Micro: Few options for large-format e-book readers

A reader, Beau, asks, “I’ve wondered if now that (Amazon.com founder) Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post if there’s any news of a larger Paperwhite e-reader in the works? The ultimate for me would be something roughly the thickness and size of a large laminated one-page restaurant menu, but we’re apparently not there yet, so something with a Paperwhite screen as big as the largest tablet would be great.”

The closest thing to what Beau describes might be the Amazon Kindle DX, an e-reader with a 9.7-inch screen. It sells for $239 but has been on sale recently for $169. Unfortunately, it doesn’t include a built-in light as the Kindle Paperwhite does.

Sony and other companies have worked on larger-format e-book readers, but they’ve generally been costly and have not competed well against the smaller Kindle-size readers or non-e-ink tablets like the iPad. There’s still development being done on paper-thin flexible displays, but as with lots of technology, it’s been slow to arrive in consumer products you can actually buy today.

In this space every week, we’ll define a tech term, offer a timely tip or answer questions about technology from readers. Email ogallaga@statesman.com.