Is the Plastic Logic Que ProReader Too Niche Too Soon?

By Dena Cassella Published January 7, 2010

The new Plastic Logic Que proReader has been aimed toward the business world with its sleek design, quick response and Microsoft Office syncing abilities. So far the slim device has been getting rave reviews from the few hands-on people have experienced at CES this year. Beautiful as this device is, it makes us wonder—is the Que proReader too niche for this already niched market? Plastic Logic CEO Richard Archuleta better hope not. “We want to to deliver all the advantages of paper without any of the drawbacks,” Archuleta told reporters today.

The Que proReader seems ideal for any business professional with a host of business publications providing content for its platform, including the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, All Things Digital and Forbes. This device is shipping in mid-April in two versions: The $649, 4GB model with capacity for 35,000 documents, and the $799, 8GB model that holds 75,000 documents. So this device is no quickie splurge—you may feel the emptiness of your pocketbook for a while, especially in this economy.

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In contrast, perhaps the niche audience will step forward to claim this device as their own– the $650 and $700 price tag is a petite investment for this stylish paperless brief case.

Here’s an honest question—and we hope to get honest answer from all you tech-loving readers: How do you think the Que proReader will do in the newly blooming eReader market? Is this device too niche too soon? What do you think…

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