To Onyx: Stop using e-Ink! Use ClearInk instead!

[mdp]

I must correct my perception of the speed:

From the product specifications page for the 10.7” Lectum, the «Refresh rate [is] < 900 ms (16 gray-level) – faster for mono [A2 equivalent] updates».

So, it's 150% slower than E-Ink's EPD.

Originally Posted by Matilo

YES. They can do it!!

Well,
-- they have not gone beyond 150DPI, and you kind of need 400DPI for that application (color through filters) - EDIT: ok, maybe 300 is enough to get a text effect above virtual 200, and decent color;
-- the 10.7'', 150DPI display costs 350$, so I would not even want to guess the potential cost of the non-existent high resolution one.

Originally Posted by Matilo

I think the final result is a 150 ppi display whether it is black/white or color

What do you mean? On which basis? You need four dots to make a single virtual coloured one. And you also have to see if the filter does not disturb the blacks.

[Matilo]

I do not think that they use the screen from plasticlogic, because with a color filter on top the resolution would be less than 150 ppi regardless of showing black or color dots.

I even doubt that they use a color filter at all, because the white reflectance looks too good. Maybe for the project they colaborated with eink and developed simpler version of the ACEP i.e. instead of 8 they just use 3 colors. And they managed to solve the refresh problem because with 8 colors it needs 10 seconds to refresh the page.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by Matilo

I do not think that they use the screen from plasticlogic, because with a color filter on top the resolution would be less than 150 ppi regardless of showing black or color dots

Not clear. A filter on top of a 150ppi display is supposed to be a 150ppi grid.

Originally Posted by Matilo

I even doubt that they use a color filter at all, because the white ... looks too good

Yes. Nonetheless. The camera cannot even show the resolution properly.

Originally Posted by Matilo

Maybe for the project they colaborated with eink and developed simpler version of the ACEP i.e. instead of 8 they just use 3 colors. And they managed to solve the refresh problem because with 8 colors it needs 10 seconds to refresh the page.

I doubt they had the time to achieve those breakthroughs, while still being so active in finding a cure for cancer in spite of being still into deep with their effort in curbing famine in central-eastern Africa.
Of course, always keeping low-profile. Superheroes work more focused without the publicity.

[mdp]

I wanted to spend productive time, but the inventions of Plastic Logic are really intriguing.

This should excite Lesnik et alii:
they obtained 12fps, and it is seen using color.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW1YoAse9Ho

But really, I wanted to spend productive time, but truth is I cannot for the love of dunno figure out how they obtained those colors, with blacks that look black, whites that look white, and a realistic implementation.

[Matilo]

Yes I have to give in that this looks very good too:

https://youtu.be/TWqbBmrjCLU

[Matilo]

Maybe you are right and they use a screen from plastic logic.

Especially from 1:13 - 1:26

https://youtu.be/qhZ9aefdNUU

[mdp]

Well, this (still Plastic Logic Germany) must not be from Steve McCurry, but at least it shows some moire.

EDIT: Nate wrote that it's an RGBW matrix: https://the-digital-reader.com/2012/...-color-epaper/
so that white must be the average of a reddish, greenish, bluish, whiteish mush - as expected, though it looks strange (does not look so on video). It may be trivial to most, but I guess it must be taken into account that most of us will be viewing those videos through a lit display, which will add an unduly vibrancy.

[Matilo]

The news makes the rounds. Regarding to ppi densitiy:

"FYI: The reason this device has a screen resolution of 150ppi has to do with how it gets its color. This is actually a 300 ppi grayscale Carta E-ink screen with an RGBC filter applied on top. The filter adds red, green, or blue on top of a pixel on the E-ink screen (the C is for "clear"). The filter requires 4 pixels on the grayscale screen underneath to give you a single pixel on top This reduces the resolution to 150 ppi."

source: https://the-digital-reader.com/2018/...-e-ink-screen/

[mdp]

Originally Posted by Matilo

Regarding to ppi densitiy:
"FYI: The reason this device has a screen resolution of 150ppi [...] this is actually a 300 ppi grayscale Carta E-ink screen with an RGBC filter applied on top"

If Nate got it right, since other sources call it a 150dpi/75dpi item, and given that Nate mentions it's E-Ink Carta while the Onyx representative in the video says it's not, and especially given that before claiming [I mean "defending the idea of"] the existence of a 300ppi 10.7'' display one should check just to be sure whether any such thing is in the market, also given that when your device comes with a fashion model and a villa in the south of France the marketing people tend to put it in the ads.

[Matilo]

Nate seems to have a very good technical understanding. So I guess he is right.

[Matilo]

"With what kind of media and on what kind of devices do future student generations learn? The Chinese e-reading specialist Onyx has an innovative answer. The Onyx Young Boox could be just the right combination of functionality and distraction.


