Alternative to e-ink?

thegrendel · 12-02-2007, 01:22 PM

www.kentdisplays.com

Don't know if anyone has brought this up before. . . .

LCD technology, very low power consumption (image retention without power consumption, just like e-ink), very high contrast ratio, etc.

If Phillips and the e-ink manufacturers don't get off their butts, they may find a competitor here.

kezza · 12-02-2007, 03:04 PM

Throughout the website they put "no power" in quotes. A tactic that makes me think that actually it uses a very small amount of power that the manufacturer has deemed negligible but for legal reasons can't claim is truly zero. Thus "no power" can never be stated as fact, hence the quotes. Also, I don't see mention of the pixel density, nor are there very many pictures of the displays themselves. I suspect that e-ink is the technology of choice for a reason at this point, though the Kent LCD seems promising as an alternative, assuming the claims are true.

Barcey · 12-02-2007, 08:37 PM

Qualcomm has a document comparing the various technologies. It has a table on page 18 that compares the ChLCD to EPD (E-Ink). According to the table the screen refresh is twice as slow as E-Ink. If they can overcome this it looks like it could be a competitor.

http://www.qualcomm.com/technology/i...hite_Paper.pdf

RWood · 12-02-2007, 08:42 PM

I would be very surprised if it is as easy on my eyes as e-ink is on my eyes. Currently the eBookwise uses an older form of LCD technology and produces a very affordable ($125) ebook reader. It addresses the major complaint against e-ink, it has backlighting and can be read in low light situations. Even with that as an option I still choose the Sony for the clarity of the screen and the ease of reading.

NatCh · 12-02-2007, 11:09 PM

I think this is the stuff the put on a few flash drives (no, not the Lexar ones that use e-ink, some other ones). I ran across one in Fry's a year or so ago and was rather unimpressed. The color is good, nearly as my slightly color-blind eyes can tell, but the background was a similar gray to an old LCD watch, except that it was a little ... sparkley. I don't know how else to describe it: it appeared to have facets and sparkle like glitter, but pretty muted. On the whole, not all that great a reading medium.

Now that was a year or so ago, and I'm not entirely sure it was the same stuff (pretty sure, but not entirely), and who knows where they might be after a year, so salt that to taste.

SpiderMatt · 01-21-2008, 11:43 AM

I would love a good LCD reader. The advantages of having a color display backlighting can be important to me, depending what/where I'm reading (color is usually less of an issue). The two reasons I've prefered e-ink is the battery life and direct sunlight. If this technology has, for all intents and purposes, cured those ailments, then I'd love to get a device with one of these screens.

Anyone know what device this person is reading on? I think it's funny that the person seems to be reading Order of the Phoenix when none of the Harry Potter books have been officially released as ebooks.

spooky69 · 01-21-2008, 01:03 PM

I was going to ask if this would have the same problem with decreased contrast while viewing it from an angle, but I found this on the "Wide Viewing Angle" page:

Quote:

Though the contrast ratio is reduced uniformly in all azimuthal directions as the viewing angle approaches the plane of the display, it is still excellent. Seeing is believing.

Hmm...
You could extrapolate from their unlabeled graph that the contrast is reduced by up to 70% depending on the viewing angle, and probably isn't going to look very good at a 45-degree incline. Despite that, the backlighting and the (presumed) reduced price of the display would make this a more a much more accessible product for a lot of people who want an e-book reader but don't want to be out a few hundred dollars.

NatCh · 01-21-2008, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpiderMatt

Anyone know what device this person is reading on?

I'd guess it's a prototype that Kent Displays has put together to proof the concept. But that's just a guess.

12-02-2007, 01:22 PM	#1
thegrendel Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Sony PRS-500	Alternative to e-ink? www.kentdisplays.com Don't know if anyone has brought this up before. . . . LCD technology, very low power consumption (image retention without power consumption, just like e-ink), very high contrast ratio, etc. If Phillips and the e-ink manufacturers don't get off their butts, they may find a competitor here.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Calibre Alternative	schackenfeld	Software	29	11-27-2010 06:03 PM
Alternative to calibre	cnf	Sony Reader Dev Corner	38	10-02-2009 12:04 PM
Unutterably Silly The alternative alternative Friday Question 21 August 2009	Wetdogeared	Lounge	13	08-26-2009 09:47 AM
At Last: Front-Lit E-Ink, Flexible E-Ink and ... E-Ink Watches!	NatCh	News	1	10-27-2007 10:50 AM
E Ink launches next-gen electronic ink: Vizplex	Alexander Turcic	News	34	07-17-2007 09:25 AM

12-02-2007, 03:04 PM	#2
kezza Lowlife of the Party Posts: 266 Karma: 4038 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: seattle Device: nook, iphone	Throughout the website they put "no power" in quotes. A tactic that makes me think that actually it uses a very small amount of power that the manufacturer has deemed negligible but for legal reasons can't claim is truly zero. Thus "no power" can never be stated as fact, hence the quotes. Also, I don't see mention of the pixel density, nor are there very many pictures of the displays themselves. I suspect that e-ink is the technology of choice for a reason at this point, though the Kent LCD seems promising as an alternative, assuming the claims are true.

12-02-2007, 08:37 PM	#3
Barcey Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 8059866 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canada Device: Kobo H2O / Aura HD / Glo / iPad3	Qualcomm has a document comparing the various technologies. It has a table on page 18 that compares the ChLCD to EPD (E-Ink). According to the table the screen refresh is twice as slow as E-Ink. If they can overcome this it looks like it could be a competitor. http://www.qualcomm.com/technology/i...hite_Paper.pdf

12-02-2007, 08:42 PM	#4
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	I would be very surprised if it is as easy on my eyes as e-ink is on my eyes. Currently the eBookwise uses an older form of LCD technology and produces a very affordable ($125) ebook reader. It addresses the major complaint against e-ink, it has backlighting and can be read in low light situations. Even with that as an option I still choose the Sony for the clarity of the screen and the ease of reading.

12-02-2007, 11:09 PM	#5
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I think this is the stuff the put on a few flash drives (no, not the Lexar ones that use e-ink, some other ones). I ran across one in Fry's a year or so ago and was rather unimpressed. The color is good, nearly as my slightly color-blind eyes can tell, but the background was a similar gray to an old LCD watch, except that it was a little ... sparkley. I don't know how else to describe it: it appeared to have facets and sparkle like glitter, but pretty muted. On the whole, not all that great a reading medium. Now that was a year or so ago, and I'm not entirely sure it was the same stuff (pretty sure, but not entirely), and who knows where they might be after a year, so salt that to taste.

01-21-2008, 11:43 AM	#6
SpiderMatt Grand Arbiter Posts: 447 Karma: 1574837 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Arizona Device: iPod Touch, Amazon Kindle, Motorola Droid	I would love a good LCD reader. The advantages of having a color display backlighting can be important to me, depending what/where I'm reading (color is usually less of an issue). The two reasons I've prefered e-ink is the battery life and direct sunlight. If this technology has, for all intents and purposes, cured those ailments, then I'd love to get a device with one of these screens. Anyone know what device this person is reading on? I think it's funny that the person seems to be reading Order of the Phoenix when none of the Harry Potter books have been officially released as ebooks.

Advert

Advert