The Que

The Plastic Logic Que.

Attention Captain Kirk! When you're hard at work on the Enterprise, do you really want music, photos, and videos mixed in with your Starfleet business documents? If not, then Plastic Logic's Que ProReader (not e-reader!) might be what you're looking for.

Plastic Logic offers two versions of its 10-inch screen Que: The 4-GB model with Wi-Fi tips the monetary scales at $649 while its 8-GB counterpart with Wi-Fi and 3G will cost you $799. That makes it one of the more expensive devices available -- including Apple's iPad.

The company's orientation is toward the business crowd, to the people who want to see Excel spreadsheets and PDF documents up close and personal without carrying around the paraphernalia typically necessary to see them. Toward that end, Plastic Logic rates its units by their document capacity. The 4-GB unit will hold up to 35,000 documents while the 8-GB model just about hits the 75,000 document count, according to the company.

The Que may seem just a bit esoteric when viewed from the consumer or leisure-time point of view, but, if you look at through the eyes of a contractor or other business professional, lugging documents onsite is a horrendous task only worsened by then having to dredge them out and spread them around. It's hardly as easy as toting about a 17-ounce piece of electronics gear with a paper-white touchscreen.

And Plastic Logic may just have a point. According to its Web site, pre-orders of the QUE are sold out.

Specs: Que Display  10.5", 944x1264 pixels Size  8.5"x11"x0.33"  Storage  4GB: 35,000 documents / 8GB: 75,000 documents Connectivity  4 GB: Wi-Fi / 8GB: Wi-Fi + 3G  Wireless Coverage  Global  Rotating Display  No  Price  4GB: $649 / 8GB: $799.

Review by Information Week - April 2010