To start this thread off, this is my first post. I used to be an avid book reader, but with todays' hectic life, time is limiting. I am awaiting for the prices of these e-ink readers to drop first before I commit a few bills to attain one.
Now to my main point. I have scoured websites like engadget, gizmodo, mobileread, searched through google, and have come up with not one example. I would personally love to see an e-ink reader with a backlight. I have personally come up with a way to do this, which has been overlooked by the major companies.
Electroluminescent lighting. Look at
THIS image. This nightlight is very inexpensive to power, using only 2 cents of electricity per year when constantly plugged in.
By placing this luminous panel behind the e-ink display, when you turn on the light, it will glow softly, allowing you to read the text in front of it. This will allow a much more pleasant reading experience than the glare from even a small book lamp. Plus, you won't have a light that will hinder your parner from his or her precious sleep.
Perhaps this has been tried already, or perhaps the e-ink technology will not allow a backlight of any kind. I am unsure. But I do know this. If this idea IS possible, then turning the glowlight on will have virtually NO effect on the power consumption of the battery.
Does anyone here have any more information or comments regarding this idea of backlights with e-ink?