09-21-2006, 08:57 AM | #1 |
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Competition for e-Ink
The BBC have an interesting article on a copper alloy flexible display being developed out of Cambridge ... for those interested - the article can be found below.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5366534.stm |
09-21-2006, 09:24 AM | #2 |
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Now that's interesting!.... foldup laptop displays. I had been thinking primarily about pdas, smart phones, e-book readers, etc.
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09-21-2006, 08:42 PM | #3 |
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I agree, E Ink is not all that shines. The company takes an aweful lot of time to get started and they are dealing with only one product. I don't think they have much time left before other companies steals E Ink the show ;(
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09-22-2006, 09:36 PM | #4 | |
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To be fair, I don't think the delays with the various readers are the fault of the e-ink corporation. They've had their technology for a long time, and even improvements to it. It's the companies that license the tech from them that are delaying products... and then there are all the companies *not* licensing tech from them (...Apple iReader... Mmmm...) The eink readers are frustratingly slow in coming out, I agree, but I don't think that's E-Ink, Inc's fault. |
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09-23-2006, 11:39 AM | #5 |
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I don't think Apple is ready for readers, they may have traded that market with Sony as some kind of business deal. Otherwise, because of their experience with Newton, they would have hopped in the bandwagon a long time ago.
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09-25-2006, 04:37 AM | #6 | |
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09-25-2006, 11:01 AM | #7 | |
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I wonder why the CEO and half the board resigned.. Hmm |
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09-25-2006, 11:18 AM | #8 | |
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They did this to reduce the cash burn and stick to producing ink and managing only one supply chain (Sony). The plan called for Sony to ship the Librie in May 2004, about six weeks after E Ink would have gone broke. The problem: By the end of 2003, the function of the alpha and beta E Ink products had been generally approved by Sony, but technical and quality issues remained that needed to be solved before Sony would purchase the product. So cash would run out before the displays could be shipped, and without a shipping product, E Ink faced a difficult task to raise additional investments. As a result Jim Iuliano and various board members resigned, and Russ Wilcox became the new CEO, who managed to get from a majority of private E Ink investors an additional $11m - enough for E Ink to remain solvent for almost another year. After that things worked better thanks to Sony's delivery of the Librie and E Ink's fostering relationship to Japanese Toppan. |
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09-25-2006, 01:53 PM | #9 | |
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Imagine how much they will lose when stores no longer have to print price tags and signs every time the price changes. |
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09-25-2006, 02:05 PM | #10 | |
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But I've seen LCD price tags on shoes at a clothing store locally. They were a little klunky and looked a little like a pillbox. I suppose the price could be changed remotely, but they really would have looked a lot nicer with e-ink. Even better if the little plastic tags on shelfs like at walmart and grocery stores were replaced by built-in, remotely updated, e-ink displays that look like paper. That makes so much more sense than current systems for price labeling. |
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09-25-2006, 04:21 PM | #11 |
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Here're some more ....
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09-25-2006, 04:36 PM | #12 |
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That color one makes you look forward toward future days of poster or painting-sized color displays that can replace typical artwork on your wall!
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09-25-2006, 05:03 PM | #13 |
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Imagine a 1 inch by 100 foot e-ink display for grocery stores, all tied in with cash registers and Rfid tags. The store keeper puts an item on the shelf and it's price and info immediately come to the e-ink display!
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09-25-2006, 05:55 PM | #14 | |
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10-28-2006, 02:58 PM | #15 |
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Has this issue been addressed in other threads:
As cool as e-ink is, and clunky and heavy as paper books & posters are, Books are pulped trees that can, to an extent, be re-used and their base material (trees) can be replenished. From what I understand, most poylmers are some form of plastic, made from fossilised plant and animal remains long ago, with little to no way to replenish. For all the tauting of not cutting down trees, is it such a good idea to use so much oil? I'm not opposed to progress, do not think that oil companies are 'evil, &tc, but I simply wonder about the viability of the technology. Will concede that commercial printing these days propably involves all manner of nasty, toxic chemicals. Just wanted to play devil's advocate. |
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