The secret behind the new Paperwhite: E Ink Carta

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Mivo

I actually wonder how desirable a "whiter white" is. With the front light, I imagine it will make the display noticeably brighter in a dark room. I already find the Kobo Glo at the lowest light setting uncomfortably bright at night.

The PW's light goes a lot lower than the Glo's. Many people complain that the Glo's light is too bright.

[dieterpops]

Originally Posted by doctorow

Device with an E Ink Carta screen.

Look more closely, that's Kindle software in the picture.

[HarryT]

Photoshop?

[Hampshire Nanny]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I will own one. I love my K3 but I like reading without the light on and will cave and buy a PW.

That's why I loved my K3 with the lighted cover. Makes it really easy to read in the dark -- like in a moving car at night -- without splashing a lot of light around. I may order a PW2 to check it out, and feel free to return it if I don't like the touch interface and/or the lighting.

Originally Posted by jswinden

As far as page refreshes, Kindles and other readers have had settings to regulate them for a while now. Kindles have advertised fewer page refreshes, but in my experience I've always needed to set the page refresh to activate with each page turn, otherwise I get ghosting. I'll believe the claims of much better page refreshing when I see it demonstrated. I personally have no issue with refreshing pages with every page turn, so it isn't a big improvement IMO.

I wasn't aware of settings in the K3 that affected the page refreshes. I'll have to check that out when my replacement K3 arrives. But I've never been bothered by the "flash" that occurs when turning the page. What I do have to learn is just when to push the page turn button so that I finish reading the previous page just a smidge before the new page appears. That timing has been different for every e-Ink device I've owned and there's a bit of a "learning curve" when I move from device to device.

[Julius Caesar]

Carta vs Pearl:

• Display Type: Reflective Electrophoretic / Reflective Electrophoretic
• Imaging Component: E Ink Carta ePaper Display Film / E Ink Pearl ePaper Display Film
• Contrast Ratio: 15:1 (min) / 10:1 (min)
• White State: 74 (min) / 70 (min)
• Dark State: 19 (max) / 24 (max)
• Color Resolution (# Bits): 1-Bit (B&W);4-Bit (16 Gray Levels) / 1-Bit (B&W); 4-Bit (16 Gray Levels)
• % Reflectance: 44% / 40.7%
• Viewing Angle: Near 180° / Near 180°
• Image Update Time: 120 msec (1-Bit) / 120 msec (1 bit), 450 msec (4 bit)
• Update Modes: Full & Partial Page Update, Pipelined / Full & Partial Page Update, Pipelined
• Available Display Sizes: 1.44 to 13.3 in / 1.44 to 13.3 in
• Display Modules: E Ink Mobius Flexible Display, as well as Glass TFT / E Ink Mobius Flexible Display, as well as Glass TFT
• Drive Method: Active Matrix, TFT / Active Matrix, TFT
• Service Life: 10 million switches or 5 years / 10 million switches or 5 years
• Available Display Sizes: 1.44 to 13.3 in / 1.44 to 13.3 in
• Display Modules: E Ink Mobius Flexible Display, as well as Glass TFT / E Ink Mobius Flexible Display, as well as Glass TFT
• Display Thickness: Approx 1.2mm, Depending on choice of TFT / Approx 1.2mm, Depending on choice of TFT
• Display Resolution: Greater than 300 dpi / Capabilities up to 300 dpi for 4 bit Grayscale (sizes 9.7 in & below)

Source: Carta spec sheet (PDF) and Pearl spec sheet (PDF)

Questions:
1. Does contrast ratio really matter if you have a built in light like Paperwhite?

2. The Carta spec sheet doesn't say anything about image update time at 4bit (16 gray scale). Kindle and other eink readers use 16 gray scale. So, the only spec relevant for our purpose is the image update time at 4 bit (16 gray scale). But it does say this:

Elimination of Full Page Refresh: The new E Ink Regal™ Waveform product improves viewing experience through the reduction or elimination of full page refresh with every image update.

Does it mean that every time we turn the page, it will update instantaneously like an LCD?

3. Without a full page refresh, will the fonts stay sharp? With the current Kindle, the only way to make all fonts stay sharp is to enable refresh at every page turn.

4. Service Life: 10 million switches or 5 years. Does it mean that even though you rarely use your Kindle, it would still stop working after 5 years?

Originally Posted by Julius Caesar

Carta vs Pearl:
Questions:
1. Does contrast ratio really matter if you have a built in light like Paperwhite?

The better contrast would help with thin fonts. I never liked the fonts on the PW1 compared to the Touch, so this might make them easier to read.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Ahh, I knew someone had it exclusively. (although it'd be the K3 not the K2).

You are right, it was the K3

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

You are right, it was the K3

They first released the DXG with Pearl, then about month or so later released the K3 with Pearl. I remember paying a ridiculous amount for the DXG to get a Pearl screen, then being so happy when the K3 was announced. I promptly sent the DXG back and ordered the cheaper K3.

[Barty]

I wish they'd stick the carta screen into the k3. That'd be great for me.

Oh well, won't happen. Best I can hope for is a kindle basic with carta screen.

Originally Posted by Barty

I wish they'd stick the carta screen into the k3. That'd be great for me.

Oh well, won't happen. Best I can hope for is a kindle basic with carta screen.

Last year's update of the K4 was rather lackluster. Basically they changed the body to black. They might have updated the screen, but it didn't really look any better than the previous year's model. This year they haven't even announced an updated K4, so there might not be one. Traditionally they announce all the new eInk readers at the same time.

[QuantumIguana]

I'm tempted by the Paperwhite for the light. I have a Kindle Keyboard, but I tried out a friend's Paperwhite. The Paperwhite seemed heavier, even though it is an ounce lighter. This probably is because he had a heavier case, while mine was quite light. It could also be that the balance felt different. If I could change one thing on the Paperwhite, it would be to allow configuration of the tap zones. I'd like to have the tap zone to go back a page moved to the right of the screen instead of the left. That way, I'm not reaching over the back tap area when I want to go to the next page.

[negris123]

I was undecided yesterday and thought I wouldn't upgrade if the 1st PW got a software upgrade to include all the new features. However, now that I've heard about the Carta display, I pre-ordered one. I think is a significant upgrade and it's worth for me to upgrade. Reading is my favorite activity, I read every day, so I don't mind spending on a new device even if my first one is only a year old.

[xendula]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I'll be waiting for your review! I'm definitely holding off this year as I got burned so badly last year by the PW1.

I hear ya! If there is as much as a tiny speck or color blob on it, I'll send it back and call it a day. I won't be playing the replacement game this year - I shudder at the thought of how much I put up with last year

[xendula]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Last year's update of the K4 was rather lackluster. Basically they changed the body to black. They might have updated the screen, but it didn't really look any better than the previous year's model. This year they haven't even announced an updated K4, so there might not be one. Traditionally they announce all the new eInk readers at the same time.

To me, the screen on the K4B was tons better than the K4S. The K4B I picked up last year had truly "blacker blacks" and a cream background compared to the previous year's greyish background.

However, I've heard some others state the same as you, and some others the same as me, so there may have been manufacturing inconsistencies.

[jhempel24]

Well, I guess it's time to put my Paperwhite 1 up for sale in the market. Looks too good to pass up here.