E-Ink shows off digital newspaper prototype
October 29, 2008 by Dave Haynes
Electronic ink has been around for about a decade now, and has been sloooooowly getting to a point where there are reasonable commercial applications.
This a video demoing an E-Ink “Broadsheet prototype” kit that shows what an electronic newspaper, albeit very SMALL version, might do with fast animations and 16 shades of gray for images. Still a long way to go, I think, but the video certainly raises some possibilities around retail.
Cambridge-based E Ink has been showing off the display technology which could power the next generation of ebook readers.
E Ink displays power the majority of today’s ebook readers, but are limited by their slow refresh time and ability to show only static images. However, a video of the company’s new developers kit, suggests it’s some way along in correcting these drawbacks.
The AM 300 developers kit, which features an E Ink display and controller board, offers stylus-based touchscreen input and the ability to display animations on the page, with the demonstration video suggesting rendering speed has been given an impressive boost.
According to the company, the AM 300 could open up some interesting new applications for the readers: “This would enable advertisements on electric newspapers, you could also imagine applications in text books or even normal books where figures and explanations come to life,” says Joanna Owl, E INK senior application engineer.
“With this new chip we’re also able to drive four bit greyscale which is sixteen levels of grey which allows much sharper levels of photos.”
Leave a comment