OLED e-reader coming from Sony in time?
Could an OLED-based e-reader come from Sony in time? In CNET Japan, Rick Martin writes: “There are other promising e-book readers in the works, as I saw from last week’s Ceatec conference here in Tokyo. Sony was showing off OLED prototypes, and while these likely won’t go into production anytime soon, the ‘Contrast’ e-book reader looked absolutely stunning.”
One issue with OLEDs is power consumption—for example, the challenge of lighting up the background against which the text appears. But then again, OLEDs, unlike LCDs, don’t need backlighting. Let’s wait and see what the Sony’s battery life will really be."
A positive is that the Contrast could live up to its name and offer much better text-screen contrast than E Ink currently can.
Image: The photo isn’t of the Contrast—rather, of the Sony XEL-1 digital TV using OLED tech.
October 17th, 2009 at 9:26 am
I wonder how the power consumption of an OLED screen compares to that of an e-ink screen?
Sony definitely loves their OLED, so I would not be surprised to see it across many devices in the near future.
Given that they have finally figured out that ereaders/ebooks are a lucrative market for them (after squandering the market lead), I could seem them innovating quite quickly.
Clint Brauer
General Manager
http://www.cyberread.com
October 17th, 2009 at 10:30 am
I imagine that some app-maker (maybe even Amazon?) will beat Sony to the punch, by offering an ebook app for the Zune HD, eh?
October 17th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Interesting possibility, Pond, although there’s the screen size issue. Thanks. David
October 17th, 2009 at 11:12 am
The rumor is that MS itself is working on MS Reader for Zune. Lately they’ve been updating the MS Reader section of their website so, no; MS Reader isn’t dead, yet.
Something may be coming down that path…
Maybe Courier?
October 17th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Bringing another ebook reader to market isn’t as important as finding a way to competing against E-Ink and advancing the technology through healthy competition. Which is my hope for Sony and OLEDs.