E-readers for Business

High-end e-readers designed for business use

Business users have different needs in an e-reader, and there are a few models specifically designed to read PDFs, spreadsheets and charts as well as business documents.

In particular, ebook readers from iRex get good reviews for business users. The newest model, the iRex Digital Reader DR800SG (*Est. $400), boasts an 8.1-inch touch screen (activated with the included stylus), 2 GB of storage for up to 1,000 books and Wi-Fi from Verizon's 3G network. Books and periodicals can be downloaded wirelessly from the Barnes & Noble eBookstore, NewspaperDirect.com and LibreDigital.com. The iRex Digital Reader DR800SG is sold exclusively at Best Buy.

The e-reader is earning positive marks in initial reviews so far. Experts say the iRex Digital Reader DR800SG's screen doesn't suffer from the glare and contrast issues that plague the Sony Reader Touch Edition PRS-600, although the Sony e-reader responds to finger gestures, while the iRex must be controlled by a stylus. Stewart Wolpin at Dvice.com calls the iRex the "best e-reader yet." Wolpin says clarity and contrast are better on the iRex than the Amazon or Sony e-readers, and unlike the Amazon Kindle models, the iRex ebook reader supports ePub titles. In a free review at ConsumerReports.org, Paul Reynolds calls the iRex DR800SG a "viable alternative" to the Amazon Kindle 2, even though it's significantly more expensive.

IRex also gets high marks for the Digital Reader 1000S e-reader, but this pricey, business-focused e-reader isn't for everyone. Forbes.com's Andy Greenberg say, "IRex has aimed its reader at the business world and is unapologetic about its limitations as an e-book." The iRex Digital Reader 1000S (*Est. $860) includes a 10.2-inch touch-enabled display that can be written on with the included stylus. It comes with a 1 GB SD memory card, and the reader offers support for text, PDF, Microsoft Word, HTML and Mobipocket file formats. At 11 inches by 8.5 inches and 1.5 pounds, the 1000S ebook reader is not easy or comfortable to hold for long periods, but the large screen is lauded for sharp, nicely contrasted images.

Experts say this ebook reader's true usefulness is in business documents. The iRex Digital Reader 1000S is able to render PDFs in their native scale, which makes for better readability and display quality. Experts say that the Digital Reader's handling of PDFs and business communications in general, including graphs, charts and other graphics, is remarkable. Reviewer opinion of the Digital Reader series varies from highly impressed to highly skeptical. The editors of TopTenReviews.com say the features don't quite add up to the hefty price tag, but "if you aren't looking to do any recreational reading, the iRex Digital ebook Reader is perfect." Forbes.com's Andy Greenberg, on the other hand, says that the 1000S "feels less finished and far cheaper" than Amazon's Kindle 2. While CNET's David Carnoy notes that this is far from a perfect e-reader, he acknowledges that the display is more advanced than those of Amazon or Sony.

Released in June, Amazon's Kindle DX (*Est. $490) is a widescreen device optimized for reading magazines, newspapers and textbooks. For those who need a large display, experts overwhelmingly recommend the Amazon Kindle DX. It measures 10.4 inches by 7.2 inches by 0.38 inches and has a 9.7-inch display and 4 GB of onboard storage. One notable upgrade over the Amazon Kindle 2 is the ability to switch between landscape and portrait mode. Walt Mossberg at The Wall Street Journal calls the Amazon Kindle DX "bigger, not better" than the Kindle 2, while The New York Times reviewer Danielle Belopotosky says, "For those of us who don't need to read PDFs or, say, all 1,328 pages of 'Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies,' the regular Kindle should suffice."

The large display is widely praised by experts; as Nilay Patel says at Engadget.com, "Reading a book on the DX feels entirely more like reading a novel, because you're seeing the same amount of content on each page." Steven Levy at Wired thinks the Amazon Kindle DX is relatively comfortable to hold and he says it's "more readable" than the original Amazon Kindle. There are a few downsides, however. Nilay Patel describes the keyboard as "seriously awful," thanks to tiny, unresponsive buttons that make typing a chore. Unlike the iRex Digital Readers, the Kindle DX lacks zoom for PDF files, which is a frequent complaint in owner-written reviews.

Users posting to Amazon.com rate the Amazon Kindle DX slightly lower than the Amazon Kindle 2, giving it an overall rating of 3.5 out of five stars. Many owners praise the large display and the ability to increase the font size, but others are not convinced. Poor file organization is a frequent complaint, and many owners would like to see a file or folder system for their downloaded ebooks. While the Amazon Kindle DX is targeted towards students -- it's even being used in pilot programs at several universities -- some say it's a poor academic tool. "It's clunky, slow and a real pain to operate," says one Princeton student quoted in an article in The Daily Princetonian.

Another ebook reader suited for business users will be available at Barnes & Noble in 2010. Pricing for the Plastic Logic Que, which has a 10-inch display, has not yet been released, but it is specifically geared towards professionals. The Plastic Logic Que ebook reader will support a variety of file formats, including PDF and Microsoft Office documents, and it will connect to the Internet via AT&T's 3G network or Wi-Fi.