BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Sony's newly launched Digital Reader Daily Edition, together with the Pocket Edition and Touch Edition announced earlier this month, has undoubtedly strengthened its competitiveness against Amazon's Kindle in the e-reader war.

    In terms of price, the Sony said, its product line fills gaps between Amazon's two Kindle offerings. Sony has currently three e-readers at different price points: 199 U.S. dollars for the Pocket Edition; 299 for the Touch Edition; and 399 for the Daily Edition, while Amazon sells only two, one at 299, the other 489. Sony's lineup gives consumers the option of an under-200 e-reader and one priced between the two Kindles.

    Sony added its touch screens are considered by the consumers more convenient than Kindle' buttons. When the old-schoolers lament how e-reader lacks the tactile pleasure of a print book, the touch screens might be a good consolation.

    According to it, its open file formats are more preferable in the market than Amazon's proprietary ones. By supporting the ePub format, Sony's essentially guaranteeing that your digital library will always have a home, while Amazon still uses proprietary format.

    Sony's partner OverDrive provides readers with a network of public libraries. The Daily Edition reader is also connected to a Scribd site called "Words Move Me," where people can post and share their favorite book passages. 

    With the development of technology, more advanced products will surely replace the current ones, no matter which company is the winner. It is not impossible that the future face of learning would be featured by one e-reader!    

    (Agencies)