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Freescale's Cheap Chip Could Mean Sub-$99 E-Readers

Posted by timothy on from the readership-growth dept.

eldavojohn writes "Last week, Freescale Semiconductor announced their i.MX508 chip and a few days ago released a rather bland and boring announcement that it's available. But there was at least one interesting line from that press release, 'The i.MX508 applications processor is expected to be priced at less than $10 (USD) in quantities greater than 250K units.' Yes, less than ten dollars. This sparked a wave of articles detailing how this new chip will allow the sub-$99 e-reader to emerge and according to market research, consumers are thirsty for something much more affordable than the Kindle."

13 of 158 comments (clear)

  1. But what about the cost of e-ink? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I seriously doubt it's the processor that's causing the Kindle to be so high priced. It's most likely the costs of using the e-ink screens.

    1. Re:But what about the cost of e-ink? by godrik · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I also think that the display is the main cost. But the network interface are not that cheap as well. And I think the main cost of the kindle may be the 3G internet access.

    2. Re:But what about the cost of e-ink? by Mitsoid · · Score: 3, Informative

      iSuppli reports the cost of the display modile is ESTIMATED at $60
      I put estimated in capital letters as TFA I linked says its an estimate.
      Anyway, Just throwing that out there for those curious about the cost breakdown

    3. Re:But what about the cost of e-ink? by Kell+Bengal · · Score: 4, Insightful

      See, that's what the sensible person would think. But note, if you loaded books via USB, how could they tether you to their expensive online bookstore? How would they upsell to you? Gasp - you might even buy PDFs from a competitor!

      --
      Scientists point out problems, engineers fix them
      altslashdot.org: The future of slashdot.
  2. Absolutely by Pojut · · Score: 5, Interesting

    consumers are thirsty for something much more affordable than the Kindle.

    I know I sure as hell am. The price of entry is the only thing that has stopped me from getting an eReader. I would love to not go over $100 for a good-quality eReader, but $150 would be my firm limit. I realize that e-ink screens are the primary thing driving the prices up for now, but hopefully with things like this new chip combined with new processes of putting together e-ink screens will bring the price down.

    Despite how much I complain about it around here, I would be willing to pay the same if not slightly higher for ebooks as I would for dead tree books if only the eReader itself wasn't so damn expensive.

    --
    Living With a Nerd
    1. Re:Absolutely by samuraiz · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I have more than $260 worth of shelving for my dead tree books, and I buy cheap shelves. There are infrastructure costs associated with any kind of book ownership.

  3. Really wont change the price by quo_vadis · · Score: 5, Informative

    According to isuppli's teardown of the kindle the E Ink display is $60. The main processor (made by Freescale) is ~$8. The EPD chip, which is what becomes redundant adds only $4.31 to the BOM. The main point is you cannot expect E Ink based readers to get any cheaper any time soon. Any price cuts will only come about due to increased competition from different technologies like Pixel Qi's, or by sacrificing things like onboard wireless (which adds ~$40 to the cost of the Kindle).

    --
    Legally obligatory sig : My opinions are my own... etc etc
    1. Re:Really wont change the price by gad_zuki! · · Score: 5, Insightful

      >by sacrificing things like onboard wireless (which adds ~$40 to the cost of the Kindle).

      Its not wifi chips that are expensive its the EVDO and the deal Amazon has with Sprint that's expensive. I dont need a EVDO ebook reader. Wifi is good enough. Just give me an offline option if I cant get it on wifi someplace (copy file to USB drive and insert it into ebook reader). Really, there's a huge hole in the market for sub $150 dollar ebook readers. Its probably doable with a smaller eink screen and lack of bell and whistles. The Sony pocket edition reader is pretty close.

  4. Cheaper than the Kindle, and OPEN. by RiffRafff · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Cheaper than the Kindle, and OPEN. Meet those two criteria and they'll sell by the boat-load.

    --
    "I might have made a tactical error in not going to a physician for 20 years." -- Warren Zevon
    1. Re:Cheaper than the Kindle, and OPEN. by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Except most consumers don't care about something being "open".

  5. Re:Why would I want one again? by Chad+Birch · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I like being able to hold (and turn the pages of) what would otherwise be an 800-page hardcover book in one hand while standing on the train, then slip it in my jacket pocket when I reach my stop.

    If you do all your reading at home where you don't need to carry your books around, there's not really much reason to have one.

    --
    Sturgeon was an optimist.
  6. Re:Why would I want one again? by Abcd1234 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Plus, they're great for reading in bed. Anyone who's tried to read lying on their side knows how much of an *enormous* pain in the ass regular paper books are. It's just not doable. But an ereader is perfectly comfortable.

  7. $9.99 is nothing special by myforwik · · Score: 3, Informative

    Obviously not many electronic engineers around slashdot... The main point of the chip is that the eink display driving is direct, this will save about $5. if you don't believe me you can get the cpu that does the same for $8 and the display chip for $6.50....