A Practical LCD Writing Tablet

An anonymous reader passes along a word about an innovative LCD writing tablet. The Boogie Board costs $30, can be written on with a stylus or a fingernail, and uses no power in the act of writing. Only erasing consumes power — from a watch battery, which lasts for 50,000 erases. The total cost per "page" comes out to only 1/15th that of steno paper. The writing surface is pressure-sensitive and "highly responsive to variable amounts of pressure," so you can make thick and thin lines.

Comments

Automatic erasing etch-a-sketch

[EdZ]

There's no way to save whatever you've drawn onto the tablet, so it's the LCD equivalent of carrying around a small blackboard and an infinite supply of chalk. Or a whiteboard with an infinite supply of ink (of only one colour). At only $30, it's reasonably priced enough that it can cater to the niche of "I want to jot down a small note that I can hardcopy later for posterity, but I don't ever want to need to worry about my pen running out of ink, as long as I remember to change the battery occasionally".

Shipping kills it

[Albanach]

Wow, they want almost $45US for shipping an 11oz tablet to the UK.

USPS airmail from the US to the UK for a 1lb parcel is slightly over $10.

So, it's $30 for the tablet, and $35 for the handling fee. Shame.

Why oh why can I not save the screen?

[SuperKendall]

The thing would be awesome if I could save the screen. As it is I don't really see why I would choose it over paper since I can't save paper either, but at least paper I could store for later and write on more paper.

But it IS pretty cool.

Re:Why oh why can I not save the screen?

[oGMo]

Yeah, I would easily pay $100 if I could save things to a memory card and recall pages from thumbnails. Double that or more if it did some basic diagram aid (draw a rough rectangle, have it neatened). I've been searching for the ideal "electronic graph paper" and I have yet to find anything. It doesn't need to play movies or browse the web or send email... ok, it could have basic wifi and be able to email diagrams... but still. A few functions for drawing and writing and diagramming, some storage and searching, and that's all it needs.

That said this looks like this product probably can't even address pixels. It's probably lucky to just get enough current to the whole panel so that it clears. I doubt that requires even half the electronics of a 4-function calculator, but then I'm not an EE.

Re:Why oh why can I not save the screen?

[ColdWetDog]

You could probably just stick it in a Xerox machine (er, I mean copier). Interesting to note that they are out of stock at Amazon. We've Slashdotted a physical object!!!!

Gaze in fear, World!

Re:you used the word practical why?

[maxwells_deamon]

Many years ago I was going to have jaw surgery. I was going to be wired shut for about seven weeks. They told me to bring a paper tablet and a pen. I went to the toy store to pick up one of the pads called magic slates in the midwest. I came across a new toy called a Magna Doodle.

This is two sheets of plastic with white oil and iron fillings (or something similar) you had a magnetic wand and the back has a wide magnet.

When you write on the surface with the wand the dark particals move to the front and turn it dark and the slider on the bottom wipes it back out.

The doctors/nurses had never seen one and would borrow it at the start of each shift and show it at the daily meetings.

Not pressure sensitive, but I think it does most everything else the board does

Re:Looks Great!

[hairyfeet]

Or for just $9 more you can have a tablet input. I gave one of these to my youngest and he just loves it. Good luck on ever getting that kid to go back to working with just pen and paper or a keyboard and mouse. It is surprisingly accurate and sensitive, allowing him to not only write fluently, but to draw freehand and make some truly sharp artwork. me? I am lucky if I can draw a straight line.

But I just don't see the point of spending $30 on this with no PC input, when for $9 more you can have a tablet input. I'm sure the level of sensitivity on the tablet probably kills this thing, and unlike this it doesn't "die" after x number of erases.