Samsung Papyrus: touchscreen ebook debuts

A5 touchscreen reader could be coming to UK

24 March 2009 14:41 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Samsung is to launch a touchscreen ebook reader to take on the Amazon Kindle Pocket-lint has learnt.

The new model called Papyrus will launch in Korea in June with the aim to eventually launch in the UK and US, a spokesperson for Samsung told Pocket-lint.

A5 in size, the model, which will come in a range of colours, will feature a stylus for touching the screen and 512MB of on-board memory for storing content. There is no SD card slot.

Aside from being able to let you read the latest digital versions of your favourite books, the model will also double up as a notetaker, world clock, diary, memo taker, calculator, and contacts making a truly modern day Filofax.

Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but it seems Samsung is being very aggressive, with a mooted $299 price point if and when it makes it out of Korea. The price point would make it $60 cheaper than the Amazon Kindle, although it will lack EV-DO connectivity.