Archive for E-Paper
Plastic Logic Shows Off Concept e-Reader Screen
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Plastic Logic Research and Development labs have just released a new video that shows off their new flexible display screen for e-readers. It features dual nine inch screens with 150 dpi. This is a new breed of e-paper that is quite the stark contrast from most other displays on the market. Although Plastic Logic consistently pumps out proof of concepts, none of their products have really made it into full production models.
Hands on with E-Ink Triton 2 and Prototype Front Lite Technology
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E-Ink Holdings has many new technologies for its hardware partners this year and this is evident in a few upcoming releases. The Ectaco Jetbook Color 2 is on sale starting today and utilizes the second generation of E-Ink Triton. In essence, this gives you brighter colors due to the way the color film is added to the screen. The company also was showing off a new prototype e-reader that uses Triton 2 and Front Lite, allowing customers to get a full color experience while reading in the dark.
E-Ink Triton 2 is the next generation color display screens for your traditional e-reader. This is an added layer of film that will give customers a higher degree of contrast and better color display from the previous generation. Triton 1 had a grid of 2×2 pixels, red, green, blue, and white and used a square color filter array. Meanwhile, Triton 2 has the same color display, but instead of using square pixels it is using rectangular. It should give you 4096 degrees of color with 16 levels of each.
Not only has e-Ink developed a second generation of color, but it developed it with front lite screens in mind. During our interview with Giovanni Mancini, Project Manager at e-Ink Holdings, we talked about how the new screen has modules built into it for full color and light. He cited the new Pocketbook reader as the first device to hit the market that will have both of these new technologies bundled in the eight inch screen.
Neither Ectaco nor Pocketbook have an excellent track record for commercially viable products. They often go with the latest generation e-paper screens to woo customers over to their brand, but often skimp out on the proper hardware requirements to give the users the best experience possible. This is a great video interview that really will give you a sense of how these new screens work. We go hands on with the actual color filter, Ectaco Jetbook Color 2, and prototype devices using the latest generation hardware!
Hands on with the Plastic Logic Papertab e-Paper
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Plastic Logic, Intel, and Queen’s University’s Human Media Lab first revealed the new Papertab e-paper a few days ago. Many people were obviously very excited about the prospect of flexible e-paper with innovative new features. We caught up with representatives of Queens and Plastic Logic today outside of the CES 2013 show in Las Vegas.
The essence of this e-paper is the ability to replace sheets of paper on your desktop and provide a multitasking alternative to being dependent on a tablet or PC. We saw a few fine examples of being able to access Google Maps and instead of scrolling around, you can bump a piece of e-paper next to it, to get a wider map. If you have images on one piece of paper, you can bump it with your email and automatically attach the image. The big hyping factor behind this new technology is that you can do many common tasks by bending the paper on the left and right hand side, rather then interacting with the touchscreen film in the traditional way.
There is a ton of potential with this new e-paper, and eventually we will have the ability to print them out the same way people would do newspapers or normal paper. Right now, the Papertab is dependent on an Intel PC to run all of the processes. This why in the video below you see ripens on the bottom of the paper.
There are many barriers to a true flexible e-paper that have prevented these types of technology to cross over from the concept stage. The main problem is the chassis and internal components. Memory, batteries, and transistors are not suited to be bendable and small. This is why you see devices, like the Wexler Flex One using LG’s flexible e-paper, being anything but flexible. This is why it is hard to say if this will catch on or not. The industry as a whole needs to adopt flexible e-paper and develop internal components that are suitable. In all honesty, I don’t see this happening anytime soon.
Whitman Manuscript Now Digitized
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According to the University of Chicago Library News, the original manuscript of Walt Whitman’s The Bible as Poetry has been digitized, along with related pieces of Whitmaniana, and is now online. The manuscript includes a letter sent from Whitman to his publishers and Whitman’s edits of his own work. The complete essay was published in The Critic in 1883.
Flexible Paper Tablet from Plastic Logic and Intel
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Canada’s Queen’s University, Intel, and Plastic Logic have created a flexible paper-like tablet using Plastic Logic’s 10.7″ display and Intel’s Core i5 processors. This new device is basically a tablet that uses a sheet of flexible e-paper to read the news, look at pictures, and surf the internet.
Ryan Brotman, Research Scientist at Intel elaborates: “We are actively exploring disruptive user experiences. The ‘PaperTab’ project, developed by the Human Media Lab at Queen’s University and Plastic Logic, demonstrates innovative interactions powered by Intel Core processors that could potentially delight tablet users in the future.”
“Using several PaperTabs makes it much easier to work with multiple documents,” says Roel Vertegaal, Director of Queen’s University’s Human Media Lab. “Within five to ten years, most computers, from ultra-notebooks to tablets, will look and feel just like these sheets of printed color paper.”
