Digital News Report

Top 3 – Ocean: Bottom 3 Tidal

Digital News Report – While some tablet manufactures narrow their offering to e-readers, Copia is adding a social experience. As internet users turn to social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace, Copia wants to give their e-reader users the social media option.

The company wants you to “Read, Learn and Share”. Copia will allow users to connect with likeminded users; those users who have read the same books and magazines.

All of the Copia readers come with 16 gray-scale epaper. This gives users the feel of real paper. There are two basic lines: The Ocean and Tidal.

Copia Ocean Line:

Copia currently offers 3 “Ocean” readers with 6 to 9 inch displays. They all have 4 GB of internal memory and a Micro SD card slot. They also include a 4-directional tilt-sensor so you can turn the reader to the desired width. They all have WiFi but the Ocean9-3G also comes with 3G connectivity, Linux 2.6.21 and stereo sound.

Copia Tidal Line:

There are endless options in cell and mobile phones, and Copia offers one of the more diverse options in tablets. The companies “Tidal” offering is their upper end.

Like the Ocean series, the Tidal tablets use an epaper display. Two of the models, the Tidal Touch and 3G, include a 9-inch screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio (768 x 1024 pixels). They all have 3G connectivity and WiFi (802.11b/g) with 4 GB build in memory, and a Micro SC slot.

Dell unveiled a small slate at the 2010 CES show. Their reader is almost as small as a cell phone. With a 6-inch screen, the Copia original Tidal is smaller than the Touch and Touch-3G. This model also comes with a fixed keyboard that reminds us of the Blackberry Curve. If you don’t like the touch-screen display, this is the one to get.

But wait, you haven’t heard the best news yet. None of these models exceeds $300. The Copia line ranges in price from $199 to $299.

By: Sam Lee