Sony has announced a new version of its eBook reader that needs only three minutes of charging to have enough juice to read a whole book with. Called Quick Charge, it is one of the new features of the new version of Reader.

Other new features include a protective snap cover built into the design, which means the Reader has no power button. As with an iPad coupled with a Smart Cover, the device will turn itself on the moment you open the cover and off again when it is shut.

The 1024 x 758 E Ink Pearl screen is the highest resolution for one of its eBook readers yet, says Sony. And advanced page refresh technology allows for a smoother experience than ever before too. Four hours of flicker-free page turns are claimed, either using the buttons or a swipe action on the touchscreen.

As well as being able to read a 600-page book on a three-minute charge, a full recharge will allow for up to two months of regular reading before needing to be charged again. Unlike the new Kindle Paperwhite, the Reader does not come with front or rear-mounted lighting. But it will read a wide variety of eBook files, including ePub, PDF, TXT, Russia's FB2, and picture files, such as JPEG, GIF, BMP and PNG.

There is space on the 2GB of internal storage for 1,200 books, while a microSD card slot allows that to be expanded.

The new Sony Reader will be available in Europe from September. Price is yet to be revealed.