eink
Latest
Kindle 3 gets software upgrade, ready to soar into the cloud
Amazon has pushed out a new update for the Kindle 3, now operating under the alias of the Kindle Keyboard. This gives the well-buttoned e-reader access to some of the cloud features found on its freshly unboxed younger brother, and includes the ability to view any archived documents, notes and highlights you've added to that intangible pile of books and articles. You'll need to tether the Kindle to your PC, point your browser towards Amazon, and download the file corresponding to the right region and model. Excitable annotators can grab the upgrade now at the source link below.
Cybook prepping Odyssey reader with High Speed Ink System screen
It looks like Bookeen may finally be through teasing us -- the company is preparing to unleash the Odyssey, a reader sporting its High Speed Ink System. The modified Pearl E Ink screen has been shown off multiple times, playing back video and browsing the web. Now it will finally make the transition from interesting tech demo to actual product. Better yet, the 6-inch, full motion-capable screen has been paired with a touch layer, which means it could deliver a tablet-like experience with battery life closer to a traditional e-reader. Underneath the hood is a an 800MHz Cortex A8 processor from Texas Instruments and a WiFi radio, presumably for downloading content and browsing the web. The Odyssey is expect to start shipping in Europe in the next few weeks, but Bookeen has yet to reveal a price. You can check out the machine translated PR at the source link.
Amazon discounts 'original' 6-inch Kindle Keyboard: now starting at $99
Ready for another new Kindle moniker to remember? Here it comes! "Kindle Keyboard." That's the name that was bestowed upon the tried-and-true 6-incher today after Bezos unwrapped a touchscreen model and a low-cost variant that tout no physical QWERTY keys whatsoever. Now, the WiFi-only Kindle is going for as low as $99 with ads (down from $114), while the non-ads edition can be had for $139. Meanwhile, the 3G + WiFi Special Offers edition has fallen from $164 to $139, and the ad-free brother is going for $189. Naturally, all four of 'em are in stock and shipping today if the new blood just didn't do much for ya.
Hands-on with the Sony Reader Wi-Fi (video)
The Sony Reader doesn't have all that large a presence here in the States, where the market is largely dominated by Amazon, and, to a lesser extent, Barnes & Noble. The Sony Reader Wi-Fi does go a ways toward keeping up with the competition, offering up WiFi (as advertised), an infrared touchscreen, and the Pearl E-Ink display seen on past versions. The hardware is nice, though it doesn't feel quite as natural in the hand as the Nook or Kobo -- it did indeed feel light, as advertised, though it's hard to get a final judgement, seeing as how the demo product on the show room floor was all wired up. The software also zips along quite nicely, and pinch to zoom functionality is certainly a welcome addition in the e-reader market. Unlike many other Sony Readers, the thing also does well for itself pricewise, at $149. Hands-on video after the break.%Gallery-132193%
Sony's new Reader Wi-Fi is the world's lightest 6-inch e-reader with multitouch screen (update: powered by Android)
Sony's just been showing off its Reader Store for the Android-powered Tablet S and Tablet P, but it hasn't forgotten its more eye-friendly options. Announced at IFA just now, the self-explanatory Reader Wi-Fi (PRS-T1) claims to be the world's lightest 6-inch e-reader with an "enhanced" touchscreen -- the "enhanced" bit referring to its "Clear Touch Infrared" technology that supports multitouch for pinch-to-zoom, though it's also bundled with a stylus. At 168 grams (5.93 ounces) light and 8.9mm thin, this device packs a 600 x 800, 16-level gray scale E Ink Pearl display, along with 1.3 GB of usable internal storage plus microSD expansion of up to 32GB. The built-in 802.11b/g/n WiFi connectivity also lets users wirelessly borrow eBooks from public libraries -- a first for e-readers, apparently -- in the UK, US, and Canada. As for battery life, a single battery charge will keep digital bookworms busy for up to three weeks with WiFi enabled, or up to a month without WiFi (based on a half-hour reading time per day). Expect this ePub-compatible Reader Wi-Fi to hit the US and Europe in October for around $149, and it'll come in a color choice of either red, white or black. Press release after the break. Update: We now have confirmation that this reader is running on a heavily disguised Android (which is somewhat hinted by the buttons, anyway), so yeah, let the rooting begin!
Engadget Primed: all mobile displays are not created equal
Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day -- we dig deep into each topic's history and how it benefits our lives. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com. The quality of a mobile phone's display is arguably the most important factor to consider when you establish a relationship with a handset. It's inescapable, really. Whether you're playing a rousing game of Robot Unicorn Attack or (regrettably) drunk-dialing an ex, it's the one interface element that you're consistently interacting with. It's your window to the world and your canvas for creation, and if it's lousy, it's going to negatively influence everything you see and do. Today, we're delving into the world of mobile displays, where we're aiming to entertain and edify, and hopefully save you from making regrettable decisions -- when it comes to purchasing new phones, anyway. In this edition of Primed, we'll be examining the different qualities and underlying technologies of several displays, starting with the ubiquitous TFT-LCD and moving through the nascent realm of glasses-free 3D and beyond. We'll also be addressing the importance of resolution and pixel density. Finally, we'll be scoping out a handful of upcoming technologies -- while some are thoroughly intriguing, others are just plain wacky. Go ahead... buy the ticket, take the ride, and join us after the break. It's Primed time.
