SOFTBOOK READER FOR SOFTBOOK PRESSSoftBook Reader for SoftBook Press

Electronic-book reader

  • Project Date: 1998

SoftBook Reader

The SoftBook electronic book opens up new horizons in publishing, providing a quick and intuitive method to carry 100,000 pages of content, including text, pictures, and graphics. After instantly turning the unit on by flipping open its leather cover, users read a page at a time, just like a book, without awkwardly scrolling through documents or printing them out. New books are retrieved from the SoftBookstore by plugging into a phone line -- no Internet connection or separate computer is needed -- and downloading titles for instant access.

Prior to the extensive industrial, interaction, and mechanical engineering design work, IDEO's human factors experts studied the reading habits of people in a large variety of settings, in order to thoroughly understand contexts of use. Thin and comfortable to hold, the touch-screen interface closely emulates reading a book, while providing an easy method to highlight and search for text or make notes.

(This product is now sold by Gemstar.)