January 2010

IntertechPira and +plasticElectronics have announced an upcoming webinar (18 of February) called "e-readers and e-paper: technology and applications" that will discuss the evolution of e-paper for the e-reader market. The webinar will be given by Ian French, a principal scientist at Prime View International (PVI).

The webinar will provide an overview of e-readers to date, technology advances in three key areas: flexibility, color and video and will also discuss future applications for e-paper displays.

It seems that Bridestone's e-paper technologies are finally coming to the market: Taiwan's Delta plans to launch 2 e-readers with their e-paper displays in 2Q 2010. One will have a 13.1" color display, the other 8.1" monochrome. Both will be touch enabled.

Liquavista say that TI will include support for their displays in an OMAP-based e-reader development platform. Liquavista are working on both monochrome and color displays.

TI is also working with E Ink to include support and special software for E Ink displays in their platforms.

LG Display is showing a new 19" flexible E Ink prototype - that's almost as big as an A3-sized newpaper. It is only 0.3mm thin and weights only 130 grams. 

The display uses metal foil, and so it can recover its original shape after being bent. 

Engadget has got some new information on Qualcomm's Mirasol display exhibited at CES:

• Qualcomm claims a 6X (!) power advantage over E Ink in a typical usage scenario, even with the color and video.
• Qualcomm expects that the first product that uses their display will indeed use the 5.7" XGA display that Qualcomm are showing.
• The display can be paired with a capactivie or resistive touchscreen (which impairs visibility a little, just like it does with any other display).
• Qualcomm has a method to light the display from the edges, which will provide even lighting across the display.

Pixel Qi says that they are working with half a dozen partners, including one that "everyone is familiar with" that will announce a device in 2010.

Currently the only announced device using Pixel Qi's 3Qi display is the Notion Ink Adam.

TI has collaborated with E Ink to create new chips for E Ink e-readers. The new chips integrate E Ink's e-paper displays with TI power management ICs and OMAP 3 processors - in the world's first power management integrated circuit for E Ink displays. TI has also developed a new software-based display controller.

The companies says that this will result in smaller silicon footprint and cheaper hardware that are more energy efficient than before.

Qualcomm is showing their new Mirasol displays, and they look good. It's a 5.7" XGA color screen, that is very power efficient, but faster (can play video), has color, and should be cheaper.

There are rumors that the new displays might be used in future Kindle devices. We'll have to wait and see. In any case, Qualcomm say that the displays will be ready by automn.

Tianjin Jinke announced 3 new e-readers today. Two of them use SiPix's e-paper technology, with 6" and 9" displays. These are the first e-readers announced that use SiPix's displays.

The third e-reader (the V30+) uses an E Ink display.

Liquavista is showing their color e-paper display at CES. They say they expect product announcements in 2010/2011. Here's a nice video showing how it compares to an E Ink display: