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E Ink shows concepts galore at SID 2011: snowboards, radios, thermostats, oh my!
E Ink's 300ppi 9.7-inch panel -- touting "laser print quality" and a ridiculous 2400 x 1650 screen resolution -- was just the tip of the e-paper iceberg here at SID 2011. The aforesaid display isn't shipping in any commercial products just yet, but given that OEMs are already accepting 'em, we were told to expect ultra-fine print devices in the not-too-distant future. The screen, which was jointly developed by Epson, truly did look astonishing up close, forcing us to get awkwardly close to see the pixels behind the pictures. Outside of that guy, though, the outfit's booth was splattered with concepts -- everything from an E Ink-infused snowboard (shown above) to a rugged radio. There was even a prototype sheet music reader (dreamed up by Lenart Studios) that looked downright outstanding, not to mention a thermostat that would have any Home Depot junkie swooning. Have a gander at the galleries below, and peek past the break for a brief video tour. Oh, and Burton -- you should seriously get on this. %Gallery-123942% %Gallery-123943% %Gallery-123946%
Ricoh's new electronic paper promises greater brightness, enhanced color
Color E Ink technology still has some kinks to work out, but Ricoh thinks it may have just taken a big step forward with its latest display. The company's electronic paper, introduced at SID this week, promises to reproduce images that are 2.5 times brighter than competitors' offerings, while covering a color range that's four times wider. To achieve this, Ricoh used a simple lamination method, layering three strips of electrochromic material between two substrates. Unfortunately, however, there's no indication that the technology will be commercially available anytime soon, as Ricoh still needs to incorporate its e-paper onto more practical screen sizes, as well as enhance the display's durability -- both of which sound like pretty major hurdles to us. Full press release after the break.
E Ink and Epson to co-develop 9.7-inch high-res 300ppi electronic paper display
It's pretty obvious that this year's SID Display Week is shaping up to be a stage for the 300ppi extravaganza -- Samsung and LG were first to announce their latest high pixel density LCDs, and then Toshiba chimed in with its 367ppi LCD for cellphones. Fortunately, fans of ePaper will also have something to look forward to here, as E Ink Holdings and Epson have just announced the co-development of a 300ppi ePaper display. To be exact, E Ink will be in charge of producing the sharp-looking 9.68-inch 2,400 x 1,650 display panel, whereas Epson will take care of the high-speed display controller platform to go with E Ink's part. No availability has been announced just yet, but stay tuned for our eyes-on impression at the show.
Bezos says 'stay tuned' on potential Amazon tablet
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos didn't confirm a Samsung-built tablet today, but he's not saying no -- in fact, the tell-it-like-it-is founder of the massive e-tailer suggested quite the opposite in an interview with Consumer Reports. "Stay tuned" was the answer, and then Bezos told the publication that if such a device were on the way, it would be complementary to Amazon's existing Kindle, as Bezos doesn't want to disturb the market for that "dedicated reading device." If we were to read between the lines -- which is often a bad idea -- we'd say that could pave the way for an Amazon tablet to launch without a sunlight-readable screen, but it could just be that a tablet would be pricier, while the Kindle could remain relatively cheap. Speaking of E Ink, the CEO said that a color version "is not ready for prime time." As of January, we'd agree.
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.
Flexible PaperPhone wants to get bent out of shape (video)
We love our smartphones (in part) because they're flexible, in the sense that they are mighty multitasking machines. Researchers from Queen's University in Ontario Canada, however, want flexible phones in a literal sense -- less five-tool player, and more master contortionist. Using a ductile e-ink display and elastic electronic underpinnings, they created a device called the PaperPhone that literally bends to its user's will. Curling the corners of the device isn't just for show, either, as folding the phone is how users navigate menus and make calls. We aren't completely sold on the idea of a bend-based UI, but we're definitely digging the lithe and lightweight phone form factor. Video of the new flexi-phone is after the break. Update: A second video showing the same 3.7-inch display in a wearable computer project dubbed, "snaplet," has been added after the break.
