Just as Apple [2] puts up some impressive pre-order numbers [3] for its iPad, Plastic Logic comes forth with some unfortunate news about its own Que [4]: the slick-looking ebook reader is being delayed until summer.

The Que is an interesting reader, with its focus on business--in the grayscale world (heyo!) of ebook readers, features like Microsoft [5] Outlook support, full integration with BlackBerry, and the ability to edit Word and PDF documents are impressive and unusual. But in the wake of the iPad announcement, everything looks different: suddenly, that easy-on-the-eyes e-ink screen seems like more of a liability, with its inability to handle color, video, or quick refreshing, and its high price. The highest-end model of the Que is an 8GB model with 3G, checking in at $800; in contrast, Apple's cheapest 3G model offers 16GB of storage, a proven app store, relationships with next-gen book publishers like Penguin [6], tons of press, and a $630 price point.

So the last thing the Que needs is more delay, but delayed it has been. Richard Archuleta, CEO of Plastic Logic, says the company needs a little more time to "fine-tune the features and enhance the overall product experience," which could mean just about anything. Regardless, we want to like the Que--but time is not on their side.

[Via VentureBeat [7]]