Japan

Brief Summary:
Invention/Product: Sony Librie EBR-1000EP e-reader
Company: Sony Corporation (in collaboration with Philips and E Ink Corporation)
Country: Japan
Period: Released in Japan in April 2004
Essence: One of the first commercially available e-readers using electronic ink (E Ink) technology to create a paper-like display.

The Sony Librie was a pioneering device, ahead of its time, laying the groundwork for future e-readers like the Amazon Kindle. However, it did not achieve commercial success due to its high price, limited content selection, inconvenient DRM system, short content lifespan (books "self-destructed" after 60 days), and the market's overall unpreparedness for such a type of device.