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Sony To Launch E Ink-based eBook In April

Posted by timothy on from the small-in-japan dept.

Holly Gates writes "Sony will launch an ebook based on E Ink technology in Japan in late April. The screen is about as big as half a paperback book and has a spatial resolution of ~170ppi. The device includes various edictionaries and audio playback functionality. I am a hardware engineer for E Ink by the way, but I figured slashdotters might be interested." An anonymous reader notes that it is supposed to "display over 10,000 pages on a single set of batteries."

31 of 424 comments (clear)

  1. E Ink? by Neil+Blender · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's a marketing department gone bad.

  2. 100.000000000 pages by Leffe · · Score: 5, Funny

    "display over 10,000 pages on a single set of batteries."

    I wonder how fast you have to read then ;)

    OK, I don't know what the hell E-Ink is :(

    1. Re:100.000000000 pages by BarryJacobsen · · Score: 2, Funny

      OK, I don't know what the hell E-Ink is :(

      The ink you use to make the letter E, duh!

      --
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    2. Re:100.000000000 pages by Ogrez · · Score: 2, Funny

      What good does it do you to be able to view 10,000 pages when you cant get to their page because its /.'d

      --


      Fire in the hands of the village idiot is no tool, but a weapon of mass destruction
    3. Re:100.000000000 pages by WTFmonkey · · Score: 2, Funny
      OK, I don't know what the hell E-Ink is
      I just think the alliteration doesn't work. I'm all for assonance, but "E INK" just sounds like a stutter. What's next, "i-Eye" for a camera? "e-Eel" for your pet electric eel? Ok, that was a stretch, but you get the point.
    4. Re:100.000000000 pages by cptgrudge · · Score: 3, Funny
      Pack AA batteries: 4 dollars
      eBook reader: 400 dollars
      Fold-up chair for reading outside: 30 dollars

      Slashdotting your company's web server while trying to get a shameless plug: Priceless

      --
      Qualitas edurus commercium, nullus penitus net rimor, nullus deus beneficium
    5. Re:100.000000000 pages by miles_thatsme · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ahh, yes, the patented etch-a-sketch technology. Frustrating when your book gets jostled on page 453 and the ending disappears like sand in the bottom of your e-book.

    6. Re:100.000000000 pages by redherring22 · · Score: 2, Funny

      finally, Wooly Willy catches up to the 21st century!

    7. Re:100.000000000 pages by ornil · · Score: 2, Funny

      What's next, "i-Eye" for a camera?

      Aye, aye, cap'n.

    8. Re:100.000000000 pages by Short+Circuit · · Score: 2, Funny

      It's "eeenk" as in "We don't need no steeenking badges."

      --
      tasks(723) drafts(105) languages(484) examples(29106)
    9. Re:100.000000000 pages by starm_ · · Score: 4, Funny

      "E ink involves tiny spheres with magnetically charged particles inside that are either black or white."

      "Ahh, yes, the patented etch-a-sketch technology."

      I think its more like a high res magnadoodle.

  3. Great! by Bishop,+Martin · · Score: 5, Funny

    "display over 10,000 pages on a single set of batteries."

    Great! Now I don't have to recharge my batteries in the middle of War and Peace!

    --
    Setec Astronomy
    1. Re:Great! by the_consumer · · Score: 2, Funny

      But will your batteries outlast Neal Stephenson's next book?

      --
      "If you're thinking what I'm thinking, you're right." -
  4. great for pr0n! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    enjoy the look and feel of paper while enjoying the benefits of modern electronic distribution!

  5. Great for your career! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    I am a hardware engineer for E Ink by the way
    Hey! Nice work! (On slashdottting your company's web server, that is.)
  6. Re:E Ink is also working on an Electronic Newpaper by Ian+Peon · · Score: 2, Funny

    The near-future technology - researchers expect to have the product available as soon as 2003 - will use e-paper (electronic paper) as the major component

    Wow, I can't wait for 2003 to get here so I can try this out...

    oh wait...

