Whatever Happened to Cheap EReaders?
a year ago
- #publishing
- #technology
- #eReaders
- The txtr beagle, a £8 eReader from 2012, never shipped to consumers.
- Current eReaders like Kindle and Kobo remain priced around £100-£150, showing little price reduction over time.
- Cheap eReaders are scarce due to niche market demand, expensive eInk technology, Android OS limitations, and lack of cross-subsidization from book sales.
- Alternatives include second-hand purchases or open-source projects, but these come with risks like brittle screens or high costs.
- Comments highlight the walled-garden issue with eBooks and the viability of retro or jailbroken eReaders.