E-Reader-info interviews Bookeen's CEO Michael Dahan

Great interview with a guy who clearly understands the market well. Some interesting tidbits:

On the difference between 5" and 6" eReaders:

In fact most of the time, customers don’t see the difference between the 6" and 5". The current market on 6’’ device is clearly aiming heavy readers. The customer typology is quite well defined. It’s a 45 years old person with Reading as his first leisure activity. It makes sense if you think about it.

Confirming the often cited restriction on mixing MobiPocket DRM with Adobe Digital Editions support as a restriction of licensing by Amazon:

Mobipocket belongs to Amazon. Amazon forbids us legally to have two DRMs on the same device. Technically we can do it, legally we can not.

On the forthcoming Orizon's use of Sipix versus Vizplex:

• AUO (Sipix) touchscreen is light year away from Sony resistive technology. You keep the optical quality of ePaper and you get an incredibly reactive touchscreen. For us touchscreen on such a large display is a must-have.
  
• AUO has great developments and move incredibly fast.
  
• We did not want to depend only on one screen manufacturer (PVI).
  

My favorite quote relates to large size eReaders, newspapers and magazines:

Currently it is very difficult to manufacture a device and reach a SRP below 400. You are thus in direct competition with the iPad. We try to see how to make low price large screen devices.

I think Magazines on ePaper without colors is nonsense. Newspaper makes more sense but are you ready in to pull out from your backpack your A4 sized reader to read the newspaper.

Not sure, it will make it in the everyday life.

View the whole article, it's well worth it.