Slashdot Mirror
Sony To Launch E Ink-based eBook In April
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."
You don't have to read fast, because the display doesn't disappear when you turn the device off. The energy is only expended in changing pixel states.
IIRC E-Ink only uses energy when changing the page.
-Derick
Tokyo, Japan , Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Cambridge, MA, USA, March 24, 2004 - Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI), Sony Corporation(NYSE: SNE) and E Ink Corporation announced today the world's first consumer application of an electronic paper display module in Sony's new e-Book reader, LIBRIe, scheduled to go on sale in Japan in late April. This "first ever" Philips' display utilizes E Ink's revolutionary electronic ink technology which offers a truly paper-like reading experience with contrast that is the same as newsprint.
The Electronic Paper Display is reflective and can be easily read in bright sunlight or dimly lit environments while being able to be seen at virtually any angle - just like paper. Its black and white ink-on-paper look, combined with a resolution in excess of most portable devices at approximately 170 pixels per inch (PPI), gives an appearance similar to that of the most widely read material on the planet - newspaper. Because the display uses power only when an image is changed, a user can read more than 10,000 pages before the four AAA Alkaline batteries need to be replaced. The unique technology also results in a compact and lightweight form factor allowing it to be ideal for highly portable applications.
Sony's e-Book reader LIBRIe, the first device to utilize Philips' display solution for enhanced reading, is similar in size and design to a paperback book. LIBRIe allows users to download published content, such as books or comic strips from the Internet, and enjoy it anywhere at any time. LIBRIe can store up to 500 downloaded books.
"In today's mobile world, we know that the quality of the experience and ease-of-use are important in driving consumer adoption of mobile devices. Up until now, consumers have been less willing to adopt e-reading applications because of poor display quality on cumbersome devices," said Mr. Yoshitaka Ukita, General Manager, e-Book Business Dept, Network Application & Content Service Sector, Sony Corporation. "This display solution provides a level of text clarity comparable to paper. Combined with our thin, lightweight device design, this novel e-Book reader offers users an enjoyable experience and the freedom to access material at their convenience."
"While the way people experience entertainment has changed dramatically with the rapid growth of portable entertainment devices like music and movie players, the way people read books, magazines and newspapers has not," said Jim Veninger, general manager, Emerging Display Technology, Philips Electronics. "The precision of this new high-resolution electronic ink display technology will revolutionize the way consumers read and access textual information."
The commercialization of this revolutionary display technology is a result of a strategic collaboration started in 2001 among E Ink Corporation, Toppan Printing and Philips together with Sony. Over the past 3 years, the four companies have made significant developments in manufacturing the world's first high-resolution electronic ink-based display module designed specifically for reading-intensive applications.
E Ink Corporation supplies electronic ink to their manufacturing partner Toppan Printing, who in turn processes the ink into a thin film called frontplane laminate. Philips integrates E Ink's frontplane laminate with an active matrix backplane and adds the driving electronics component. Philips works with Sony to co-develop and customize display solutions for innovative mobile devices.
"E Ink is thrilled that our first commercial launch is in product by Sony", said Russell Wilcox, president of E Ink Corporation. "Since the inception of our Company our goal has been to change the way people receive and view information. The strength of our partnerships with Philips and Toppan Printing has helped to make this dream a reality."
The longstanding partnership has resulted in more than 100 patents between all of the companies in a wide range of innovations including chemistry, electronics and
The whole point is that this is closer to a printer that rearranges its "toner" on the page.
--
Evan
"$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
opps! sorry, I was in such a hurry on my submission since I know about this (a friend of mine works for E Ink) that I missed that typo, that should have read 2005. I'm still signing cheques with 2003!
CB(f&)
free ipod and free gmail!
E ink involves tiny spheres with magnetically charged particles inside that are either black or white. See here.
"It is a solemn thought: dead, the noblest man's meat is inferior to pork."
The /. effect was making it hard for me to see the big picture, so get it here.
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
Here ya go...
PRESS RELEASE
FIRST-GENERATION ELECTRONIC PAPER DISPLAY FROM PHILIPS, SONY AND E INK TO BE USED IN NEW ELECTRONIC READING DEVICE
[Picture]
Sony LIBRIe e-Book Reader utilizing Philips Electronic Paper Display featuring E Ink's electronic ink technology
Tokyo, Japan , Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Cambridge, MA, USA, March 24, 2004 - Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI), Sony Corporation(NYSE: SNE) and E Ink Corporation announced today the world's first consumer application of an electronic paper display module in Sony's new e-Book reader, LIBRIe, scheduled to go on sale in Japan in late April. This "first ever" Philips' display utilizes E Ink's revolutionary electronic ink technology which offers a truly paper-like reading experience with contrast that is the same as newsprint.
The Electronic Paper Display is reflective and can be easily read in bright sunlight or dimly lit environments while being able to be seen at virtually any angle - just like paper. Its black and white ink-on-paper look, combined with a resolution in excess of most portable devices at approximately 170 pixels per inch (PPI), gives an appearance similar to that of the most widely read material on the planet - newspaper. Because the display uses power only when an image is changed, a user can read more than 10,000 pages before the four AAA Alkaline batteries need to be replaced. The unique technology also results in a compact and lightweight form factor allowing it to be ideal for highly portable applications.
