14 DAY TRIAL // E-readers and tablets are, one might say, two product types that grew very fast in sales over the past year, and it looks like Binatone decided to combine the two somewhat, possibly giving the Nook Color some competition.
When speaking of tablets, one thinks of a slate-type mobile electronics with multimedia focus and lacking a keyboard altogether.
Unlike slates, e-readers are more specialized, focusing on document viewing and note taking, though support for audio and, in some cases, video exists as well.
It so happens that there have been efforts to combine the two concepts, some of which were reasonably successful, like B&N's Nook Color.
Truly, the Nook Color was called an Android tablet on more than one occasion, and it looks like Binatone wants to play the Android reader card as well.
What the company did was create the so-called Binatone ReadMe Mobile, a consumer electronic which can fulfill the role of tablet, e-reader and even personal organizer.
Priced at £129 in the UK (sales should already be underway), it is mainly constructed as an e-reader, though it lacks an E ink grayscale screen and features a color panel.
Granted, this does bring some light reflection issues, so sunlight visibility will leave owners wanting, but the Android 2.1 Eclair OS does bring some features to make up for that somewhat.
Buyers will be able to use the 7-inch 800 x 400 pixel display for web browsing, e-mail, media playback, etc.
Binatone also threw in WiFi connectivity, a physical QUERTY keyboard, a trackpad and a battery that can last for up to 6 hours of reading time.
The more or less old Android version will make sure that this gadget won't pose any sort of competition to real slates, though Eclair can still handle various Android Apps just fine, sealing its status as more than just an e-reader, despite it being advertised as one.