Breakthrough could lead to disposable e-readers

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

I did, and I still don't get your point. Paper would be cheap, light and flexible. You sugest that they:

That would add expenses, weight and make it loose its flexibility. WHY?

Durability. Something like that wouldn't break if dropped. Are you really that thick or are you just trolling?

[MikeFromHC]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

I did, and I still don't get your point. Paper would be cheap, light and flexible. You sugest that they:

That would add expenses, weight and make it loose its flexibility. WHY?

Because it would last. The device allegedly has the ability to respond fast enough for video which means it could be used in any form factor.

For long lasting applications protection would be wanted.
Even if it is used as wall paper you'd want a protective coating.

Note also that paper is the bottom layer and that there are at least three layers above the paper.

[neilmarr]

I am a disposable reader. Not many authors will miss me when I pop my clogs. N

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

Durability. Something like that wouldn't break if dropped. Are you really that thick or are you just trolling?

When is the last time that you dropped and broke a sheet of paper? And if you have the habit of dropping your devices, they aren't going to last forever, so they might as well be cheap.

Originally Posted by MikeFromHC

Because it would last. The device allegedly has the ability to respond fast enough for video which means it could be used in any form factor.

For long lasting applications protection would be wanted.
Even if it is used as wall paper you'd want a protective coating.

Note also that paper is the bottom layer and that there are at least three layers above the paper.

But that doesn't mean that the paper can be used forever. In a different article on the subject there were more comments:

It's still not easy, and industrializing the process will likely take some time. For maximum performance, the process involves a specific grade of paper with a particular surface coating, roughness, thickness and water uptake and a carefully controlled contact angle at which the electrowetted material is applied to the paper support. Electrowetted glass e-readers may appear sometime next year, but you're unlikely to see disposable paper screens in newspapers or posters for at least three to five years.

Now I could be wrong but if water uptake counts, then the paper does more than just providing support. Plus according to this, the display will not be intended for ereaders, but for newspapers and posters.

[crich70]

I think she was trying to say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." There is also the concern of cost to the consumer I think. Even if a reader is fairly cheap compared to what technology cost in the past not everyone wants to fork over funds every few days or however a disposible unit would last.

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

So why would you even comment on this thread? Why do you care if they make a disposable ereader? The direction of the technology moves away from your ideal reader so you wouldn't buy what they are making anyway.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by crich70

I think she was trying to say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." There is also the concern of cost to the consumer I think. Even if a reader is fairly cheap compared to what technology cost in the past not everyone wants to fork over funds every few days or however a disposible unit would last.

This article is about a new technology that brings new possibilities. Her suggestion would remove all the advantages, and leave an ereader that she doesn't want to buy anyway since she is perfectly happy with her device, and wants to keep it for at least a decade.

And if you read the article all the way to the end, you will see that they don't say that it would be fairly cheap compared to what technology cost in the past, but actually cheap enough to throw away at the end of the day. How much does a newspaper cost?

[Rhynedahll]

I agree with those above who say the 'disposable part' is incredibly dumb.

I guess none of the folks creating this new technology saw the movie Wall-E.

[MikeFromHC]

Originally Posted by crich70

I think she was trying to say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

At the end of W.W. II MacArthur brought a man named Demming from ther USA to Japan.
He taught them that "If it ain't broke, make it better." and Demming is the reason why people buy Japanese today.
When Harley Davidson, maker of a crappy motorcycle, saw what Japan was doing to their field, they adopted Demming's work and saved the company.