Technical / Research - Page 6

Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) plans to start shipping e-paper displays in the second half of 2010. These will be 6" panels, aimed for e-book readers. Interestingly, CPT says they got orders for TFT-LCD panels to be used in e-book readers, too.

Via digitimes

Marvell said it has teamed up with E Ink to create an integrated application processor. E-readers based on the technology are expected to hit the market in the first quarter of 2010.

The first devices include the already announced enTourage Edge, a combination e-reader and netbook; the Alex reader from Spring Design, and an offering from Plastic Logic.

Marvell's platform is based on its new Armada family of processors, announced last month.

The company is also partnering with FirstPaper, which is backed by media giant Hearst Corp, for content and graphics technology.

Weili Dai, Marvell's co-founder and general manager of its consumer and computing business unit, estimated the entry level price point of a e-reader based on the Marvell platform at roughly $150 -- cheaper than devices currently on the market, which range upward from $199.

 

There are rumors that Creative are working on an e-book reader. It will run on their Zii technology, and will be called the MediaBook. It will also be used to surf the internet.

Via epiZenter

Bridgestone are developing their own e-paper technology, and are now showing a color touch screen flexible e-book reader. The whole reader is actually bendable!

The display is large (13.1"), with 4,096 colors, and a refresh rate of about 0.8 seconds. The reader also includes wireless (cellular) connectivity. Bridgestones will produce samples early next year.

Via Engadget

 

Gizmodo reports that MSI will soon release a new e-reader. Their chairman says that they will use Nvidia's Tegra graphic chipset. 

Liquavista today launched its first technology platform LiquavistaBright, aimed at the booming eReader space.  Offering vastly improved usability, content compatibility and cost compared with the first generation of ereader’s, LiquavistaBright offers a high performance monochrome reflective display with video capability.

Liquavista are developing three technology platforms (LiquavistaBright™, LiquavistaColor™ and LiquavistaVivid™) planned for product implementation throughout 2010/2011. 

The first technology platform, LiquavistaBright, will enable a smooth and fast user interface on eReader devices, thanks to the inherent video capability. Being able to move and scroll the content seamlessly will allow consumers to have a fully featured UI and significantly larger effective screen, enabling access to other more traditional online media such as web content and video, as well as both tabloid and broadsheet newsprint. In addition, these displays will be brighter and have more contrast than current solutions.  The devices using the LiquavistaBright display can combine the durable eBook experience, which can be found in the current eReaders, with a new multimedia experience, which is according to recent marketing research one of the most requested benefits of future eReaders.

LG Display is showing an e-reader prototype with a built-in thin-film solar cell. The solar cell is 10 cm in width and length, and the display is 6" in size. The solar cell is only 0.7mm in thickness, and weighs 20 grams.

Exposure to sunlight for about four to five hours would extend the running time of the e-book’s battery by a day without the need for additional charging. This would allow longer outdoor use of the e-book and lessens worries about battery discharging.

More information here