Fujitsu to launch FLEPia color e-ink e-books in the fall?

We first saw Fujitsu's FLEPia e-books with the company's color e-ink tech over a year ago, but rumor has it they're finally getting close to launch. That's the word according to Nikkei, which says that the A4-sized readers won't feature an integrated backlight, but still be able to run for up to 50 hours on a single charge. The WiFi-capable unit is said to cost ¥100,000 ($941), but other specs are still up in the air -- hopefully they'll be changing the name as well.

[Via CrunchGear; warning, read link requires subscription]

[deyanimay @ Jul 14th 2008 6:46PM]

Do i see a windows key?

[drumdbeat @ Jul 14th 2008 6:53PM]

I see it too....

Just reassuring you there :)

[Darkroom @ Jul 14th 2008 6:56PM]

do i see an ugly ass piece of shit device?

[Lowest Ranked @ Jul 14th 2008 7:10PM]

You see a reflection?

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Jul 14th 2008 7:16PM]

I just see a big-ass ugly e-book that will supposedly run windows, but that's just a summary of what you guys said.

[Paul Dullford @ Jul 14th 2008 7:19PM]

Hey, there is. No... it can't be... NO! Vista! How slow is that going to be?! What was Fujitsu thinking when they made this reader? How did they manage to make Vista run for 50 hours on a single charge?
I know, Vista's unusability is purely perception. But I personally think the Windows key is merely Fujitsu's brilliant marketing ploy. Way to get attention, Fujitsu!
That's a pretty steep price, though. Probably because of the colour, but maybe half of it's to cover Windows costs. (Maybe they'll just run the mobile version -- or for that matter, Windows 3.11 Embedded.)

[PGP-Protector @ Jul 14th 2008 6:47PM]

If you really want e-books to catch on, you must lower the cost to less than that of a cheap laptop.

[RIMShot @ Jul 14th 2008 6:52PM]

More like "FLOPia color e-ink e-books in the fail" AmIRite?!

[weg @ Jul 14th 2008 7:05PM]

How does the color e-Ink work? I can't find any information on that, there's nothing in the referenced Engadget articles...

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Jul 14th 2008 7:17PM]

You seriously can't find anything on it? I'm just completely amazed...Wow...

[Alareth @ Jul 14th 2008 7:25PM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-paper

[weg @ Jul 14th 2008 8:08PM]

@CLUBSWILLIN: In the three linked articles, the only information about how the color is actually brought in, is 'Apparently the power-saving "RGBW" filter enables the device to display bright whites as well as deep blacks'. But since you seem to be very clever, I'm sure you can explain me how it is possible to show 4096 colors with B/W e-Ink and a simple colored optical filter?

@Alareth: Thanks for the link, that was very useful. Doesn't explain the color in detail, either, but the illustration gives me an idea how it works.

[Wwhat @ Jul 14th 2008 7:21PM]

It was about time they tripled the price of e-book readers wasn''t it.

[PGP-Protector @ Jul 14th 2008 7:34PM]

But it's color.

[Kaminix @ Jul 14th 2008 7:44PM]

There we go! Now we'll just wait for the prices to fall. :)
Hopefully the color ink readers will be able to push the b&w readers down even further. :)

[cyuzna @ Jul 14th 2008 8:04PM]

Kindle has this market locked down.

[weg @ Jul 14th 2008 8:10PM]

In the US, probably, but not in the rest of the world...

[steve @ Jul 15th 2008 12:07AM]

I agree. The ability to buy books and periodicals anywhere at any time, as well as browse my morning news sites, weather, etc. is way beyond what anyone else is offering... so far. The amount I read has probably quadrupled since I got my Kindle and I'm always browsing the online store and loading up on books I'd probably never hear of without the recommendations, user reviews, and downloadable samples. People can knock the design all they want, I find it to be near perfect in the function department and the fact that the device lacks "flash" may even help me to forget I'm reading on an electronic device and make it easier to get absorbed by the material I'm reading.

[JohnPombrio @ Jul 14th 2008 8:09PM]

The REAL surprise with this E-Ink reader is not the color but the SIZE! This thing is the size of a sheet of paper! Compared to the SONY reader that I have, that is HUGE! 8 1/2 by 11!
The A4 size is finally the RIGHT size for all sorts of material that does not work on the SONY and the Kindle. The color is just icing on the cake.
For instance, magazines and textbooks WILL NOW BE READABLE IN PDF. Before, they were just too damn small to read in the tiny display. Think about it. Someone buys a college textbook, spends a few hours converting it to PDF and passes it to the class. Shoot, two semesters of textbooks pays for the whole thing. Someone goes and puts magazines on torrents. Just PDF it.
So there will be two different readers once this catches on. The small one is like a paperback, the other like a magazine or textbook.
This may be the KILLER device that e-books have been waiting for.
Expensive? Yep. Very Expensive? Yep. But if it works, oh boy, if it works...

[lt.milo @ Jul 14th 2008 8:41PM]

"Before, they were just too damn small to read in the tiny display" - Maybe that is true for the Sony reader, but on my kindle, I just email the PDF through Amazon and get it completely converted to their proprietary format.

And as for college textbooks, there was a recent engadget post - http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/28/princeton-to-start-publishing-kindle-edition-textbooks/ - that says that colleges are beginning to publish textbooks on the Kindle store.

