image Well, that didn’t take long.

Just as I guessed might happen, iRex‘s new e-reader will be aimed at business uses.

Set to be announced September 19, the new iRex Reader 1000 will feature a big 10.2 inch screen rather than the current 8.1 inches.

The new reader, as reported in Forbes, will read a variety of formats ranging from PDF to HTML and sell for $650 and up.

With WiFi, BlueTooth and a 3G cell link, as well as the ability to take notes, the price will be $850.

iRex’s justification for the price

The logic here is that people don’t read that many books but spend hours and hours reading work documents, and beyond that, iRex still hopes to put out less pricey models for consumers to enjoy books on.

I just wonder what the e-book formats will be included to begin with, in the business-oriented model.

Display issues

Another issue is the E Ink display. So far we don’t know whether it’s the rugged, flexible variety—I suspect it isn’t. If not, this could yet another reason for aiming the reader at business users. Your budget might break along with your screen. But how knows? I’d welcome comments from iRex as to how it will dealt with the screen damage issue.

Significantly a rival device from Plastic Logic with a rugged screen will supposedly be priced competitively with the now-$359 Kindle—and itself sport a 10.7-inch diagonal screen when it appears in ’09. So it will be interesting to see what kind of a time window iLiad has to work with here, and how it will compete.

Forbes on the Sony: It believes that Sony has all but announced a new model. Let’s see what happens on Oct. 2. I’m betting on Forbes’ side will will be selling my current Sony Reader for $195.

Detail: Color E Ink may show up next year, according to the Forbes article quoting E Ink CEO Russ Wilcox, but video won’t come until 2012.

Related: PC Pro, MobileRead, eBook Readers (Dutch), I4U News, and Techmeme roundup.

(Thanks to Wiebe de Jager.)

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