UPDATE 12-10-2014 This new device embodies the essential idea* in a streamlined way:
http://hemingwrite.com/
*distraction-free touch-typing and word-processing on e-paper
UPDATE 3-31-2012 Hack for adventurous non-programmers/techs available. See
Post #93
UPDATE 1-22-2012 USB keyboard working with Nook Simple Touch. See
Post #63
(Also, if you voted and want me to get back to you when a hack/device is ready, comment positively or PM me.)
INTRO:
After 3.5 years of vainly asking several manufacturers for an e-paper tablet device that is touch typable with a USB external keyboard, I have decided to make it myself, and would like to gauge interest in such a product.
If you would buy it, please reply below. Include ideas. I'd like collaborators, especially technical ones. I am a designer, not an engineer or programmer.
DESCRIPTION:
Simple, harmless slate tablet computer for distraction-free work: reading, writing, email, web browsing, photo viewing, sound playback, drawing.
Uses only existing technology for rapid availability. Nothing fancy. Everything works out of the box. Users supply the content. Built for creators, workers, and casual users. And anyone who hates computers but would rather not.
MINIMUM FEATURES:
$200 max (probably)
E-Ink Pearl Touchscreen
ARM processor
OS: Android and Linux both work
SD card slot for data, external slot
2 USB A host ports for keyboard, mouse, ethernet and wireless dongles (wifi, 3G, bluetooth), flash drive, data transfer.
port for charging
3.5mm audio jack for microphone and headphone
Buttons: power, forward, back
SPECIFICATIONS
See post #21 below
WILL NOT HAVE:
Color
Video
Phone
Games
Exclusive content provider
Kitchen sink
ERGONOMIC RATIONALE:
Electronic Paper:
Holds words and images perfectly still like ink on paper. Has visually and conceptually neutral greyscale display. Displays input fast enough for basic tasks. Remains room temperature; is silent; does not vibrate; requires minimal recharging; and is easy to turn away from and resume a normal mammalian life of physical activity. It has been adequately applied to recreational purposes, but hardly at all to productive purposes when we are under stress and need it most.
LCD screen
1. Refreshes (turns on and off)
* 60-90x/second, whereas the eye naturally moves 1.33x/second. LCD appears to constantly quake and flicker because it does.
[*EDIT: I learned I was wrong about this. Only backlighting can turn on and off (including LED backlighting). Thus, backlighting is the principal condition of eyestrain with LCD. See posts
#42 and
#44 for further explanation.
]
2. Red-green-blue pixel set is color imbalanced: 1 part red, 0.5 part yellow, 1.5 parts blue. Blue is the frequency that signals the brain to wake us up.
All this strains the eyes, aches the head, derails trains of thought, disrupts sleep cycle, brain state, emotions, breathing, circulation, and social life. (There is some published research on this. For most of it, I used plain self-observation.) This inhibits diverse deep creative expression and often leads to computer activity involving hyper-stimulation and low-attention span: games, video, porn. Good for very limited purposes, bad for most it is applied to.
STRATEGIES (in order of feasibility. But please say which you think is best and why)
1. Hack hardware of existing e-reader. This would be cheapest and fastest and require the fewest orders to make it happen. A friend who seriously hacks gaming computers for a living says he could do it. Could be easier, cheaper, faster... and strangely satisfying. He just wants to know how much demand there really is. (100 units minimum)
a) Please say which device you think is best for this purpose and why.
b) Hacker who turned Nook into extra monitor (ihavenotlife on youtube), told me the Nook's USB port can probably be a host if it had additional hardware code. Anybody know for sure? Anybody able to write such code?
2. Hire Crystalfontz to resurrect its discontinued CFA-910. Update and streamline this beautiful development board for consumer use.
3. New, Open Source hardware design. Engineers, programmers, hackers WELCOME.
4. ____________ (fill in the blank)
LASTLY:
Spread the word. If you would rather not register your interest here, use contact form on andrewdurham.com.
For further reading:
Plea:
http://andrewdurham.com/2011/01/e-in...device-a-plea/
Elaboration:
http://andrewdurham.com/2011/02/typable-e-paper/
Thank you!