iRex Technologies, a spin-off of consumer electronic giant Philips, have announced that they will be releasing their first generation electronic reader known as the iLiad later this month.

The blurb on the website describes the product like this:

Digital written content can now be read as easily and conveniently as the printed word on paper. The iRex Technologies E-reader provides true reading comfort, flexibility and versatility. It can be read outdoors, in sunshine or shadow. As well as reading you can also write comments, mark or underline sections, for a true two-way paper experience. And all of this at the lowest power consumption.

The iLiad weighs only 390 grams and measures 215 x 155 mm with an estimated battery life of 20 hours. It supports various document formats and transfer solutions such as WiFi, LAN, USB and SD/MMC cards. This is one of the best features in my opinion. What’s more it also has a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 at 160 dpi which should give a near-paper like reading experience.

In fact the only downside to the device appears to be that it only has a black & white display (to keep costs down and maximise battery life) and will only be sold as a business solution to companies (initially).

One of the iLiad’s first customers is the Belgian newspaper De Tijd, as reported in E-Media Tidbits. The newspaper plans on running an experiment with 200 of its readers’ in April, when the iLiad is officially released, whereby a digital edition designed especially for the device is made available. The experiment is due to last 3 months.

This could be a pivotal moment in how news is distributed and consumed. Sure, you can read digital editions of certain newspapers on your laptop and PDA and many people have done so for many years, but never on a device that is specifically designed to replace paper and can accompany you from the loo at the airport to a deckchair on paradise beach. The battery life should also ensure that you are kept company, even on the longest trans-Atlantic trip, before reaching for that pesky power-cord.

Add the possibility of audio, video and a colour screen and you now have a device that could revolutionise how content is delivered in the future, both online and offline.

Definitely something that media organisations and content producers should watch very carefully.