iRiver Story HD review
When it was unveiled back in January, the Story HD, iRiver's first entry into the US e-reader market, boasted all manner of exciting technologies, including an "HD" display and a souped-up (in e-reader terms) processor. Things have changed in the past six months, thanks in part to new Nook and Kobo devices. The other week, however, iRiver pulled out a pre-release surprise that turned plenty of heads: a partnership with Google Books. Are these features enough to make the company competitive in an already crowded market dominated by the Kindle? Find out the answer to all that and more in the review below. %Gallery-128506%
Kobo eReader Touch Edition review
When it first announced the launch of its eReader Touch Edition late last month, Kobo referred to itself again and again as the "David" in a reader market full of "Goliaths." It's not difficult to see why -- the company's chief competition in the space is Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sony, all giants in their respective fields. In spite of overwhelming odds, however, Kobo has managed to stay afloat, and even competitive. True to form, however, Barnes & Noble launched its own device a mere day after Kobo, which for most intents and purposes, looks an awful lot like the eReader Touch Edition. In fact, the devices were seemingly so alike that we created a head to head, in order to see for ourselves precisely what set them apart. The new Nook also managed to beat Kobo's device to market, offering a more than worthy competitor to Amazon's latest. The question with the launch of the Kobo then, is not only whether the David can compete in a market so dominated by the Kindle, but if the eReader Touch Edition has enough to set it apart from the superficially identical Nook. %Gallery-126284%
Qualcomm CEO confirms death of 5.7-inch Mirasol e-reader display, looks forward to 'next version'
Remember that Mirasol e-reader display Qualcomm was hoping to release this year? Yeah, it's not happening. Speaking at a press briefing in San Diego yesterday, Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs confirmed that the 5.7-inch panel has been abandoned after failing to meet expectations. Instead, the company will devote its attention to the "next version" of the technology, which has Jacobs feeling optimistic: "We have a really interesting roadmap -- we're starting out on e-readers because we figured having E Ink as a competing technology was a good way to get started. But if you think about the power consumption of the screens that are out now [on tablets], they're very bright OLED screens that use up a lot of the power of the battery. We don't today have as vibrant color as an OLED display - but we have a roadmap that gets us to a much brighter color." Presumably, this roadmap would include that low-power "converged e-reader" we heard about a few weeks ago, slated for release by the end of the year. Jacobs also mentioned that Qualcomm is planning to invest a billion dollars in its Taiwan Mirasol plant, which might help produce the kind of volume that, say, Amazon would demand for its Kindle displays. It's all speculation, of course, but Qualcomm certainly seems to have some big plans in store for the rest of the year.
Polymer Vision's latest display rolls up, still doesn't ship out (video)
Despite a litany of missed launch dates, bankruptcy filings, and corporate buyouts, Polymer Vision continues to trudge forward, and we're more than happy to ogle its latest flexible screen. This time, the new hotness is a six-inch SVGA display repeatedly rolled-up 25,000 times at a radius of only six millimeters. The resulting scroll is apparently slightly smaller than a dime. With that kind of repetitive endurance, this tech seems well suited for building that Readius-like eReader Wistron promised a while back; not that we're holding our breath, or anything.
Barnes & Noble selling Nooks for $99 on eBay
What do you do just before you decide to upgrade your old device with some new hotness? You sell the old stuff on eBay, right? Well, B&N doesn't seem to have any better ideas than you as it's started offering its classic Nook e-reader for $99 on the online auction site, undercutting its own price by $50. This is the WiFi-only dual-screen unit, as you might surmise, not the Color tablet that's been treading dangerously close to being a fully fledged Android slate. If you're an E Ink loyalist on a budget, this might just be the opportunity you've been waiting for, though don't blame us if Barnes & Noble comes up with a fancier, more lustworthy model in the time it takes for that free delivery to reach your door. [Thanks, Sheldon]
Kobo unbuttons for $129 eReader Touch Edition, we go hands-on (video)
Kobo today kicked off Book Expo America with the launch of a new six-inch, one-button touchscreen e-reader -- named, appropriately enough, the Kobo eReader Touch Edition. Priced at $130 -- $10 cheaper than Amazon's Kindle -- the pocket-sized device strives for a reading experience more akin to that of old timey paper books, courtesy of a Zeforce infrared touchscreen, new Pearl eInk technology, and a freescale i.MX507 processor for faster page turning. Click on through for more details and our impressions of this little reader.
Bookeen does real time web browsing and scrolling on standard E Ink screen (video)
Bookeen has already taunted us with an E Ink Pearl display hacked to playback clips of chubby bunnies without so much as a hiccup, now it's showing off web browsing and scrolling on the same screen. It's a little stuttery, as you can see in the video below, but considering this is the same tech found in the Kindle it's quite impressive. The trick is accomplished using custom software and off the shelf hardware -- in other words, nothing terribly fancy. So, while we sit here letting out exasperated sighs with every digital page turn, we'll just keep hoping Bookeen gets this in something we can buy soon.
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.
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.