Sony's e-Book reader LIBRIe, the first device to utilize Philips' display solution for enhanced reading, is similar in size and design to a paperback book. LIBRIe allows users to download published content, such as books or comic strips from the Internet, and enjoy it anywhere at any time. LIBRIe can store up to 500 downloaded books.
"In today's mobile world, we know that the quality of the experience and ease-of-use are important in driving consumer adoption of mobile devices. Up until now, consumers have been less willing to adopt e-reading applications because of poor display quality on cumbersome devices," said Mr. Yoshitaka Ukita, General Manager, e-Book Business Dept, Network Application & Content Service Sector, Sony Corporation. "This display solution provides a level of text clarity comparable to paper. Combined with our thin, lightweight device design, this novel e-Book reader offers users an enjoyable experience and the freedom to access material at their convenience."
"While the way people experience entertainment has changed dramatically with the rapid growth of portable entertainment devices like music and movie players, the way people read books, magazines and newspapers has not," said Jim Veninger, general manager, Emerging Display Technology, Philips Electronics. "The precision of this new high-resolution electronic ink display technology will revolutionize the way consumers read and access textual information."
The commercialization of this revolutionary display technology is a result of a strategic collaboration started in 2001 among E Ink Corporation, Toppan Printing and Philips together with Sony. Over the past 3 years, the four companies have made significant developments in manufacturing the world's first high-resolution electronic ink-based display module designed specifically for reading-intensive applications.
E Ink Corporation supplies electronic ink to their manufacturing partner Toppan Printing, who in turn processes the ink into a thin film called frontplane laminate. Philips integrates E Ink's frontplane laminate with an active matrix backplane and adds the driving electronics component. Philips works with Sony to co-develop and customize display solutions for innovative mobile devices.
"E Ink is thrilled that our first commercial launch is in product by Sony", said Russell Wilcox, president of E Ink Corporation. "Since the inception of our Company our goal has been to change the way people rec
None of the press releases are saying it, but:
All three of the Impress Watch articles say it will cost around 40,000 yen - approximately $400 USD. And this is just for the reader, subscribing to the e-book service costs $5-10/month. They do, however, have the option of just purchasing single books for 350 yen, about $3.25.
PC Watch article
K-Tai Watch article
Internet Watch article
There are also MANY more pictures of the device available at the above URLs. There's even some showing a manga on the screen of the thing, for those of you interested in that sort of thing.
I do have a few pictures posted in my article as well, but it's really nothing you couldn't have found yourself.
My Franklin "ebookman" has two great features that make it better than regular books:
- I can hold it in one hand
- I can read it in a dark room
which means that when the little one refused to sleep at two in the morning, I can carry her around my (dark) house and read a book. Can't do THAT with any kind of regular book -- they don't have lights, and they can't be read in one hand.
OTOH
Want a sig like mine? Join ACM's SigSig today!
Another good thing about Baen - all the e-books are in non-DRM formats. They make the books available in rtf, html, and microsoft reader formats, as well as a couple others.
Also, if you want some *legally* free ebooks, they have the free library (around 40-50 titles at least), as well as a cdrom library they started adding to some hardcover books (iso files can be found online in various places, all legal).
Now if only other publishers would learn from Baen...
While not 'EInk', here's a couple of others that will hopefully make it to our market soon They also use energy only when turning pages:
I emailed these people and was informed this Chinese Ebook would be available on Amazon in Q2 of this year.
This Panasonic Sigmabook ebook was just launched in Japan and hopefully will make it here soon.
The Argosy ebook reader, which should be in US market soon supposedly has PDF support. This would be a Great feature.
Who would fardles bear
To grunt and sweat under a weary life --
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country, from whose bourn
No traveler returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have,
Than fly to others that we know not of.
A fardle is a bundle carried on one's back...a backpack.
And they all said that making engineers take liberal arts classes was a waste of time!
-h-
E-Ink was founded in 1997 by a few MIT geeks. I think they had the name before they had a marketing department. This was pre e- and i- nuttiness.
I remember interviewing with E-Ink in 2000, I think with Barrett Comiskey, one of the founders, in the Toscanini's (ice cream store) at MIT. Wicked smart. Too bad I shanked on the interview!
Simple Unexpected Concrete Credible Emotional Stories
This is precisely why I am not interested in eBook readers. Not only do you end up with a single purpose device, but you probably get stuck with DRM and Windows-only software as well.
Personally, I have switched almost 100% to reading on my Visor Handspring (the B&W Clie my last job provided was better, but the Visor is good enough). I only purchase material that is available in open formats (fictionwise.com and baen.com are good sources). Throw in stuff from Project Gutenberg and I have read nearly 100 ebooks to date (and for less than $100 too).
The benefits of using a PDA are various. I can read in the dark, I always have my reading material with me, and I can read "discreetly." More importantly, 10 years from now I will still have access to all of these books in electronic format. I like reading on my Visor so much that I won't read a new author unless I can get his or her work in an open ebook format first.
The energy efficiency of a light bulb is pretty poor but they could build in (or have a clip-on) white LED book light
My daughter has one - one of her Christmas presents last year. $15 at Costco. Runs for months on a couple of AAA batteries, and she uses it for several hours every night. Nice bright white light from a couple of tiny LEDs.
-Ryan, with the unoriginal sig
Actually there have been studies where they have found that people retain less information when reading it from a non-reflective medium such as a computer screen. So this is normal.