paidContent - AT&T To Provide Data Connectivity For Plastic Logic's E-Reader; More AT&T Network Overload
This story was written by Rafat Ali.
Plastic Logic’s upcoming e-reader—they better come up with a more catchy name—will get wireless connectivity from AT&T (NYSE: T), reports WSJ. Amazon (NSDQ: AMZN) Kindle has connectivity from Sprint (NYSE: S), and other competitor Sony (NYSE: SNE) Reader doesn’t have a wireless connection. In addition to the 3G connection, PL reader users will be able to use AT&T’s Wi-Fi network, which means within all U.S. Starbucks as well. Also, since AT&T is a GSM network, potentially it would work outside U.S., a feature Kindle doesn’t have (though you can sideload Amazon downloads through syncing with the computer). Not clear: how PL reader users would pay for AT&T connectivity, if at all. Kindle users don’t have to; it is built into the upfront price.
As if AT&T needs more data load. Read this and this for perspective.
AT&T says it hasn’t decided if it will sell the reader in its stores; would be a big boost to it if it does. The new PL reader will have to get some heavyweight retail and online distribution to compete against Amazon’s online might. Yesterday the company announced a deal with Barnes & Noble, where the bookseller will power an e-book store for it.
Meanwhile, PL’s VP of biz dev was on Fox Business today, talking up the device. Video embedded after the jump.
By Rafat Ali