Iliad
The iLiad device measured 155 millimeters by 216 millimeters and weighed 400 grams. Its screen area spanned 124 mm by 165 mm with a resolution of 768 pixels across and 1024 pixels down. This active matrix electrophoretic display used E Ink Vizplex Imaging Film manufactured by E Ink Corporation. The screen offered 16 levels of grayscale to mimic the look of printed paper under sunlight. A WACOM digitizing tablet sat beneath the E Ink layer requiring a stylus for input. Internal components included a 400 MHz Intel XScale processor paired with 64 MB of RAM. Users could expand storage via a CompactFlash Type II slot or a MultiMediaCard slot. The device featured both WiFi 802.11g wireless LAN and a 10/100 Mbit/s wired LAN port. A standard 3.5 mm stereo audio jack allowed users to connect headphones.
Linux-based operating system version 2.4 kernel powered the internal functions of the unit. Developers received an SDK that made functionality extension easy for third parties. The device supported document files in formats like PDF, Mobipocket, XHTML, and plain text. It displayed JPEG, BMP, and PNG images without color capabilities. As of the 3rd of May 2007 Mobipocket digital rights management content became available on this platform. Wireless service named iDS enabled direct downloads from sources like Les Echos French financial newspaper. Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad also distributed its content through this same channel. Users connected to computers over networks to sync new data onto internal memory or inserted cards. Integrated Wacom tablet features let writers add notes directly onto existing documents. Those handwritten annotations remained visible whenever the document opened again on the screen. Desktop software merged these user notes back into the original file structure.
Initial advertising occurred in December 2005 with a planned launch date set for April 2006. Delays pushed the actual beta sales start until July when general public release followed near month end. List prices reached €649 in Europe and US $699 in American markets. North America availability ceased due to FCC regulation non-compliance issues. The Federal Communications Commission delayed approval which hurt sales figures significantly. CEO Hans Brons cited this regulatory response as a direct cause for declining numbers. Sales ended completely in 2010 when parent company iRex Technologies filed for bankruptcy. The device originally held the largest screen size among existing e-paper products at introduction time. Later models like the Digital Reader 1000 surpassed it by early 2011 standards.
Open Linux operating system allowed developers to request shell access from the manufacturer. Users created custom applications that extended basic functionality beyond factory settings. Ported viewers included FBReader while programs like AbiWord and StarDict found new homes here. Full screen PDF reading became available through community-supported iPDF releases. Some independent users successfully ported mobile web browsers despite limited functionality and many bugs. These efforts demonstrated how the open architecture empowered a dedicated group of tinkerers. Developers improved the device's utility by adding features not present in standard retail versions. The community maintained support even after official updates slowed down significantly over time.
September 2007 saw iRex Technologies release an update officially called iLiad 2nd Edition. This version featured a redesigned backplane and increased battery capacity compared to earlier units. Software version 2.11 arrived with stylus calibration tools and other performance improvements. First-generation owners could download this software update for free on their original devices. May 2008 brought a third installment branded as iLiad Book Edition under the same family name. This model removed WiFi capabilities but added a new silver look to the exterior casing. Technical cutbacks reduced the price point to $599 or €499 making it cheaper than the original. Buyers received 50 free classics including works from Jules Verne, Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, and Leo Tolstent. An included case came standard with every unit sold during that period.
Early June 2010 marked when iRex Technologies of the Netherlands filed for bankruptcy protection. CEO Hans Brons stated that lackluster sales resulted directly from FCC delays in approving the device. The Federal Communications Commission response time created financial pressure that the company could not withstand. Sales figures dropped sharply following these regulatory hurdles and market challenges. The parent company ceased all operations after filing for legal protection in mid-2010. No further production occurred after the bankruptcy announcement ended commercial availability. The device remains a historical example of early e-reader technology struggles against regulation. Its legacy persists through community efforts to keep older models functional today.
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Common questions
What are the physical dimensions and weight of the iLiad e-reader?
The iLiad device measured 155 millimeters by 216 millimeters and weighed 400 grams. Its screen area spanned 124 mm by 165 mm with a resolution of 768 pixels across and 1024 pixels down.
When did the iLiad officially launch to consumers after delays?
Initial advertising occurred in December 2005 with a planned launch date set for April 2006. Delays pushed the actual beta sales start until July when general public release followed near month end.
Why did North America availability cease for the iLiad e-reader?
North America availability ceased due to FCC regulation non-compliance issues. The Federal Communications Commission delayed approval which hurt sales figures significantly and caused CEO Hans Brons to cite this regulatory response as a direct cause for declining numbers.
What software updates were released for the iLiad between 2007 and 2008?
September 2007 saw iRex Technologies release an update officially called iLiad 2nd Edition featuring a redesigned backplane and increased battery capacity. May 2008 brought a third installment branded as iLiad Book Edition under the same family name that removed WiFi capabilities but added a new silver look to the exterior casing.
Which document formats does the iLiad support for reading content?
The device supported document files in formats like PDF, Mobipocket, XHTML, and plain text. It displayed JPEG, BMP, and PNG images without color capabilities.
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3 references cited across the entry
- 1webE-Reader Maker IRex Files for Bankruptcy11 June 2010