Qualcom color ereader by fall 2010
By Paul Biba
This is from E-Reader-info.com:
Qualcomm say that a e-reader will launch in fall 2010 that will use their MEMS-based Mirasol display. The display will be 5.7″ in size, with 1024×768 resolution. Earlier this month Qualcomm said that they are on track to deliver these displays late in 2010.
The Mirasol display is reflective and non-volatile (i.e. it does not require power if there are no changes). It has a fast refresh rate compared to other e-paper technologies, and can show 30-frame per second videos.
November 25th, 2009 at 1:56 am
It would be smart for Qualcom to ‘leak’ a ballpark price on this device.
So far, with plans to replace my aging first generation Kindle, I’m looking at either the Spring Design Alex or the Entourage Edge. But .. If I determine that this Qualcom device will be coming in at a reasonable price, I’ll be willing to postpone my next e-reader purchase ’til this gadget hits the market (assuming its core features match up well with, for instance, the Kindle).
I suspect there are a lot of potential e-reader buyers out there who would be willing to wait to buy their first e-reader if they believed the price on these was going to be competitive with current readers.
November 25th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
I wonder if 30fps videos capability means there’s no delay when changing pages of a book
November 26th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
1- The price may be competitive with today’s grayscale models, but next year’s? We’ll see; fall 2010 really mean 2011. And they’ll have to ramp up the tech real fast to catch up to the economies of scale of the older tech.
2- 30fps video means the screen updates that fast which is great but only half the story; the other half is rendering the page to be displayed. And that will like as not depend on the format and the book.
Color is coming but not soon enough or cheap enough to wait for, I don’t think. I suspect we’ll see the entry level go close to US$100 before we see color eink under $400.