Mirasol shows prototype reader-like device playing back color video, might be headed for the Kindle
You know that Kindle you’re so in love with? Man, that’s so 2009. Mirasol showed up at CES with a display technology that’s been in the works for around a decade, and it has finally reached the point where ODMs and OEMs are talking shop about integrating said panel into all manners of future devices. In the past, the company has stuck to making screens for relatively minuscule devices, but its latest display is a 5.7-inch XGA color screen that would fit just perfectly within your next e-reader. We spoke at length with executives, and they’re currently predicting an ebook reader running Mirasol in Fall of this year. What we’ve heard “around” is that the device will actually be new Kindle running a Mirasol display — we can’t confirm it, but it sounds logical. What’s interesting, though, is that this panel is not only color, but it can play back video when used with the right processor. In other words, a powerful enough Mirasol reader could double as a small tablet, and we imagine you could actually browse the web with some level of enjoyment. The demo we were shown was nothing short of stunning, and we were told that it could scale up to fit within 9 to 10-inch slate / tablet PCs. It requires no backlighting whatsoever, and instead relies on ambient light to show its stuff. We were told that future devices would be priced competitively, even to LCD / e-ink rivals, and we can safely say we’ll be bummed if we hear the word “delay” when autumn rolls around. Don’t make us frown, Mirasol.
Mirasol shows prototype reader-like device playing back color video, might be headed for the Kindle originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iriver Story up for sale in the UK, can be imported to the US for contrarian amount
Other than a delightful-looking keyboard, it’s a little tough to tell what sets the iriver Story apart from its E Ink brethren (other than its complete lack of wireless), but the little issue of a $400 US pricetag for import versions doesn’t give us much reason to find out. Meanwhile, in the UK the somewhat more reasonable £230 tag has been affixed to the now-shipping e-reader, and while that’s still a tad bit more than just shipping a Kindle to the UK, if you’re still interested you can feel free to check out a few videos after the break that do a mild job of explaining the device to a rollicking soundtrack of Taylor Swift.
Continue reading iriver Story up for sale in the UK, can be imported to the US for contrarian amount
iriver Story up for sale in the UK, can be imported to the US for contrarian amount originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Posted: November 29th, 2009
at 11:08am by Paul Miller
Topics: E-bookReader, EReader, Ebook, IriverStory, e-book, e-book reader, e-ink, e-reader, eink, iriver, iriver story
Entelligence: Of ebooks and suburban moms
There was a raging debate going on last week at Engadget HQ over the role of dedicated ebook readers that spilled over on to the Engadget Show. You can watch the show here, but essentially big boss Joshua Topolsky and Paul Miller feel that the new Barnes and Noble Nook is going to be a hit — the one machine that gets suburban moms to buy. On the other hand, Nilay Patel, rationally (as he agrees with me) says it’s not going to happen and there’s no mass market for dedicated ebook readers. I’m going to weigh in and say Nilay is probably right.
Now don’t get me wrong, this is not entirely an integration vs. convergence story. I believe there’s a market for dedicated devices: cameras have not been displaced by music phones, media players have not been displaced by music phones and ebook readers could serve bibliophiles, especially those who travel a lot. However, mobile reader apps like those from Amazon and Barnes & Noble can easily tap into more casual markets, allowing users to leverage the investment in screens they already own instead of buying a dedicated device. That’s one reason why I think it has been important for Amazon and B&N to get their ebook platform onto as many devices with screens as possible, and why Sony’s making a mistake by ignoring the opportunity.
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Filed under: Handhelds
Entelligence: Of ebooks and suburban moms originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Posted: November 1st, 2009
at 6:10pm by Michael Gartenberg
Topics: BarnesAndNoble, EReader, Ebook, Kindle, amazon, barnes and noble, column, columns, e-book, e-reader, entelligence, feature, features, nook
Liquavista’s e-reader displays do video, color and other magic tricks (video)
Liquavista’s been kicking around in the shadows for years now, and while its stuff has largely been viewed as vaporware, the video waiting for you just past the break changes everything. The company has today revealed three new e-reader display technologies that it’s working on, and all three of ‘em are in prototype form ready to wow. LiquavistaBright aims to speed up page refreshes on e-book readers and add support for video playback, and considering just how awful web browsing is on existing e-ink displays, we can hardly wait to surf on this stuff. It’s also toiling away on a LiquavistaColor screen, which is exactly what you think it is. Finally, there’s the elusive LiquavistaVivid, which is planned for “product implementation” throughout 2010 and 2011. Hit the read link if you’re down for looking into the future, and be sure to tell PixelQi its main competition has just come out in a big way.
Continue reading Liquavista’s e-reader displays do video, color and other magic tricks (video)
Filed under: Displays, Handhelds
Liquavista’s e-reader displays do video, color and other magic tricks (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Posted: October 27th, 2009
at 12:40pm by Darren Murph
Topics: ColorE-ink, ColorEInk, E-bookReader, EReader, Ebook, EbookReader, Liquavista, LiquavistaBright, LiquavistaColor, LiquavistaVivid, color, color e ink, e-book, e-book reader, e-ink, e-reader, eink, video
Bridgestone announces flexible touchscreen color e-reader
When we heard word of a “big announcement” back in July we imagined an e-reader of some sort, but what is it that we have here? Based on a technology Bridgestone calls Quick-response Liquid Powder, the company’s all-color touchscreen e-book reader is about 5.8mm thick, features a 13.1-inch touch-sensitive e-paper display (with 4,096 colors and a refresh rate of about 0.8 seconds), and some sort of unspecified mobile phone connectivity. Most exciting, of course, is that the entire package — circuit board, touchscreen, and housing — are designed to bend together. A neat trick, sure, but probably not too practical for jotting down notes with your stylus. Still, we’d take two. Trials begin at the Kansai Urban Banking Corp early next year, but you can check it out sooner at FPD International 2009 in Yokohama City, Japan, starting tomorrow.
[Via Tech-On]
Filed under: Displays, Handhelds
Bridgestone announces flexible touchscreen color e-reader originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Posted: October 27th, 2009
at 10:54am by Joseph L. Flatley
Topics: A4E-paper, E-bookReader, FlexibleE-paper, Quick-response Liquid Powder, Quick-responseLiquidPowder, a4 e-paper, bridgestone, color, e-book, e-book reader, e-ink, e-paper, epaper, flexible, flexible e-paper
