When will an ebook reader support writing a document, and surfing on the internet?

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Charybdis

But is this display only for OLCP child laptops?

These are supposed to be "drop in replacements" for standard 10" netbook screens, so they can appear on all device types using screens of this size. Pixel Qi is selling screens, not devices, so it is up to their customers what devices it gets used in. One customer is Astak, for the Astak Spectrum ebook reader, from the Wired article:

Despite the lack of extensive information or prototype, Pixel Qi’s partners are keeping the faith. Team Research’s Barry says that Pixel Qi’s technology checks out. Early versions of his company’s Spectrum are expected to be ready around October and he plans to show them at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2010. But even Barry hasn’t seen a prototype 3Qi display yet. In other words, even though Pixel Qi has yet to deliver the first sample of its display, Team Research is already scheduling a future product release around it.

Robertb first found out about Pixel Qi right here on MobileRead.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Perhaps if you want those features an table PC is more in line with what you want. Given the nature of eInk as it stands I think we are probably 20 or so years away from that. Or, a new technology may come out that makes it more likely... perhaps some type of holgraphic project type display that doesn't really manipulate atoms. Of course, that sounds like a power sucker.

BOb

Keep in mind that 20 years ago Intel invented the 486 featuring a lethal speed of 50mhz.

Ime sure things are moving a little quicker now, and I mentioned a few upcomings in this thread

[dmaul1114]

I think such a device will likely be in the form of some future multimedia tablet rather than a reader.

I'm interested in one as well as I'd love to have something with a large touch screen for reading and marking up academic PDFs, use as a planner, web browser, ability to watch videos etc. I don't care about e-ink as I'd seldom read on it for more than an hour--I'd keep my Kindle for longer leisure reading.

So I'm keeping my eye out for the rumored tablet from Apple and anything else similar from other companies.

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by Charybdis

Hello,

what do you think, when can we write and edit a text document on our ebook reader? And when can we surf on the internet with and e-paper based display? will it possible in the near future?

E-paper displays should support much more faster movements, in order to surf on the internet and write a documentum.

But it would be a killer feature.

This fall/winter you will see what you are looking for...I did catch you wrote "epaper" which many mistakenly exclusively equate to eink...you obviously understand that is not the case. Rather eink is a species of epaper display technology. There will be many types of epaper displays coming out over then next several years until one becomes dominant.

Along those lines are the displays from Pixel Qi...they will have the potential to do what you ask and are supposed to have the ability to be used to directly replace the display in existing devices using current LCD tech. And apparently they will, depending on use, use between 30%-70% less power than current displays. Still we have only see a hint of what they will be from the displays used in the current XO OLPC devices. Which, btw, are actually pretty cool for a gen1 mutation.

Right now the best device is a tablet PC or one of those fancy pens which use a special paper and record sound as well. I forget the name but I would have killed for one when I was in college last century.

[thibaulthalpern]

Originally Posted by Charybdis

Hello,

what do you think, when can we write and edit a text document on our ebook reader? And when can we surf on the internet with and e-paper based display? will it possible in the near future?

E-paper displays should support much more faster movements, in order to surf on the internet and write a documentum.

But it would be a killer feature.

If the purpose of a digital book is to actually read a book and interact with it in the way one would a printed book (e.g., mark it up, underline etc.) then why would you want all these additional features of web surfing and writing long documents on them? I don't get it. I wouldn't want something like that.

I want the digital reader to do one thing good, and that's allowing us to use it the way one reads a book which includes reading and marking it up.

[ruskie]

Web surfing should be doable with the current readers already. Atleast for reading articles and so on. No flash, videos, animated gifs etc... Just plain static text which is what I tend to read most of the time anyway.