Big news this weekend - India is getting a second ebook reader, called "Wink".
The first one, Pi, didn't strike me as a major contender in the market at that point in time - photos and more information are here and the review is here.
Pi sales seem to be in the ten thousand range, though I wasn't able to find any independent numbers with any specificity (yes, I watched Inception. This word stuck).
The new reader, Wink, looks exactly like the Kindle. Priced at Rs. 8,000 for the basic model, it undercuts the 9,999 Pi comes at. It also releases Aug 15th, a celebratory weekend for India, and also before the new Kindle versions launch internationally. Smart.
Couple of smart things Indian ebook readers do that set them apart from international ones -
1) Language support for multiple regional languages. Wink supports 15 languages.
2) Local magazines have digitized versions available on the Wink.
3) Wink offers pan-india GPRS and Wifi connectivity for free
The Wink's fancy-pants version costs Rs. 22,000 - the equivalent of a high-end phone here.
The Kindle announced its new version recently - my post is here and its release at the end of the month at $139 (~Rs. 6,400) will be lower than home-grown competition. It still might rule the roost with metropolitan readers! Wink seems to have strategically planned its launch, and the pricing. Competition is heating up...
Which ebook reader will win?
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