E Ink display production to double—and meanwhile expect faster screens, helpful for typing and the Web
Maybe the Kindle phenomenon is why E Ink manufacturer PVI is planning to double production of displays using this technology—good news for e-book buyers. See DigiTimes for details.
Alas, PVI didn’t give a timetable, but my guess is that expansion will happen much faster than anticipated. At any rate, brace yourself for a slew of machines in the near future underselling even an Astak device, expected to go for perhaps as little as $159.
The big question I have is when E Ink prices will get really dirt cheap, especially for high-quality rollout color displays that could go into mobile phones. No, such miracles don’t exist now. But almost surely they will in time, and the benefits for e-reading and society in general could be major if enough people understand the potential. The above photo gives a clue of what’s ahead with flexible e-paper—far more durable than the current crop of E Ink displays.
Better typing and Web browsing ahead for E Ink users?
Meanwhile, separately, Epson and E Ink have announced an improved display controller for E Ink screens—shown here. Epson’s S1D13521 controller will “support new e-paper applications such as electronic newspapers, portable Web browsers and industrial tablets,” says Russ Wilcox, president and CEO of E Ink. “With the ability to address many screen regions simultaneously, future devices using this chip could offer a fast menu interface, simple animations, higher grayscale levels, and user input through typing and touch.” A controller kit will be available in June and can already be preordered from E Ink.
(PVI item via MobileRead; controller item via MR and The Earth Times.)
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