14 DAY TRIAL // ASUS looks to continue innovating itself with the release of new products and new product categories have the potential of becoming one of the most popular segments on the market. On that note, it appears that ASUS is planning to enter the e-book market with a new, dual-screen device that it intends to launch before the end of this year. Details on the said device have recently surfaced on the Internet, claiming that the Taiwanese company plans to release a product that will be available for as low as US$163.
According to a recent news article on Times Online, the Taiwanese netbook pioneer has confirmed that it plans to take on the e-book market with the launch of a product of its own, which will compete with similar offerings from the likes of Amazon and Sony. The device has been confirmed by the company's CEO, Jerry Shen, while an ASUS UK representative has hinted at the possibility of more than one such device being made available on the market.
ASUS is apparently looking to roll out a product for the budget segment and another for the premium market, but the details on the said devices are rather scarce at this time. Apparently, ASUS's ebook reader will boast a dual-screen design that will allow users to read the digital content much like they would read a normal book. Using touchscreen technology, they will be able to turn pages from one screen to the other, while a different option will enable them to see text on one side and a web page on the other. In addition, unlike today's ebook readers, ASUS' attempt will provide them with a full-color solution.
Considering these details, the company might have been working on the said device since early this year. Back at CeBIT 2009, ASUSTeK showcased a dual-touchscreen device that was said to be a prototype of a future product. It now appears that the said prototype could make its way on the market as the first EeeBook Reader from ASUS.