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Looks like the electronics industry thinks that the next big thing is e-books.  RIM and Barnes & Noble just put together a free e-book reader app for the BlackBerry.  You can download books from Barnes & Nobles’ Fictionwise.com.  Fictionwise has put together a nice tutorial as to how exactly to navigate a book using a BlackBerry Storm.  If you’ve got another BlackBerry, like a Curve, a Pearl, or a Bold, check the site for which models are supported (and yes, those are supported).  [Source] 

Samsung’s Papyrus reader

Samsung is ready to introduce its new Papyrus e-book reader.  This device won’t hit the US for a while.  Korea will get the device in June, followed by the United Kingdom.  After them, the U.S. gets their mitts on it.  The Papyrus will feature a touchscreen like Sony’s top reader.  However, Amazon didn’t go for a touchscreen in its Kindle 2.  Will this feature be enticing?  Maybe the Papyrus’ $299 price tag will work.  [Source]

And the other guy: Ama-something

You’d have to be living under a rock to not know about Amazon’s Kindle 2.  While an impressive device, most people have sticker shock.  $359 for a reader that comes with no books?  What do you mean no case either?  Then the Kindle iPhone app hit.  This just expanded where you could read your Kindle books.  The ability to read Kindle books on devices that aren’t the Kindle is a good idea.  Expect a Kindle app for the BlackBerry and the Palm Pre. 

The real secret to success

Here’s the secret when it comes to any of these readers succeeding: interoperability.  For any of these devices to truly succeed, there must be a cross-platform format.  There needs to be a MP3 of e-books for true success.