The most wanted features for many in Amazon's Kindle and other eBook readers are about to become a reality. These features would be a color screen, and a touch E Ink screen. Electrophorescent (EPD) displays currently are used in eBook readers such as the Amazon Kindle and Sony reader, however they have not offered touch or color abilities. For you, users of mainstream eBook readers, don't get too excited quite yet as the eBook reader that will be touting the new features will be manufactured by Hanvon at first.
Image Source: digitimes.com
E Ink chairman Scott Lou (above) is showing off the Hanvon color eBook reader due in Q4. The color features are to be coupled with E Ink's Pearl technology to offer the great color and a fast response time. The touch capabilities will come in two flavors, capacitive solution and electromagnetic digitizer. The capacitive solution would let people use the touch screen as many do today with other devices. The other flavor, electromagnetic digitizer, would allow for pen input. The pen input could make eBooks a necessity in the schools as students could read, take notes with ease, and highlight any passages they wished.
With more of the population wanting these types of devices and displays, a color E Ink screen would allow the eBook market to take off even more, as there are many who were waiting for this specific feature. In schools, teachers have had mixed feelings on the Kindle and other readers, but with the new touch displays they could find a permanent place in the classroom. E Ink foresees 10% of the global market using color e-readers in 2011.
24 Comments - Add comment