Article on Linux and E Ink displays

[Hellmark]

Robert, from a commerical manufacturing standpoint, yeah, not much can be done. However homebrewers, generally don't need as many features, so somethings like the ADE SDK is not needed. Get it running something like OpenInkpot, and people who are interested in building their own stuff would be stoked. Then, the rest comes to materials costs. I'd probably make a case out of plexiglass, which can be had cheaply. I can etch my own circuit boards (and have done many before), so that's less I can expect to pay out for. The hackers and makers, just are of a different mindset.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Robert, from a commerical manufacturing standpoint, yeah, not much can be done. However homebrewers, generally don't need as many features, so somethings like the ADE SDK is not needed. Get it running something like OpenInkpot, and people who are interested in building their own stuff would be stoked. Then, the rest comes to materials costs. I'd probably make a case out of plexiglass, which can be had cheaply. I can etch my own circuit boards (and have done many before), so that's less I can expect to pay out for. The hackers and makers, just are of a different mindset.

Of course, even finding someone to sell you a one off e-INK screen will be a problem and expect to pay more that Astak does. You will not reach the goal of $100 I suspect until the patent on the screen technology times out and others can build it.

Dale

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by Robertb

Dear Dr. Kool:

Allowing, sir, that the cost now of a 6 inch E-Ink panel to the manufacturer is $75 minimum, and then that manufacturer needs to add the body and the features and all the guts, and has to design and buy the body, and still has to pay for the Format ($70,000 per model for ADE), and then needs to mark up to make their profit, and then the distributor marks it up, and it costs $5 per unit for freight from China or Taiwan, and packaging is no small burden, and panel costs are RISING and not falling... you are well-intentioned but I do not see it happening. A 5 inch just broke the $200 barrier and it is already stripped to its shorts... and nobody is making profit, much less sufficient profit, at that price.

I work for a manufacturer and my costs are accurate.

Annnnnd again more FUD from the marketing wonk. Need we remind you with FACTS:

Kindle Teardown Costs for the K2:
http://www.isuppli.com/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=20138

As of April, 2009 the display was...$60

Yet here you come AGAIN stating your uninformed opinion as FACT. Or are you posting what would be NDA covered company information? Sorry, I have just had it with your imaginary 'facts'.

Additionally you state that the COST to manufacture a 6" panel is $75 minimum...well if it costs $75 to MANUFACTURE a 6" panel then the cost to the device builders would be near double that....or are you confused again and mistyped something?

And we can safely assume that the price has dropped significantly since that info was posted. A safe bet that a 5" or even a 6" display will be under $30 by year end. The market will drive the price in that direction.

[igorsk]

iSuppli estimates that $60, or 41.5 percent of the materials cost of the Kindle 2, is accounted for by the E Ink Corp. display module, which represents the centerpiece of the product.

I don't like Robert's pitches any more than you but I think he is a bit more informed about E-Ink costs than some unrelated company. Also, "manufacturer" in this case is the device manufacturer, not E-Ink maker. Quite likely the panel's production costs are lower than that, but with the huge demand and practical monopoly PVI can charge pretty much what they please.

[Who are you?]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

Annnnnd again more FUD from the marketing wonk. Need we remind you with FACTS:

Kindle Teardown Costs for the K2:
http://www.isuppli.com/NewsDetail.aspx?ID=20138

As of April, 2009 the display was...$60

Yet here you come AGAIN stating your uninformed opinion as FACT. Or are you posting what would be NDA covered company information? Sorry, I have just had it with your imaginary 'facts'.

Additionally you state that the COST to manufacture a 6" panel is $75 minimum...well if it costs $75 to MANUFACTURE a 6" panel then the cost to the device builders would be near double that....or are you confused again and mistyped something?

And we can safely assume that the price has dropped significantly since that info was posted. A safe bet that a 5" or even a 6" display will be under $30 by year end. The market will drive the price in that direction.

Actually the price went up since then.

[nekokami]

Let's keep it civil, please. If you have an alternate point of view to present, that's fine, but address the argument, not the individual.

This is still a new enough technology that the number of suppliers is extremely limited and prices are high. I expect within the next couple of years, new variations of low-power display technology will appear in the market and prices will start to fall.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Of course, even finding someone to sell you a one off e-INK screen will be a problem and expect to pay more that Astak does. You will not reach the goal of $100 I suspect until the patent on the screen technology times out and others can build it.

Dale

You can get individual eInk screens for development projects from eInk directly, but they run several thousand dollars.

[Lbooker]

Originally Posted by Who are you?

Actually the price went up since then.

On the Russian forum, the boss of Lbook bitches about the e-ink screens monopoly that makes them more expensive than they should be.