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E-paper's Time Has Come

June 21, 2005 › Sandy McMurray | comment

Electronic ink is one of those mirage technologies that tantalizingly seems to be perpetually just on the horizon. I first heard of it in the early 90s and since then have been awaiting flexible displays, low-power, high resolution and contrast books (see image at right) and, of course, rapidly changing signs at Home Depot.
It finally looks like e-ink may be on its way. Last week the Citizen watch company and E Ink demonstrated a clock with an electronic paper display. That's just the latest in showcased e-ink products. Phillips and Sony have produced an ePaper book and Seiko has shown off an electronic paper watch.
I'm betting it will be under a year before these products are rolled out to you and me, which is a great thing. I love the idea of low-power flexible displays. It will bring a whole new level of industrial and human factors design into play. It will also provide a viable technology for electronic books (stalled, as well, by silly Digital Rights Management wrangling).
E-paper just makes so much sense. In two generations kids will wonder how we got by in the absence of toilet paper that let you read the latest news, temporarily.