Sony Electronics has unveiled a third e-reader with wireless Internet access to complement two devices announced earlier.
Sony's new Reader Daily Edition, priced at about US$399, will have connectivity through AT&T's 3G mobile broadband network to Sony's ebook store, Sony said during a press conference in New York Tuesday. Users will be able to purchase and download books, newspapers and magazines, with no monthly fees or charges for basic wireless connectivity, Sony said.
Sony's Reader Touch Edition and the Reader Pocket Edition were announced earlier this month. The Touch Edition has a 6-inch touchscreen and costs $299, and the Reader Pocket Edition, a basic e-reader with a 5-inch screen, costs $199. The devices, intended to compete with Amazon.com's Kindle e-reader, are due to be released shortly.
E-reader customers should have broad choices, said Steve Haber, president of Sony's Digital Reading Business Division. The devices will be available in about 8,000 retail stores, and connect to several e-book stores and libraries, he said.
"It's all about access to content ... it's about expression, holding, touching and using the Sony Reader," Haber added. "We want it to be a ubiquitous experience, not locked in -- open, open, open."
The Daily Edition will have a 7-inch touch screen used for navigating and reading content, Sony said. In portrait mode, about 30 to 35 lines of text will visible, making the experience very similar to that of a printed paperback book. The e-reader will have 16 levels of grayscale resolution, and it will have an aluminum body, Sony said.