Although the level of Taiwan market demand for e-book readers is still unclear, a company released its own brand e-reader in January. The price is around NT$9000 making it an “aristocrat” in comparison with foreign brands.

The “nReader” has a six inch display and weighs 220 grams, has 800x600 resolution and a 16 grayscale e-paper reading area. e-book shops can be directly accessed to buy, read or store books using a 3G wireless card or WLAN. nReader has an inbuilt 2GB memory and can hold around 4000 books. In addition, it holds more books if a MicroSD expansion slot is used, and supports various kinds of e-book, picture and music formats, including TXT, PDF, JPG and PP3. The price is NT$8990.

Benq is part of a group that is a link in the e-paper and e-reader industrial chain so the release of this e-reader by Benq is not a surprise. In addition to nReader, closed e-readers made by Taiwanese companies that are already in the market or soon to arrive include 1Reader from Book11, Benq’s nReader (January 2010) and Ee Reader from ASUSTek (2011). As for open reading platforms (cell phone PC), in addition to traditional publishing company e-book platforms, mobile phone operators Chunghwa Telecom and Far Eastone Telecommunications have also taken a bite of the big e-book pie. It remains to be seen, however, whether Apple’s iPad will have an impact of the digital reading market.

According to the information provided by the Benq Group, the nReader has out of copyright old books and also book buying and paid for download services. At present it has 5000 Chinese books, 20 Chinese magazines, 30,000 Japanese manga comic books and novels, 1 million English books and 300,000 European books. In terms of Chinese books and magazines, the quantity is probably insufficient, however the nReader book store’s Japanese comic content will be attractive to young commuters with spending power. The 1 million English books will also arouse curiosity. “Digital reading” technology is gradually maturing and the main problem to be faced at present is how to transfer the content of paper books, still vast in number and full of vitality and creativity, onto the digital reading platform and satisfy the various interest groups so that everyone benefits from digital reading.

What role can digital archives and e-learning play in the digital reading industry? The e-learning industry can take user needs as the starting point and carry out research into the various interaction modes between e-books and e-learning, embedding e-books in learning and reading behavior. Much research has been carried out in this area and the results are being applied. Managed appropriately, various achieves “content” can be material used by digital authors. Fascinating blogs and article reading services are often seen on e-book readers overseas and the numerous scientific articles accumulated by TELDAP can also be used to provide a reading service. Without doubt, it is worth TELDAP, related organizations and figures in the industry keeping an eye on developments in the digital reading market.