Plastic Logic raises $100 million to enable the first “take anywhere, read anywhere” - Page 2

nekokami · 01-04-2007, 10:14 AM

Bookeen is now advertising Plastic Logic displays as their "4th generation" offering: http://bookeen.com/Design/ebook-reading-devices.aspx

They quote the "in production in 2008" claim, but I dont' think anyone would be taking that seriously at this point.

NatCh · 01-04-2007, 11:54 AM

I agree that it perhaps shouldn't be taken too seriously, but the two together do put an interesting angle on the matter. Thanks, neko.

As for the build time, yvanleterrible, that may not be as long as we'd assume -- I think they use a variant of inkjet printing tech to put this stuff together (I'm pretty sure that's so for e-ink, anyway), so they may not need as elaborate a facility as electronics manufacturers usually need.

I'm just playing with the pieces to see how they fit together, so salt to taste.

GodDamN · 01-04-2007, 12:37 PM

They are also saying that because it is "printed" on a plastic substrate that the heat/vacuum requirement of making traditional displays is also removed - That has got to save time and money???

pdam · 01-04-2007, 12:48 PM

I reckon these will be on the shelves in 2008, £100m is a large sum and the players are serious players (also the initial VC has a very good track record (Acorm & ARM)) I bumped into a guy from the initial VC for this outfit at an airport in December. I had my Iliad with me and we got into discussion about eReaders generally. This is not only interesting technology - but should be much cheaper to produce - and thus will hit a price point for mass adoption (if the marketing guys dont go crazy). My gut is that this is one to watch ...

NatCh · 01-04-2007, 01:13 PM

... with 'bated breath. Stand or fall, it ought to at least be interesting.

yvanleterrible · 01-04-2007, 01:31 PM

10mil is a lot to put on printing machinery! If it's not for immobilizations, I hope a big chunk of it is for marketing. So many outfits failed because of lack of funding in that department!

Steven Lyle Jordan · 01-04-2007, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hadrien

That's a groundbreaking news. The device looks great: flexible, A4, e-ink reader.

But what are these people reading ? A Google Books version of The Metamorphosis with ugly scan lines everywhere ? At least this means that the reader will handle PDF files I guess (A4, and good looking A4).

I'm going to assume that someone simply placed a xeroxed page of print behind a clear acetate, as a mockup of the finished product. (They seem to be holding the unprotected electronics of the device in their left hand... I doubt that's supposed to be the final form of their device.)

Maybe they should talk to Yvan about a case...

Hadrien · 01-04-2007, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I'm going to assume that someone simply placed a xeroxed page of print behind a clear acetate, as a mockup of the finished product. (They seem to be holding the unprotected electronics of the device in their left hand... I doubt that's supposed to be the final form of their device.)

Maybe they should talk to Yvan about a case...

The case is lacking but I don't think that this is a mock-up, it's just the screen with basic electronic components, and no case or design at all.

The Xerox page behind a clear acetate would be a bad PR move ^^

Steven Lyle Jordan · 01-04-2007, 02:09 PM

Yeah, but showing such a badly-scanned page isn't much better of a PR move...

NatCh · 01-04-2007, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

10mil is a lot to put on printing machinery!

em, $100 mil, yvanleterrible.

nekokami · 01-04-2007, 03:22 PM

Maybe those vertical streaks aren't from a bad scan. Maybe they're artifacts of the media prototype.

NatCh · 01-04-2007, 03:45 PM

It kinda looks that way to me too, neko, but it's tough to be sure, even in the hi-rez pic.

Bob Russell · 01-04-2007, 04:10 PM

But in a concept picture, or prototype picture, you would expect it to be cleaned up, wouldn't you? Unless you were trying to indicate the expected future imperfections, in which case the real product might have even worse imperfections in the dispay. Because they were vertical I thought they might just be part of the flexible design quality. Does it roll up and down also, or just side to side?

NatCh · 01-04-2007, 05:07 PM

I'm thinking they may have avoided cleaning it up so that it wouldn't look photoshopped.

As for rolling, I think that one would only roll side to side, since it looks like the 'tronix on the left edge would keep it from rolling top to bottom. But you might be onto something with the idea that the rolling might be contributing to the, um display artifacts ....

nekokami · 01-04-2007, 05:53 PM

I'm not all that surprised if the current generation of flexible displays has artifacts. What surprises me is that they went out of their way to include high-definition pictures so we could SEE the artifacts....

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01-04-2007, 10:14 AM	#16
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Bookeen is now advertising Plastic Logic displays as their "4th generation" offering: http://bookeen.com/Design/ebook-reading-devices.aspx They quote the "in production in 2008" claim, but I dont' think anyone would be taking that seriously at this point.

01-04-2007, 11:54 AM	#17
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I agree that it perhaps shouldn't be taken too seriously, but the two together do put an interesting angle on the matter. Thanks, neko. As for the build time, yvanleterrible, that may not be as long as we'd assume -- I think they use a variant of inkjet printing tech to put this stuff together (I'm pretty sure that's so for e-ink, anyway), so they may not need as elaborate a facility as electronics manufacturers usually need. I'm just playing with the pieces to see how they fit together, so salt to taste.

01-04-2007, 12:37 PM	#18
GodDamN Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sydney Device: Sony Reader	They are also saying that because it is "printed" on a plastic substrate that the heat/vacuum requirement of making traditional displays is also removed - That has got to save time and money???

01-04-2007, 12:48 PM	#19
pdam Groupie Posts: 199 Karma: 100 Join Date: Aug 2006 Device: iLiad, iPaq, Psion5&7, Blackberry	I reckon these will be on the shelves in 2008, £100m is a large sum and the players are serious players (also the initial VC has a very good track record (Acorm & ARM)) I bumped into a guy from the initial VC for this outfit at an airport in December. I had my Iliad with me and we got into discussion about eReaders generally. This is not only interesting technology - but should be much cheaper to produce - and thus will hit a price point for mass adoption (if the marketing guys dont go crazy). My gut is that this is one to watch ...

01-04-2007, 01:13 PM	#20
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	... with 'bated breath. Stand or fall, it ought to at least be interesting.

01-04-2007, 01:31 PM	#21
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	10mil is a lot to put on printing machinery! If it's not for immobilizations, I hope a big chunk of it is for marketing. So many outfits failed because of lack of funding in that department!

01-04-2007, 02:09 PM	#24
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Yeah, but showing such a badly-scanned page isn't much better of a PR move...

01-04-2007, 03:22 PM	#26
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Maybe those vertical streaks aren't from a bad scan. Maybe they're artifacts of the media prototype.

01-04-2007, 03:45 PM	#27
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	It kinda looks that way to me too, neko, but it's tough to be sure, even in the hi-rez pic.

01-04-2007, 04:10 PM	#28
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	But in a concept picture, or prototype picture, you would expect it to be cleaned up, wouldn't you? Unless you were trying to indicate the expected future imperfections, in which case the real product might have even worse imperfections in the dispay. Because they were vertical I thought they might just be part of the flexible design quality. Does it roll up and down also, or just side to side?

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01-04-2007, 05:07 PM	#29
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I'm thinking they may have avoided cleaning it up so that it wouldn't look photoshopped. As for rolling, I think that one would only roll side to side, since it looks like the 'tronix on the left edge would keep it from rolling top to bottom. But you might be onto something with the idea that the rolling might be contributing to the, um display artifacts ....

01-04-2007, 05:53 PM	#30
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	I'm not all that surprised if the current generation of flexible displays has artifacts. What surprises me is that they went out of their way to include high-definition pictures so we could SEE the artifacts....