Is the Plastic Logic Reader ready to dethrone the Kindle?

In the past week, there has been a lot of talk about print making the transition to the digital world. In the world of newspaper, the talk has been centered on the last issue of The Ann Arbor News. In the world of books (and gadgets) however, the talk has been focused on the latest announcements coming from the Plastic Logic company. The eReader, which features some specially designed space-age plastic, is being said to be the first real competitor to Amazon's Kindle brand.

As a gadget geek, this excites me for a few reasons:

1. The eReader will have the ability to read certain online documents and formats in addition to the book library. This means that I can take it with me when I meet with clients. All I need to do is put my presentations and files into either PDF or Microsoft Office format, and I can pull out my eReader and go through my ideas over a coffee at Sweetwaters, or in the office across my desk. Being able to have a clean, professional presentation on a touch-screen the size of an 8x10 piece of paper whenever (and where ever) I need it, would be awesome.
2. A partnership with AT&T puts the eReader on a network with worldwide access. Unlike the Kindle, who uses Sprint's online capabilities to search their book database, the eReader will be using AT&T's GSM network to access theirs. AT&T uses a GSM platform, which gives global access, while Sprint uses a CDMA platform which limits connectivity when you travel outside of North America.
3. The eReader uses a special plastic that has been 10 years in the making. I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for any gadget that has been worked on for years upon years. Instead of using a bulky and heavy glass pane for the touch screen, the company spent numerous years and countless R&D dollars on getting the plastic perfect. The result? A product that is as light and easy to hold as it is durable and responsive.

The Verdict: Its business applications are what put this over the edge for me. You can go from reading a book, newspaper or magazine on the plane, to walking into the boardroom and presenting in an impressive, sleek and innovative way. I also have the feeling that the business uses for this device will only take off after it has been on the market for a few months. If they open the platform to app developers, the possibilities become endless. Think of what a touch screen on the iPhone did for the creativity in developers. Give those developers an 8x10 screen, and all bets are off.

What do you think? What have you been geeking over lately? Let me know, I'd love to hear about it.

NOTE: THESE TYPES OF POSTS WILL NORMALLY BE POSTED ON MONDAY AS PART OF AN ONGOING SERIES CALLED THE MONDAY GEEK OUT. SORRY FOR ANY CONFUSION.

Kyle Stuef KStuef [at] GMAIL.COM @2911Kyle www.linkedin.com/in/kylestuef www.facebook.com/kylestuef