Blio reader set for roll-out beginning September 28

(All Rights Reserved)

The long-awaited Blio e-reading platform is set to launch on Windows devices on September 28, with applications for iOS and Android systems to follow soon after, reported the app's developer on September 16.

A highlight among the e-reader software and devices presented at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show in January, the Blio e-reading software was initially expected to launch in February but was since postponed.

Up against a host of pre-existing e-reading apps, including Amazon's leading Kindle software and Apple's iBooks, Blio's major advantage is its true-to-life format, which preserves the look of a traditional book through a two-page layout, 3D page turns, and a full-color display. These features position Blio as a top choice for books with complex diagrams or other detailed illustrations, such as textbooks, children's books, cookbooks, and travel guides.

Alongside its book-like layout, the software also features a host of digital-only advantages such as integrated web links, video support, highlighting, searching, and a text-to-speech function for hands-free reading. Readers can synchronize books across devices, and the app recognizes both its own proprietary format and easily shared ePub and PDF titles.

Blio also boasts a bookstore with a rich catalog: through a partnership with book distributor Baker & Taylor, it includes books by six major publishers (Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Penguin Group, Macmillan, Random House, Simon & Schuster), as well as educational and independent presses.

The free Windows app will be available for download at the Blio site beginning on September 28; future apps for iOS and Android will also be free of change. At launch, users will be able to set the platform to English, Spanish, or French; Italian, German, and Asian-language options will follow.

http://www.blioreader.com

Follow Blio launch details at: http://twitter.com/Blioreader