Copia Combines eReading and Social Networking

Copia is yet another ambitious eReading platform being introduced at CES today. Produced by DMC Worldwide, it’s a bit of everything: an eBook platform and store, a social networking gateway, and a full line of E-Ink eReaders. There’ll be a lot to say about it, and it may be hard to evaluate until it really gets going, but here are the main points.

Copia’s social networking looks a bit like a combo of the Kindle store and social book sites like GoodReads and LibraryThing. It of course can also grab your friends from other networks, like Facebook. The store will presumably have all the usual titles, though some very souped-up search and recommendation functions, some of them tied into the social stuff. DMC is also launching a whole line of eReaders in various formats: 3G or WiFi, touchscreen or not–it’s kinda crazy. Check out their site to see the whole line of six readers.

There’s an invitation-only beta trial starting now, followed by a public beta trial in March, with the readers becoming available for purchase in April.

What’s most interesting about the Copia platform, and what no one else seems to be offering, is the integration of the social networking on the eReaders themselves. As you can see from the photo above, you can interact with the social network from your E-Ink device.

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