Bambook, the electronic reader product launched by China-based Shanda Literature, will soon experience a major functional upgrade allowing the device to render PDF files.

This upgrade will be offered to Bambook's users for free, according to reports in local media. Shanda Literature has also applied for some patents for this new PDF-reading function.

Shanda Literature's Bambook was officially launched in China in October 26, 2010, with the retail price of CNY999. Since its launch, Bambook has two major free-of-charge edition upgrades. The first upgrade increased the page turning speed of the product by 30%; and the second upgrade prolonged the Internet access period by 300%.

A report published by the market research firm Analysys International estimated that in 2010, the sales of electronic reader products on the Chinese mainland was about 1.05 million sets, a year-on-year increase of 168%.