eBook reader war cooking?

I’ve been thinking of getting an eBook reader for the longest time for my train commute.

So when, Sony unveiled it’s new wireless ebook reader, called the Daily Edition, this Tuesday, it just made my craving stronger.

The Daily Edition is slated to come out in December with an expected price tag of $399. It’s more expensive than the entry-level version (DX, $299) of the now market dominant Kindle from Amazon but it sounds like it has more features.

Apart from the sorely missed wireless functionality in past versions (standard in the Kindle), the Sony’s reader also boasts a touch screen and a bigger 7″ screen. Also to watch out for is the collaboration with public libraries so that various books can be downloaded free.

Now, with not much less fanfare is the news that Steve Jobs is back in the thick of things at Apple. Apparently, Jobs is collaborating closely on the Apple tablet which could be another feature packed alternative to the eBook readers available in the market. While not a lot of info is coming out of Cupertino, price-wise the tablet may be more in the $500 upwards range.

It’s hard to tell this early if indeed the new entrants can make a dent in Amazon’s dominance but one thing is certain, with more choices out in the market, it should be good for us, the consumers.

For me, I’ll wait and see which battler comes out the best but I think I know what I’m getting for Christmas.

Now for labor day, I heard the PS3 slim is going for just $299