Press Release

Blyth Academy selected the Sony Reader Touch™ Edition because it's easy to use with intuitive touch screen navigation, and its open format provides students with access to content from numerous sources.

"We're excited about how the Sony Reader can enhance a student's learning experience," says Tim Algate, Reader Product Manager with Sony Canada. "We'll be listening to these students, using their feedback to evolve our Reader offering for education."

The school has compiled a library of digital content from textbook publishers like Pearson and other class material and literature in digital format.  Blyth will give students access to digital assets for university admission, offering everything they need to chose and apply to any university.     

"The digital content we've acquired, coupled with the students' Sony Readers, will dramatically improve student access to textbooks, collateral material, literature and reading in general," said Sam Blyth, Chair, Blyth Academy. "Our student survey shows that they are twice as likely to read a book available in an e-book format as in hard copy form."

Helping lead the way in delivering digital content for education are publishers like Pearson Canada.

"Pearson Canada is taking students beyond the four corners of the printed textbook," said Anne-Marie Scullion, Vice President of Marketing Field Services, Pearson Canada.  "Our focus is on developing flexible and adaptive content to engage students in a 21st century learning environment."

Students will also have access to more than half a million free e-books from Google through the Sony eBook store at http://www.ebookstore.sony.com/, as well as the e-books offered by the Toronto Public Library.

About Blyth Academy

Blyth Academy is one of Canada's largest providers of private education. It owns and operates three high school campuses in the Toronto region and operates international accredited programs in 28 countries around the world. For more information, visit http://www.blytheducation.com/. 

About the Sony Reader

The Sony Touch Edition™ Reader is a portable electronic reading device that can store up to 350 eBooks, and allows access to multiple file formats.  Its award-winning industrial design features an E Ink® Vizplex™ electronic paper display that mimics the look of ink on paper. The Reader features a six-inch touch screen panel that enables page turning, highlighting and note taking with the swipe of a finger or by using the included stylus pen. Readers can take handwritten notes with the stylus pen or type with the virtual keyboard. It includes an integrated English Dictionary that allows you to look up a word by simply tapping on it. It also offers five adjustable font sizes, as well as media expansion slots, making your portable library virtually limitless. Visit www.sonystyle.ca/reader for more information.

About Pearson Canada School Division

Every day Pearson resources touch the lives of teachers and students in Canadian classrooms. Our research-based print and digital programs, assessment tools, and educational services are designed to help teachers make a lasting impact on learning for every student. Pearson is Canada's leading educational publisher, developing resources for all core curriculum subjects K-12: Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and French as a Second Language. We see the diversity of Canada's students as a strength and are committed to developing a full array of core curriculum, supplementary, assessment, professional, and early learning resources to help students of all ages learn at learn at their own pace, and in their own ways. Visit www.pearsoncanada.ca/school  for more information.

For information, and to schedule an interview, please contact:

Brandon Kerstens                                                                Candice Hayman
Director of Development                                                     Public Relations Specialist
Blyth Academy                                                                      Sony of Canada Ltd.            
brandon@blytheducation.com                                          Candice_hayman@sony.ca
416-960-3552                                                                      416-718-5048

Anne-Marie Scullion
VP, Marketing Field Services
Pearson Canada
Anne-Marie.Scullion@Pearsoned.com
416-386-3465

About Sony of Canada Ltd.

Established in 1955, Sony of Canada Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation, of Tokyo, Japan, a world leader in High Definition.  Sony provides end-to-end solutions through products that include the market-leading Blu-ray Disc™ players, BRAVIA® televisions, Cyber-shot® digital cameras, Handycam® Camcorders, VAIO® computers, broadcast cameras, IPELA security cameras and video conferencing and many more products that deliver the true entertainment experience.

Sony is one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world with a portfolio that includes electronics, music, movies, games and online businesses. 

With headquarters in Toronto, sales offices in Vancouver and Montreal and distribution centres in Coquitlam, British Columbia, and Whitby, Ontario, approximately 1,200 employees support a network of more than 500 authorized dealers and 67 Sony Style retail locations across Canada.                                                                                               

Sony Canada is proud to support the communities in which it operates through corporate sponsorships of organizations that include the Make-A-Wish® Canada, the United Way of Canada and Earth Day Canada. 

For more information contact:                                                  
Candice Hayman
Sony Canada Public Relations
(416) 718-5048                                                        
Candice_hayman@sony.ca