Plastic Logic Reader eBook Reader Review

The large format Plastic Logic QUE Reader has the potential to seriously challenge the Kindle 2 among high-end business users when it debuts in April 2010, but we think it's too expensive for the mass market. The beauty of the the QUE (pronounced "Q") is it is as large as a sheet of letter-sized paper, 8.5 x 11 inches), only 3/10s of an inch thick, and it weighs less than a typical magazine. The display's diagonal size is a generous 10.7 inches, larger than any e-ink display on the market now, but too big to be as easily portable as the Kindle 2 or Sony PRS series readers.

However, the size will be a selling point for many who aren't obsessed with portability, as it is more convenient for displaying much magazine and newspaper content. It's already being marketed at the professional and business crowd (they call it the world's first "proreader" to distinguish it from lesser eReaders), but there may be a strong run for the personal market in years to come as prices come down. Its sleek, buttonless design looks undeniably cooler than the Kindle, and its fashionable appearance is another major reason why people may desire this particular gadget. Nonetheless, we're disappointed to see the early white press photos replaced by a glossy black body which will be a fingerprint magnet, but that's a relatively minor point.

Everything in the reader is made of plastic, from its non-LCD screen (described as "unbreakable") to its transistors. Pre-release hype claimed this would be a relatively cheap eReader because of this, even "competitive with the Kindle," but as is so often the case, the actual price, $649 or $799 is much more than was expected, and has deflated some of the QUE's momentum in our opinion.

We wonder if the QUE will manage to produce an effective, high contrast display with touchscreen, as adding that feature really hurt the Sony PRS-700's display among others--we'll have to wait and see once we get our hands on one. With a screen this size, there is plenty of room for a virtual keyboard, which you can use to write annotations and such, and you can also "scribble" freehand with your finger, or zoom in on part of a document. Initial users note they need to push the touchscreen firmly to register the entry. Still, we are slightly disappointed the screen only displays 8 greyscales, not the 16 of the Kindle 2 and other top eReaders, so pictures won't have quite the same richness. In fact, the QUE is the only one of the larger eReaders either in production or planned which doesn't have 16 greyscales. Likewise, it weighs in at 150 ppi resolution vice the 170ish ppi typical of current eReaders, so picture detail will be slightly worse on the QUE than other devices.

The Plastic Logic Reader will use a USB 2.0 cord to connect and power the device (battery power is undisclosed, but "days rather than hours). The device comes in either 4 or 8 GB configurations, and neither the memory nor the battery are upgradable or replaceable by the user, unfortunately. There's no word on how much it will cost to replace the battery (which presumably must be mailed back to the manufacturer when it eventually dies and won't recharge properly).

Likewise, the device doesn't appear to have any audio capabilities whatsoever, or at least there is no mention of it supporting audio files, of a headphone jack, or speakers. We suppose this is OK for the business community, but at least a basic mp3 player and headphone jack have become pretty much the standard across the eReader industry, so this is disappointing.

That said, it has a very cool, iconic interface. The base is a home screen that shows your favorite files, your calendar, drop-down menus, and other drag-and-drop features. It has a fair number of file types it recognizes, including the full panoply of Microsoft Office files, though you can only view and annotate, not actually edit, these documents.

The QUE was thought up by a stealth Silicon Valley startup founded by researchers from Cambridge University's Cavendish lab, and has a new plant in Dresden, Germany which will be pumping out the products. Plastic Logic's QUE has been dubbed "Kindle meets MacBook Air" given its notepad size and slight build--and it weighs a third of the MacBook Air. Plastic Logic has long-term plans (two plus years out) to eventually produce a thin, flexible e-paper, andy add color, so this is a company to keep an eye on.

Connecting: For connectivity, the Plastic Logic Reader will have WiFi, Bluetooth, as well as a cellular 3G data connection on the $799 model only. The 3G connection appears to be free, but only for basic functions like shopping at the store, syncing your online calendars, reading (not replying to) your email, etc., there is no basic web browser as on the Kindle's free 3G connection, so you can't surf on the QUE.

Like the Amazon and Sony readers, the Plastic Logic will have an online store (QUE store--powered by Barnes and Noble, which has bumped its online offerings up for its own Nook reader) including e-books, magazine, and blogs. They're already hard at work lining up content providers, with names like USA Today and the Financial Times already signed up, but we expect them to have many more by launch. With the QUE truVue papers, you'll get a specially formatted version with rich graphics, multi-column layouts and integrated page controls. Nonetheless, it is hard to imagine any company having he breadth of content that Amazon does, so we'll need to watch this space as it develops.

Accessories: The QUE ships with a USB power and data cable, a polishing cloth, wall charger, and quick start guide.

Plastic Logic has already designed an entire line of QUE premium accessories, including three carrying cases to protect the QUE from dust, scratches and everyday wear and tear. Like the QUE itself, these things are pricey--a padded leather "proFolio for $90, a leather "Signature Sleeve" for $70, or a "Shell" of heavy duty plastic for $50. You can also buy a spare wall charger for $20 or a USB power and data cable for $13.

Price: The Plastic Logic QUE will go on sale on 15 April from their website, and later in the year from Barnes & Noble and B&N.com. It will sell for $649 for the 4GB model with WiFi, or $799 for the 8GB model which has WiFi and 3G. Again, we feel the very high pricing will deter most non-business users from buying the QUE.