The Skiff Reader is remarkably sleek, well-designed and easy to use. At just over a quarter-inch in height, the reader is the thinnest e-reader announced to date.
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The Skiff Reader features the largest and highest-resolution electronic-paper display yet unveiled in a consumer device, at 11.5" in size diagonally and a resolution of 1200 x 1600 pixels. A full touchscreen enables users to intuitively navigate and engage with the newspapers, magazines, books and other digital content they purchase through the Skiff Store, as well as personal and work documents. The device weighs just over 1/2 kg and lasts over a week of average use between charges.
The Skiff Reader is designed not just for sleekness but also for durability. It is the first consumer product to feature the next-generation of e-paper display based on a thin, flexible sheet of stainless-steel foil. This contrasts with the fragile glass that is the foundation of almost every electronic screen – and a primary source of vulnerability and breakage risk in the devices that incorporate them.
Skiff has worked closely with LG Display, one of the world's leading display manufacturers and the innovator of the foil-display technology, to optimize and implement this first-of-its-kind non-glass display uniquely for the Skiff Reader. In addition to 3G, the Skiff Reader will also support wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi.
Skiff has signed a multi-year agreement with Sprint to provide 3G connectivity for Skiff's dedicated e-reading devices in the United States. Plans are underway to have the Skiff Reader available for purchase later this year in more than 1,000 Sprint retail locations across the U.S., as well as online.
The Skiff Reader will feature the Skiff service and digital store, allowing consumers to wirelessly purchase and access a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, books, blogs and other content from multiple publishers. Newspaper and magazine content delivered by Skiff will feature visually appealing layouts, high-resolution graphics, rich typography and dynamic updates, supporting key design qualities that help publications differentiate themselves and attract subscribers and advertisers.
Besides the Skiff Reader, Skiff is working with major consumer electronics manufacturers to integrate Skiff's service, digital store and client software into a range of innovative devices. By supporting a variety of devices from multiple manufacturers, and through complementary applications for major smartphone platforms, Skiff will make it easier for publishers to distribute content and advertising across a range of devices and form factors, an increasingly important goal as the e-reading market continues to grow. ■