E-paper

[mdlbear]

Thin, low-power, high-res (160dpi), reflective, eventually cheap displays:

http://netscape.com.com/2100-1103_2-1001530.html
Coming in 2004, they say.

Comments

[khaosworks.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but it uses LCD instead of E-ink.

I haven't heard much about the power requirements of E-ink, but my idea has always been to have the E-ink display remain static once the power source is removed (locked in place, as it were) and only be able to change again once power is applied to it. The implications of this are obvious - low overall power consumption, since you're only using energy when changing pages, unless you're flipping tons of pages back and forth. Of course, if this idea is an innovation I've just screwed my chances of coming up with a patent, now.

[mdlbear]

The article actually describes two ebook readers, one of which is the eInk/Phillips, and the other of which uses a low-power (reflective, presumably) LCD.

You reflective, monochrome LCDs are pretty power-efficient; it's the backlight that kills you, along with the faster refresh you need for color.