Sharp unveils Galapagos eReader

The Gadget Show  Monday 27 September 2010

The Sharp Galapagos - an eBook reader with tablet pretensions

eBook reader makers have had a tough time of it lately thanks to the emergence of high-flying tablets such as the Apple iPad.

But Sharp for one doesn’t seem to have read the script and has just revealed a pair of new Galapagos eReaders for the Japanese market. The difference between the two is mainly one of screen size: there’s a choice of a 5.5in LCD version with a resolution of 1,024×600 and a 10.8in alternative which offers a 1,366×800-pixel resolution.

In trying to boost the allure of the eReader concept, Sharp’s approach seems to largely be one of making them more like tablets to begin with. Aside from the colour LCD displays, both Galapagos models also feature built-in Wi-Fi and a trackball for navigation.

You also get a built-in web browser, and Sharp’s digital library will boast some 30,000 digital books, magazines and newspapers when the Galapagos launches in December. Sadly, there’s no sign as yet that we’ll be seeing it outside of Japan, but it’s certainly an interesting indicator of which way the eReader market is heading.