Here's a fresh take on the e-reader: Alex, a dual-screen e-book reader by Spring Design. It's a hybrid book reader and tablet, with what its designers call a Duet Navigator — a 3.5"color LCD display on the bottom and a 6-inch monochrome electronic paper display on top. Running Google Android, it lets you interact with the web via Wi-Fi or 3G.

The idea here is to use the electronic paper display for extended reading sessions, without sacrificing the immediacy of navigating the Web with that LCD display. You can save content you find on the web for later reading on the e-ink screen, or use the web as a vast reference source, looking up details, or viewing pics and video about what you're reading on the e-ink screen.

This looks like a great idea, but Spring Design is not talking price yet, a crucial part of this innovative design. If it's about the price of a Kindle 2 (now $259, originally $359), count us in. Spring Design says it's still negotiating with content partners, and that Alex will be available by the end of this year.

Spring Design, via Oh Gizmo