Toshiba takes on the Kindle with their solar powered e-reader

In the crowded e-reader market companies are doing anything they can to set themselves apart from the pack. The iPad has a colorful screen, the Nook has a sharing option with e-books, and the Kindle has an enormous amount of content available from Amazon. Toshiba hopes that solar power and a cheap price will juice up sales for their new e-reader, the Biblio Leaf.

The Biblio Leaf looks a lot like the current crop of e-readers with a six inch E Ink display, the ability to download content via Wi-Fi or 3G, and can hold a lot of books via two gigs of storage. Its plain white exterior hides the fact that it can store an additional 3,000 titles through a SD card slot. Note takers will rejoice in the fact that the e-reader also comes with a stylus for taking notes.

At the bottom of the Biblio Leaf e-reader are the small solar panels that look a lot like those found on the average high school student’s calculator. The charger free e-reader would be of great use to students or even in developing nations where power supplies aren’t that common. Toshiba has been keen on showing off the solar powered device, but they haven’t said how long it takes to charge up the battery.

Toshiba’s e-reader may seem a little bland, but they have a bigger strategy to sell the gadget. Only available in Japan, the Biblio Leaf is surprisingly affordable. Book lovers and cheapskates will be happy because the e-reader is free; Biblio Leaf owners only have to pick up a $20 monthly fee for their 3G service.

The fact that the e-reader is free may be a tipping point for the entire industry. Amazon made a major move earlier this year by dropping the price of their entry level Kindle to $139, an obvious move to attract budget minded consumers away from Apple’s iPad and the bet was successful for the somewhat secretive company. Amazon has never issued sales numbers for the Kindle, but instead drop hints in press releases by using terms like “millions” and “record.” Reports have surfaced that Amazon is on track to sell eight million Kindles in 2010, a number that is 50% above estimates by industry watchers. Toshiba’s adaptation of the cell phone industry’s “free with contract” may attract attract a breed of buyer who would rather pay for service rather than the e-reader.