Video: ASU's touch-screen ePaper display evokes the future from the past

With the Kindle back in the news, everyone's interested in showing off their E-Ink displays. Here we have the latest video from Arizona State University's Flexible Display Center. Their new bendy display is touch-sensitive (stylus or finger) and makes us long for Apple's old Newton for some reason. Check the video after the break to see why.

[Via I4U News]

[Sabrage Posted Feb 25th 2009 4:37AM]

GOLLY MISTER THAT'S SWELL!

I'm assuming that the module beneath it is required for the touchscreen functionality and not flexible, right?

[Shinigami Posted Feb 25th 2009 4:38AM]

Love it.
Now where's my $50 eeeBook reader, Asus?

[h0rk Posted Feb 25th 2009 5:26AM]

its ASU not ASUS

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 25th 2009 9:13AM]

Newton was before your time obviously, back then we didn't feel compelled to say first.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 25th 2009 5:37AM]

Newton was before your time obviously, back then we didn't feel compelled to say first.

[Shinigami Posted Feb 25th 2009 7:02AM]

ASUS because they made extremely cheap laptop, which we call netbook now.
Now I want extremely cheap book reader with a screen like that - flexible, fast and contrast. I'm totally unhappy with $350+ offers.

[orangesrhyme Posted Feb 28th 2009 1:22PM]

Newton was before your time obviously, back then we didn't feel compelled to double post using different accounts.

[dishbreak Posted Feb 25th 2009 4:39AM]

Neat-o. I'm curious to see how flexible displays get applied in mobile technologies.

Maybe it's because the newton was before my time, but I don't get the reference...anyone else care to explain?

BTW, First. =)

[dishbreak Posted Feb 25th 2009 4:40AM]

D'oh. I guess I'm not first.

[SimonRichards Posted Feb 25th 2009 4:46AM]

Apple Newton, google 'eat up martha' for more info.

[Tohe Posted Feb 25th 2009 5:27AM]

Kindle 3?

[schtum Posted Feb 25th 2009 1:36PM]

NY Times crossword puzzle on a touchscreen Kindle would be win.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 25th 2009 6:52AM]

That kind of selective E-ink screens would be perfect for very thin email and internet devices. No need of a powerfull battery!

[frenchdressing Posted Feb 25th 2009 6:56AM]

I had one of these when I was a kid. You lift up the clear plastic and the writing disappears.

[barry99705 Posted Feb 25th 2009 1:03PM]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[eruh Posted Feb 26th 2009 12:04AM]

Me too. I had a pink one!

[avis Posted Feb 25th 2009 8:07AM]

Each page of a e-book can be a thin film....Those who complain e-book reader cannot match printed books, may eat their words now..literally !

[Ralph058 Posted Feb 25th 2009 8:16AM]

When you said retro, I thought you were talking Etchasketch. This is more better. ;-)

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 25th 2009 1:48PM]

Makes me long for a Magnadoodle.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 25th 2009 2:55PM]

I'd say that I miss my Newton (Messagepad 100), but I still have it in a box somewhere. I turn it on every once in a while and it still powers up and still has all my data on it, despite the fact that's it is about 14 years old.

Everytime I look at a pic of a Kindle and those fonts on it's display, I think of the Newton and wonder what took so long and why Kindle's so damn expensive? Then I wonder how I can get an eBook on the Newton?

[mastassmasta Posted Feb 25th 2009 6:02PM]

makes me proud i go to ASU.
SUN DEVILS!

[seancollinduffy Posted Feb 26th 2009 2:18AM]

Did anyone notice the refresh rate (instant) while he was drawing? an E-ink display with that sort of refresh rate must consume a lot more battery then say the one in the kindle. But, if all goes well maybe we can still see lightly better energy consumption out of a color E-ink display then an OLED . . .