Apart from the backlight (which many people do like), a main attraction of the 1150 is the low cost. An e ink version would probably cost around $300, like the other e ink units out there. I don't know if it could compete. I suppose it would depend on what other features it offered. A touch-sensitive overlay might not add too much expense, but as I understand it, the touch-sensitive (as opposed to Wacom-style pressure-sensitive) overlay isn't transparent enough for a reflection-only display. Adding a side-light as well as the Wacom screen would probably bump the price up to the range of the iLiad.