Bridgestone announces flexible touchscreen color e-reader - Page 3

slayda · 10-28-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbot

i'm expecting this to take a few years to get right. I just bought a Kindle DX. I can wait 3 years to 2012 for a color version.

But the world is coming to an end in 2012 (according to the Mayan calendar).

nrapallo · 10-28-2009, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kikar

with 4,096 colors

Wow, I just had a flashback to over 30 years ago when the original Amiga 1000 had support for this many colors using HAM mode.

Let's hope this is a good start to full color support...

Ea · 10-28-2009, 02:24 PM

Comics! That's was this is for. Imagine being able to take an entire collection of, for example, Asterix & Co.

brecklundin · 10-28-2009, 05:54 PM

at worst, this will hopefully light fires under the other panel mfgs...as well as the controller and firmware developers.

TGNY · 10-28-2009, 09:14 PM

I used to think an all in one would be ideal but now that I have my Sony reader I disagree. I like that it is compact with a leather book cover. It does its job very well, pages are easy to turn with a simple screen swipe and it feels like a book! I dont need color because that means i will read less books and more magazines and other printed media. Jonesing for the next tech when you are happy with what you have is not a good thing

Xerxes · 10-29-2009, 04:19 AM

I like but I'm the point where I think if I want pdfs and comics, something like the Archos 9 is about is good as a jack of all trades can get. Keep a true ereader close.

charleski · 10-29-2009, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

I never carried paper e-books for reading before.

Don't get me started on those darn new-fangled paper e-books!! Metal and plastic was good enough for me and by jiminy they're good enough for my kids as well!

But seriously, the one thing I'd like to know here is resolution. Colour on a reflective display requires the use of four cells for each pixel (typically RGB and white) meaning that the resolution is half that of the base matrix. Thus a 166dpi screen which is 'good enough' becomes 83dpi, which definitely isn't sufficient quality for rendering high quality text. Increasing the size of the display just multiplies the manufacturing and quality control problems involved.

I'd love to be proved wrong, but I suspect this will prove to be a 70-80 dpi device more suitable for web browsing than reading large amounts of text.

Sweetpea · 10-29-2009, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

Comics! That's was this is for. Imagine being able to take an entire collection of, for example, Asterix & Co.

My thought too! And what to think about that NG collection?

Neil · 10-29-2009, 03:29 PM

Trying to think why the bending is a good thing other than just something to show. Maybe it won't break as quickly if sat upon?

dmaul1114 · 10-29-2009, 03:49 PM

Yeah, durability seems to be the main advantage to a flexible screen vs. the fragile glass e-ink screens.

brecklundin · 10-29-2009, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xerxes

I like but I'm the point where I think if I want pdfs and comics, something like the Archos 9 is about is good as a jack of all trades can get. Keep a true ereader close.

Ya know...I really...no I mean REALLY!!, would never have come across that danged Archos 9!! hahahaha...I am with ya though...should I be worried if it keeps showing up in my dreams?

But the A9 with Win7 and a Pocketbook 360 would make me a happy camper...if I could live with the current eink display reading indoor's under normal lighting.

calvin-c · 10-30-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

Trying to think why the bending is a good thing other than just something to show. Maybe it won't break as quickly if sat upon?

Also, although this is just the first 'baby step' towards the end result, a fully flexible screen might solve the 'large screen' vs 'pocket-size' device. Think of a eReader you can carry in your shirt pocket where you have your choice of screen sizes-small, for 'cozy' reading or a rolled-up/folded-up screen you can pull out for full-size (or even larger) display.

I suspect projected display technology (e.g. holographic displays) will become practical before the flexible display reaches that point, but it's nice that we don't have to bet the future on just one technology.

Hellmark · 10-30-2009, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

Trying to think why the bending is a good thing other than just something to show. Maybe it won't break as quickly if sat upon?

Durability. If something gives and flexes, it is less likely to break.

ardeegee · 10-30-2009, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calvin-c

I suspect projected display technology (e.g. holographic displays) will become practical before the flexible display reaches that point, but it's nice that we don't have to bet the future on just one technology.

And I don't see how holographic displays will ever be anything more than a science fiction fantasy. Light and lasers simply do not work that way.

ProDigit · 10-30-2009, 10:32 PM

From the video on the first page, it is clear they are using an LCD screen without backlight on a white background.
The reason of low contrast is the polarization filters.
This is something PixelQi is fixing in their screens.
The color mode faces the same issues as PiQi's screens, in that the colors are washed out.

The resolution is higher than ebook readers, most likely greater than 1024x720 pix, but I have no concrete numbers.

I find a device like this the right size to read most pdf files available.

I also think that because the use of a regular TFT screen on a plastic layer (to make it bendable) brings with itself more issues (like scratches on the plastic, breaking pixels, plastic layers splitting after a while, ...).
All reasons why we probably won't see a device like this soon in the stores.

10-30-2009, 10:32 PM	#45
ProDigit Karmaniac Posts: 2,553 Karma: 11499146 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Miami FL Device: PRS-505, Jetbook, + Mini, +Color, Astak Ez Reader Pro, PPW1, Aura H2O	From the video on the first page, it is clear they are using an LCD screen without backlight on a white background. The reason of low contrast is the polarization filters. This is something PixelQi is fixing in their screens. The color mode faces the same issues as PiQi's screens, in that the colors are washed out. The resolution is higher than ebook readers, most likely greater than 1024x720 pix, but I have no concrete numbers. I find a device like this the right size to read most pdf files available. I also think that because the use of a regular TFT screen on a plastic layer (to make it bendable) brings with itself more issues (like scratches on the plastic, breaking pixels, plastic layers splitting after a while, ...). All reasons why we probably won't see a device like this soon in the stores. Last edited by ProDigit; 10-30-2009 at 10:44 PM.

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10-28-2009, 02:24 PM	#33
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	Comics! That's was this is for. Imagine being able to take an entire collection of, for example, Asterix & Co.

10-28-2009, 05:54 PM	#34
brecklundin Banned Posts: 1,906 Karma: 15348 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: mine	at worst, this will hopefully light fires under the other panel mfgs...as well as the controller and firmware developers.

10-28-2009, 09:14 PM	#35
TGNY Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 376 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: PRS-600	I used to think an all in one would be ideal but now that I have my Sony reader I disagree. I like that it is compact with a leather book cover. It does its job very well, pages are easy to turn with a simple screen swipe and it feels like a book! I dont need color because that means i will read less books and more magazines and other printed media. Jonesing for the next tech when you are happy with what you have is not a good thing

10-29-2009, 04:19 AM	#36
Xerxes Addict Posts: 355 Karma: 90 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Houston, TX Device: Astak EZReader, Pocket Pro	I like but I'm the point where I think if I want pdfs and comics, something like the Archos 9 is about is good as a jack of all trades can get. Keep a true ereader close.

10-29-2009, 03:29 PM	#39
Neil Addict Posts: 242 Karma: 10932816 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad Mini 6, iPad Air, Kindles HD 8, HD 10, Oasis 3, Scribe, Colorsoft	Trying to think why the bending is a good thing other than just something to show. Maybe it won't break as quickly if sat upon?

10-29-2009, 03:49 PM	#40
dmaul1114 Wizard Posts: 2,300 Karma: 1121709 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 1	Yeah, durability seems to be the main advantage to a flexible screen vs. the fragile glass e-ink screens.

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