E Ink develops flashing displays for cloth and Tyvek, experiments with color FMV (video)
Yesterday, we found out that E Ink Holdings won't be releasing a new electronic paper display until 2012 and now, we know why. Turns out, the Pearl manufacturer has been busy refining its screen tech acumen, and extending it to a variety of different surfaces. The Digital Reader recently caught up with Sriram Peruvemba, E Ink's VP of global sales and marketing, who confirmed that his company has developed a SIRF display that can be printed on cloth, effectively turning any t-shirt into a flashing, black-and-white billboard. E Ink's engineers have taken a similar approach to Tyvek cloth, creating a display that could make your vanilla postal envelopes a little more dynamic. And, as you might expect, the company has been experimenting with an e-ink screen capable of supporting colorful, full-motion video -- though it looks like E Ink still needs to smooth out some of the grainy kinks in that one. All three demo videos are available for your viewing pleasure, after the break. [Thanks, Nate]
E Ink dashes hopes of a next gen display in 2011, but pencils in full-motion video for 2012
E Ink Holdings is brazenly making us wait until 2012 before producing a successor to its popular Pearl electronic paper display. One of the company's VPs dropped into CNET's offices to spill the bad news: developing and testing a next-generation display "takes some time", apparently, and it is sticking to a two year product cycle. Perhaps E Ink has shifted its focus to the LCD screen in Amazon's rumoured tablet. Or maybe it's still working on the Triton color e-ink display that left us so underwhelmed at CES. Either way, the monochrome Pearl has been knocking around in the Kindle and other e-readers for a while now and although it has better contrast than earlier iterations, it is still ripe for a revamp -- especially a faster refresh rate. But the E Ink VP did hint at some brighter news: the next-gen display, when it does finally arrive, could sport full-motion video. So far e-ink video has failed to go beyond a slightly jittery 10-15fps, so full-motion 24fps or 30fps could definitely be worth the wait.
Amazon tablet shipping later this year according to new tattle
We've got a pretty good inkling that it's coming -- the big question is when will Amazon finally ship an LCD tablet. According to DigiTimes, and its occasionally trusty sources at upstream component makers, when is defined by the second half of 2011. What's more, the media tablet will feature a Fringe Field Switching LCD display and touch panel from Amazon fave E Ink Holdings, a company better known for the technology behind the Kindle's EPD e-paper displays. According to DigiTimes, Quanta has received the manufacturing honors with production expected to peak at about 700,000 - 800,000 units per month. So yeah, the Amazon Kindle tablet won't be sporting a Mirasol display according to this gossip. Then again, it's only gossip so anything goes.
Bridgestone builds world's largest e-paper tablets, shuns consumers (video)
If you thought the Kno was unwieldy, check out these A4 and A3 paper-sized AeroBee terminals from Bridgestone. The company, best known for its tire commercials featuring adorable animals about to get run over, unveiled two new tablets with 21-inch and 13-inch (underwhelming) color e-paper screens -- the largest available on the market. You can check them out in the video after the break, but don't get too excited, these beasts aren't destined for consumers. Instead, they're being marketed to businesses which will likely use them as in-store displays or kiosks. Next step: coffee table-book e-readers. Though, we suspect In the Shadow of No Towers would lose something in the translation.
NoteSlate teased with new product shots, moves one step away from vaporware status
Look, you can't say no to a $99 electronic ink drawing tablet, but to believe that this here NoteSlate has any chance of retailing at that price you'd also need the naiveté of a child who accepts free candies from strangers. While we remain skeptical, said tablet's website has just been updated with a new stash of product shots and an in-depth walkthrough, which are kinda convincing if you ignore the price tag. The mono-color models are here to stay as well, though we should point out that there's a $30 alternative, already available, from Improv Electronics for those who need nothing more than just doodling. Otherwise, keep an eye out for the NoteSlate come June. [Thanks, Eddie]
Bookeen shows off FMV on a standard E Ink Pearl display (video)
The details are few with this one but really it's the highlights that matter here: Bookeen has managed to get smooth full-motion video to play on an E Ink Pearl display. Yes, the same sort that delivers agonizingly slow refreshes on the latest Kindles and such. It's a simple H.264-encoded clip (the same one with the chubby rabbit you've probably seen a dozen times before) played on a TI OMAP3621 processor. Power consumption in this mode is said to be no more than a non-backlit LCD, which is quite frugal indeed. No word on which actual readers this will debuting in, but according to E-Ink-Info.com it will be "available on the next-gen e-readers to appear soon." Check out the demo embedded below.
