Colored ereaders - Color ereader - Color eReader in 2010 a virtual certainity

A Color eReader release in the US in 2010 is becoming extremely likely. Color eReader implies

It’s focused on reading.
The screen technology supports color and also has ePaper qualities.

We are excluding the iPhone, the iTablet and other multi-purpose devices, devices with LCD screens, and even ‘Dual mode’ and ‘Dual screen’ eReaders.

Color eReader – 2010 Color ePaper Contenders

PVI’s eInk might arrive in Color

While Amazon claims color eInk is years away, PVI has been predicting that they’ll have flexible, color eInk screens ready for mass production by second half of 2010.

PVI is the current leader and there’s a pretty high chance it can pull of color eInk in time to get us our 2010 color eReader.

Here’s a color eInk image from 2005 -

Color eReader in 2010 a virtual certainity

Qualcomm Mirasol Color eReader

Lots of goodness here as Qualcomm seem the most likely to actually deliver -

1st quarter of 2010 they’ll announce who they’re working with for their color eReader. It’s a brand partner so it might be an established eReader company.
5.7 inch Mirasol color screen. 1024 by 768 pixel resolution with 220 dpi. That’s very impressive.
Great battery life just like eInk.

Here’s a video –

More details at my Mirasol Color eReader post.

Bridgestone QR-LPD based color eReader

Bridgestone’s color ePaper screen was displayed in April 2009 and it was very impressive -

Bridgestone claim its much faster than existing technology, the screens are already being used in supermarkets and retail stores in Japan, and the product road-map includes everything except eReaders.

It’s very likely that Bridgestone finds its way state-side in a color eReader.

Packard Bell Color eReader

This is very recent news – Teleread report that Packard Bell will have a color eReader with a touchscreen out in late 2010.

BenQ Color eReader using SiPix

BenQ plan on selling 300,000 eReaders in 2010 and they claim that they will have a color eReader out by the second half of 2010.

The screen technology they are using is from SiPix which is a subsidiary of Taiwanese display giant AU Optronics.

Samsung Color ePaper

This was shown off at SID 2009 in June. It might be ready for a 2010 color eReader -

Fujitsu FLEPia Color eReader

Fujitsu already has a color eReader out in Japan and they did plan to bring it to the US in 2010. Its $1,000+ price point does make it a hard sell.

Read my Fujitsu FLEPia Color eReader post for more including a video.

So Many options for Color eReaders

These are just the color ePaper technologies that are close to production (see my post on the State of ePaper for a lot more). As you can see from their 2010 release claims and the videos – they aren’t that far off and it’s highly likely that we will have multiple color eReaders release in 2010.

The biggest questions are -

Which of these color eReaders will make it to the US?

Which will be the first?

Will Sony, Amazon, and B&N release a color eReader in 2010?

Will Nook 2 have dual color screens?

Barnes & Noble certainly thought up an innovative design (or perhaps borrowed it from Spring Design).

If they were bold enough to push a color LCD screen for controls and book covers, it’s a fair bet they are willing to be one of the first companies to debut an actual color eReader.

Consider all the candidates for color eInk i.e.

PVI and eInk with their electrophoretic display technology.
SiPix with their electrophoretic displays.
Qualcomm’s Mirasol Displays.
IDRI and other companies with cholestric LCD technology.
OLED technology.

B&N wouldn’t have too much trouble finding a technology if they decided to commit to making Nook 2 a color eReader. I think they will – and will target an October 2010 release date for a color Nook 2.

Will Sony snatch back the spotlight with a big color Sony Reader release?

If you’re Sony you have got to be feeling a bit down – you had an eReader before Amazon, you brought touch eReaders to market, and you brought the price point down to $199.

All you have to show for that is the #3 spot – in interest, search volume, and probably sales.

Sony’s work is cut out -

They have to fix the glare issue with their touch screen. It messes up a great device.
They have to pick better names – Sony Reader Touch Edition PRS 600 is terrible.
They need to stop spending on Peyton Manning advertisements and hire a UI and device designer who can place next page buttons correctly and make highlighting and note-taking easier.
They should stop pretending wireless isn’t important. The two eReaders doing better than the Sony Reader both have wireless – it isn’t a random coincidence.

Sony made a strong push with the 300, 600 and 900 – aggressive prices and good features. However, they’re forgetting that eReaders are about reading.

How good is the reading experience?
How easy is it to get books?
How easy is the device to use?

Sony will definitely find a way to get a color eReader to market in 2010. It might not be readable under bright lights – but it will be available.

Will Kindle 3 be a color eReader?

Probably Not.

It’s safe to assume there will be a Kindle 3 in 2010.

Will Amazon release an improved but non-color Kindle 3 and then hope to have color in Kindle 4 in 2011? Perhaps.
Will it pre-pone the Kindle 4 release date and release a color Kindle eReader in the 2nd half of 2010? Perhaps not.
Will it go with Pixel Qi and use a LCD and eInk color combo? This might be the likeliest.

Amazon has shown a remarkable ability to ignore the latest eInk technology (for example touch) and focus on reading.

It would not be a surprise if Amazon decide color eInk is not evolved enough and instead Kindle 3 has an eInk-LCD hybrid screen based on Pixel Qi technology.

Whether it’s color eInk or Pixel Qi – Amazon need to get out a color Kindle for 2010.

The Kindle 2 has survived the onslaught from various eReaders at the end of 2009. Without some form of color, Kindle 3 might not be as lucky.

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