E-ink readers a "transitional" technology?

[twowheels]

Are cameras a transitional technology? Cell phones now have very high quality cameras. Camera companies, I'm sure, have seen slowing demand for single purpose cameras. There's no reason for cameras to exist.

It seems ridiculous stated that way...

[pl001]

For me it was transitional.

I still think e-ink is the best way to read a book. It's just more natural than LCD. But I haven't used my original Nook hardly at all in almost a year. My 4.3" phone is good enough and in fact a better overall reader for my use for several reasons I won't get into here. My Nook is a good device that served me well, but I have no desire to buy a newer and better one.

There's certainly going to be a market for e-ink readers, but can that market support the devices being manufactured? The numbers don't look good.

[pl001]

Originally Posted by JoeD

Are eInk readers transitional (dedicated or multi-use)? Yes. But so are LCD based devices. Both would eventually be replaced if a hybrid display tech becomes available that offers the quality of LCD and the outdoor usage/low power of eink. Until then though, both will co-exist.

Whatever happened to Pixel QI, which was supposed to offer the best of both worlds? I haven't heard anything about it since the Notion Ink bomb last year. It looked promising and actually made it into production for a little bit.

[JoeD]

Originally Posted by pl001

Whatever happened to Pixel QI, which was supposed to offer the best of both worlds? I haven't heard anything about it since the Notion Ink bomb last year. It looked promising and actually made it into production for a little bit.

Not sure, but their displays didn't really seem to be an LCD replacement, more an eInk improvement. I hold out hope that some day we'll see a major improvement and reach a real hybrid that could potentially replace both LCD and eInk technologies on mobiles/tablets/ereaders.

[JoeD]

Originally Posted by twowheels

Are cameras a transitional technology? Cell phones now have very high quality cameras. Camera companies, I'm sure, have seen slowing demand for single purpose cameras. There's no reason for cameras to exist.

It seems ridiculous stated that way...

Again, it depends.

To the average joe*, yes cameras** are transitional. The vast majority of people I know who used to own a dedicated point and shoot camera, now all use their iPhones. For snapshots and small 6x4 prints the quality and resolution of phone cameras is adequate for quite a lot of people.

However, to a photographer, no. Dedicated cameras have a place and the lens selection/range is critical for many situations. Not saying all photographers have to use a dedicated camera, I wouldn't be surprised to see some professionals with breathtaking photos taken with a mobile, but in general as you say, it's ridiculous to say a tech is transitional by only considering one use case, the avg joe.

Whilst on the topic, DSLR sales are on the up

* I don't think I'm the average Joe
**Phones have replaced cameras, or more precisely, point and shoot cameras. DSLRs have also hit a price point that makes then available to the market that craves more than point and shoot or camera phones offers. P&S customers have split ito either camera phone or DSLR users and really, the P&S can be considered for both the transitional tech.

[twowheels]

That was basically my point, though... when my P&S was stolen earlier this year I basically let it go and didn't bother replacing it as the phone had sufficiently replaced it, for me. That said, it would be ridiculous for me to say that the dedicated camera is a dead technology just because I don't personally need or want one. An avid reader is equivalent to the avid photographer and will always want the best possible experience, and many will be willing to pay for it.

[sabredog]

Originally Posted by twowheels

Are cameras a transitional technology? Cell phones now have very high quality cameras. Camera companies, I'm sure, have seen slowing demand for single purpose cameras. There's no reason for cameras to exist.

It seems ridiculous stated that way...

I do not think so. Modern smartphone cameras are certainly much improved over previous years, however no smartphone has a camera with optical zoom and digital zoom is a poor substitute for a good zoom enabled lens.

I prefer a specialised device for each task. Anything else are simply jack of all trades but master of none.

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by sabredog

I do not think so. Modern smartphone cameras are certainly much improved over previous years, however no smartphone has a camera with optical zoom and digital zoom is a poor substitute for a good zoom enabled lens.

I prefer a specialised device for each task. Anything else are simply jack of all trades but master of none.

I think you missed the point of my post, you're agreeing with me... you seem to have not read the last line where I said that it sounded ridiculous stated that way. :-)

I was restating the premise of the original article, but using cameras as an example, to make it more obvious how ridiculous it was.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

I expect that in the long run, e-ink will win out over LCD. E-ink has to do a few things first. One is color. I don't think that any color e-ink has actually made it to the market yet.

Yes, it has: the Jetbook Color uses a Triton color E-ink screen.

It has a ways to go yet, though.

[sabredog]

Originally Posted by twowheels

I think you missed the point of my post, you're agreeing with me... you seem to have not read the last line where I said that it sounded ridiculous stated that way. :-)

I was restating the premise of the original article, but using cameras as an example, to make it more obvious how ridiculous it was.

Yep, sorry. Stuffed my back up over the weekend and the painkillers are rather.....strong.....

[kennyc]

In my best Ronald Regan voice, "There ya go again..."

[crich70]

Originally Posted by carld

I was going to say the same thing. This is especially true with electronics.

Yep. A good example is home video. First came Beta and then it was beaten out by VHS because the VHS tape was long enough for someone to record up to 6 or 8 hrs of video even though Beta was a sharper picture (or so I've heard). Then along comes DVD and beats out VHS because of it having a sharper picture and not being prone to having the media destroyed if the machine goes haywire. Now they're bringing out the Blu-Ray disk which is is an even sharper picture. Likewise computers started out with CRT monitors and now most everyone uses an LCD monitor instead. Technology is always evolving as new things are discovered. Books also have evolved over the centuries. First it was clay tablets, then papyrus scrolls, then hand written books, then printed books and now we have the e-book.

[crossi]

I have no particular fixation on the e-ink technology. If some new technolgy like an improved mirasol came along that gave me all the advantages of e-ink plus extra advantages I would make the change.

It's like a car. I really don't care what what's under the hood is called as long as the car does what I need it to do. All technology is transitional.

If you mean every one who is using an e-ink device will in the future be using a lcd tablet instead that seems unlikely.

[BeccaPrice]

If they could make an LCD device that was as light as my eink device and had the same battery usage at a comperable price, I might be perseuaded to leave my eink devices. Until then, not so mych.

[Tacty]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

If they could make an LCD device that was as light as my eink device and had the same battery usage at a comperable price, I might be perseuaded to leave my eink devices. Until then, not so mych.

any lcd is bad for my eyes in the long run, so no thanks...i'm giving mine ipad to my wife ( she s no complaining about eye strain), and have no plans to buy another...half an hour to check news at 22" desktop lcd, and work time, and the rest of the leisure time eink reader...i wish that common size would be better with 8" eink, but so far no one seems to think about it...8" for about 100 dollars/euros will be sweet spot