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Mirasol display gets lighting solution for reading alone at parties, bars
How do you solve a problem like lighting a Mirasol display? Sure, the technology provides something of a comprise between traditional E Ink displays and tablet LCDs, with full video and color, low power consumption, and the ability to be viewed in bright sunlight, but it still has some decided drawbacks: like a lack of backlighting. Qualcomm showed off a simple and elegant solution at this week's CES on the Hill, essentially embedding a book light into the device, lighting it from the front -- it's not the first time we've seen an e-reader arrive at this answer, but still, sometimes the easiest solutions are the best. The prototype shown off in DC this week had buttons on the rear for adjusting brightness, though according to The Digital Reader, Qualcomm will also be showing off a device with an ambient light sensor in the near future. The technology should be on store shelves this fall -- no word whether the device is capable of yelling at you for "ruining your eyes" by reading in the dark.
Mirasol-equipped Qualcomm reference tablet hands-on (update: Android tablet confirmed to be a mock-up)
If you were unaware, we're pretty psyched about the upcoming display tech from Mirasol. We were when we peeped it last year, and we've been eagerly awaiting this screen tech's arrival ever since. Despite promises from PocketBook USA that we'd see an actual consumer product at this year's convention (and even a leaked video), when we hit the company up they met us with blank stares and promises that we'd see it at CeBIT. All we were able to find was another Qualcomm reference device, which is still totally drool worthy and makes us more eager for it to hit shipping devices. The screen actually looks a bit improved this year, and we're not seeing the same yellowing that we've noticed in the past. You don't have to take our word for it though, we've got photo proof for you to feast your eyes on below. Update: We just paid Qualcomm another visit, and this time the folks confirmed that the Android tablet in their recent promotion video is definitely not a real product, ergo not the PocketBook Android tablet. We were also told that had it been the real deal, they would've made a huge announcement at CES. Ah well, we'll just have to wait until CeBIT. %Gallery-113302%
Pocketbook's Mirasol Android tablet leaked in Qualcomm's latest video?
Remember the Mirasol Android tablet that Pocketbook's been teasing about since late November? Well, this could be it. Spotted in a new promotion video from Qualcomm, this slate sports a front-facing camera, four soft keys below the outdoor-friendly color display (likely to be of the bog-standard 5.7-inch size), and presumably a volume rocker plus a mute switch on the left. Other than that, there's not much else to see here, but we'll let you guys know right away when we spot the real thing here at CES. Videos after the break. Update: Qualcomm's confirmed to us that this isn't a real product. Boo!
Qualcomm lays down $1 billion for new Mirasol plant in Taiwan, catering small and medium devices
Good news, digital bookworms! After months of rumoring, Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs has just announced that Qualcomm will really be building a new Mirasol plant over there. Specifically, the $1 billion, seven-hectare factory will reside in the Hsinchu Longtan Science Park to mass-produce small and medium flavors of said transflective display, meaning the Snapdragon maker will, for the first time, be able to churn out something smaller than the current lone 5.7-inch model. Yep, those must be the low-power smartphone screens that Qualcomm talked about previously, which sure sound delicious. Now, what's up with our little Pixel Qi?
Pocketbook spills the transflective colored beans, announces Mirasol e-reader for CES this year
Details are about as scant as can be, and The Digital Reader claims the entire announcement was a mistake, but PocketBook USA just outed what could be the very first Mirasol e-reader in a CES 2011 press release. In addition to the newish PocketBook Pro e-readers spotted at IFA 2010, the company will apparently showcase a brand-new model with one of Qualcomm's transflective color screens, and to commemorate the long-awaited occasion it's tentatively christening the reader "Mirasol," too. Early whispers suggest the device cost a bundle and won't have a fast enough refresh rate (12fps) for video speeds, but we'll find out the truth of the matter come the first week of January. PR after the break.
Mirasol displays slated for 'converged devices' in Q1 2011, followed by low-power smartphones
When we reported that the Mirasol low-power color displays were pushed back to early 2011, that wasn't technically correct -- Qualcomm just informed us that the company's cranking out panels even as we speak, and will ship them to OEMs this fall. So what's actually going to happen in Q1 2011? The formal release of Mirasol devices, of course. Representatives told us that the 5.7-inch, 220ppi XGA color display will appear in multiple products with multiple partners next year, and that they "will be in devices that are converged and look a lot more like a tablet PC than an e-reader." Following that, they said, the company will turn its attention to developing Mirasol for smartphones. We couldn't get Qualcomm to comment on a rumored $2b Mirasol plant, unfortunately, and there's no word on that color Kindle, but we imagine all will be revealed at or shortly after CES next year.
