Where the hell is Liquavista and their electrowetting displays ?

[tracey1]

For anybody who isn't familiar with it. Liquavista is a company of amazon that is developing a new E-paper technology called "electrowetting". It's basically color E-paper with fast refresh rates and you can also watch videos with it. The great thing about this is that not only could it be used for E-readers but for monitors as well. It would be a great gift yo your eyes. Ironically it would be much cheaper than current E ink despite being more versatile due to the lower production costs

But it's been in development for years now (over half a decade or even longer) and there's no progress in sight. What the hell are they waiting for ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf1GjCaYzYg

[knc1]

Wrong site and/or wrong question.

Nobody here can speak for Amazon, you need to ask them directly.

[tracey1]

Originally Posted by knc1

Wrong site and/or wrong question.

Nobody here can speak for Amazon, you need to ask them directly.

It's fine. People can speculate and maybe somebody knows a little thing or two. Amazon doesnt give out information

[HarryT]

The most likely explanation is that they've been unable to make the transition from technology demonstration to something that can be commercially produced. Most development projects end in failure as far as commercial products go. You can't "demand" results from research.

[pdurrant]

It's still in development.

I was hoping to see it in 2015. I'm now hoping to see it in a product before 2020.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

It's still in development.

I was hoping to see it in 2015. I'm now hoping to see it in a product before 2020.

It could easily be longer.

Example:
The LED was discovered in 1961, but white LEDs did not become commercially available until the early 21st. century.
And there was a lot of commercial incentive to developing those.
Ref:
http://www.edisontechcenter.org/LED.html

So don't be surprised if it takes decades rather than years.

[graycyn]

Even if they did get it in production, knowing Amazon, it would only be with a 6" screen. For those few books that might actually need color, I expect the quality of the color would be better on a tablet.

Could also be troubles with producing it at a cost people would accept. Remember, such a device would be competing with existing Kindle Fire tablets. While I prefer to read on e-ink, lots of folks have absolutely no trouble with doing their reading on existing tablet and smartphone displays.

Before it could replace the displays on tablets and smartphones, I think the color rendition would have to be much better. Though maybe less power consumption would outweigh that, but I wouldn't be certain!

As for a monitor, I could LOVE that application, but only if color was true. Anyway, be nice if it does come to something, but it could take time.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Just looked at the video and it looks like garbage. Seriously, what is that, a 256 color display in a world surrounded by 16 million color displays. And it looked like it was operating rather slowly too. I think they should take that garbage to the dump and bury it. No one would want that crap today, except for a few people who still think eInk is all the rage.

[knc1]

@graycyn: Amazon has not yet been able to offer an Oasis at a price people will accept.
At least not to people who do not place a value on bragging rights.

[tracey1]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The most likely explanation is that they've been unable to make the transition from technology demonstration to something that can be commercially produced. Most development projects end in failure as far as commercial products go. You can't "demand" results from research.

True. However you would think amazon is different in that regard

[tracey1]

Originally Posted by jswinden

No one would want that crap today, except for a few people who still think eInk is all the rage.

Its really not about that. It's about it being easy on the eyes. As somebody with dry eyes I get significant relief off using electronic paper. I struggle extremely with LCDs etc especially when I look at them for a longer period of time. Products like this would be ideal for me and a lot of other guys.

[patrickt]

"You can't "demand" results from research."

Now that's funny. We all know that whoever is paying for the "research" gets the results they "demand". Otherwise, the money disappears.

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Just looked at the video and it looks like garbage. Seriously, what is that, a 256 color display in a world surrounded by 16 million color displays. And it looked like it was operating rather slowly too. I think they should take that garbage to the dump and bury it. No one would want that crap today, except for a few people who still think eInk is all the rage.

Yep, I couldn't see wanting a monitor with color like that shown in the video. Be rather useless for image editing, which I do a lot of.

Only if they could develop this to be equivalent to the 16 million color displays would it likely appeal to the average person, because that's the kind of color the average person is used to and wants to see now. Very few would pay for lackluster color simply because their battery charge would last longer.

There are plenty of people who find e-ink easier on the eyes for extended use, I'm one of them. *IF* the technology could be brought to be the equivalent of modern color displays, I'd be HIGHLY interested. Until then, not so much. The truth is that, other than the cover, most books I read don't need or use color. Those that do, such as illustrated cookbooks or art books, I can use on a tablet or at least use a tablet to see the color content, then go back to e-ink for the text.













Sent from my Pixel C using Tapatalk

[Barbara1955]

Hummm I still waiting for the Self Drive car! Been talk of that for the past 50 years!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by knc1

@graycyn: Amazon has not yet been able to offer an Oasis at a price people will accept.
At least not to people who do not place a value on bragging rights.

I think Amazon raised the price when they realized there are people out there that will buy the latest Kindle at any price no matter how poorly designed it is and they were correct. The Oasis is an awful design at a price that's way higher than it should be.