Sony is planning on releasing a brand new Digital Paper e-reader sometime in the next six months. The devices model name is the DPT-CP1 and it just hit the FCC last week. Details are scant at this point, but I think it will likely have a smaller screen and a more affordable price point. It will have the same Sony firmware as the other 13.3 models and you will be able to interact with the screen via the stylus or touch interactions. Would you buy this e-reader if it was the same price as the Remarkable, or Onyx Boox Note? What features would be compelling enough to drop $300 to $400 for the CP1?
Sony was one of the longest active participants of the e-reader revolution. Their entire line of products had really high build quality, but they exited the space in 2013 and shuttered the Reader Store. A year later Sony pivoted and decided to target business users, professionals and students with the advent of the Digital Paper. It immediately garnered a ton of media attention and many early adopters found a dedicated PDF editor and note taking machine was just what they wanted. A few years later the second generation Digital Paper was released, featuring better hardware.
The Digital Paper is not cheap, you will pay around $699 per unit and businesses who want to go paperfree will have to invest significant capital to outfit their entire staff. Casual consumers also face the stark reality that they can buy a top of the line iPad for the same amount of money.
I think the new DPT-CP1 will have a smaller screen, will be lighter and more affordable. What features would you like to see? What would make you purchase it or place a pre-order?
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.
