS plans to reveal this product by the end of 2010, which means that it will likely be showcased at CES 2011.