Take a look at the video below. It’s supposed to be on display at CES, so maybe Michel and crew can find it there.
Qualcomm Mirasol Screen Technology – What went Wrong?
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Mirasol spent almost four years developing its screen technology, which was an alternative to Pixel QI and Color e-Paper. It was based on IMOD (Interferometric MODulation), with MEMS structures at its core. This MEMS-based innovation is bistable & highly reflective, meaning the display itself can be seen in direct sunlight. It saw many products reach South Korea and Asia, but never took off in North America. What went wrong with the screens?
Mirasol screen technology was developed to draw less power and be viewable in direct sunlight. Qualcomm had grand ambitions to usher in a new era of smartphone, tablet, and e-reader screens. The company spent almost 1 billion dollars on a dedicated factory in Taiwan to produce the screens. Unfortunately, there were only four companies in Asia that bought into what Mirasol was selling: Hanvon, Bambook, Kyobo, and Koobe Jin Yong. All of these devices ran on the Google Android operating system and were very unique in the marketplace. Sadly, all of these e-readers/tablets suspended production and are no longer being made or marketed.
Qualcomm was estimated to have lost close to 300 million dollars in 2012 due to the Mirasol fiasco. The company announced a few months ago that it was abandoning the technology in its current form. “We are now focusing on licensing our next-generation Mirasol display technology and will directly commercialize only certain Mirasol products,” said Chief Executive Paul Jacobs Wednesday in a conference call with analysts. “We believe this strategy will better align our updated road map with the addressable opportunities.”
So what went wrong? Mirasol screens were only able to produce 60 Hz video, which quickly drained the battery. When we reviewed the Kyobo e-Reader, we noticed that colors looked washed out. There simply isn’t an interest from large scale companies like LG, Samsung, Motorola, and HTC to use unproven screens with their phones and tablets. Samsung spends a ridiculous amount of money on developing its own screens and purchased Liquavista for its electrowetting display, but has since been quiet about it. In the end, all the big boys have their existing supply chain and don’t want to buy risky new developments.
The lack of mainstream support is what destroyed Mirasol, Pixel Qi, and Plastic Logic. All of these companies almost went broke developing factories and research and development sectors. All of them in 2012 announced that they were getting out of making commercial products and instead will license their technology. Pixel Qi has seen the most success with marketing its tech to the military and government sectors.
Find out the semantics of Mirasol screen technology HERE.
How do Front Lit e-Readers Work?
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Picture Courtesy of the New York Times
e-Reader technology has certainly changed in 2012 and many companies are releasing front lit devices. How exactly do they work and what makes them different from tablets? The Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Glo, and Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight all use LED lights that project the light across the screen. The Nook has them on the top of the bezel facing downwards and most others have them on the bottom of the bezel facing up. This makes screens easier on the eyes because the light is not emitting from behind the screens, as is the case with tablets, smartphones, and monitors.
e-Readers that employ the front lit technology have a number of benefits. In the past, if you wanted to read at night, you would need a book light or ambient light in the room. The new breed of e-readers does away with bulky accessories and puts it all in one lightweight package. Most e-reader light settings can be augmented by using a slider bar to control the luminosity. You can either turn the light completely off or find that sweet spot depending on how light or dark a room is.
2013 will be a big year as Ectaco, and Pocketbook have both announced front lit e-readers using e-Ink Triton 2, to give you control over the built in light and also give you full color e-ink. The future looks bright for e-readers right now.
Color e-Ink to Build Momentum in 2013
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Mainstream e-readers from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, and Kobo have all tended to rely on e-Ink technology. This gives you the ability to read in direct sunlight, without having the typical glare you would get 0n a television, laptop, or tablet screen. There have been a few iterations of e-ink technology, but not much has changed in the last four years with the advent of e-ink Pearl. 2013 may be the year that major companies release new devices utilizing color e-ink.
e-Ink Holdings has developed Triton 2 technology, which is the next generation color display screens for your traditional e-reader. This will give customers a higher degree of contrast and better color display from the previous generation. Triton 1 had a grid of 2×2 pixels, red, green, blue, and white and used a square color filter array. Meanwhile, Triton 2 has the same color display, but instead of using square pixels it is using rectangular. It should give you 4096 degrees of color with 16 levels of each.
So why haven’t color e-readers gained momentum yet in the industry? Giovanni Mancini, Project Manager at e-Ink Holdings, told us that “one of the drawbacks is that most companies who licensed Triton 1… drove up the cost and prevented mass market attention.” This was clearly evident with the Ectaco Jetbook Color, which cost around $450 to $550.00. He went on to say “Pocketbook and Ectaco have both announced new digital readers that not only use our second generation Triton 2, but also Frontlight display screens.” This should give readers the same type of illuminated display screens found in the Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Glo, in conjunction with a full color display screen.
