Wouldn't it be nice not just to talk about e-paper technology but to actually own one of these nifty e-book readers that resemble real paper better than anything else we have seen? Now there's hope to believe that the situation will improve soon. According to a report (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20050510A7036.html) from Digitimes, Prime View International (PVI (http://www.pvi.com.tw/index_en.php)), a Taiwan-based panel maker specializing in smaller-sized panel production, will acquire Royal Philips Electronics' electrophoretic display business and is planning to begin volume production of e-paper (Sony) products in Q4 2005:

According to Liu [vice chairman of PVI], PVI has successfully tested electrophoretic displays made using a 6-inch panel and the company is scheduled to volume produce products for Sony starting from the fourth quarter. Sony was a major customer of the Philips unit, with the Japanese firm introducing its Librie e-book based on the technology last year.
Sony is in the game again, and we hope they've learned from their mistakes (we absolutely don't want another Librie fiasco).

Sony is in the game again, and we hope they've learned from their mistakes (we absolutely don't want another Librie fiasco).

Well let's see...

Sony is still pushing their worthless Memory Stick format - after it's been proven that it's a market failure.

Sony only recently realized that people have MP3 files and won't use a player that doesn't support MP3.

For an eBook device to take off, it will probably support some sort of DRM, but it must also support open formats - without the need to use priprietary software on closed systems to "convert" the open format. It will also have to embrace standard memory expansion (i.e. no memory stick - or if they use it, the device must also support something like SD).

Sony has shown time and again that they have the ability to do it. But they keep listening to the morons in their company that think that "proprietary" = "good". As consumers, we all know that "proprietary" = "good" is only for companies. For consumers "proprietary" always = "bad".

Why!? *bangs head against wall*

Why!? *bangs head against wall*
Perhaps Sony has suicidal tendencies.

A small update on PVI (source = digitimes (http://www.digitimes.com/displays/a20050810A7041.html) again):

After having losses for the first half of this year, Prime View International (PVI), a Taiwan-based small-to-medium-size panel maker, is expected to turn profitable this quarter, according to sources. The company also indicates that its e-paper yields have reached nearly 90%.
Currently Royal Philips Electronics is the company’s client, and PVI is aggressively looking to expand its client line-up, the company said. It is also reallocating its capacity, with one fourth of its capacity to be used for unspecified niche products, another one fourth for e-paper, with the remaining capacity used for standard products.

Looks like they're really ramping up production, now let's hope something good comes out :)

That's good news. Now I am hoping that they will add e-book readers to their product line... imagine reading e-books on a med-sized ad panel ;)

With the introduction of the Playstation Portable, Memory sticks have dropped in price and become much more common.