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The PRS-505 Reader weighs 260g and can hold around 160 eBooks, though a memory card slot will allow users to boost that further. The reader also makes use of E Ink screen technology which allows the text to remain on screen even if the device is turned off.

This means the reader only consumes power when the onscreen image changes, allowing Sony to claim a rechargeable battery life of around 6,800 page turns.

The reader will be made available through Waterstones book stores, and comes bundled with a CD of 100 "classics", or books that are out of copyright to clarify the marketing speak.

The reader will cost £199 and readers will be able to purchase texts through the Waterstones website, and Sony's own website.

The launch coincides with Sony's decision to open up its reader to eBook formats besides its proprietary BBeB.

The move was intended to allow the reader to compete with Amazon's Kindle, which was recently touted by Citigroup analyst Mark Mahaney as "becoming the iPod of the book world" and is backed by Amazon's extensive library of eBooks.