PDAToday's Plastic Logic e-reader hands-on

[CleverClothe]

Originally Posted by ProDigit

A tough plastic, would be nice indeed.
I like the PRS 505's looks. The light reflection (of eg: sun) is rather small.

I only fear plastic screens ill be prone to scratches.
It would be nice to see some salesperson selling plastic screen covers, and having a device with a removable plastic screen.

By plastic screen, they are refering to the substrate under the e-ink. You can't see it.

Also, my iLiad has a thick plastic top layer on the screen that is very scratch resistant (none yet in 6 months).

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by ProDigit

I only fear plastic screens ill be prone to scratches.

You, er ... do realize that the 505's screen surface is a plastic, doncha?

[ProDigit]

Originally Posted by NatCh

You, er ... do realize that the 505's screen surface is a plastic, doncha?

Is that so?
Then why do people complain about their screen breaking?

[JWLaRue]

Originally Posted by ProDigit

Is that so?
Then why do people complain about their screen breaking?

Because the eink screen itself has a glass substrate. The plastic is layered on top of it?

-Jeff

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by JWLaRue

Because the eink screen itself has a glass substrate. The plastic is layered on top of it?

-Jeff

That's what I thought too.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by ProDigit

Is that so?
Then why do people complain about their screen breaking?

Because the screen is both plastic and glass. It is the glass part underneath that breaks.

BOb

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Actually I think this year will see quite a few new displays without glass substrate and with touch screens. The new substrate will be a flexible plastic allowing much more rugged products to be produced. This design will likely start with the 9.7" screens when they are released and will trickle down to the 6" displays as well.

Dale

I hope you're right. I'm still rather reluctant to purchase another eInk device while they are still using the glass substrate.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

I hope you're right. I'm still rather reluctant to purchase another eInk device while they are still using the glass substrate.

I think that glass is the only practical way of maintaining fluid viscosity. Most transparent plastics are permeable.

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

I think that glass is the only practical way of maintaining fluid viscosity. Most transparent plastics are permeable.

It's my understanding that the eInk itself is contained within individual microcapsules. The glass is a part of the TFT underneath.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

It's my understanding that the eInk itself is contained within individual microcapsules. The glass is a part of the TFT underneath.

True but the particles are in suspention in a liquid to allow free rotation.

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

True but the particles are in suspention in a liquid to allow free rotation.

I believe you're thinking of a epaper technology known as "Gyricon". That used the rotating balls coated with white on one side and black on the other. Though both technologies were spawned from Xerox, eInk is very different. It uses tiny particles of black and white suspended within a solution in each transparent microcapsule. When a charge is applied, varied quantities of black or white are pulled to the surface.

[Phogg]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

I think that glass is the only practical way of maintaining fluid viscosity. Most transparent plastics are permeable.

Would not a standard optical quartz coat take care of that?

[ProDigit]

Why not use refillable screens? Like in the days one could pump up their shoes to have better shock resistance. 'pump your screen!'

[Boston]

Has anyone heard what their planned price point is? I saw this in the Boston Globe today and was surprised that its being heralded as "cheap" (as in inexpensive).

http://www.boston.com/business/techn...t_so_flexible/

The first cheap, flexible, full-color device for reading e-ink, originally expected in 2007, is now a stiff grayscale board that will be available in 2010.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Boston

Has anyone heard what their planned price point is? I saw this in the Boston Globe today and was surprised that its being heralded as "cheap" (as in inexpensive).

http://www.boston.com/business/techn...t_so_flexible/

i'm not sure it is being heralded as cheap... they seem to be pointing out rather heavily the differences between the proposed specs and the actual specs. so perhaps in addition to not being colour and not being flexible, it will also not be cheap. they do say plastic logic wouldn't comment on the price.