Even with the Kindle seeming to take the reins, the worldwide ebook market is still wide open to all takers. For the most part, though, all the offerings we've seen don't look all that different from each other. The Alex, a new dual-screen e-reader from Spring Designs, is almost guaranteed to draw attention.
Why two screens? Like all modern ebook readers, the device has a dedicated e-ink display for extended reading. Right below it, though, is a smaller full-color LCD that you can use for browsing the web. Once you've found something you want to read from the bottom screen (images, videos and notes from the small browser), you can send it to the larger monochrome panel as a "Web grab" for low-power reading.
Carrying both a 6-inch e-ink display and a 3.5-inch LCD takes its toll on the Alex, making it look like a particularly strange machine. You can save downloads and put new media on the device via an SD card slot, while web connection is facilitated via both integrated Wi-Fi and 3G chips. It's running Android OS at the core, though it doesn't appear to be able to do much else except browse the web. Pretty certain that can be hacked once this thing hits the market, though.
Not sure how well such a clunky-looking e-reader will do, but kudos to Spring Designs for trying something different. According to the company, they're now in negotiations with various content providers as they prepare the device for release. No price has been cited, but they're looking forward to a debut before the end of the year.
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