Any plans for color e-ink screens ??

Ken Stuart · 12-07-2010, 04:56 PM

I was just wondering if anyone had heard of any manufacturers that are developing a color e-ink screen ?

(In other words, to be used in something like the Nook Color, but with e-ink instead of LCD.)

CazMar · 12-07-2010, 06:11 PM

Engadget had an article:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/08/h...t-at-10-inche/
But a lot of these reports turn out to be "vapour-ware".

jaxx6166 · 12-07-2010, 09:28 PM

There have been several in development over the past several years (probably since late 08)

The closest to being near production I think is Mirasol, and for a while now Amazon has been rumored to be using it on the next Kindle, so has B/N though...

I also know of a couple alternatives to Mirasol that are in development now, but I'll let some of the smarter members chime in on them

*poke poke*

David Munch · 12-08-2010, 03:33 AM

Don't expect anything near LCD quality the first five years of color E-ink.

mr ploppy · 12-08-2010, 05:52 AM

Apparently Hanvon has made one, but no details of when it will be on sale.
http://www.hanvon.com/en/news/news22.html

Dulin's Books · 12-08-2010, 10:08 AM

hanvon's will be for sale in the 1st quarter 2011

Steven Lyle Jordan · 12-09-2010, 02:53 PM

To paraphrase William Shatner: "You could wait until a color eInk screen is available...

"But why?"

Ken Stuart · 12-09-2010, 03:17 PM

The Engadget article linked above in this thread had links and I followed links to Jeff Bezos comments about a color Kindle and also comments about the color prototype by the supplier to Amazon, Sony, etc.

Reading between the lines, it seems that what makes e-ink "paper-like" also makes it poorly suited to color and any application of color that makes web sites an "advancement" over magazines.

This seems to explain why B&N chose a) to use a small color touchscreen to control their b&w e-ink screen, and b) to use a color LCD for their "Color Nook" designed for magazine-like reading.

With the rave reviews of the 7" Samsung tablet, color e-ink displays would be directly compared to tablets.

So, e-readers will likely continue to be black-and-white, because then they will clearly be different from tablets, and justifiable for a different use.

Another way of saying this is that e-ink displays are used because they are better for text than LCDs. If color e-ink displays are worse than LCDs for all the additional capabilities that they add (pictures, etc.), then adding color to e-ink is a step backwards. I think this is what Bezos is saying.

mldavis2 · 12-09-2010, 03:55 PM

I agree with Steven Lyle Jordan. The only reason for color is for images or photos that do not display adequately in B&W. But color photos such as one finds in a typical book or magazine are far too detailed to display adequately on a small screen. Additionally, one of the main features for me is long recharge rotation times, and color would kill that. Who needs it?

If I want color, I'll read a magazine in full size and color on my 15" laptop screen or my 24" desktop monitor.

Dulin's Books · 12-09-2010, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mldavis2

Additionally, one of the main features for me is long recharge rotation times, and color would kill that.

color doesnt change that at all as far as eink is concerned.

12-07-2010, 04:56 PM	#1
Ken Stuart The Knight Who Says Nook! Posts: 98 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: California Device: Nook Color ; dead Clie NR70 ; living Rocket REB1100 ; QY70 (pictured)	Any plans for color e-ink screens ?? I was just wondering if anyone had heard of any manufacturers that are developing a color e-ink screen ? (In other words, to be used in something like the Nook Color, but with e-ink instead of LCD.)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Color Comes to E Ink Screens	BWhite	News	145	12-26-2010 01:21 PM
How are e-ink screens adjusted? Is there a potentiometer?	Sunspark	News	5	12-07-2009 08:03 AM
E-Ink talks about plans; promises color in 2010	igorsk	News	43	09-18-2009 02:03 PM
No shortage of E-Ink screens?	wallcraft	News	11	03-17-2008 03:37 AM
Big plans for e-ink displays - it's now in billboards!	Bob Russell	News	1	05-19-2006 02:32 PM

12-07-2010, 06:11 PM	#2
CazMar Book Geek Posts: 596 Karma: 1499085 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Adelaide, Australia Device: Kobo Touch, Asus MemPad 7" tablet, Nexus 5, Asus 10" tablet	Engadget had an article: http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/08/h...t-at-10-inche/ But a lot of these reports turn out to be "vapour-ware".

12-07-2010, 09:28 PM	#3
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	There have been several in development over the past several years (probably since late 08) The closest to being near production I think is Mirasol, and for a while now Amazon has been rumored to be using it on the next Kindle, so has B/N though... I also know of a couple alternatives to Mirasol that are in development now, but I'll let some of the smarter members chime in on them poke poke

12-08-2010, 03:33 AM	#4
David Munch Scholar Posts: 1,009 Karma: 3999312 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kobo Libra H2O + iPad Air 4	Don't expect anything near LCD quality the first five years of color E-ink.

12-08-2010, 05:52 AM	#5
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	Apparently Hanvon has made one, but no details of when it will be on sale. http://www.hanvon.com/en/news/news22.html

12-08-2010, 10:08 AM	#6
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	hanvon's will be for sale in the 1st quarter 2011

12-09-2010, 02:53 PM	#7
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	To paraphrase William Shatner: "You could wait until a color eInk screen is available... "But why?"

12-09-2010, 03:17 PM	#8
Ken Stuart The Knight Who Says Nook! Posts: 98 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: California Device: Nook Color ; dead Clie NR70 ; living Rocket REB1100 ; QY70 (pictured)	The Engadget article linked above in this thread had links and I followed links to Jeff Bezos comments about a color Kindle and also comments about the color prototype by the supplier to Amazon, Sony, etc. Reading between the lines, it seems that what makes e-ink "paper-like" also makes it poorly suited to color and any application of color that makes web sites an "advancement" over magazines. This seems to explain why B&N chose a) to use a small color touchscreen to control their b&w e-ink screen, and b) to use a color LCD for their "Color Nook" designed for magazine-like reading. With the rave reviews of the 7" Samsung tablet, color e-ink displays would be directly compared to tablets. So, e-readers will likely continue to be black-and-white, because then they will clearly be different from tablets, and justifiable for a different use. Another way of saying this is that e-ink displays are used because they are better for text than LCDs. If color e-ink displays are worse than LCDs for all the additional capabilities that they add (pictures, etc.), then adding color to e-ink is a step backwards. I think this is what Bezos is saying.

12-09-2010, 03:55 PM	#9
mldavis2 Coffee Nut Posts: 410 Karma: 298350 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Missouri Device: Kindle 3; K4PC; Calibre	I agree with Steven Lyle Jordan. The only reason for color is for images or photos that do not display adequately in B&W. But color photos such as one finds in a typical book or magazine are far too detailed to display adequately on a small screen. Additionally, one of the main features for me is long recharge rotation times, and color would kill that. Who needs it? If I want color, I'll read a magazine in full size and color on my 15" laptop screen or my 24" desktop monitor.