Qualcomm's Mirasol displays pushed back to 2011, Pixel Qi breathes a sigh
We don't know a soul who doesn't want a low-power color display that looks great in bright sunlight, but nobody's really stepped up to the plate -- not Pixel Qi, whose awesome dual-mode display sold out in a single day, and not Qualcomm, whose Mirasol has similarly been the subject of delay after delay. We're sorry to say that the latter has been bumped back yet again, as GigaOM reports the panels won't arrive till early 2011, right alongside their rival technology. Sure, competition's always great for pricing, but still -- what a shame.
Qualcomm building a $2b Mirasol plant after winning 'major client'?
Well, if this isn't a statement of intent, we don't know what is. Those good old market sources are reporting today that Qualcomm has set aside a cool $2 billion to build a new Mirasol display production plant in Taiwan. The chipmaker already has a Mirasol facility in Longtan, a joint venture with Foxlink, but is said to be the sole investor in this new build. The whole thing has apparently been spurred on by a major client having "already started the design-in process" after seeing production samples of the 5.7-inch, low power, color display. We can't know for sure who that client may be, but Qualcomm's been doing some real heavy flirting with Amazon and all those overtures might (might!) finally have paid off. Of couse, as Jeff Bezos himself said, a color Kindle isn't likely to hit the market anytime soon, and this new factory isn't expected to begin volume production until 2012, but we'll take a slow and speculative roadmap over no roadmap at all.
Amazon sees e-book sales surpassing paper versions, has Mirasol technology in the Kindle labs
Following the launch of Amazon's third-generation Kindle, company CEO Jeff Bezos sat down to discuss the e-reader business with USA Today. We'd recommend giving the whole piece a look-see if you just can't get enough Kindle in your life, but a few choice quotes caught our attention. For starters, Bezos predicted that Kindle e-book sales will "surpass paperback sales sometime in the next 9 to 12 months," and that "sometime after that, we'll surpass the combination of paperback and hardcover." Considering that the Kindle platform is but 33 months old, and that books are just a wee bit older, that's pretty impressive. In a separate sit-down with Pocket-lint, Steve Kessel -- Amazon's senior vice president of Worldwide Digital Media -- teased us all with regard to a color version of the company's famed e-reader. 'Course, we've known that Bezos and Company aren't too hopeful about such a thing in the near-term, but we've yet to actually hear the company confess to having specific color alternatives in the lab. If you'll recall, we found Qualcomm's Mirasol demonstration worthy of laud back at CES, and according to Kessel, "that's in the lab." We're also told that a slew of other color options are always in testing, though, so we're doing our darnedest to not get those hopes too high. It ain't working, but still...
Engadget Podcast 178: CES 2010 Day 4 - 01.09.2010 [Chopped n' Screwed Remix]
I hopped off the plane at LAS with a dream and my MacBook ProWelcome to the show of tech and glow, whoa will I make a big win?Jumped in a cab, here I am for the third timeLook to the right, and I see the CES signThis is all so crazy, everybody seems so nerdyMy tummy's turnin' from some cheese I ate at DigExToo much e-ink and I'm wiredThat's when the podcast man turned on the radioAnd the Miley song was onAnd the Miley song was onAnd the Miley song was onHosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul MillerProducer: Trent WolbeSong: Party in the U.S.A. (Chopped and Screwed)Hear the podcast05:00 - Pixel Qi screens to be used by a major manufacturer in 201015:30 - Qualcomm Mirasol display video hands-on in glorious 1080p19:35 - Live from Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo's CES 2010 keynote32:43 - Andy Rubin on multitouch in Android: 'I personally don't like two-handed operations'33:20 - Live from All Things D at CES 201040:01 - Dell divulges Mini 3 details, tablet (Mini 5?) caught running Android 1.6 (update: video!)46:20 - Windows Mobile 7 coming to MWC in February, not just 'evolutionary'59:15 - Boxee Box interface demo video Subscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)Contact the podcast1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
Qualcomm Mirasol display video hands-on in glorious 1080p
