Electronic Paper

I'm sure Star Trek fans will remember the thin hand-held gizmo that replaced paper for all the ship's reports. Well, Sony has finally unveiled it's version of electronic paper as part of its new e-book display device, called Sony Reader, which uses a technology call "E Ink". Here's Sony's definition:

What is E Ink® Technology?
The Sony® Reader's display uses E Ink® - a significant improvement over CRT and LCD technology. Instead of rows of glowing cells, E Ink® microcapsules actually appear as either black or white depending on a positive or negative charge determined by the content. The result is a reading experience that’s similar to paper - high contrast, high resolution, viewable in direct sunlight and at a nearly 180-degree angle, and requiring no power to maintain the image. In other words, it's a screen that, like you, is well read.

I don't know if holding a hard plastic gadget will replace the intimate experience of a paperback novel, but this seems to be as close as it will get for the time being. Unlike other attempts at creating the "electronic book", this one appears to overcome issues like glare and battery life. Once you display a page, it doesn't take any battery power to keep showing it, so if you're a fast reader or slow reader, it's all the same. All that matters is the number of page turns.

The Sony Reader isn't yet available for sale, though it's said to retail between $300 and $400, depending on the bundled accessories. That's too big a price tag for my wallet, when a paperback is less than $10, but I'd love to be able to carry the complete Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Incarnations of Immortality series around with me like that.

More details can be found at the Sony Reader website