[LDBoblo]

I took comparison photos comparing very directly E-Ink versus paperback versus hardcover. It's a shame that either nobody has seen them or nobody cares.

I'm going to post them in this thread too, in hopes of being helpful (not trying to get attention, but this is a common topic and my pictures address it very realistically).

E-Ink is not close to hardcover print in terms of contrast. It now compares somewhat well with cheaper mass-market paperbacks, and exceeds lower-quality newsprint in some ways. The white reflectance (the background whiteness) is lower than most printed paper, but the darkness of the capsules is significantly better than it was on first and second generation E-Ink. Font rendering seems to be improved for most fonts as well, to the point where heavier-weight fonts are not as critical for readability (this is largely a software thing though, not a hardware one).

If you came into E-Ink like I did during the second generation (Vizplex on the K2 and PRS-505), the current generation (Pearl on the K3 and PRS-*50) is a very welcome improvement, bringing it closer to the book experience. If you're coming in from hardcovers or higher-contrast viewing media, you'll still probably be disappointed. It's not there yet. It is a suitable substitute for cheaper paperbacks.