We just couldn't help ourselves. Qualcomm's Mirasol display technology has the potential to upend the e-book reader market, and possibly even do some warfare with the LCD-based slate PCs we've been seeing out and about. We already did a hands-on with the little 5.7-inch prototype Qualcomm is showing at CES here, which we have a hunch could be Kindle-bound, and now we've got a second, closer look with a full 1080p trained on the display to give you as good as possible of an indication. We also pulled away a few more tidbits about the tech: The display could be paired with a capacitive or resistive touchscreen, though it would impair visibility slightly (just as it's been accused of doing with E-ink). A best case scenario is apparently optical touch (like we've see on some all-in-one PCs recently), which has less of an impact. There are edge-lighting methods that would allow the display to be illuminated from lights built into the device that could provide even lighting across the display. The first display to the market will indeed be this very 5.7-inch, XGA version, which is 240ppi pixel density and a 6x power advantage over E-ink in a typical usage scenario (despite the fact that it's doing full color video). Our Qualcomm rep personally views dedicated e-readers as merely a "head fake," and that the category isn't going to be around for long -- which seems to imply that he sees Mirasol being used for a lot more than thumbing through a virtual novel or magazine. Alright, enough facts? Check out the video after the break, or download the full-res video from the link below! Download 1080p file (right click to save)
Mirasol shows prototype reader-like device playing back color video, might be headed for the Kindle
You know that Kindle you're so in love with? Man, that's so 2009. Mirasol showed up at CES with a display technology that's been in the works for around a decade, and it has finally reached the point where ODMs and OEMs are talking shop about integrating said panel into all manners of future devices. In the past, the company has stuck to making screens for relatively minuscule devices, but its latest display is a 5.7-inch XGA color screen that would fit just perfectly within your next e-reader. We spoke at length with executives, and they're currently predicting an ebook reader running Mirasol in Fall of this year. What we've heard "around" is that the device will actually be new Kindle running a Mirasol display -- we can't confirm it, but it sounds logical. What's interesting, though, is that this panel is not only color, but it can play back video when used with the right processor. In other words, a powerful enough Mirasol reader could double as a small tablet, and we imagine you could actually browse the web with some level of enjoyment. The demo we were shown (vid's past the break!) was nothing short of stunning, and we were told that it could scale up to fit within 9 to 10-inch slate / tablet PCs. It requires no backlighting whatsoever, and instead relies on ambient light to show its stuff. We were told that future devices would be priced competitively, even to LCD / e-ink rivals, and we can safely say we'll be bummed if we hear the word "delay" when autumn rolls around. Don't make us frown, Mirasol. %Gallery-81871%
Qualcomm's Mirasol e-reader to get game controller, Cheetos fingerprints? (video)
Don't get too excited, it's just a non-functional proof-of-concept (albeit one with that working, full-color Mirasol display we saw yesterday) but the kids at SlashGear have produced pics of the snap-on game controls that Qualcomm is musing as a possible addition to your next e-reader. And why not? If you're going to get a full-color, low-power device that supports video, you'd better be able to kill the undead on it during periods of downtime. Just so long as iDracula doesn't play here like it does on Android -- that would be a disaster. Get another look below (including a fine video of the display in action). And hit the read link for the full-on gallery treatment. We dare you.
Qualcomm Mirasol-equipped color e-book reader said to be on track for late 2010
Qualcomm's Mirasol displays have already found their way into quite a few products, but the company looks to really be branching out into some new territory with its latest prototype: an e-book reader with a full-color, 5.7-inch display. Of course, Qualcomm isn't planning to sell this one itself, and it isn't revealing any OEM partners just yet, but it has set the somewhat ambitious target of getting it on the market in the "latter part of 2010." From the looks of it, however, it doesn't seem like it'll have too much trouble attracting interest, considering that the XGA (220ppi) Mirasol display is not only full-color, but allows for video playback, is supposedly readable in direct sunlight, and reportedly has a "minimal impact" on battery life. Other details on the e-reader itself are expectedly light (and subject to change), but you can get a closer look at it courtesy of SlashGear at the link below.
