What exactly is e-ink technology ?

[Quexos]

I've read about LCD, Plasma, OLED and so on
But I would like to know how does e-ink work.
So I was wondering if anyone knows of a good link to some article explaining it, a video perhaps ?

[ardeegee]

This link may help.

[JeremyR]

Is it just me, or is one of the most infuriating things about the internet when someone just says "Google it" or patronizingly gives a link to Google?

Like that actually helps? Google (like most search engines) gives you a bunch of really lousy search hits...

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

Is it just me, or is one of the most infuriating things about the internet when someone just says "Google it" or patronizingly gives a link to Google?

No, one of the most infuriating things about the internet is when people ask a question that can very easily and very quickly be answered by googling it. The top two hits give good explanations.

My using restraint was in the form of not giving this link.

[lene1949]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

No, one of the most infuriating things about the internet is when people ask a question that can very easily and very quickly be answered by googling it. The top two hits give good explanations.

My using restraint was in the form of not giving this link.

I use Google many times every day, as there's so much I want to know... If I can't find a satisfactory answer there, I'll ask... and I often feel stupid after I get the answer...

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by Quexos

I've read about LCD, Plasma, OLED and so on
But I would like to know how does e-ink work.
So I was wondering if anyone knows of a good link to some article explaining it, a video perhaps ?

Try here https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-paper

[GeoffC]

One or two members, I cannot off hand recall who, have attached samples of eink displays as seen through microscope. Not in the wiki, unfortunately, but in posts around the place....

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

One or two members, I cannot off hand recall who, have attached samples of eink displays as seen through microscope. Not in the wiki, unfortunately, but in posts around the place....

There a nice comparison with iPad here: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/...er-microscope/

and between Kindle 2 and Kindle 3 here: http://www.bit-101.com/blog/?p=2750

[astra]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

Is it just me, or is one of the most infuriating things about the internet when someone just says "Google it" or patronizingly gives a link to Google?

Like that actually helps? Google (like most search engines) gives you a bunch of really lousy search hits...

Yes, that's how I feel too.
On the other hand, sometimes it is the best solution. Who does have a few hours of spare time to explain such a complex technology as eInk on this forum? Somebody actually invested a lot of time into creating a perfect explanation in easy English.
Today, as a rule of thumb, it is better to try google and read some articles. If it didn't help then come to a forum with more narrowly targeted questions.
Obviously, I would not give a google link, but wiki link that I mentioned above? - yes. Why reinvent the wheel?

Unfortunately, the more time you spend on the Internet, the more often you come across people who are lazy and/or cannot be bothered to spend a bit of their time to investigate something, so they create a topic and hope that others will do the job for them. It is no less infuriating than getting "google is your friend" in response

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by Quexos

I've read about LCD, Plasma, OLED and so on
But I would like to know how does e-ink work.
So I was wondering if anyone knows of a good link to some article explaining it, a video perhaps ?

e-Ink is a display technology developed by e-Ink Holdings, Inc., growing out of research done at MIT's Media Lab, and often called "electronic paper". e-Ink is the designer, and licenses the technology to foundries who actually make the displays.

Wikipedia has a good background article on the technology here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Ink

e-Ink's official explanation of the technology is here:
http://www.eink.com/technology.html

It's popular in dedicated ebook readers for several reasons.

First, it requires no power to maintain the screen display once it has been rendered. Other devices using things like LCD displays require a constant trickle of power to keep the screen refreshed. The screen is the single largest consumer of battery power in an electronic device. A display that uses no power to maintain the display has vastly longer battery life, and e-Ink based readers may go weeks before requiring charging.

Second, many users of e-Ink devices find the screen easier to read for extended periods, and complain of headaches and eyestrain using LCD screens. (This is not universal, and has been the subject of a lot of debate on MR.) e-Ink screens provide an experience a lot like reading on paper.

Third, e-Ink screens are not back-lit, and are readable out of doors, where LCD devices normally aren't, unless the device permits turning the backlight entirely off.

There are drawbacks to e-Ink. One is lack of color support. Current e-Ink devices are all grey scale displays. If what you want to view requires color, e-Ink is not suitable. (A 12 bit color e-Ink display is available, but only one manufacturer is sampling devices using it.) Another is a relatively slow refresh rate. It's acceptable for static text and images, but utterly unsuited for things like video. A third is that because it isn't backlit, it's not readable under low light conditions.

e-Ink is under continual development, and current e-Ink displays offer improved contrast and faster refresh than early models, as well lower pricing. A number of vendors now incorporate e-Ink displays in their devices. See https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_devices for a list.
______
Dennis

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

No, one of the most infuriating things about the internet is when people ask a question that can very easily and very quickly be answered by googling it. The top two hits give good explanations.

My using restraint was in the form of not giving this link.

Yeah it could have easily been Googled, but I don't think there's harm in asking a community whose members you enjoy interacting with and who's knowledge you trust. Asking here also opens up a conversation for follow-up questions, and can lead into amusing discussion of related subjects. It's just a part of any online community.

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

One or two members, I cannot off hand recall who, have attached samples of eink displays as seen through microscope. Not in the wiki, unfortunately, but in posts around the place....

There is one of those photos on the wikipedia page for e-ink. Which is the first hit, when one googles the question.

[amoroso]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

One or two members, I cannot off hand recall who, have attached samples of eink displays as seen through microscope.

I have collected links to my own microscopic photos of the Kindle 3 and Opus displays, and similar photos by others

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

This link may help.

Check out that link now. Recognise the hit about four down? Poot! that was the sound of this thread disappearing up its own backside.

[Quexos]

If you don't want to help or are in a bad mood for whatever personal reason, then just don't answer at all. Your irony is not needed and does not help the issue.
Also what are you doing in a forum where people talk to people and ask questions to people since it can all be done with google.

As for the others, thanks for the input :-)

Originally Posted by ardeegee

No, one of the most infuriating things about the internet is when people ask a question that can very easily and very quickly be answered by googling it. The top two hits give good explanations.

My using restraint was in the form of not giving this link.