MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Will color tablets replace e-ink readers in the short term?

azazel1024 · 03-09-2012, 10:10 AM

Depends on what is next for eInk readers. Now that I own one, you'd have to pull my eInk reader out of my cold, dead and mostly decayed hands (and you better be willing to break all of my fingers in the process).

I also love my tablet (iPad 2). I'd probably consider giving up my desktop before I gave up my tablet.

I think in part it depends on what the Nook Touch 2 (I assume B&N is working on one now) and the Kindle Touch 2 (again I assume Amazon is working on one now) and the Kobo touch 2 (working on one as well?) bring to the table?

Are they going to be slight refinements? Are they going to be "stuck" with the same eInk Pearl screen? Or are there going to be significant improvements? Like front lighting using that nifty looking LED waveguide front lighting that company demo'd about 2 months ago for night/dim light use? Or maybe an improved eInk B&W screen (faster response, less ghosting, higher contrast, more shades of grey?)? Or maybe a real and decent color eInk display (its going to have to be better than the Triton both in contrast and resolution before I think it would be viable to replace even eInk pearl)?

I think it just depends.

If you can add one/some/all of what I mentioned above, I'd probably upgrade my nook simple touch to the next generation once it came out, so long as it was at a resonable price. At $99 or less it almost wouldn't even be a second thought. At $149 it would need to include several of the above. More than $149 and I probably wouldn't upgrade unless it was all of the above (color eInk that had better contrast, response time and REAL resolution than eInk pearl, front lighting that didn't suck and faster screen response time).

03-09-2012, 10:10 AM	#14
azazel1024 Groupie Posts: 182 Karma: 346596 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Ellicott City, MD Device: Nook simple touch, iPad 2	Depends on what is next for eInk readers. Now that I own one, you'd have to pull my eInk reader out of my cold, dead and mostly decayed hands (and you better be willing to break all of my fingers in the process). I also love my tablet (iPad 2). I'd probably consider giving up my desktop before I gave up my tablet. I think in part it depends on what the Nook Touch 2 (I assume B&N is working on one now) and the Kindle Touch 2 (again I assume Amazon is working on one now) and the Kobo touch 2 (working on one as well?) bring to the table? Are they going to be slight refinements? Are they going to be "stuck" with the same eInk Pearl screen? Or are there going to be significant improvements? Like front lighting using that nifty looking LED waveguide front lighting that company demo'd about 2 months ago for night/dim light use? Or maybe an improved eInk B&W screen (faster response, less ghosting, higher contrast, more shades of grey?)? Or maybe a real and decent color eInk display (its going to have to be better than the Triton both in contrast and resolution before I think it would be viable to replace even eInk pearl)? I think it just depends. If you can add one/some/all of what I mentioned above, I'd probably upgrade my nook simple touch to the next generation once it came out, so long as it was at a resonable price. At $99 or less it almost wouldn't even be a second thought. At $149 it would need to include several of the above. More than $149 and I probably wouldn't upgrade unless it was all of the above (color eInk that had better contrast, response time and REAL resolution than eInk pearl, front lighting that didn't suck and faster screen response time).