know | Future

Two developments late last week have pushed e-readers to the fore:

• The Belgian publisher De Tidj, which is running a test of an electronic handheld newspaper reader device from Phillips, has run the first ad in the e-reader edition for Rabobank. (If you follow cycling Rabobank sponsors an elite pro team)
• Microsoft and the New York Times have announced a new software set to debut with the notorious next gen MS operating system, Vista that promises to provide a natural interface to an online version of the newspaper.

During the presentation at the American Society of Newspaper Editors 2006 Convention in Seattle, Washington. (full transcript available here) one of the tidbits that came up was that advertising size and shape will be automatically reformatted to fit the device which is being used, a radical departure from current web practice. Sadly. no mention was made of any low powered devices such as those using e-ink technology from Phillips or Sony’s Librie. Until MS supports a low power reference platform like that, I am afraid this will be just an evolutionary step, tablet pc’s or even the new handheld UMPC platform just consume too much power with their active screens.