A few months ago E Ink unveiled an online store where they are directly selling e-paper displays for e-readers and also niche segments such as luggage tags, grocery labels and smartwatches. This marks the first occasion in which E Ink is getting involved in assisting startups and developers with providing the screens they need to be able create their own products.
In the past, if you wanted to develop an e-reader you had to contact E Ink directly and they would forward you to one of their partners. For example if your city wanted to do some sort of solar powered city map that showed popular landmarks you would have to deal with Visionect or if you wanted to create a new e-reader you would have to do business with various Taiwan companies.
E Ink has sent Good e-Reader two different development kits to give you a sense on they actually send out when you pay them. We unbox a smartwatch display and an 8 inch e-paper screen and logic board. In the near future we will load customized firmware on these, so you can really understand some of the great things you can do with development kit.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.