Will Tablets Kill E-Readers?

Dedicated e-readers are unlikely to simply give way to tablets. Weiner points to several developing technologies, such as the Qualcomm Mirasol screens, that would bring color and video to e-ink screens while maintaining the superior battery life of black-and-white e-ink screens.

There's also an opportunity for the traditional e-readers to turn into promotional devices. The technology is becoming cheap enough that the device itself could become incentive to sign up for an e-book subscription.

"We're likely to see the market for black-and-white devices getting lower in price. I mean really low," Weiner said. "Amazon won't give them away for free, but maybe for $29.99. The Kindle is prime to get tossed in when you sign a subscription to book clubs."

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