BAE Systems develops e-ink camo for tanks and war zone e-readers
BAE Systems, long known for its wargadgets that blind and obfuscate, has recently announced that it is developing an e-ink camouflage system that displays images on the side of a vehicle which reflect the environment -- and which change in real time. This is well-suited for areas such as those found in Afghanistan, where terrain can vary from plain ol' desert beige to a lively and vibrant green, and -- provided it doesn't break down in the desert sand -- probably seems a lot more convincing than paint on metal. (We also wonder if this technology will work on cocktail dresses.) The company hopes to have a prototype within four years, while for our part we hope to have our troops out of the region in much less time than that.
Hanvon brings world's first color E Ink reader to CES, we go hands-on (video)
Hanvon is aiming to fill the chasm between monochromatic e-readers and color LCD-based tablets at CES this year with its all-new color e-reader. It features the famed 9.7-inch color E Ink panel, the first of its kind, and offers the rather spectacular resolution of 1200 x 1600. We managed to spend a few precious moments with a prototype unit and were impressed by the solid and thin construction and the excellent viewing angles on offer. Sadly, there's plenty of bad news here too: the E920's colors are muted and not really on par with what you'd expect from even a mediocre LCD, refresh rates are pretty glacial, and the touchscreen functionality is of the resistive kind, meaning you'll have to resort to using the integrated stylus for navigation. The biggest downer, however, is that China, the first market for this e-reader, won't be getting it until May at the earliest. That's a long time to wait for a $500-ish slate. Video after the break. Update: There was some initial confusion about the device's name and specs, which has since been rectified and the post updated accordingly. [Thanks, Michalis] %Gallery-113561%
KDDI's biblio Leaf SP02 priced, due out Christmas Day in Japan (update)
E-readers are flooding the market these days, and KDDI has delivered its most recent offering just in time for the holiday season. Since the biblio Leaf SP02's specs were first released, battery life seems to have grown to 13,000 pages, with presumably a few extra thrown in courtesy of its solar array. The device utilizes KDDI's LISMO Book Store and its 20,000 titles to obtain content, and if that isn't enough reading material for you, the company claims that five times as many titles will be available by 2012. All this can be had on Christmas day -- if you're lucky enough to hail from the land of the rising sun, that is. Update: Details on the e-reader, much like the device itself, seem to have gotten lost in translation. As a few readers have pointed out -- and our own Engadget Japanese editor Ittousai confirms -- the SP02 has an "open" price of around ¥15,000 (about $180 in US currency), with 3G prices ranging from ¥525 per month for data on a two-year contract, or ¥1,575 without ($6.28 vs. $19, respectively).
HTC job listing hints at an E Ink / 3D-filled future, new North Carolina facility
Months back, word on the street had it that HTC was looking to grab up emptied space in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park post-recession; huge outfits like Nortel bit the bullet in 2009, while Sony Ericsson shuttered its operations there and relocated to Atlanta. Naturally, the consolidation paved the way for other technology firms to slide in without overpaying for real estate. HTC has remained mum on the prospect of expansion, but it's fairly obvious what's in mind given the multiple job listings that have just emerged for a heretofore unannounced facility in RTP. Of particular importance is a plea for a Display and Camera Design Engineer -- HTC is asking that whoever applies for the role have some level of "familiarity with 3D display and imaging technologies," not to mention "familiarity with multiple display technologies (TFT-LCD, PMOLED, AMOLED, E-ink, etc.)." Of course, we've seen quite a few bullet points in our years that end up meaning nothing at all, but it definitely gets our gears turning. Could HTC be working on a reader / tablet that would at least partially rely on e-paper? Are we destined to see a 3D Android device from the outfit at Mobile World Congress 2011? Imaginations, here's the part where you run wild.