Pocketbook is going to be releasing an eight inch device and Ectaco is going to be doing a 9.7 model. This should keep the prices very high, but Triton 2 is not relegated just to big screens. Giovanni elaborated that “The color filter array can be used in any sized e-reader, and is not limited to 9.7 inch screens. Of course, there are different design tradeoffs that companies have to pay close attention to. The main thing to consider is that Triton 2 will work in your standard six inch reader and many companies have been inquiring about it.”
The e-Ink Research and Development Labs have been working in overdrive pumping out E-Ink Triton 2 and producing many test models to show to particular vendors that are interested in seeing the latest tech. It seems that they have a number of six inch models with Triton 2 and Backlight technology available to show off to their regular customers. Although Giovanni did not confirm which companies are looking at the tech, you figure the bread and butter customers are Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble. I would also suspect that Onyx Boox, Bookeen, and a number of indies are looking at it, too. You can expect that if one of the bigger companies does a next generation e-reader with a color display, they all will do it. Just like when Barnes and Noble released the Simple Touch Reader with Glowlight, both other companies followed suit within six months and released their own models.
Frontlight technology ended up being the e-reader standard in 2012 and color e-ink will rise in 2013.
Startup PopSlate Developing e-Ink Screen for your iPhone
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Popslate is developing a new product that will add a secondary screen to the back of your Apple iPhone to provide a true e-ink experience. It basically offers a blank slate and you can load your own images on it! These can be pictures you took via the camera or side-loaded from your computer. You can think of it as a very slim secondary case that can dynamically change the graphics to suit your mood. Not only can static images or a slideshow be established, but also urgent notifications, sports scores, maps, notes, calendar, talking points—you name it—will now be available at a glance.
Popslate technology bridges the gap between a dedicated e-ink reader and a smartphone. It provides the best of both worlds and you can read your Kindle books on the dedicated screen, in full e-ink glory. The core technology features a very rugged 4 inch diagonal E-Ink screen. It weighs less then 75 grams and the dimensions are 5.35” x 2.56” x 0.54”.
The company is currently seeking funds to develop the project and are nearly there. They asked for $150,000 via the micro financing website Indiegogo. They have currently raised $143,000 and there is around a month left to get the rest. It looks like this project will move ahead and iPhone users can finally get a taste of the dedicated e-ink experience.
Pocketbook Announces Color e-Reader with Front-Light
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Pocketbook announced today that it is going to be releasing a new e-reader in July 2013 with Color e-Ink and Front-Light technology. The Color is being produced by a second generation e-Ink Triton, which is the same sort of tech that the Ectaco Jetbook Color employed.
The new PocketBook reader will especially appeal to those who like reading magazines in PDF, as well as to those who deal with tables and graphs. It will be much easier to turn over magazine spreads, analyze charts, and deal with any technical literature. The traditional PocketBook’s omnivorous nature for any book format allows you to open virtually any document.
The device itself will be around 8 inches and features a capacitive touchscreen. The resolution is 600×800 pixels and will display over 4096 colors. Battery life will run you over a full month of use. It will use the same type of Front-Light technology found in the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Glo, and Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight. This allows you to basically read in the dark and this unit will be the first large screen reader with night light technology. Not much is known in terms of processor, RAM, and other semantics. In the coming months we will see a clearer picture of what this device brings to the table.
I am very excited about the second generation of e-Ink Triton. Overall, e-reader technology has been fairly stagnant in the last calendar year. We have seen a slew of devices utilizing e-Ink Pearl, such as the Kindle Paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2, Kobo Glo, and many others. The first generation of the tech was fairly under-performing, but this was directly attributed to low-end hardware specs found in the Jetbook Color. It will be interesting to see what the Pocketbook Color can do in the real world. I don’t expect it to have ANY availability in North America, due to the company pulling out of the market. Likely, it will be relegated to eastern Europe, Germany, and other countries around there.
New Prototype e-Paper Shown Off by Japan Display
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Prototypes for e-paper displays that are capable of rendering color images as well as videos have been popping up from all parts of the globe. The latest to make it to this list is one from Japan, with its makers promising the e-paper is ahead of its genre. It’s a new reflective paper type LCD panel that is capable of reflecting ambient light into our eyes. Of course, traditional paper is based on this principle.
“Ordinary liquid crystal displays have a backlight, and produce the picture by using a liquid crystal shutter. But this panel doesn’t have a backlight. It reflects light from above, and the liquid crystal shutter is used to produce a monochrome image. At the same time, color filters are used, to give a color picture.”
