Bookeen and Carrefour have just released a brand new e-reader and this is the second time the two sides have partnered up. The first was in 2013, but it failed to impact the market in a meaningful way. The new device is called the Nolim. It features a six inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 758 and has a front-light, so you can read in the dark. You have around 8GB of storage to store your e-books and Wi-Fi connectivity. It is available in over 1,600 retail locations and costs €129.
The most compelling factor from a marketing point of view is that the Nolim has a built in case and is available in five different colors. The case wakes the reader up and puts it to sleep, Carrefour says it mimics a real book and helps protect it.
Some people might be put off that the resolution is not that great and the Kindle with 300 PPI might be a better buy. I think the average French consumer might just purchase this on an impulse and will dig the fact there is a retail chain backing it up.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
