PVI rumored to commercialize flexible e-paper this summer

[Alexander Turcic]

Ah, the rumor mill -- what a boring life we'd all lead without it. According to sources close to DigiTimes, Prime View International (PVI), the Taiwanese company which acquired Philips' E Ink business in 2005, is pretty close to releasing their flexible e-paper to the market. In fact, if they get it out by mid-2007 as rumored, they will be ahead of the pack, before Plastic Logic, Polymer Vision and everyone else who promised us the freedom to bend or throw e-paper just like we'd do with normal paper.

Link: DigiTimes

[alex_d]

I'm still not really sure what's the point of flexible eInk, especially since the displays aren't even big enough yet to be bulky when not folded.

Frankly, I've never been fascinated by the "rollup" concenpt in and of itself (it seems a little dorky, and maybe when I think of rollup I think of real paper and the annoying permanently rolled up mess you get afterward). Also, I'm wondering what the bend radius is going to be on these first gen devices.

Still, the foldable prototype I've seen on here is pretty cool. Then again, you do sacrafice sturdiness and you're probably forced to hold it a certain way (and a fully rollup screen would require two hands to constantly keep it taught... banish the thought!).

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by alex_d

I'm still not really sure what's the point of flexible eInk, especially since the displays aren't even big enough yet to be bulky when not folded.

e-paper airplanes?

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by NatCh

e-paper airplanes?

I wouldn't want one to land at the bak of my head!

I don't think it would be so physically difficult to read with one. Just take as an example the plastic binders we use to protect office documents. Some are transparent, flexible plastic with which the first page can be read, held in one hand, without any problem.

The only caveat would be how expensive such a fragile device would be.

[alex_d]

Just take as an example the plastic binders we use to protect office documents. Some are transparent, flexible plastic with which the first page can be read, held in one hand, without any problem.

Good analogy. There's some differences, though, (besides rollable epaper being thinner) like the big plastic cylinder that is the brains and sheath. It could still work if you hold the cylinder by the end and bend the epaper at the corner. But it'll take something mindfulness by the manufacturer. For example, if they put another heavy piece of plastic on the opposite end of the epaper (i dunno, to make it easier to unroll) then so much for using your right hand to stroke your beard while reading.

Even in the best case, a clipboard has a lot going for it vs. just some loose paper (especially in demanding professional circumstances... like lying in bed under your blankey).