Polymer Vision unveils "Cellular-Book" with rollable display

Phillips spin-off Polymer Vision looks to be making fast work on its most recent promise to commercialize its foldable display this year, with the company set to officially unveil the first product to use the would-be paper killer at next week's 3GSM conference in Spain. Somewhat awkwardly dubbed the "Cellular-Book," the device will initially be offered by Telecom Italia (in Italy, naturally) although it appears to be more book than cellular. The main bit of kit is, of course, that rollable, foldable display, which can extend to a full five inches yet still wrap up into a device "smaller than the typical mobile phone." The cellular part of the equation comes in the form of a combination of EDGE, UMTS, and DVB-H capabilities, which will give you access to an array of different services viewable in 16 levels of gray, including e-mail. RSS feeds and, of course, e-books, which you'll be able to purchase through Telecom Italia's mobile network. Though they won't make as heavy use of that display, you'll also be able to load up the device with music and podcasts, with a relatively hefty 4GB of storage provided to satisfy your media appetite. Unfortunately, there's no word on price or a launch date just yet, though that would seem to be likely detail to be revealed at the big unveiling next week.

[Via TeleRead, thanks Richard]

[anonymous @ Feb 6th 2007 11:29AM]

igolgcheapwowgold get the f#%$ outta here!

[anonymous @ Feb 6th 2007 11:33AM]

I would like to see one that is about 8.5x11 in size

[oshean @ Feb 5th 2007 2:59PM]

Paper killer, tree saver. =)

[oshean @ Feb 5th 2007 2:59PM]

Paper killer, tree saver. =)

[gid @ Feb 5th 2007 3:23PM]

sorry it's been done
earth final conflict

http://www.jjambproductions.com/images/global%20link2.jpg

[Gil @ Feb 5th 2007 4:06PM]

Except this one is real.


Finally!

[Tyler @ Feb 5th 2007 3:40PM]

I think an episode of Stargate SG-1 ("Groundhog Day" maybe?) showed a character using something similar as well.

[Bennyishere @ Feb 5th 2007 4:06PM]

It's hawt :D

[Sam K @ Feb 5th 2007 4:17PM]

If this actually comes to fruition. . . I will SO be buying one.

[harmon wood @ Feb 5th 2007 4:31PM]

Yeah, so it's been done before. In science fiction. But I've been waiting for one of these ever sense I saw it on star trek. oh, and the name of the episode is "Cause and Effect."

...Geek's they can never get it correct.

Gene Roddenberry also come up with the Ion Drive back in 1968("Spock's Brain") but that did not stop us from building one and putting it on Deep Space 1 in 1998 either.

[CharlieX @ Feb 5th 2007 5:00PM]

You guys act like a "full five inches" is something to be impressed by. . .

(goes back to important office work)

[anonymous @ Feb 6th 2007 11:31AM]

it's not size that matters most, but how you use it.

[Randavance @ Feb 5th 2007 5:33PM]

I have a feeling I'm gonna get this thing as soon as possible once it comes out. Screw paper, I want constant information like that at all times. It would be awesome to be able to read the paper on the bus and not look like a middle aged business man. But then screw the paper, I would just get my news via google news rss feeds.

[Tracy @ Feb 5th 2007 6:31PM]

The integration of so many services suggests there is NOT enough profit in just an ebook reader. The problem is that without free reading of email (from computer) and other texts the thing just won't sell.
If you've ever done much reading on a Palm you'll realize the 5" is probably enough, the 64 dpi (320 across 5" ) is NOT. I'm sure all the failing newspapers would invest in a subsidy of an e-ink device to distribute their news and ads.
I had high hopes for this device but can't see myself buying it without being able to read my mail on the move.

[Alex @ Feb 5th 2007 6:50PM]

Meh, this'll be useful the day they come out with colour, and eventually the ability to be usedas a normal screen (video and such without unsightly lag).
Am i the only one to dream of a PSP2 or PSP3 using this as a screen, with the actual console reduced to the d-pad+analog+shoulder and triangle square X O+analog+shoulder on each side?

[FluXulF @ Feb 5th 2007 7:20PM]

Now make it 8 inch, true color, 1080p touch-screen, add a small laser projector (1080p as well) and a virtual laser keyboard, GPS, good speakers, camera back and front (HD again), 10 TB of storage and connect it to a 1 TB/s wireless global network, incorporate my keys and ID/credit-cards ... then I might consider actually payin' for it ;)

[anonymous @ Feb 6th 2007 11:30AM]

go buy a laptop if you want all that crap.. this is not that kind of device.

[John Doe @ Feb 5th 2007 9:41PM]

Make the rollup the size of a paper towel tube, in color and I'll chop off a pinky finger to get one.

[Veritas II @ Feb 5th 2007 10:01PM]

I like it. May not be optimal for many things, but I like the direction this technology is taking.

[Z @ Feb 6th 2007 7:04AM]

DVB-H on a 16-level grayscale screen? That sounds like loads of fun.

[Adina @ Feb 10th 2007 1:12PM]

This device looks like the communication device that they use in the T.V series Earth: Final Conflict