New Sony Patent: solar charged e-reader/laptop built from two touchscreens

I missed this, which popped more than a week ago. From VentureBeat:

A patent application filed by Sony depicts a folding two-screen device that can be held like a book, or typed on like a laptop.

The patent paperwork explicitly states that there are “first and second touchscreens,” that “the image of a keyboard” could appear on one screen, and that “electronic book files” would be storable. The device would be “connectable to a solar charger.” ...

Sony’s device seems a more direct attempt to create an alternative to low-cost netbook laptops, one that doubles as a book-like reader. The obvious two benefits are a lower overall price and only one gadget to carry instead of two.

The concept of a laptop with a touchscreen keyboard has a novelty appeal, but it also says something about the intended market: Unlike the road warriors of the past who carried top-of-the-line laptops for constant typing, there’s a new demographic of mobile content consumers and producers that sticks to short messages. They don’t need a ThinkPad-grade keyboard to type on. Hopefully for Sony, they’ll be able to build a sexy-looking device that can serve as a status symbol like the company’s early Vaio laptops. ...

Google Editions

CNET UK: "Google Editions will launch this summer, and looks set to start a new chapter in the ebook market. The browser-based ebook store will offer ebooks that work on any device, which could spell trouble for the proprietary systems offered by Apple, Amazon and Sony. Ebooks bought from Editions will work on devices from phones to a netbooks to any one of the range of ebook readers already on the market. Other ebook stores are often tied to the store's own device, as with the market-leading Amazon Kindle, and Apple's forthcoming iBook store for the iPad. Google is planning for Editions to launch by July, although it's likely that will be a US launch date."

Blog Kindle has as many details as are currently available about the program - a very good rundown.