EReaders came into our lives to stay a few years ago, but unfortunately since their launch they have not evolved much, although to tell the truth their room for improvement is very small. We have seen how it has been possible to develop more powerful devices, with some new options and above all more attractive in terms of design for the user, but little else.
All of this could change with the arrival of color electronic ink displays on the market. And it is that if last week we saw how Japan Display confirmed the existence of one of these screens, which they were going to assemble into a smartwatch, it seems that from the Sony company, today we saw in an image the filter Pebble's latest smartwatch that also sports a color e-ink display.
This could undoubtedly mean that not too long we could see the Arrival of an eReader with a color electronic ink screen, which would be an important step, although not fundamental since color is not very necessary in one of these devices. However, it could help when reading to be able to see the images in color, or to be able to browse the Internet from the electronic book to abandon the gray scale.
For a long time we have been saying that eReader manufacturers have to somehow revolutionize their devices, and it is that with the new models that are being launched it is difficult for any user to change their device, which does exactly the same as a new one. and that it offers very little news, either in terms of features or options.
The arrival of color on eReaders can mean the start of the road for a somewhat different device, although of course some further improvement is needed such as wireless charging, solar charging, water resistance or new designs that convince the user to renew their old device or buy one.
Perhaps the next eReader that hits the market will have a color electronic ink screen, although for that we will still have to wait, but take notice, since it may be one of the next improvements that we see in the Amazon Kindle or in the Aura from Kobo.
Do you think a color electronic ink screen on our eReader would be interesting?.
I have said it in this blog (and in others) forty thousand times: color is the future ... the problem is that I have been saying it for 4 or 5 years and I am already beginning to lose hope.
When a technology as good (at least in appearance) as that of Japan Display does not seem to interest manufacturers, turn off and let's go.
It is clear that color is not necessary to read novels but I like to read scientific magazines and books (astronomy, biology, etc.) I would greatly appreciate a large non-backlit color screen (I can navigate with the tablet or whatever but is to start reading and no ... I'm not cool).
I always said that my dream would be a DPT-S1 with a color screen. It would be perfect for what I need and I would be willing to pay a lot for it (although not the € 1000 that the current black / white model costs) but I am afraid I will not see it in the short or medium term.
The technology is there but the manufacturers seem to give the battle (with the backlit lcd screens) for loss. A shame
I continue to hope with Liquavista because I follow the movements of this company since Amazon bought it and I know that they are looking to put a product (tablet? Ereader? Hybrid?) On the market. They have a test factory and almost every day I see advertisements for hiring people in production-oriented positions. The question is when? ... and I begin to fear that we will have to wait at least another year. I wish I was wrong.
Amazon is sure to get it out sooner or later. Color is going to be a boom for magazines, children's books, scientific publications, interactive books, etc. I do not think it is something like the eink we know but it will be a mix between lcd and eink but it does not bother the eye so much.
Now when? I hope that soon, seeing that the current electronic ink seems to be already stagnant. After Kindle Vogage I don't know what can be improved any more. More memory for 1mb books? not. Bigger screens for reading black and white magazines? I don't see it either. I hope Liquavista is the key to getting something out of color.
It already exists: http://www.eink.com/customer_showcase_jetbook_color.html
Sorry, I did not read the previous comment, I see that they were referring to an ereader that did not have an eink screen.
I believe that the future of all screens will be electronic ink that will allow vision in broad daylight and will prevent us from losing our eyes.
Aside from books on epub with occasional images that one wants to see in color, pdfs made up of many images, there is the matter of reading comics, whether in pdf, cbz, cbr, which would be very good to read on a screen that shows one the graphs as if it were the experience of reading on paper, it would be great.
A fusion of tablet-ereader in color, even with "few" colors, will be the great leap in the market (and stop burning your eyes !!!)
Hopefully they start selling color eReaders, I have a Pebble time round and I don't understand how this technology has not even spread to ereaders since it's going great !!