Plastic Logic QUE: The Super-Sized e-Reader

If 2007 was the year of the notebook, and 2008 was the year of the HDTV, we think it's pretty safe to say 2009 is the year of the e-reader. Weird, right? Not in a million years would we have guessed that Amazon's highly covered foray into the e-ink market cause such a huge stir, but at this point, it's hard to think of all the e-readers on the market today. Without a doubt, there are far too many to count on two hands, but we suppose the competition is good for the consumer. Sadly, not a single reader on the market (or planned for the market) has a color display, but with competition as heated as ever, that could be arriving sooner rather than later.

The latest company to come clean with its e-book reader plans is Plastic Logic, a company we already knew was going to give Sony and Amazon a run for their dollars. A fresh release from the company informs the world that the QUE e-reader (it's first "proReader") will be fully revealed at CES 2010. That's still a few months away, but it's an indication that it's quite serious about competing. Curiously, it seems this reader won't exactly be vying for the same consumer dollars as the Kindle; instead, it'll be going for the student/enterprise market that is currently served by devices such as the Kindle DX. Don't believe us? Have a look at the QUE's mantra right here:

Extra thin, lightweight and wireless-enabled, QUE is the size of an 8.5 x 11 inch pad of paper, less than a 1/3 inch thick, and weighs less than many periodicals. The innovative QUE proReader features the largest touchscreen in the industry, an intuitive touch screen user interface, and provides access to a file cabinet’s worth of documents, plus your favorite—and most necessary—publications.

QUE stands out in a crowd because it’s a business reader, but it’s also unique for its shatterproof plastic display. This exclusive technology from Plastic Logic, along with E Ink Vizplex® technology produces an outstanding reading experience. Its battery can last days, instead of hours.

The QUE is the size of a of an 8.5 x 11 inch pad of paper, less than a 1/3 inch thick, and weighs less than many periodicals. That's far bigger than most e-readers, but should be perfect for reading magazines and textbooks. The screen itself is a shatterproof plastic display, and there's integrated Wi-Fi and AT&T 3G for connecting to Barnes & Noble's online eBookstore. Further details are to be revealed in Vegas, with the most important being pricing and availability.