Inventec's mirasol-equipped V112 smartphone goes on display
We couldn't get the thing to turn on -- prototype buffoonery, zapped battery, or a classic case of trade show jitters, we figure -- but Inventec's curious V112 was on display inside Qualcomm's booth at CTIA. Why Qualcomm, you ask? Well, Qualcomm owns Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, which has been pushing its mirasol display tech for several years now; the main draw is that it's super high-contrast which eliminates the need for a backlight in many situations where a traditional LCD would need a little help, and the WinMo-powered V112 uses a small mirasol strip as a secondary display surrounded by nav controls. Even though we weren't getting any Windows Mobile action, we did manage to engage the mirasol display (also known as "the cool part") where we saw an example of what the V112 might be able to do without turning on the battery-destroying LCD up top: show basic status information and the current time. It's a good idea; we're not sure that the V112's implementation is perfect since there's zero tactility to the d-pad, but you've got to start somewhere, and mirasol could use as many commercial implementations as it can get.
Qualcomm adds mirasol display to Inventec V112 now, LG handsets later
Last time we Qualcomm's mirasol display in action, it was still enjoying its black-and-white simplicity. While the ultra-efficient, ambient light-loving technology hasn't gone through that Pleasantville epiphany just yet, a 1.1-inch bichrome mirasol touchscreen has found its way onto Inventec's V112 Smartphone alongside a decidedly more colorful bigger brother. It'll serve to show time, incoming and missed calls, email and SMS alerts, MP3 song information, and other information that doesn't require a lot of space or hue. As for the phone itself, we've got GPS, WiFI, Bluetooth, a three megapixel camera, and no word on pricing or availability. Additioanlly, Inventec has announced an agreement with LG to include use mirasol -- presumably also as secondary screens -- into one more commercial handsets sometime in the future. A great deal for Qualcomm, for sure, but how about a few more details on what exactly those phones will be? Read - Inventec V112Read - LG mirasol agreement
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Qualcomm's mirasol display tech shuffles into GPS prototype
Qualcomm's mirasol display technology has had quite a rough time gaining mass appeal, but if it could really break into, say, the GPS market, it might just be onto something. Here at CES, G-CORE will be showcasing the first ever GPS device to utilize the tech, though it's probably not the GPS you're dreaming of. The Mini Caddy is simply a GPS Range Finder, though the application makes sense given just how frequently such a device will be viewed in direct sunlight. Within it will be a 1.2-inch bichrome mirasol display, 1GB of internal memory and map data of up to 25,000 golf courses worldwide. Obviously, no pricing or release information has been decided upon, but you catch the release in full after the break.
Freestyle Audio's waterproof Soundwave DAP gets reviewed
We've been impatiently awaiting the red carpet arrival of Freestyle Audio's Soundwave for a few seasons now, and at long last, it appears the units are shipping out -- or, at least one made its way over to cousin site Gadling for a review. The Soundwave is pretty much exactly what you'd expect: a ho hum MP3 player with a rather unsightly design, a disgraceful user interface and the ability to operate where the vast majority of rivals cannot. The reviewer noted that controlling the action was a pain, though the internal battery could keep the jams flowing for well over a day. Of course, the biggest boon is its ability to keep on truckin' while submerged in the pool (or the tub, whatever), and the included waterproof headphones were said to be surprisingly tolerable. Now, if only brown bags were waterproof...
Color mirasol-equipped Freestyle Audio DAP gets spec'd, no closer to release
Well, wouldn't you know it? Just after we bash Qualcomm for talking up its second color mirasol-based design before shipping the first, along comes a little justification of our actions. Over in San Francisco, said company is trumpeting an item that we first heard about back in May, but regrettably, it doesn't sound as if we're any closer to getting a release date. What we are told is the device's name: the Freestyle Audio Soundwave Ltd. Edition, or -- more formally -- the FA300. It'll boast a 0.9-inch color mirasol display, a waterproof casing, built-in Bluetooth, and a whole host of other niceties that we're sure to find out about before the next decade dawns. 'Til then, we'd suggest a hearty helping of patience.
Skullcandy to cram color mirasol display into MFM Pro headphones
Remember that Freestyle Audio player that was supposed to blow folks away with its integrated color mirasol display? Yeah, that one that still hasn't shipped? Qualcomm is apparently uninterested in that tiny little factoid, as it's proudly pumping the MFM Pro headphones as the "second color mirasol-enabled design for the US market." According to Jim Cathey, vice president of business development for Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, the deal with Skullcandy is being made to "move mirasol displays into the hands of more consumers," but considering just how long we've been waiting for the aforementioned DAP, we'd say the burden of proof is squarely in its court. Oh, and the ship date for these cans? There isn't one.[Via Slashgear]
