Not long ago we were talking on the blog of the Yotaphone un device that combined two screens, of electronic ink and LCD, for the two possibilities it offered: telephone and electronic reader. On the other hand, at the IFA in 2012, Onyx Internacional he presented us his e-ink display phone. If electronic ink is moving to phones, why can't we think of doing that with tablets?
And this is how we take a look at the enTourage Edge by enTourage Systems, which was released in March 2010 but it seems that a new version is planned for this year 2013 that, although at first glance it may seem a bit cumbersome to use, it is still an interesting idea to combine reader and tablet in a single device.
Let's take a look at the technical characteristics from enTourage Edge:
- Screen 9,7 ″ of electronic ink with a resolution of 825 × 1200 with 16 levels of gray, to which should be added the 10,1 ″ LCD screen of the tablet with a resolution of 600 × 1024 pixels.
- Operating System:Android.
- Battery 8000 mAh Lithium polymer.
- Storage capacity 4 GB (of which 3 would be available), expandable via SD card.
- Connectivity: USB 2.0 port, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
- Weight :: 1,5 kg.
- Includes audio output and speakers.
Seen like this it has some interesting features as an electronic reader that coincide with a good part of the readers currently on the market (acceptable resolution, 16 gray levels, storage space, etc.). But the highlight would be, as we already said, the e-reader and tablet combination with all the possibilities that this offers.
As indicated by the manufacturer, screens are interconnected With what, while you are reading on the electronic ink screen, you can see on the LCD screen the color images that our electronic book may contain. With this we get the best of electronic ink (reading without straining our eyes, without annoying reflections in bright sunlight, etc.) and the advantages of the LCD screen (color, ability to play multimedia files, more fluid web browsing, etc. .).
These complementary screens allow us, for example, to exploit the great possibilities (especially educational) offered by the enriched books: with a simple movement of the eyes we would change the screen to see the interactive elements of our book or magazine, all without having to change devices.
The fact of using Android as the operating system on the tablet also allows us to have a wide variety of applications and all the power of the tablet to manage our library.
But at first glance certain drawbacks and one of those the most striking is the weight. Whether as a tablet or as a reader, 1,5 kg of weight seems a bit excessive to me and not only the weight, but also the size and shape make it seem a bit cumbersome.
Another major drawback: the price. I am not saying that it is not worth the € 558 it costs, but it does seem to me that it is a fairly high price for the average of the devices that it is supposed to "replace", despite the added value of the interconnection of the screens.
As an idea, I already say that it seems to me very interesting, but could be improved (as I imagine it will seem to you), especially considering how much electronic ink technology has advanced since this device appeared in 2010 until today. However, in the absence of a tablet with a color e-ink screen, the combination of the two types of screen can be very suitable, although the configuration could be different. Without losing sight of the Yotaphone, the solution could go through a similar device but in a larger format and conceived as a tablet-reader.
On one side we would have our reading device with a 9,7 ″ electronic ink screen and turning the -Yotaphone- device over, we would have the LCD screen and the functionality of the tablet; all wrapped in a case in the style of the original Sony PRS-505.
Actually, any option that reduces weight and size would be welcome, with a better use of the connection ports, in short, a more user-friendly device. Although I already say that it is only an idea and we will have to wait for the new version of 2013 of the enTourage Edge to see what news it brings.
More information - Yotaphone, the first phone-eReader?
Source - armdevices, in Tourage
I do not know why you put these entries. This Entourage has been discontinued for more than a year, and even the company no longer exists ...
Indeed, the company that originally created the EE closed at the time, although as far as I know the Russian project is still alive and with some ideas for 2013.
In any case, I regret to have given the impression that I was recommending it somehow as a "current" device (despite being for sale in Russia), when in fact what I find interesting is the concept of "two in one" (phone + reader or, in this case, tablet + reader) and the possibilities that advancement in both electronic ink and tablet technologies could offer combined.
Honestly, it doesn't seem like the way to go to me. Join the two devices in one, doubling the price and multiplying by 5 or more the weight. Not even the two screens.
The approach is good, but the best thing would be to have a single device, with a single screen, and a more normal weight.
This could happen in two ways:
1.- Improving the current technology of e-ink screens, with microbeads, giving them a real color (16 million colors), lowering the characteristic dispersion of these little beads (we see that the letters in the readers are not clear on their edges ), and increasing its refresh rate.
I am not saying that it cannot be achieved, but I see it as far away.
2.- Improving the quality of the light of current tablets, illuminating the device from a frame (such as LED televisions) sending that light across the surface of the screen in a homogeneous way, and reducing the flickering of that light (because it blinks, although we do not realize it, but this is why tablets tire our eyes) so that it is a continuous light (like that of the Sun).
I see this point as closer and more feasible.
It is possible that there are other ways to investigate, obviously I do not know. But seeing the flexible screens that have been presented at CES, which will have their application in some area, of course, that one of the two points that I expose is achieved would not be unreasonable.
A greeting.
I think that the Entourage Edge concept is the one that is going to prevail and the edge of the screen will not be that wide.
The idea of combining and associating an LED with an E-Ink is great, particularly if you can draw and write naturally on one or both of them.
If it is also possible to turn off the LED screen, it is worth as a reading device. In fact, as soon as you come across a somewhat comprehensive text, you will prefer to read it on the e-ink screen.
Lithium batteries tend to be somewhat thick because they need to be shielded and lithium is extremely reactive.
Even so, they can appear combined of two tablets, an LCD and another E-INK that communicate by bluetooth and both touch, it is not uncommon to have an LCD tablet and also a Kindle or similar.
I think that with the development that has occurred in e-ink, which implies the cheaper devices, interesting combination projects could emerge.
But of course, I am also attracted to color electronic ink, and yet companies and investors do not seem to be so attracted.
Very interesting. I will be attentive to see what it leads to. Thanks, Irene.