Sprint Skiff Review: A Flexible Competitor
The Skiff, aimed to compete with the Apple iPhone/iPod/iTunes, iLove business monopoly, was introduced back at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Rumor has it that the Skiff will be available in Sprint stores sometime in February 2010, and already, eager consumers are awaiting this gadget. Will this be another multi-function device that could eat up the Amazon Kindle market?
Hearst, the magazine publishers behind Skiff, LLC, created a full-color, large-format multi-tasking gadget. It includes a wireless ereader that is joined with Sprint’s network of products. Consumers will have access to a content store and an advertising platform that is only associated with the Skiff.
Never fear, it won’t kill the Kindle fire, as the Skiff is geared towards magazines and newspapers. This actually makes a lot of sense as Hearst is the publisher of favorites such as Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, O, Esquire and newspapers such as the Houston Chronicle, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Connecticut Post, and San Francisco Chronicle.
It is the first to feature metal foil e-paper technology. This enhances its durability by replacing the old glass displays that can be quite fragile. It is the next generation of e-paper display which is based on a thin sheet of foil. It is over a quarter-inch in height and the thinnest e-reader to date, although this could quickly change tomorrow. The Skiff weighs just over a pound and a single charge holds for over a week.
Newspapers, magazines and books will be delivered with the Sprint 3G Wireless Network. It will also support wireless connectivity with WiFi. It is fully intuitive allowing the user to navigate materials purchased through the Skiff Store, and the user will be able to access personal and work documents.
The screen is huge at 11.5 inches, and although this can be awkward for book reading, it is perfect for newspapers. The touch screen accepts taps and swipes with ease, and the refresh rate is alright. It is still e-ink, but it competes with current e-readers. It can handle 12fps animation which is a bit elementary, but in comparison to LCD, that is fine for small ads.
The problem may exist in its non-existent store. The Kindle and Nook entered the e-reader market with established bookstores, and the Skiff is starting from scratch. It’s still not out yet, so at this point, this doesn’t even matter. Once it launches however, and the store turns out to be lacking, the Skiff is likely to suffer because of this.
A color prototype is being honed and in its early stages. At the Las Vegas show consumers noticed that it was minimally pixilated and fairly clear, but not as sharp as an LCD. The release date and price is unknown. But where is the grayscale Skiff? Consumers want to know when it’s going to join the ereader party, and in the meantime, the Kindle is gearing up for more stiff competition.