Along with the release of the new eReader from Sharp they have also unveiled a brand new format for the device too. The XMDF format which stands for eXtending Mobile Document Format and this enables video and animation to be mixed in with your text.
The device looks suspiciously like the iPad and the smaller one looks somewhat like an iPhone 3GS. They have two different devices. One small one and one large one. The smaller one of the two is around 5.5 inches and the bigger one is 10.8 inches. The iPad being just under 1 inch smaller than the Sharp version. Like contract mobile phones the iPad and the Sharp version are available on a pay monthly programme and you may even get some that are better than some iPhone deals that are on the market at the moment.
From Sharp’s press release about the release of the new eReader: “Sharp Corporation has developed XMDF, a next-generation e-book format (hereinafter “Next-generation XMDF”) with advanced features that allow users to enjoy video and audio content, in addition to current features such as texts and still images.
“With next-generation XMDF as a core technology, Sharp will within this year provide digital platform to promote e-book distribution service and launch compatible reader devices to enter the e-book market. Various publishing houses (newspaper, magazines, catalogues), printing and agent companies in Japan and overseas market will be supporting Sharp to launch this e-book business.
“Sharp’s next-generation XMDF is an advanced version of the current XMDF format. The current XMDF format has been commercialized in 2001 and is used in e-book contents including Japanese novels and manga comics. The next-generation XMDF enables easy viewing of digital contents including video and audio, and allows automatic adjustment of the layout to match and meet publishers’ needs.”