The secret behind the new Paperwhite: E Ink Carta

[xendula]

Originally Posted by doctorow

Device with an E Ink Carta screen.

I really, really wasn't going to do it, but after seeing that picture, I placed an order. Darn it.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by ottdmk

More important, I think, is Regal, and from Kobo's marketing for the new Aura it looks like the Aura has Regal.

According to a Tweet I saw posted from eInk the Aura definitely has the Regal waveform tech.

[soulfuldog]

The Kobo Aura tech specs states it has "Pearl E Ink ClarityScreen with low-flash waveform". Amazon strangely doesn't seem to make any mention of the improved refresh, it's only been stated in reviews so far, hasn't it?

Originally Posted by xendula

I really, really wasn't going to do it, but after seeing that picture, I placed an order. Darn it.

I'll be waiting for your review! I'm definitely holding off this year as I got burned so badly last year by the PW1.

[samhy]

Sorry, wrong anwser.

As far as page refreshes, Kindles and other readers have had settings to regulate them for a while now. Kindles have advertised fewer page refreshes, but in my experience I've always needed to set the page refresh to activate with each page turn, otherwise I get ghosting. I'll believe the claims of much better page refreshing when I see it demonstrated. I personally have no issue with refreshing pages with every page turn, so it isn't a big improvement IMO.

[Lbooker]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

A comparison to the Pearl Spec Sheet is worthwhile.

Dark:Light on pearl is 24:70
Dark:Light on carta is 19:74

Quite how those numbers get converted into a contrast ratio I'm not sure, but it certainly does have a lighter white and darker black.

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Reflectance has gone from 40.7% to 44%. A very significant increase.

1st gen EInk has reflectance of 32-35%
2nd gen (Vizplex) has reflectance of 40%
3rd gen (Pearl) has reflectance of 40.7%
4th gen (Carta) has reflectance of 44%

Still not quite paperwhite, but getting there!
(paperback paper is around 60-70%. Glossy magazine paper around 80-90%)

Combined, that is a 44% improvement over Pearl.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by jswinden

That's just business. Money talks, as they say. I'm sure Amazon made eInk a great offer to get exclusivity of Carta. In the USA, AT&T cut a deal with Apple wherein they had the only iPhone service plans when they were originally released. That pi$$ed off a lot of people who had 2-year contracts with other carriers! As for the other carriers, they should have bid higher.

EDIT: I'm sure it helped that Amazon is the biggest buyer of eInk screens. I suspect Amazon buys more screens than all the other manufacturers combined.

I haven't seen recent numbers but the last I saw for 2011 had amazon with nearly 70% share of eink's screen capacity.

And there have been reports Amazon helped fund Pearl manufacturing which is why, back in 2010 they were the only vendor with ample Pearl screen supplies: they had first claim on production. It thus makes sense that this time around they asked for and received an outright exclusivity window to carry them through the holidays, at least. After all, with Nook clearly cutting back on volume--if they even do a new eink reader--nobody comes even close to matching Kindle sales volume.

[Penforhire]

Obviously I need to stay away from handling these or I'll be tempted to upgrade my PW, which I am otherwise still happy with.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by doctorow

Device with an E Ink Carta screen.

That photo right there illustrates the need for frontlighting perfectly; without it, even the latest tech has a gray background.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Likely their exclusivity is due to them buying the entire first run of screens with that tech and probably only lasts until eInk gets higher production capacity up and running. Didn't someone do that when Pearl came out (Sony?) or maybe it was when regular Viziplex came out.

Amazon had the Pearl for the first 6 months, maybe a year, on the DXG and K2.

Originally Posted by crich70

(belated) Congratulations. Boy or girl?

Boy. His day to day existance is discussed in the What Do You Drink Thread.

[jlynton]

Originally Posted by doctorow

Device with an E Ink Carta screen.

What is the device shown?

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Amazon had the Pearl for the first 6 months, maybe a year, on the DXG and K2.

Ahh, I knew someone had it exclusively. (although it'd be the K3 not the K2).

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by jlynton

What is the device shown?

An eink reference design, apparently.
It's got their logo, anyway.

[Mivo]

I actually wonder how desirable a "whiter white" is. With the front light, I imagine it will make the display noticeably brighter in a dark room. I already find the Kobo Glo at the lowest light setting uncomfortably bright at night.