Sony’s 3 Newest Readers Are Thinner and Lighter, All Boast Touchscreens

Sony introduced three new Readers today, each of which is thinner and lighter than its predecessors with a higher-contrast E-Ink display, which displays 16 shades of gray. They also all have optical touchscreens, whereas touch was once reserved for specific models. Look closer and you’ll find some smaller updates, too, including adjustable brightness and contrast, and the ability to use any photo as a screen saver.

First up, there’s the silver Reader Daily Edition ($299), which adds Wi-Fi and a basic web browser, in addition to a touchscreen. Like its predecessor, it has a 7-inch screen, and users can still access the Sony Reader Store via AT&T 3G, if Wi-Fi isn’t an option. It comes with 2GB of internal memory, but users can add up to 32GB of external memory using the memory card slot.

Next up, Sony also announced the Reader Touch Edition ($229), a smaller, five-inch eReader that also has a touchscreen (natch) and 2GB of internal memory. In addition to eBooks, you can load MP3 files on it as well, letting the Pocket Touch double as a portable media player. At $229, it’s more affordable than the new Reader Daily Edition, but in exchange you give up the Wi-Fi. Look for it in red and black.

Finally, there’s the Reader Pocket Edition ($179), another five-inch eReader, is available in pink and silver, and also has a touchscreen, 2GB of memory, and a memory card slot. While it’s slightly cheaper than the 3G-enabled Kindle ($189), it doesn’t win the prize for most affordable eReader: competitors such as the Nook start at $149, albeit, sans 3G. The Kindle without 3G, starts at $139.

The Reader Touch Edition and the Reader Pocket Edition are available now, while the Daily Edition will go on sale in November.