La contrapposizione e-ink vs. LCD sembra una querelle destinata a spegnersi con l’arrivo di tecnologie che combinano il meglio di entrambe. Lo stesso vale per la diatriba tra dispositivi specializzati, ovvero i cosiddetti ereader, e dispositivi portatili multifunzione come i tablet. Scopriamo come vedono il futuro tre grandi aziende impegnate nel dare forma al futuro della lettura tramite la progettazione di prodotti hardware.

1. Visions on the future of eReading devices

2. Agenda
1. Company
Overview
2. ePaper
defini5on
3. Ba8ery
life
4. Flexible
5. Color
6. Speed
7. Conclusion
2

3. Company overview
• Bookeen’s history
– 1998: Bookeen cofounders were technical managers at Cytale (eBook
pionneer) and designed first LCD based Reading device
– 2003 : Bookeen is created
– 2007 : Launch of first epaper device
– 2010 : Launch of first wireless epaper device
– 2011 : Launch of Bookeen Digital Bookstore
• Our Mission
– is to provide state-of-the-art eBook Reading devices (both Hardware and
Software)
– is to provide best European eBook catalogue to its customers through its
own Bookstore interface
3

4. A fully featured range of devices
On
the
go
An
open
device
A8rac5ve
The
lightest
device
device
with:
with
8
supported
packaging
and
on
market
with
A;racFve
formats
true
design:
good
hardware
pricing:
•
5
inches
E-­‐Ink
including:
features
:
Vizplex
screen
• True
PU
• 1GB
memory
149€
• Adobe
PDF
leather
sleeve
(1,000
books)
(VAT
incl.)
• Daylight
readable
• ePUB
• 7
colors
shells
•
Accelerometer
• 2
weeks
ba;ery
•
150g
The
thinnest
Unique
design
Improved
Wifi
and
available
and
a
high
end
hardware
Bluetooth
SFll
device
with
a
packaging
for
a
specificaFons:
a;racFve
connected
for
6
inches
SiPix
device
with
two
•
2,000
books
pricing:
shopping
touch
screen
colors
choices
storage
capacity
ebooks
online
(Black
and
•
3
weeks
229€
White)
ba;ery
life
(VAT
incl.)
•
240g
4

5. ePaper definition
• Very Low-Power
– ePaper is reflective. It uses ambiant light and doesn’t need a
backlight.
– True ePaper displays are fully bistable. It means image remains on
screen after switch-off
• Wide-viewing angle
– Wide viewing angle guarantees no parralax effect while reading
• High Resolution
– Most of ePaper screen are at least 150dpi
5

6. Battery life
For Eink and Sipix technology, screen is fully bistable
– When screens doesn’t move, device is paused (sleep-mode)
– Power consumption is high only when screen animates due to calculation
and screen driving
90% of the time, Power consumption is divided by 100 compared to LCD
10% of the time, Power consumption is divided by 5 compared to LCD
Device
is
light
(Ba8ery
capacity
is
5ny)
Ba8ery
life
can
reach
weeks
Prediction: with auto-recharging means like solar cell, device
won’t need to be recharged anymore.
6

7. Battery life
Eink prototype
7

8. Flexibility
Most of current ePaper screens are made of glass.
• They are very thin and thus easily breakbale.
• Changing the substrate has been tried by several companies
– Plastic Logic has tried to launch QUE based on plastic substrate
– Skiff has tried to launch Skiff reader based on Metal foil
Flexible screen offers rugedized product ultra-thin product
mandatory feature for education adn school markets
Prediction: flexible screens will appear in 2012
First market will be education.
8

9. Flexibility
Metal foil substrate
9

10. Color
Most of current ePaper screens are black and white but
First versions of Eink screens are available in production in color (quality is
not that good but improving fast)
New low-power (but not bistable) technologies just appear as prototypes but
loose some of electrophoretic solution interests like very low power and
wide viewing angle (Mirasol, Liquavista)
Color opens the type of reading content to Magazines and Comics
Color is mandatory for school market due to graphics in School manuals
Prediction: color screens will appear in 2011
One of core market will be education and magazines
10

11. Color
Eink prototype
11

12. Speed
ePaper screens based on electrophoretic technology are very slow
Frame rate could be less than 1 frame/second (1second refresh rate)
Howver CPU integration and natural material speed makes video possible
on Eink today
New technology (with higher power consumption) are as fast as LCD but
not in production yet (Mirasol or Liquavista).
Speedy interface helps customer to make product more friendly
Speedy interface is necessary for true note taking, type text for searching
Really useful for working on text rather than simple reading
Prediction: speed for Eink will be available by the end of the year
non-eink screens arrive in 2012
12

13. Key take aways
Reading devices together with ePaper screen become more and more
efficient.
Readers become thinner, more robust, more colorfull, faster and won’t
need charging anymore.
Prediction: Reading devices will become at a certain point a
never ending wireless updatable sheet of paper.
13

14. Questions ?