Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!decwrl!ucbvax!liverpool.ac.uk!KPURCELL
From: KPURCELL@liverpool.ac.uk (Kevin 'fractal' Purcell)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: Sony electronic book
Message-ID: <9006301124.AA01202@encore.encore.com>
Date: 30 Jun 90 11:21:32 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 53

I saw this is comp.sys.laptops, so I took the liberty to repost it here:

Subject: Portable CD-ROM reader...
From: woodsd@ingr.com (Scott D. Wood)
Date: 27 Jun 90 21:55:13 GMT


Info obtained in 4-June-90 Electronic Engineering Times:

        Tokyo --   The Sony Corp. has developed an integrated portable elec-
        tronic "book reader" that weds a 3-inch CD-ROM drive and 256 x 200
        pixel LCD display. The so-called DD-1 Data DiscMan adheres to the
        electronic book specs outlined by the Electronic Book Community in-
        dustry association, founded five months ago. Using rotating 3-inch
        CD-ROM media, the system delivers 200 Mbytes of data on CD platters
        that cost under $2 each to replicate in volume.
                   The initial DD-1 system delivers five dictionaries to the
        user, using retrieval software contained on a slip-in IC decoder.

Scott>I bet they mean one of the new solid-state ROM/RAM "credit-card" mems.

                   The $379 unit has a three-hour rechargeable battery life-
        time. It is equipped with a video output jack allowing the electronic
        book to be displayed on an outboard TV screen or video display. The
        DD-1 can also be used to enjoy 3-inch CD audio platters in stereo.

Scott>Not bad, eh? Imagine the uses for this thing! Reference materials,
      manuals -- you name it, and highly portable too. The software inter-
      face better be pretty simple and straight forward, maybe "hypercard-
      ish" to increase its usabilty. It should also have some sort of
      <wince!> *standard* computer interface so it's REALLY usable. But hey,
      sounds like a great start to me.  Of course some sort of "heads-up"
      virtual display (like those funky "data-glasses" --  still in R+D)
      would be GREAT! This is about as close as we'll get to "wetware" (see
      alt.cyber*) in the near future.  If anyone knows more about this or
      other neato similar devices - please follow up.

Bye, Scott.


  ____  ____  ____  __ __
 /  __||  _ \|    ||     |          S c o t t  W o o d
 \__  \|  __/| [] | |   |     ...uunet!ingr!optron!pete!spot
 |____/|__|  |____| |___|            O p t r o n i c s

----------------------

It has more useful info that my last post.

Kevin Purcell ................................... kpurcell @ liverpool.ac.uk
\ Surface Science      \ Stepwise Refinement n.  A sequence of kludges K,
 \ Liverpool University \ neither distinct or finite, applied to a program P
  \ Liverpool L69 3BX    \ aimed at transforming it into the target program Q.