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Prototype Rollable Paper-like Display Ready Early

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the many-cool-applications dept.

freitasm writes "A few months ago Philips promised a rollable, paper-like display in two years, but it only took them a few months to have a prototype ready. From the article: 'The Readius is the world's first prototype of a functional electronic-document reader that can unroll its display to a scale larger than the device itself. With four gray levels, the monochrome, 5-inch QVGA (320 pixels x 240 pixels) display provides paper-like viewing with a high contrast ratio. Once the user has finished reading, the display can be rolled back into the pocket-size (100 mm x 60 mm x 20 mm) device.'"

10 of 267 comments (clear)

  1. need higher resolution and more gray level by yagu · · Score: 4, Insightful

    From the article: With four gray levels, the monochrome, 5-inch QVGA (320 pixels x 240 pixels) display provides paper-like viewing comfort with a high contrast ratio for reading-intensive applications, including text, graphics, and electronic maps.

    This is the type of screen resolution for my Digital Reader, the resolution that made me send it back the day I got it. There's nothing paper-like about reading dot-matrix like resolutions. The eye doesn't adapt but instead becomes increasingly fatigued.

    This technology may have some application for computer-like applications. I was hoping for e-books. This screen resolution won't cut that....

    1. Re:need higher resolution and more gray level by jcl5m · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This comment and the parent comment frustrate me. They are short-sighted criticisms of a fundamentally new technology. I've held samples of this technology in my hand, and its potential is staggering. Sure, the current prototypes are a bit crude in terms of contrast and resolution, but these are engineering issues that will go away with time and more R&D money.

      The two key features that make this a revolutionary new display technology is that it is thin and flexible (and can be manufactured and processed as giant sheets) and that it is bi-stable, meaning once you set the image it takes no power to retain that image. These two features are unlike any other display technology we have today, and unltimately will define the applications it is appropriate for. This really does have the potential to radically change periodical print media, personal printing, and poster/billboard advertising.

      In the future, I would encourage you to learn a little bit more about a new technology before saying it sucks.

  2. Ready for primetime? by gbulmash · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Cool prototype and proof of concept, but is it ready for primetime with the specs? Four levels of gray are good for text, but poor for B&W photos and certain types of graphs. I'm not trying to denigrate it as an achievement, but as a product... I have some issues with it. Until it can do more shades and possibly a higher resolution, would it be more than a status gadget?

    - Greg

    --
    Start a happiness pandemic
    1. Re:Ready for primetime? by agent0range_ · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "Polymer Vision does not intend to commercialize this concept as a product in the market. Instead, it is demonstrating the fitness of its rollable displays for use in future mobile devices."
      It's a good start. They said they'd have a prototype in 2 years, it took a few months... but it's nothing more than a proof of concept.

  3. Give it some time. by CyricZ · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There was a time when the best personal computers had screens of that quality. But over time the technology develops, and things will improve. While not perfect, I would hardly suggest that this technology is useless. It is merely a stepping stone to far greater achievements.

    --
    Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
  4. How tough is it? by mashade · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This looks like a cool new technology, but how useful can it be? I'm wondering how durable the 'film screen' is. Can I accidentally rip it, pulling it out of a pocket? I'm interested to see prototypes in other such designs, but I'm having a hard time figuring out how useful something like this may be.

    --
    Technology tips and tricks.
    1. Re:How tough is it? by OzRoy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      From the picture it seems to just give devices the ability to expand the screen out so you can have a very portable device with a large screen.

      So think of a mobile phone sized device that can expand out to screen size of a PSP (or something like that). Then give that screen touch pad or stylus abilities, and a powerful CPU and you have an ultimate generic portable PC with game, mp3 and organiser abilities.

  5. Buttons on the top by Dan+East · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I read ebooks daily on my 240x320 Pocket PC (I use it landscape for reading at 320x240, just like in the article photo). I seldom hold the device in one hand, as they indicate. The most comfortable method for me, allowing for reading for long periods of time, is to use both hands and "encircle" the device with my fingers. If you touch your index finger-tips together, as well as your thumb-tips, forming a rectangle that would encircle the device, you'll see what I mean.

    My Pocket PC (Asus a716) has buttons on the top (when held landscape) that I can push with either index finger.

    The main problem I see with this prototype is they force you to hold the device with your left hand in a specific position to operate the buttons. Hopefully an engineer will have the foresight to put multiple sets of page up / down buttons on the device so it can be utilized in different ways.

    Dan East

    --
    Better known as 318230.
  6. Nattering Nabobs of Negativity by Continental · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Christ, if the moon was made of cheese you people would complain that it wasn't Brie de Meaux. This is the first step to e-paper! Any tech that gets us closer to a more interesting future I'm all in favor of. The first car didn't go 120 and have heated seats. The first e-paper won't be hi-def and touch sensitive. Or whatever else you're complaining about.

  7. Gripe Gripe Gripe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Whats with some of you people? You're all technically competent, probably more so than I. Yet when reading your comments, it's clear you're not looking beyond even today. Look at some of these gripes...

    "There's nothing paper-like about reading dot-matrix like resolutions."

    "this stuff is much greyer than even newsprint. There's a reason real paper is white"

    "Cool prototype and proof of concept, but is it ready for primetime with the specs?"

    Of course it isn't! Thats why it's a prototype!! It'll get brighter and more... erm... contrastier... and the resolution will increase. It's not like they expect you to buy and use one today.