Sony Dismiss iPad-Rival Color Reader Tablet Plans

Sony has again dismissed speculation that they are planning a color ereader tablet to directly take on the iPad, with deputy president of the digital reading division, Fujio Noguchi, telling Tech-On that the company's range is still resolutely focused on ebook consumption. "I think recently developed color e-paper devices are suited for displaying movies" Noguchi suggests, "but I believe that color e-paper should be employed for e-book readers with a focus on displaying texts."

The exec goes on to criticize color reproduction of the incipient color display technologies, suggesting that – as happened with ink-jet printers – it will take refinement before decent picture quality is achievable. Last year, Sony CEO Howard Stringer insisted that a dedicated ereader would be more appealing than a generic tablet, despite rumors that a so-called VAIO slate was in the works.

Noguchi also pointed out the benefits of a bundled data package for the Sony readers and the Amazon Kindle, claiming that as a result he did not "think the business model of the iPad is innovative."