Fujitsu FLEPia - world's first e-reader with color e-paper

[MikeF74]

You could definitely take it a step further...

No need to use a manual download at the circulation counter when you have the wireless capabilities. Books would expire automatically after X number of days of the reader not being in proximity of the school for reauthorization (say 90 days). This would keep licensing costs down.

If there were numbered buttons like on the Sony, sidebar graphics could be expanded to full screen by pressing the corresponding number (See Figure 1 -- student would press #1 for a full screen image).

If intended for grammar school though, I think one of two things would need to happen. Either the books are very hardened -- rubberized with a hard cover, or each student gets two eBook readers. One for school and one for home. In either case, the price would have to come down to about $150 each for the schools to really take notice. Not only that, but the infrastructure would need to be in place for distribution and rights management of works. It would have to be idiot-proof from the teachers perspective. Either that, or do what my grammar school did... have the students be the IT people.

[fugsly]

For schools the books would have to be extremely hardy and very, very cheap - along the same lines as the $100 laptop. They may not be pretty but they do the job. After all, how many would get lost or broken in an average year? I think it's brilliant that students would get access to so many more books for free, could even help to cut the famous class divide

As for the Fujitsu FLEPia - I think it looks really good and I love the idea of being able to read graphic novels properly The price looks a little too good to be true, I expect we will see that skyrocket by the time the readers released.

[maxk]

The screen looks a bit shiny/reflective.

Originally Posted by Aenea

You guys are old Amiga fans? Oh brother, what am I doing here, I always liked my nice black bombs on my Atari 1040STf better (Let's start a Amiga vs. ST thingy again for old times sake! )

BTW. I always kept a habit of not ever selling anything which made me happy at the time, that's why I still have 2 Atari ST's and an Atari TT in the attic collecting dust... (the emu's are nicer !)

And about the flepia's: can I have both formats? one for novels and one for tech books? please?

Aenea

I challenge you to an Amiga vs. Atari fight, my A500, A4000 and CD32 vs your Ataris.

[athlonkmf]

Originally Posted by rkellmer

If they get the price of this down to $200, and textbook companies would make searchable textbooks for it, this would be great in a high school or at a college.

Students could search their textbook, we could download textbooks at the circulation counter (I am a librarian), and students wouldn't have to lug around 30 pounds of books in their backpacks. Teachers could also send assignments to the students through the wireless connection. You wouldn't need storage rooms for all of the textbooks, and we'd save shipping costs and all the labor for processing of textbooks.

I can't wait to get my hands on one of these!

I remember, back in my student time, fujitsu was just a starting company and our school had a project where you get a fujitsu laptop with discount which you can pay off without interest in 4 years.

If these kind of devices are to be used for schools, I can imagine the companies to start some of these educational projects where they sell their hardware for cheap. Like I-rex right now in the Netherlands.

[AndiR]

I sent an email to FUJITSU yesterday enquiring about the FLEPia and this is what they wrote back...

Dear Mr. Andi Roberts,

Thank you for your interest to our product, FLEPia.

FLEPia is already released, however, it is available only in Japan
at this moment.
English version of OS isn't supported.

Regarding the global sales of color electronic paper, we are studying
if we can provide it overseas and if there is a need over there.

Best regards,
------------------------------------------------
Minako Koyama
Global Business Development Dept.
Global Business Group
Fujitsu Frontech Limited

I HAVE DELETED ALL CONTACT DETAILS BUT HAVE THEM IF REQUIRED - ANDIR
------------------------------------------------

So no news is no news :-( :-( :-(

I have replied and also told them to come over here and chat to us!

Regards from a sunny Spain, AndiR

[Azayzel]

Well... if that's the case I wonder if I can track it down. You should have asked them to elaborate on where in Japan it is available; i.e., city & vendor. Guess I'll be going on an easter egg hunt again and see if I can track this device down in the wild. I have time this weekend, so perhaps a trip to E-town in Akihabara isn't too far out of the question. I'll keep my fingers crossed!

BTW Thanks for the heads-up!

[Just4Fun]

The Fujitsu Flepia is currently being sold in Japan (according to the Fujitsu website). Here is a utube video link that shows a little more about the product. I apologize in advance if this link has been previously posted. I didn't see it, but that doesn't mean it isn't here.

Anyway, enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMz1i...eature=related

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by Just4Fun

I apologize in advance if this link has been previously posted. I didn't see it, but that doesn't mean it isn't here.

I haven't since this video before. Thanks for the link! Hmmm... color... so gorgeous!

[Azayzel]

Sorry to dash people's hopes (though, fortunately it's only temporary ), but the FLEPia is not currently available for consumer purchase just yet. My Japanese friend called Fujitsu last night and spoke with a few people regarding the availability of the device and where it could be purchased. They are still only accepting purchase orders of the 10 sample units, I didn't have her inquire about the current cost as I figured it was still the highly unreasonable rate we so posted earlier in this thread.

A little good news though, she has a relative who works for Fujitsu that she is going to contact to see if he has any current info so I can know when to expect this in the wild. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will be soon. Trust me, I'll be one of the first to give this a run as soon as I know it's available (probably be selling my Words Gear at that time too )!

Nice video!

[Just4Fun]

I'd buy this device tomorrow if it were made available in the USA. This machine seems closer to what I have hoped for for years in an ebook reader. I'd love one that was size A4. Unlike many people I'd like a larger screen than the current ebook readers offer. Color would be a huge bonus too.

I did just order a Kindle. It looks like it has some first generation problems and it isn't my dream come true, but it sounds like it is closer to offering a good book(at least fiction) reading experience. The Flepia, though,could open up a much richer world of reading for newspapers, technical books,color photos, etc.

Fujitsu has had a long and solid history in pen computing so I imagine that the user interface would probably also be very good. I have a Fujitsu 1500p and it is a very nice little computer.

[AndiR]

Originally Posted by Just4Fun

I'd buy this device tomorrow if it were made available in the USA. This machine seems closer to what I have hoped for for years in an ebook reader. I'd love one that was size A4. Unlike many people I'd like a larger screen than the current ebook readers offer.

Me too, but in Europe!
An English OS would be an asset!
For me A4 is crucial!

Regards from a sunny Spain, AndiR

[AndiR]

Dear Mr. Andi Roberts,

We have no chains of stores or an online retailer.
If a customer want to bought FLEPia, they need to contact our
sales person, however, it is also available in Japan only.

Best regards,
------------------------------------------------
Minako Koyama
Global Business Development Dept.
Global Business Group
Fujitsu Frontech Limited

[Azayzel]

OK AndiR, just curious if you read my message a little above this one? The FLEPia is not currently available for consumer purchase, only for bulk-buys in groups of 10 to businesses, which roughly figures at ~$1500 each.

Instead of physically marching all over Tokyo looking for this device, I asked my friend to call Fujitsu and speak with the marketing/sales department. She called and I relayed what I found out. I'll be checking another electronics store tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure it's not out based upon the call to the source.

Trust me on this, once the device is for sale to the general public, I will have one in-hand tut suite.

[Alexander Turcic]

Here is a new video of the FLEPia:

[NatCh]

I think it's still got a ways to go in the "viewability" department.