However, what makes the prototype from Japan Display unique is the way it cuts down of battery consumption, which means extended period of usage on a single charge.
“This display is a reflective type, but as it uses liquid crystal, it has electric circuits built in. The circuits can retain signals. This feature is called Memory in Pixels. With a still picture, once the data has been written, it can be retained, so power consumption is extremely low.”
There are actually two versions of the display that Japan Display has developed. One that is brighter, with a reflective rate of 40 percent along with “5 percent coverage of the NTSC color gamut.” The other version is slightly dimmer, having a reflection rate of 28 percent with its other characteristics being a “high color purity with 36 percent coverage of the NTSC color gamut.”
Both the display have the same contrast ratio of 30:1 with the drain on power resources being just 3 mW when showing still pictures.
What we would like to see next from the display is its application on a real life device such as an e-reader or a tablet.
New Prototype Display for e-Readers and Tablets Allows Video Playback, Full Color
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We have come across quite a few e-reader prototypes while working on this website, each providing a future glimpse of what the devices could be like several years down the line. The latest mock-up comes from the Novel Devices Laboratory at the University of Cincinnati. Engineer Jason Heikenfeld, who heads the lab, is pinning high hopes on the prototype. He claims it has fast enough page turning speeds to allow it to comfortably play back videos, while also allowing for rich color displays. Current e-readers are found lacking with both unless they are LCD based.
The prototype also reminds us of the several bendable displays that we have come across, with some so thin you can roll them up like a magazine or newspaper. Jason Heikenfeld is promising flexibility, and has said, “If you want to make something like an iPad you can roll up and put in your pocket, this is the type of technology that can enable that type of breakthrough.”
The prototype e-reader display can refresh at the rate of 67 frames per second, which Heikenfeld claims is fast enough to allow for video playback on the display that already provides for a full color output while still being extremely thin and light. Another area where mobile computing devices have often been found lacking is battery backup times and the prototype display scores on this front as well by being extremely energy efficient.
The display consist of a thin sheet of white plastic which is backed up by a porous aluminium coating to ensure better reflection, while the pores allow for easy passage of ink that is pushed to the front of the white plastic sheet to construct the images and text. Heikenfeld is claiming it is the white plastic with a layer of aluminium at the rear which is key to the display being able to render excellent color reproduction. Heikenfeld compared his prototype display with thinly veiled displays of current gen e-readers that are not able to hide the dark underlying colors effectively. “If you have a black wall in your house and you want to paint it white, you know one coat won’t do it,” said Heikenfeld.
Another inherent advantage of such a display is its readibility even in direct sunlight, something that is not possible with LCD based tablet devices. “Now you’re starting to capture a lot of the advantages you have in an iPad screen, but you can see in it in sunlight,” Heikenfeld said.
However, before you get too excited with the prospect of coming across an e-reader or a tablet with this display anytime soon, there are still years of research left for the technology to mature into a viable product.
LG Flexible e-Paper Fails to Change the e-Reader World
Posted by: Michael Kozlowski | Comments (1)In early 2012, LG debuted a new kind of flexible e-Paper technology that was set to usher in a new generation of e-readers. This never happened, although LG started to mass produce the screens for companies that never bought them. The only commercially viable product was the Wexler Flex One, but it is only available in Russia and Shop e-Readers. The flexible screens had a ton of potential, why didn’t the product take off?
The screens LG has produced had a very respectable resolution of 1,024×768 pixels. The screen was six inches and bended in 40 degree angles. The e-Paper was a bit different from traditional e-Ink, but provided the same overall experience. It was very easy on the eyes and did not reflect direct sunlight.
The screen is crafted from a flexible plastic substrate, the display measuring 0.03 inches (0.7 millimeters) thick and weighs 0.5 ounces (13 grams), making it one-third slimmer and half the weight of currently available glass EPD devices. LG also has made it fairly durable with it being able to easily withstand dropping it from up to six feet. The battery life is also fairly amazing with two or three months of usage.
Why didn’t this screen technology ever catch on in the e-reader world? Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Bookeen, and Bebook all use e-Paper made by e-Ink Holdings. This company has had a stranglehold on the entire e-reader segment. With the industry gravitating towards illuminated screens and e-Ink Triton 2, there aren’t any takers for LG.
One of the biggest reasons why major companies haven’t adapted the flexible e-Paper is because of the synergy between e-Ink and Freescale. The two companies work together with their larger vendors to make sure everyone gets the best performance out of their e-reader. This is why budget e-readers that use Texas Instruments, Marvell, or other companies fail to win over customers.
LG and the entire tech industry ranted and raved on how flexible screens would change the world. We at Good e-Reader tend to be more reserved on new technologies that are announced, because of the established relationships all the major companies have with a few specific ones.