I’ve learned never to believe anyone who claims to have an indestructible tech product. It’s just a recipe for having someone buy a brand new item and drop it on concrete to prove that you can break it if you really want to. But the folks at E Ink are working on a new display technology that may not be indestructible — but it sure looks a whole lot more durable than anything on the market today.
Today, E Ink displays use glass screens. The new technology uses plastic, allowing you to drop the screen or drop something on it without breaking it. The screen is also flexible enough to be bent gently — although I wouldn’t try rolling it up and putting it in your pocket.
The plastic screen can be scratched. And if you really tried, I bet you could crack it in half. But the new technology could result in low power eBook readers for students and consumers that are a lot harder to break, and a lot easier to throw in your bag without worrying too much.
Charbax from ARMDevices.net has posted an interview with E Ink vice president Sriram Peruvemba about the new plastic screen and about electronic paper displays more generally. You can check it out after the break.
Exactly what I’ve been waiting for.
I’m pretty sure Pocketbook already uses plastic instead of glass in some readers for couple of months (proof, for example: https://ireaderreview.com/2009/12/04/new-ereaders-digibook-ereader-pocketbook-901/). So what’s the difference?
I am impressed. There will be an e-ink market, even if some others dominate in time in the netbook and other e-reader spaces.
Of course- with Corning’s Gorilla Glass – any screen would not break very easily, and could be dropped too.