Public Mocks Apple iPad, but Sony E-Book President Praises the Device

From DailyTech: On Wednesday Apple aired its long awaited tablet computer, which it dubbed the iPad. Basically an oversized iPhone/iPod Touch, the new device hopes to capitalize on the popularity of these smaller products, filling the same niche as more traditional netbooks and UMPCs.

Some Apple fans have indicated claimed the tablet will kill less full-featured e-Book readers like the Amazon Kindle or recent Sony Pocket Reader. If that's the case, these competitors sure seem unusually nonchalant.

Sony, which actually competes with the tablet in two arenas -- eReaders (Sony Reader series) and mobile gaming (PSP Go) -- says that it may actually get a boost from the iPad.

States Steve Haber, president of Sony’s Digital Reading Division, "The introduction of another mobile device, which includes digital reading as part of its functionality, is a good thing for the digital book business. Mobile devices with reading capabilities will play a key role in the paradigm shift from analog to digital content. At Sony, we’re focused on devices optimized for digital reading and believe that digital books sales will surpass print sales within five years, if not sooner."

Predicting the demise of print sales is certainly a bold move, but not a terribly new one; Amazon and Sony have been trumpeting that line for some time now. The more interesting tidbit is that Sony actually thinks the increased attention about tablets and digital books surrounding the iPhone will actually help Sony's sales.

View: Article @ Source Site