There are reports that PocketBook will release an e-reader at CES 2011 (January) - the first one with a Mirasol display. This will be a color display featuring 12fps refresh rate. PocketBook says that this is a mistake, but the information was included in an official PR...
A few months ago we reported that Hanvon is working on an e-reader with a color E Ink display. It was said to launch by the end of 2010. Now we hear that Hanvon has delayed the reader to March 2011. It will have a large display (10"), launch in China only (at least initially) and will cost around $440. This will most likely be the first color E Ink product...
There's an interesting (and funny) blog post by Evan Butterfield about his experiences with his Kindle and an iPad. He complains that the iPad he played was quickly covered with fingerprints, smears and smudges. His Kindle doesn't suffer from those (nor does mine).
I have talked with Sriram Peruvemba from E Ink, and he said that E Ink indeed offers a coating that is anti-fingerprint/smudge resistant. This protective coating is designed and supplied by E Ink themselves as an option to their customers. This coating goes on top of the E Ink Vizplex or Pearl imaging film, in the form of a protective layer.
LG Display plans to begin mass production of color 9.7" e-paper panels, and 19" flexible monochrome ones (most likely both are based on E Ink). We don't know LG's plan for the displays, but we can assume they're targeting e-readers, and perhaps newspaper-sized ones, too (for the 19" flexible panels).
LG has unveiled their 19" flexible E Ink panels back in January (shown above). The panels are only 0.3mm thick, and weight just 130 grams. It uses metal foil, and so it can recover its original shape after being bent.
Qualcomm plans to invest $2 billion in a 4.5 Gen Mirasol production plant. Volume production will being in 2012. The mainly aim to produce 5.7" color panels. There are reports that samples have been shipped to customers already, and at least one 'major client' has started the design-in process.
Mirasol displays claim a 6X power advantage of E Ink, offer a fast response time (enough for Video!) and color.
E Ink says that Hanvon has adopted their color EPD, and will launch the first e-readers that use it in 4Q 2010. The display will use E Ink's latest Pearl EPD with a color filter. E Ink expects color e-readers to account for 10% of the global e-reader market in 2011.
Color E Ink prototype
E Ink has also posted their 2Q financial reports - revenues were $162 million, and their gross margin was 39.6%.
Amazon has just announced the third generation of their popular Kindle e-reader devices. The new Amazon Kindle is smaller, and lighter but still has the same display size. They are using the new 'pearl' displays, which offer an improved contrast (by 50%!). The display size is still 6", 600x800.
There are two versions: Wi-Fi only and WiFi/3G. Both versions will ship on August 27th, and can be pre-ordered now. The Wi-Fi only will cost $139, and will come in Graphite. The 3G version will cost $189, and you can choose between white and Graphite.
Amazon has announced an upgrade to the original Kindle DX: the new Graphite Kindle DX. It has a new 9.7" E Ink display that has 50% improved contrast, and is cheaper - $379 (down from $489!). It still has free US 3G access (Sprint 3G) and 4GB of internal memory. Oh, and it's gray.
The Graphite Kindle DX will ship on July 7th for $379. You can pre-order it now.
Delta electronics is showing their upcoming color e-reader, and they hope to release it in December 2010. It has a 13.1" color display, based on Bridgestone's e-paper technology. The e-reader supports pen input. Delta claims that the display's refresh rate is faster than in E Ink displays.
Delta Electronics will use Allied Material Technology (AMTC)'s 3.5" color-filter production line to produce e-paper panels. Delta decided not to build their own production line to save costs. They might lease the production line, or buy it.
Delta is using Bridgestone's technology to make the e-paper panels, and will also launch thier own e-reader in 3Q 2010. In the future they also plan to launch color e-paper displays.
