eInk: Any Chance of a New Generation?

[astra]

Originally Posted by pepak

Display-wise, I agree.

There are many improvements to be done in both hardware (make it two milimeters smaller in width so that it fits in my pocket!) and software (directory structure displayed, reintroduction of authorSorter, more font sizes, more detailed bookmarks than just "one-per-page"...).

My reply was regarding eInk screen and the improvement Dave Berk would like to see.

As of ebook reader additional features in general I would like to have a dictionary support....English-Russian would be at the top of my priority or at least make the screen very durable, so I can use my English-Russian dictionary scanner http://www.quick-pen.com/super-pen.shtml, I used for 5 years reading printed books

[axel77]

The main frontiers I see on mobile readers:

* The screen, this is logical, bigger is better, foldable is better (so tiny in the pocket), faster is better, more reel paper like (I wonder am I the only one that is pissed of the sun and other lights reflecting in the eInk display like no paper ever does?)

* The Input device, WACOM is still just a pain, notetaking is not really fun with that gap.

* Software, aside from the screen the biggest frontier. Make buying books with the device more easy, bookmark management, notes on pages management, link pages with each other, integration of dictionary support, integration of collaboration support.

I think everything else like a little smaller, a little faster, a little longer battery life and so on is all bushwa, it may make the little difference that makes a costumer buy that device over an almost similar one from other companies. But its nothing that really that makes technology advance, or the market bigger. And I think the current mobile reader market needs much more to concentrate to expand the market than to concentrate to take away snippets from others.

[Over]

Originally Posted by axel77

(I wonder am I the only one that is pissed of the sun and other lights reflecting in the eInk display like no paper ever does?)

It depends on what paper you're talking about. The paper used by most of the magazines have that gloss/shiny reflective surface, for example.

[Gogolo]

I really wonder if Plastic Logic and DR1000 are using the same display technology. Look at this two video stills (so not marketing push images):

Is this due to different lighting situation?
Gogolo

[Dylrob]

I'm thinking that it is at least mostly to do with the lighting. The iLiad looks to be facing away from the main source of light. While the PL reader seems to be tilted towards it.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Most of the e-ink improvements mentioned are what I would consider incremental, not quite a "new generation," and I assume we'll see those improvements eventually. But I doubt they will make much of an overall impact on the market.

What I would consider a "new generation" of e-ink, and one that would significantly impact the market, would be encompassed in one word: Color. Color will move us into access to popular magazines and textbooks, opening the available content market and user base by an order of magnitude, and the market would be forever transformed.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

The new epson controller will improve the page speed

FYI, the limitation on page turning speed right now is the eInk screen, not the controller. Even the current generation controllers are theoretically capable of refresh rates that are orders of magnitude faster than what the eInk can do. Faster/better controllers aren't going to solve that issue.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

FYI, the limitation on page turning speed right now is the eInk screen, not the controller. Even the current generation controllers are theoretically capable of refresh rates that are orders of magnitude faster than what the eInk can do. Faster/better controllers aren't going to solve that issue.

Yea, I was too simplistic on my comment. It will make the screen more responsive and faster to respond to menus etc. To quote the epson site:

Epson's controller IC's functionality is fully enabled when integrated into a display solution utilizing a host controller, tuned waveforms, and E Ink's Vizplex-enabled active matrix electrophoretic displays. Its ability to perform regional updates contributes to a more responsive screen for both input and output usage.

The Epson display controller will bring greater functionality to EPDs using E Ink technology by speeding up the user interface via seamless navigation, drop down/popup menus, responsive cursors and real-time keyboard entry. The controller enables the display to perform up to 16 tasks in parallel, and supports smooth and responsive pen input devices for annotations and sketches.

Dale

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Yea, I was too simplistic on my comment. It will make the screen more responsive and faster to respond to menus etc. To quote the epson site:

Epson's controller IC's functionality is fully enabled when integrated into a display solution utilizing a host controller, tuned waveforms, and E Ink's Vizplex-enabled active matrix electrophoretic displays. Its ability to perform regional updates contributes to a more responsive screen for both input and output usage.

The Epson display controller will bring greater functionality to EPDs using E Ink technology by speeding up the user interface via seamless navigation, drop down/popup menus, responsive cursors and real-time keyboard entry. The controller enables the display to perform up to 16 tasks in parallel, and supports smooth and responsive pen input devices for annotations and sketches.

Dale

It all depends on how much of that gets used by the software developers for a device. iRex's controller is pretty similar to the new Epson one, as far as most of the specs go. Doesn't do a lot of good unless the UI is designed to make use of the capability though.

[athlonkmf]

I can't help but remember a press notice from Eink where they announced that they'd show their first color eink-demo on some event. But it never came through and the press notice was taken down.

However, I found that in this year's january's notice, they were talking about color screens which they engineerd with philips LG. What could happen in 10 months?
http://eink.com/press/releases/pr108.html

And whatever happened to the color eink prototype which was mentioned in januari 2005? http://www.e-ink.com/press/releases/pr86.html

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by athlonkmf

And whatever happened to the color eink prototype which was mentioned in januari 2005? http://www.e-ink.com/press/releases/pr86.html

They're still showing off that same prototype. My guess is that this technology is a looooooooooooooong way off from mass production though.

[athlonkmf]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

They're still showing off that same prototype. My guess is that this technology is a looooooooooooooong way off from mass production though.

Hmm.. that casing is like their standard testcasing. It doesn't say anything about the internal techniques.