Bridgestone AeroBee

Bridgestone announced today that it is withdrawing from the e-paper business. This is sad news for the e-paper market. Some analysts believe that tablets are killing the dedicated e-readers and that the e-paper market will drop fast. Even E Ink, the clear market leader, posted large losses in the past quarter as panel shipment dropped fast.

Bridgestone's technology (named Aerobee) was developed in partnership with Delta Electronics - who had plans to start producing medium and large (40") panels in 2012. It'll be interested to see whether Delta will withdraw from the market as well, or whether they will find another partner and continue their e-paper program.

Electronics says they plan to launch 40" and larger e-paper devices in the second half of 2012. These e-paper panels will be used mainly as advertisements or price tags in retail locations (supermarkets and department stores). Delta's is usingBridgestone's e-paper technology.

Delta Electronics is showing their e-paper roadmap for 2011-2014. The company is ready to mass produce color e-paper panels - up to 21" in size. These panels have been showed earlier this month. The company will improve the color count from 4096 to 16.7M by next year, and will also improve the panel's reflectivity and writing method (which will make them faster). By 2012 the company will be able to make 32" e-paper panels.

The more interesting news is that the company has start sample production of flexible e-paper displays. by 2012 they will start 'semi-production' of 10" panels - and mass production will start in 2014.

Delta Electronics is showing some new e-paper displays prototypes sized 4.1", 8.2", 13.1" and 21" (A3). They are using Bridgestone's AeroBee technology - which results in power efficient, reflective, touch enabled color e-paper panels. The 21" display weights less than 2Kg and can be used in billboards and large-size display projects. Delta is also working towards a solution for interactive learning - and will present a device aimed for schools in first half of 2012.

Bridgestone themselves unveiled 21" panels back in April and the company also plans to market their own panels apparently.

Bridgestone is showing two new "tablets" called AeroBee that use the company's color touch e-paper panels. The panels are sized 13" (A4) and 21" (A3) - these are the largest e-paper panels around. Bridgestone will market those to businesses - to be used as in-store displays or kiosks.

Bridgestone were showing their QR-LPD (Quick Response Liquid Powder Display) displays at CES. There are reports that the display is very dim and washed out, and the refresh rate is slow. They do support color, though. Here's a short video:

Vivitek is also showing two e-readers using the QR-LPD displays (made by Delta Electronics) one is a 8.2" and the other is a large 13.1" display.

BnF-Lab is showing a new e-paper drawing tablet this week. It uses an A4-sized e-paper panel, although we're not sure who made this panel: as Bridgestone, Epson and Samsung are all mentioned as sponsored, and these three use different e-paper technologies.

Delta Electronics says that 3D e-paper is possible. They just need to solve a couple of issues first (such as the brightness when switching from 2D to 3D). 3D Displays will be one of Delta's major development focuses in 2011.

Delta will soon start mass-producing color e-paper displays (based on Bridgestone's technology) - in fact they plan to release a color e-reader in December 2010 (or at least they planned this back in June).

Delta Electronics is showing their color e-paper displays (using Bridgeston's technology). There's a 13.1" display, and a smaller panel for e-tags:

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.