The way Howard Stringer sees it, Sony's digital e-readers should focus on the printed word and making reading “comfortable,” even though the consumer electronics giant could turn it into a multimedia machine. Stringer, Chief Executive of Japan's Sony Corp, admits there is a lot of “energy” behind Amazon.com's Kindle, which is seen as the leader in a burgeoning market for portable reading devices. As speculation grows that Apple Inc may introduce a tablet-style computer that could also address the e-reader market, Sony could differentiate itself by adding more powerful chips, displays and media features to the pocket sized readers. But Stringer says that, given the nascence of the market, it is smarter to wait and see how consumer warm to the current makeup of the devices. Sony, Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble Inc are in a heated fight over who will emerge with the best-selling electronic reading device, each beefing up their devices with exclusive content or high-tech features. Sony struck a deal with News Corp last Thursday that will make The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch and the New York Post available on its electronic reader, the latest shot fired in an intensifying battle with Amazon.com Inc's popular Kindle device. Sony said subscriptions would be available shortly from its e-reader website, with monthly prices set at $14.99 for The Wall Street Journal, $10.99 for MarketWatch and $9.99 for the New York Post. The publications will be jointly marketed by the companies.
