Various ebook readers have different functions. Let us stop on the touch screen functionality. Pocketbook 302, Sony touch edition, Onyx Boox 60, Hanvon N518 and Hanvon N526 have touch screen with possibility to write, annotate or mark e-texts which you are reading. Hand writing text recognition is a unique feature of Hanvon N518 and Hanvon N526. Sony reader and Hanvon wisereaders also give you opportunity to save annotations in PDF format. It is a useful feature but how it is achieved. There are 2 ways for ebook readers to be supplied with sensor displays. First construction provides readers with ability to control device by simple finger touch. Sony PRS-600 touch edition and Pocketbook 302 have the sensor screen layer installed ABOVE the eink display. It is comfortable but the displays of such ebook reading devices are more grey, light reflective and lower contrast then e-book readers without touch screen. As for the 2-d group consisting of Onyx Boox 60, Hanvon N518 and Hanvon N526, they have the Wacom sensor screen installed UNDER the e-paper display. These ebook reading devices have the same reading quality as e-readers which do not have touch screen. Their displays are really white, not reflective and high contrast but hand writing and touch screen operating is possible with Wacom stylus only.

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A paper issued by the New Democratic Leadership Council – a Washington think tank – proposes that every single one of America’s K12 school children should be furnished with an electronic book reader. Thomas Freedman’s paper entitled “A Kindle In Every Backpack” also suggests that this would result in lower costs and facilitate almost constant updating of academic texts.

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