Hanvon To Introduce 10" E-Reader With Color E Ink Display
E-readers have been around some time, and that market has had a long
while to mature. In fact, many e-reader companies are now ditching the
original E Ink e-paper that is still used on the Kindle in order to use
an LCD. Why? Color and fast-motion video. Consumers are demanding more
from their portable devices these days, and when units like the iPad and
NOOKcolor can both be used as an e-reader as well as a video playback
device and gaming handheld...well, it makes the e-paper units look
rather limited in scope.
There's little doubt that e-paper is superior for readability. It reacts the best under direct sunlight, drains the least amount of battery life and is more gentle on the eyes. But that's obviously not enough anymore. Despite those benefits, many companies are still reverting to LCD in order to add more demanded features.
According a report in the New York Times, Hanvon will seriously change the game tomorrow at FPD International 2010 in Tokyo. The story suggests that they will announce their intentions to "sell a color display using technology from E Ink, whose black-and-white displays are used in 90 percent of the world’s e-readers, including the Amazon Kindle, Sony Readers and the Nook from Barnes & Noble."
A color E Ink display? Yes, it's true according to this, and it's coming. But what's really strange here is the company that will be bringing into the public limelight. Hanvon? Barnes & Noble just introduced the LCD-based NOOKcolor a few weeks ago; did E Ink never contact them to try to arrange a launch deal? What about Amazon in all of this? Either way, there's no doubt that this is a major milestone for e-readers in general as well as E Ink as a company. Having a color E Ink display could shift the way future e-readers are marketed, and may definitely influence the future path of the Kindle. Hanvon's color unit will not be ready for public consumption until next March, with pricing still to be announced.
There's little doubt that e-paper is superior for readability. It reacts the best under direct sunlight, drains the least amount of battery life and is more gentle on the eyes. But that's obviously not enough anymore. Despite those benefits, many companies are still reverting to LCD in order to add more demanded features.
According a report in the New York Times, Hanvon will seriously change the game tomorrow at FPD International 2010 in Tokyo. The story suggests that they will announce their intentions to "sell a color display using technology from E Ink, whose black-and-white displays are used in 90 percent of the world’s e-readers, including the Amazon Kindle, Sony Readers and the Nook from Barnes & Noble."
A color E Ink display? Yes, it's true according to this, and it's coming. But what's really strange here is the company that will be bringing into the public limelight. Hanvon? Barnes & Noble just introduced the LCD-based NOOKcolor a few weeks ago; did E Ink never contact them to try to arrange a launch deal? What about Amazon in all of this? Either way, there's no doubt that this is a major milestone for e-readers in general as well as E Ink as a company. Having a color E Ink display could shift the way future e-readers are marketed, and may definitely influence the future path of the Kindle. Hanvon's color unit will not be ready for public consumption until next March, with pricing still to be announced.
