Sharp has just announced a pair of new devices that it thinks, combined with a new software service, mark the next step in the evolution of the e-reader.
The Galapagos tablets will come in 5in 'mobile' and 10.8in 'home' varieties, with the smaller of the two sporting a 1,024x600px screen and the larger getting a bump up to 1,366x800px. These are pretty substantial resolutions for both devices, with the 5in model featuring an especially high pixel-density which should help with the screen's readability.
Other than the physical size and the smaller model's navigation trackball, the two readers seem to be essentially the same. However, the hardware is just a terminal, while the content-delivery service differentiates the Galapagos devices from the competition.
The 'cloud-based media service' will automatically deliver the latest periodicals directly to the reader, with Sharp claiming that it will have access to over 30,000 newspapers, books and magazines at launch. You'll also get free trials of recommended new content and the ability to add notes to whatever you're reading.
While the readers include a web browser and some integration with social networking sites, these are not all-purpose tablets. It seems a shame to waste such a high quality screen, but Sharp has decided to focus on making these slates the best e-readers on the market rather than crafting a mediocre general-use device.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we'll ever get to test one out for ourselves. The software has been specifically tuned for the Japanese market, making it seem unlikely that Sharp will release the Galapagos readers internationally. Nonetheless, the hardware looks good and Sharp seems to be crafting a solid ecosystem with its content-delivery platform.
The media service is set to launch in December in Japan, with availability of the tablets to be announced soon.