Engadget giveaway: win one of four Phosphor World Time E Ink watches!
We said you needed to be on the lookout for a giveaway back when we reviewed Phosphor's latest E Ink wristwatch last month... and, well, here we go! These lovely fashion accessories, which you'll find in today's edition of our Holiday Gift Guide, feature a curved E Ink display capable of showing two time zones of your choice simultaneously -- perfect for the geeky globetrotter. Though we can't guarantee it, we're fairly confident the winners will also receive the admiration of passers-by that happen to observe the watch on their wrists, so this is really a two-for-one sort of prize. Let's do this! The rules: Leave a comment below. Any comment will do. You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine. Contest is open to all residents of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad. Winners will be chosen randomly. Four winners will receive one Phosphor World Time E Ink watch. If you win, we choose which style you receive. Unfortunately, we're unable to take requests. Sorry! If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Entries can be submitted until Monday, November 29, 2010, at 11:59PM ET. Good luck! Full rules can be found here.
Seiko's 'active matrix' E Ink watch now up for pre-order
Does the time you spend at work away from your e-reader leave you crippled with the E Ink shakes? Well the good news is that Seiko's gorgeous atomic clock-syncing 'active matrix' E Ink watch we covered a while back is now available for pre-order via Amazon Japan. The bad news is that it's priced at ￥84,000 (on sale) -- which equates to roughly $1,022 based on current exchange rates. That's about five times more than Phosphor's latest 24 hour time zone mastering E Ink watch, or nearly enough cheddar to a buy one of Amazon's latest Kindles for everyday of the work week. Really, though, the price isn't too surprising coming from a respected watch company like Seiko, especially when you take into account its schmancy 180 degree viewing angle, geek-chic looks, and radio-controlled movement. Don't be misled by the 'active matrix' terminology however, because a matching leather trench coat isn't part of this deal. [Thanks, P-A]
Hanvon's color e-reader up for pre-order in China -- for just $530
We'll rarely be accused of being proper economists here, but we do have to question Hanvon's calculations in throwing up a pre-order price for its brand new color e-reader of 3,500 Chinese Yuan. That's the report coming out of DigiTimes this morning, placing the device at around the $530 mark in a market that's not exactly known for its rampant consumption of tech luxuries. Then again, what we're talking about here will indeed be the very first E Ink Triton-equipped device anywhere once deliveries commence in February, so there's the cachet of short-term exclusivity to look forward to. Or it might be very long-term exclusivity if nobody thinks that color is worth paying that massive premium over more conventional e-readers. We shall wait and see.
Samsung Zeal and its dual-hinge design now official on Verizon: $79.99 (updated)
If the paper trail for this handset wasn't enough for you, here's the first official imagery of the Samsung Zeal. It is, as speculated, a dual-hinge, dual-display affair, equipped with an E Ink keyboard that transitions from a four-row QWERTY arrangement to a dialpad depending on orientation. If you're thinking you've seen this before, that might be because you were one of the few to notice Samsung's Alias 2, which also called Verizon its home. The Zeal is expected to arrive in stores on November 11th, so you can expect this premature little cameo to be augmented with full specs and a price very soon indeed. Update: The leak has turned into a full-on press release. The Zeal will cost $79.99 on a two-year contract (after a $50 mail-in rebate) and will be available in stores and online starting on November 11th, as expected. Skip past the break for the full announcement. Having checked it out for ourselves, we've found that this isn't like the Alias 2, this is the Alias 2 ... but in black. Shame on Verizon and Samsung for building up our interest for what's essentially a soft relaunch with a freshened up nomenclature.
