Sony's hits and misses

Though Amazon's Kindle jumped to an early lead in the race to become the prevailing e-book reader, Sony hopes the next edition of its Reader will give the stumbling console a second wind. Though the Reader, which first appeared in 2006, boasts a sleek design, its current incarnation lacks the wireless capabilities the Kindle offers, making it impossible for users to download books and newspapers on the go.

And while the Reader's e-book library is half the size of the Kindle's, Amazon's recent announcement that it will soon make its e-books available on devices other than the Kindle and Apple's iPhone might spur Reader sales once Sony debuts its new, wireless version. But only time will tell whether the Reader becomes the hit Sony desperately needs, or yet another missed opportunity.

NEXT