Spring Design announced an Android-based e-book reader that boasts two displays and full browser capabilities. The WiFi- and 3G-enabled "Alex" offers both the typical 6-inch monochrome EPD (electronic paper display) display for reading, as well as a linked, 3.5-inch display for Android content and multimedia, says the company.

Irex Technologies is readying a Linux-based electronic book (e-book) reader with an 8.1-inch, 1024 x 768 display. Based on Freescale's ARM11-based i.MX31, the Irex DR800SG communicates via the Verizon Wireless 3G network, supports the open ePub publishing standard, and offers built-in support for the Barnes & Noble eBookstore, says Irex.

Entourage Systems announced the third Android-powered, dual-display e-reader of the week. The Entourage Edge opens up like a book, with one inside panel devoted to a 9.7-inch E Ink display, and the right panel offering a 10.1-inch touchscreen that provides WiFi (or optional 3G) based web browsing and media playback.

Amazon's "Kindle" electronic book reader runs an operating system based on Linux 2.6.10, according to reports. The device boasts a claimed 30 hours of battery life, thanks in part to a power-saving E-ink EPD (electro-phlorescent, or "electronic paper" display) and "fpow" power-saving infrastructure, early reports suggest

China-based Jinke Electronics is shipping an upgraded version of its electronic book reader that runs Linux. The Hanlin eReader V3 offers an 200MHz ARM9 processor, and a six-inch 800 x 600 display that uses E Ink's power-sipping EPD (electronic paper display) module, says Jinke.

PDF software company Foxit is readying an electronic book reader that weighs 6.4 ounces, measures 0.4 inches thick, and runs Linux. The Foxit eSlick offers E Ink's low-power electronic-paper display, ships with an MP3 player, and sells for $100 less than an Amazon Kindle.

A France-based e-book specialist is readying a Linux-powered successor to its earlier Windows CE-based e-book reader devices. Bookeen's third-generation Cybook device, featuring "groundbreaking" Vizplex e-paper technology from E Ink, is a customized version of a Chinese-language e-book reader that debuted last December.

OpenInkpot (or OI) intends to be a full alternative, free software stack for e-ink based readers. It comes with a "bookshelf" menu to handle your collection of e-books and brings the popular FBReader and Cool Reader to display most e-book formats, among them epub, fb2, txt, html, rtf, pdb, plucker and mobipocket.

Philips spinoff Polymer Vision has announced plans to ship a Linux-capable e-reader with a flexible, rollup display. Thanks to the screen's low power consumption, the "Readius" offers up to 30 hours of reading without a battery charge, according to the company.