Foldable e-ink screens : Yay or Nay ?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by theducks

The sign says DO NOT FOLD spindle or mutilate.
That says it all

You still have Hollerith cards around?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by DNSB

You still have Hollerith cards around?

Somewhere. That was what I learned Fortran 4 using.

I have lost the official THINK sign my dad brought home in the 50's.

[MGlitch]

Only interest would be to increase the portability of current ereaders. And honestly that’s a low priority considering how easily my Sage travels with me already. Folding it in half wouldn’t even get it in a jeans pocket due to the dimension not being halved. So I’d gain nothing and introduce failure points for doing so.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by TeaBot

Are y'all interested in this or nah ?

I would always be worried that they would break along the seam.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by DNSB

One of the issues I have with a folding eInk device is that when I look at the Samsung folding devices, the screen does not lie flat when unfolded. I found this very annoying when in the store and suspect that it would not improve with use.

The visual "dip" in the screen would make me stabby.

[haertig]

In general, I think folding screens are a solution in search of a problem. A marketing gimmick to lure the leading edge adopter crowd. And if you look at it in that light, as a marketing gimmick, it's a pretty good one. But as a functional solution to an actual problem, not so much.

There are probably a few specialized situations where a folding screen might come in handy. But for reading a book or general operation of a smart phone - my answer would be "no, I don't need that" for those uses.

[Aleron Ives]

Originally Posted by haertig

In general, I think folding screens are a solution in search of a problem.

I don't think I'd go that far. Screen folding is trying to solve two problems. The first is that people seem to like large screens, but large screens reduce portability. Folding the screen in half can ameliorate that problem. The second is that screens are easily damaged, and folding them provides extra protection during transit.

Unfortunately, foldable screens are so delicate that instead of addressing these problems, they merely add new problems of their own. The technology has a long way to go before it can hope to replace normal screens.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

I don't think I'd go that far. Screen folding is trying to solve two problems. The first is that people seem to like large screens, but large screens reduce portability. Folding the screen in half can ameliorate that problem. The second is that screens are easily damaged, and folding them provides extra protection during transit.

Unfortunately, foldable screens are so delicate that instead of addressing these problems, they merely add new problems of their own. The technology has a long way to go before it can hope to replace normal screens.

Well said.

I'm not interested unless it's a baton shape that unrolls and clicks out to 3:1 shape, A5 width and A4 length. See "Earth Final Conflict" TV series and some books.

The Samsung current fragile single fold to give a not quite tablet is amazing, but not quite there as a useful product. A toy / gimmick for rich gadget fans. The MS Courier idea (never a product) and actual real Lenovo hinged device (and some Nintendo Gameboys) with two separate screens are at least robust.

[andyh2000]

Originally Posted by Quoth

...
The Samsung current fragile single fold to give a not quite tablet is amazing, but not quite there as a useful product. A toy / gimmick for rich gadget fans. The MS Courier idea (never a product) and actual real Lenovo hinged device (and some Nintendo Gameboys) with two separate screens are at least robust.

We've just bought a (second-hand, I'm not that rich...) Samsung Galaxy Flip 3 phone. Not eink I know but it demonstrates the utility of a folding device. There's no way I'd carry around a phone with a screen that big but with the Flip you do get the best of both worlds - it fits into my pocket easily and I get a huge screen.

Andrew

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by andyh2000

We've just bought a (second-hand, I'm not that rich...) Samsung Galaxy Flip 3 phone. Not eink I know but it demonstrates the utility of a folding device. There's no way I'd carry around a phone with a screen that big but with the Flip you do get the best of both worlds - it fits into my pocket easily and I get a huge screen.

Yes, I agree with all that and I was tempted to a S/H one, but I feel it's immature tech and not big enough "unfolded" unless it goes large enough to read A4 & Letter size PDFs.
There was a roll-up prototype eink phone about 14 years ago. But far too bulky rolled up.

[MGlitch]

Folding phones sure eventually. They’re small enough that folding would actually have benefits unlike the Sage and I’d imagine most ereaders. Outside of maybe the 5 inch ereaders I doubt halving in any single direction would actually be of a benefit. But if I could fold my iPhone 13 pro max in half cutting the vertical height in half? Yes please.

For ereaders I’d agree a scroll which clicks when fully extended seems the best solution. It allows for greater size with great portability. How viable this is currently eh probably not for awhile yet.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by Quoth

There was a roll up eink phone maybe 12 years ago as a demo. Too fat.
Unless the basic device is about 8mm max thick and works like a 6" and can pull out "Earth Final Conflict" handset style to about 10", there is no point. Or if it was the size of about a Sony PRS-350 and unfolded to twice size and locked open.

Neither of those technologies exist and the foldable OLED phone has poor display life. It's still at the gimmick stage.

There are bendable eInk and has been for years. But it's roll up at quite large internal diameter. There is no use case for it?

The Earth Final Conflict screen was interesting. Even more so are some of the holographic projector type screens that pop up in some SciFi shows. Today probably the V-R eyeglasses or headsets come closest to our ability to manufacture, but are not really up to usefulness.

[Quoth]

Holographic video and screens with no surface are basically impossible:
1) Real Holographic needs too much data and only still image capture possible.
2) You can project direct to the retina for AR/VR, but an image "hanging" in the air as per the first Starwars film in 1978 (I think) isn't possible. There are true 3D displays which use an angled rotating ground glass screen. The rotational speed sets the Z-axis resolution and the most visible frame rate. It's not holographic and not as realistic as a 2D view, though really 3D. You can project 2D and poor 3D images on a mist or fog. There is even a "rain" mono (B or W, really not even greys!) display using light and falling droplets, but it's continually scrolling to the ground as the droplets fall.

A 2D "pull out" display using LED, OLED (which are not real LEDs) or eink with some sort of scissors/pantograph or telescopic rear support locking at a number of distances is possible today, as in Earth Final Conflict (actually demoed in about 2006 or 2007 on eink). Unfortunately the drum size for the panel to wind off is too big still. An entire panel with reasonable life that bends as sharp as the Samsung one doesn't exist yet.

So called "holographic" narrator in War of the Worlds (Jeff Wayne) and recent Abba concert and similar are just 2D CGI.

[Quoth]

Basically you need a flexible substrate and TFT drivers. The signal wiring to the transistors fails with the flexing.

[Sydney's Mom]

I have a Samsung flip phone. Took a minute to get used to it, but now I love it. Can throw it in my purse or my knitting bag, and don't have to worry about the screen. The fold doesn't even register anymore, and I can spend hours on the screen. Not the greatest battery life, but works for me.