    --
    Never never never smoke crack before geometry class!
  7. Re:Guh, I can't absorb information this way by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hope you can absorb this. Try printing the article, reading it once again and then submit your comment. ;-) It's not a regular display.

  8. Personal vendeta? by MyFourthAccount · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am a hardware engineer for E Ink by the way

    And the sysadmin just blocked all P2P ports, so I'll get him back this way.

    "See how you like a good ole slashdotting, bastard!!"

  9. Re:Battery life? by zeux · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let's do the maths.

    Assuming what you call "trillions" means 1 trillion.

    That's 1 000 000 000 000 pages.

    One microsecond/page means 1 000 000 000 000 / 1 000 000 total seconds for the whole thing.

    That's 1 000 000 seconds or 277.8 hours or 11 days and a half.

    If your 486 laptop can stay on batteries for 11 days and half then I would like to know what kind of battery you use :)

    Ok, that was a nerdie post, you can mod me down now :)

    --
    Iraq: war to save the U
  10. Re:Books on paper by AshtangiMan · · Score: 2, Funny

    Enk . . . you are a marketing genius.

  11. Man. There's a business model. by blair1q · · Score: 2, Funny


    A book that needs batteries.

    Where's my broker?

  12. Re:Neat device, but the price had better be good.. by FattMattP · · Score: 2, Funny

    But for those who like to take their entire collection of books with them (sort of a book iPOD) this might a neat device. Are you implying that I could somehow easily "rip" my books to a format this could read? If not I'd have to re-purchase all of my books in digital format. No thanks. Dead trees are cheaper and work just fine.

    --
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  13. Now what do I use for the catbox. by Perl-Pusher · · Score: 2, Funny

    Now how much does it cost and can I roll it up to discipline my dog!

  14. Re:Neat device, but the price had better be good.. by jrockway · · Score: 2, Funny

    DRI? DRI's a good thing... now we can have 3D games on our ebooks!! Yay!

    --
    My other car is first.
  15. Robert Jordan by sonpal · · Score: 2, Funny
    "display over 10,000 pages on a single set of batteries."

    Not enough for The Wheel of Time fans...

    P.S. I heard that the 2nd-last book is out in 2005. Yay!

  16. Obligatory Simpsons Quote by oomis · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Won't SOMEONE think of the children!!??"

  17. Any DRM used can be easily broken by pherris · · Score: 2, Funny
    1. Load a page up.
    2. Place face down in scanner.
    3. Scan
    4. OCR
    5. Repeat as needed.

    With that said I hope they don't expend a lot of effort on DRM. BTW, I think I just violated the DMCA.

    --
    "And a voice was screaming: 'Holy Jesus! What are these goddamn animals?'" - HST
  18. Just what kids need, LESS exercise by aws910 · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...the enormous weight of all their books is too much...

    Great. Obese American kids won't have to carry so much. Maybe we can set a world record for the fattest kid(but we probably already have it).

    Hey, we also won't have to burden our "yank-tank" SUVs so much with all the weight of the extra books.

    God bless you, Sony!

  19. What about the fat kids? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Obesity is becoming an epidemic in the USA. These 50lb backpacks are not a threat; they are the only exercise these fat kids get!

    Besides, if you lighten the load, you've just made room for a bigger lunchbag, some midday snacks, and the latest Teen Cosmo issue.

  20. Re:Neat device, but the price had better be good.. by ryanwright · · Score: 3, Funny

    hours of music w/o moving a muscle

    Wow. Most people can't go more than a couple of seconds of no muscle movement without being dead. What is your secret? You must teach me!

    --
    -Ryan, with the unoriginal sig
  21. But you still can't fold it by IO+ERROR · · Score: 1, Funny

    Come on, when are we going to get e-paper printed in e-ink that I can fold up and stick in my pocket?

    --
    How am I supposed to fit a pithy, relevant quote into 120 characters?