[timezone]

There was a very remote rumor about Apple preparing an eReader despite the negative words of Steve Jobs. Here lies the problem. This year they are slated to bring out an extremely thin and light tablet PC. Of course it will have a reflective backlit screen that is bad for extended reading but it is these tablet PC's that can eventually crush e-ink. E-ink very quickly has to improve refresh rates and introduce color. With fast refresh rates eReaders could emulate page turning and do it well with a capacitive touch screen. Of course fast refresh rates could mean video. Even without the net connection there are lectures and other learning material that would be great on a small device. Still, even from just a pure book reading device the refresh rates better improve fast and not good if it takes another couple of years for color. I believe e-ink is in the race for its life against the shrinking tablet computers.