[xsirxx @ Jul 14th 2008 10:35PM]

BTW JohnPombrio, I have the latest Sony Reader and it has a better contrast than my old Sony Reader(the blue one) and I hafta tell ya after converting all my documents into the BeBB format it reads, they look actually readable.

I read about 99% computer books so carrying around 5 books at a time that are 800+ pages I love the sony reader - of course after the conversion to BeBB.

Look around there are some great programs that rasterize the words very nicely. But yea Im killing still for a bigger page and A4 would be SWEEEETTT!

note also Im just glad this thread hasnt started into a back-lit flame ware.

[diode3diode @ Jul 14th 2008 8:57PM]

A4 sized ereaders are not safe in backpacks. I can see buying this but at this price I would be crazy to want it. A cracked screen can cost as much as a 7" EEE pc.

Yeah, having this replace textbooks is heavenly. But only if publishers adopt this format which I don't see them actually doing.

[Wormbolt @ Jul 14th 2008 10:59PM]

I think they should call it Special Technique Ink, or STInk.

[Chris Taylor @ Jul 14th 2008 11:56PM]

The Problem with E-Readers and PDF mags etc.. is NOT the size of the screen. YES making it bigger will fix it but not because it was too small.

Its too low res but in "pixels" ie dithering. there is not enough shades. If they had a true black/white with say 16 shades of grey ALL mags would suddenly be readable I think. (32shades might be needed not really sure)

Example the sony reader is 800x600 My Fujitsu Stylistic LT is also 800x600 and the screen is just a hair SMALLER than the Sony Reader.

I can load magazines onto its screen full screen and they are readable. Sure its small if your eyes are not so hot its not going to be readable but if you have good eyes you can read it just fine.

Its the dithering and "color depth" that kill them. Those programs to convert these. Well thats what they do. They try to intelligently reduce the color depth so that the letters "pop" as black instead of unreadable shades of grey that the unit can not display.

Color WILL be nice. Even 256color would be nice with some dithering.

[Fanfoot @ Jul 14th 2008 11:56PM]

You know how HDTVs are moving to designs that involve VERY THIN BORDERS around the screen.

How about eBook reads do that?

[eddy @ Jul 15th 2008 1:54AM]

Yikes, too rich for my blood right now. I thought the Kindle (which I'm currently trying to save up for by selling off all my books and such on Half.com/eBay) was a bit pricey for me, but I still desperately want one. $900+ is just not reasonable right now though, color or not.

That said, I understand why it costs that much - the color e-ink technology is pricey right now. Think of how much Blu-Ray recorders/media cost right now and how much they'll cost in a few years. New media/technology, high cost.

Ultimately, I'll be fine with a Kindle for now.

[pfromg @ Jul 15th 2008 6:19AM]

these things need to :
stop looking like an old fashioned tv.
get thinner screen borders (no borders at all would be best).
have less buttons (no buttons at all would be best).
be touch screen.
Get redesigned by a firm design that has style & design skills(obviously they don't have any such skills).

Then, and only then will these devices begin to be interesting.
I would currently not be seen dead , anywhere, reading one of these 80's anti-cool devices.

If they don't get them it looking right, nobody will buy them.

[qaz @ Jul 15th 2008 6:36AM]

super mega ultra cool!
on the right way

If it gonna be enough thing I am buying one (less then 10 mm)

[tekdroid @ Jul 15th 2008 9:04AM]

how to make things appealing:

1) make sure your product is photographed in front of a drab grey background.

2) make sure your product, while advertising colour, is in the OFF state, showing drab grey.

3) make sure your product looks has the same drab grey buttons as the background (and screen).

4) give your product a utilitarian design with harsh edges. Just the perfect piece of electronic kit to snuggle up to before u go to bed...or slice your partner's wrist off with.

5) Make sure one is drab silver/grey (ie. male) and make the other a 'wild' muted purplish-pink (female).

6) enjoy successful colour e-book acceptance!

[joe master @ Jul 15th 2008 5:40PM]

The display is three times the cost of E-Ink and in a year it will be $400-$450. It will not crack because it is made of plastic substrates unlike the E-Ink. It is not the same technology as E-Ink it is Cholesteric LCD. There is more also that is not a Windows or Vista button you see there.

Also notice they offer two different sizes. soem people want a large devioce and some want smaller. I think that is a huge advantage where the E-Ink folks assume you all want 6".

[joe master @ Jul 15th 2008 5:45PM]

it has 16 gray levels and is XGA resolution. (1028 x 768?) it has a touchscreen also.

Regarding borders. You need some borders to hold onto otherwise you will smudge the display with fingerprints.

[joe master @ Jul 15th 2008 5:47PM]

It has a touch screen
It is XGA resolution
It has 16 levels of gray.

Think about this. You do need some border just to hold the display. Otherwise you smudge the screen with your fingerprints.

[Infernoz @ Jul 20th 2008 12:49PM]

WTF, this price is about double what it should be, are Fujitsu braindead? Anyone would have to be desperate or have more money than sense to buy this instead of a Netbook, especially in a recession, moving towards a depression!

A 10" 'netbook' (1.3Kg), even with an external, high power battery pack (300g to 1Kg), is much cheaper than this, and still lighter and more compact that two large reference books (2 to 3Kg).

All the e-book devices, so far, have been way too expensive, too small, often both; the manufacturers really need to figure out how to drastically cut the cost of these devices or they will remain rich peoples toys i.e. loss makers.