Skiff Reader: Savior of the Newspaper Industry?
More than one forward-thinking commentator has proposed that the long-suffering newspaper industry needs to go digital, but in a convenient, electronic form.
And now Skiff, LLC and Sprint have announced that they will preview the Skiff Reader at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Said to be the first e-reader optimized for newspaper and magazine content, will the Skiff Reader be the magic bullet to slay the persistent decline in newspaper subscriptions?
Sporting an 11.5" screen size with 1200 x 1600 pixel resolution, the Skiff Reader will be fully integrated with the upcoming Skiff e-reading service. The Skiff Reader offers full touchscreen functionality for ease of navigation and interactive engagement with purchased digital content such as books, magazines, newspapers, as well as personal and business documents. The device weighs in at just over a pound, and Skiff claims that it will last for an entire week between charges based on "average use."
Further sweetening the pot, the Skiff Reader will use a thin, flexible sheet of stainless steel foil as its display - not glass. This first-of-its-kind technology comes from LG Display and promises vastly enhanced durability.
Sprint provides the corporate brawn behind the effort, offering the Skiff Reader through its website and in more than a thousand Sprint retail locations spanning the United States. Sprint has also signed a multi-year agreement to provide 3G connectivity for Skiff's e-reading service. The Skiff Reader will also be compatible with WiFi. From there, users can purchase content through Skiff's service and enjoy that content as publishers meant it to be seen.
As for how large a dent this impressive package will make into your wallet: stay tuned. The first Skiff Reader will be demonstrated at an invitation-only event at CES by Sprint on Jan 7 & 8.
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