Illuminated 10.7 "E Ink Color Panel, Micro + Speaker, Camera

Back camera of Onyx Youngy Boox

The Onyx Youngy Boox, which was exhibited at the Frankfurt Book Fair, features a 10.7 "illuminated (!) E-ink carta display with a color filter over it. The resolution of the e-ink panel is 300ppi, but the color enrichment (red, green, blue) only reaches 150ppi. The device is operated via a Wacom touchscreen.

Onyx has preinstalled on the surface a variety of applications that are useful in schools - from encyclopaedias to a calculator and conversion tools to a dictation and playback device. In addition to a microphone and Bluetooth for headphone and speaker pairing, a speaker is placed on the back of the device. There is also a camera, with the lesson content can be photographed. There is currently no OCR function.

The Onyx Youngy Boox is currently only available in China, where it is used exclusively in the education sector, said an onyx spokesman in an interview with lern.net. According to this, more than 100,000 devices are already being used in Chinese schools as part of a pilot project. Above all, the still high production costs - currently still more than 1,000 US dollars - stand in the way of an extension of the pilot project.



Focus on the essential as a characteristic
No question: The colored e-ink panel of the Onyx Youngy Boox does not achieve the brilliance of a similarly sized iPad by far, the camera looks old with proverbs used in current smartphones. The onyx Youngy Boox scores points with its compact dimensions, the e-ink typically extremely long battery life and the high-precision Wacom touchscreen, especially with the reduction to the essentials.

Unlike tablets and smartphones, where Youtube, Instagram & Co. are just one tab away, monofunctional devices such as the Onyx Youngy Boox do not distract from learning, but at the same time provide enough functionality to add real value over paper work. It would not come as a surprise if we see a more sophisticated onyx Youngy Boox - or a similar device from the competition - soon to educational institutions outside of China."

Source: https://www.lernen.net/artikel/onyx-...schueler-5794/

[Matilo]

"Onyx Onyx Onyx will release a new color light: the Onyx Youngy Boox. Unfortunately, this ebook reading machine uses a dated technology that could disappoint.

The color reader is not a totally buried project. The proof: Onyx will release a reading light that uses a technical overlay to bring color to a classic Carta E Ink screen that uses electronic ink.

The constraint remains important since the pixel density can not be greater than 150 PPP.

This technology has already been used in other older readers. It is therefore interesting to see her return.

However, I do not know if it's a good idea. Because, when you think of a reading light color is expected to have a good resolution and bright colors.

Onyx color reader Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case with this Onyx Youngy Boox reader.

The first image that has been broadcast seems accredited the thesis of the screen that displays faded colors and very approximate.

For the moment, the video presenting this reader is not more encouraging:

We still notice the presence of the Android logo which could allow the use of Google Play applications. A first for a color reader if my memory is good.

Youngy Boox Onyx Reader for Education
If the machine does not meet the expectations why leave it?

Onyx did not fall on the head, quite the opposite. The company wants - it seems - to find a place in the education market.

This Onyx Youngy Boox is also equipped with a camera, a headphone jack and a microphone. The goal is to create a tool for students to work on reading. So we could photograph homework, book pages or other documents with the camera.

I think that the microphone will be useful for recording lessons and that the headphones will be able to listen to these as well as audiobooks.

Hope for the general public
Even if I do not believe much, there is nevertheless hope behind this technical disappointment.

Already, the fact that a new color reader, even if it uses old technology, is a small feat.

And, we can only welcome Onyx to retry the experience.

Then, it may be that the success is at the rendezvous. If this is the case, then we can see a new market born around these reading lights. Technical progress can be made if money is invested enough and sales follow.

We can dream and say that this Onyx Youngy Boox is just the first of a long series ...

Availability and prices?
Color reading onyxRest now to wait for a date of availability and a price - which will undoubtedly be salty.

The only thing we know is that the company Onyx wishes for the moment to reserve this reader to the Chinese market.

But, we can expect some copies to arrive on e-commerce sites that will allow shipping to European countries."


Source: http://www.liseuses.net/liseuse-coul...x-youngy-boox/

[mdp]

Originally Posted by Matilo

Nate seems to have a very good technical understanding. So I guess he is right.

Nate is human and makes mistakes like everyone else - some seldom. some constantly, some vetted, some unrestrained.

[Matilo]

I contacted Onyx via Twitter, refering to a tweet from them after the Frankfurt Book fair. I said that I will visit them next year if they will show a 7.8 color eReader. They answered that the technology is still under development and testing. They hope to apply it more ASAP in the future. And they said that at least they try to show a color eReader next year.

[Matilo]

@ mdp

Your were right, the screen is from plastic logic:

https://www.plasticlogic.com/onyx-youngy-boox/

Last sentence:

"With great interest in the Youngy Boox even at this early stage, it wouldn’t be surprising to see similar devices crop up outside of China in the near future."