Fujitsu Announces Bendable Colour Electronic Paper

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/electronic-paper/fujitsu-creates-electronic-paper-112347.php' target='_blank'>http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadg...aper-112347.php</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Bendable colour screens have been in the pipeline for some time (see related links), but Fujitsu is the first company to announce a wireless version that it hopes will hit shops sometime between April 2006 and March 2007. According to Fujitsu its newly developed e-paper features an image memory function that enables “continuous display of the same image without the need for electricity”, although it does require a smidge of power to switch images. Plus, the images don’t warp or lose quality when the e-paper is bent or rolled up."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/epaper_250-1.jpg" /><br /><br />Technology like this is an important step towards evolving the form factor of today's PDAs. Very cool to see this first step - I can imagine some very interesting uses two or three generations down the line.

[Jonathan1]

engadget had this too. This is some fairly exciting technology. The potential uses for something that leaves an image behind after you remove the charge is HUGE.

-ebook readers. (That is the only blatantly obvious one.)
-price stickers that are updated via wireless.
-wallpaper that also doubles as a TV.
-Reusable mailing labels for boxes and such.
-laptop summery displays on the TOP of the laptop that update once every 30 minutes with customizable info.
-Maybe eventually cars that can change color as easily as pushing a button
-cameras that display the last picture taken without needing to use a charge.

[bjornkeizers]

Finally. It feels like I've been waiting for this tech for decades. I want it so bad I can taste it.

[capo]

I wonder how/if this will impact battery life on small screen devices and laptops...

[ADBrown]

I wonder how/if this will impact battery life on small screen devices and laptops...

The press release claims that it uses less than 1% of the power of other display technologies.

[Ward]

I predict this technology for use as animated business cards.




























Did I say 'predict'? I meant 'patent'!

[pjerry220]

I could see some very useful PDA's with this screen. I can see the first 360 degree PDA with a continual scroll.

Cool :D

[bjornkeizers]

I predict this technology for use as animated business cards.

Did I say 'predict'? I meant 'patent'!

I'll race you to the patent office :D That would be awesome... have a stack of these cheap cards lying around, put your latest contact info and/or a special message on it and hand them out.

[k1darkknight]

Hmmm...
- a video player whose flash memory is bigger than its little watch battery?
- better yet...link these to cell phones that have a little 30 sec. video cam on it! FINALLY, videophones! (just need more bandwidth...)
- an Axim X50v that doesn't need an extended battery, and could play 3+ DVD's worth of video w/o recharging!!! - AND it'd be (at least a LITTLE) lighter!!!
- portable DVD players that you don't have to worry about cracking the screen! (ok, creases may be an issue...)
- wallpaper as a TV, you say? how 'bout wallpaper as a wall-sized PC monitor? (Mmmm...bigger-than-life GTA: San Andreas!)
Speaking of using this tech as wallpaper...let's try making it solid black in its uncharged state, and use a grid of little yellow lines to stitch a bunch of 'em together...(Star Trek TNG, anyone?)





Oh, and don't forget all the new possibilities for advertisers! Like that animated business card idea? How 'bout business card-sized video-SPAM?!?

Also, I wouldn't trust the technology for changing a car's color, at a button push. Oh, I think it'd work, but really...haven't you ever played any of the Grand Theft Auto games? Forget 'Pay-n-Spray', try 'Click-n-Spray'...


k1darkknight, aka - *DAMMIT, I just passed the patent office!*

[Steve Jordan]

The real power behind this tech isn't the odd things like video business cards that can be done (As William Shatner once said: "But why?"), but the ecological aspects of a replacement for paper used in so many wasteful ways, like:

Daily newspapers and other periodicals;
Bills and statements;
Advertisements;
Catalogs;
Phone books;
Greeting cards

This list was generated simply by looking at the contents of my mixed paper trash can, which brims with waste every week. I would love to see all of these things sent to electronic paper, which gives you the added advantage of simply deleting what you don't want to read, or what is obsolete (like yesterday's paper), and storing the rest.

[nategesner]

My immediate thought for this is a screen built into (or stuck on) a desktop. Imagine carrying just your PDA everywhere you go with all your software and information loaded on it. On the bus, you use the PDA screen. Once you get to work, your BlueTooth transmits the image to your desktop screen and you work off of it.

In fact, I imagine my PDA would eventually be a small tube. The screen would unfurl like a window shade and lay on a table, leg, book, etc. It could even be a PDA pen that actually writes! LOL!

Actually, I see very thin portable computers, children's desks, thinner/lighter/bigger wall-mounted televisions, picture frames that change based on the schedule/weather/room lighting/etc., and much more. Imagine subscribing to a magazine or buying a newspaper and being handed a small chip/battery gizmo. Plug it in to your cheap and disposable screen and start reading to your hearts content. The battery would power "turning" pages but it would still be inexpensive enough to be thrown away or accidently left on the subway.

Man, I could go on all day with this one. Think back to what was available with the PDA ten years ago and now look forward. YIKES!!!

[ctmagnus]

I agree with Steve Jordan - reuse one display for all your paper reads (except Kleenex, paper towels and TP ;) ) and stop filling up the landfills.

[Typhoon]

It would be really cool to be made into school books. Instead of 500 pages, the book would have at least 4 pages. Is anyone here going to high school or was there not too long ago? When I was there, I always had to carry an enormous weight of books (because we didn't have lockers). The enormous weight of school books students had to carry everyday has even been significant enough to be on the news. It is crazy.

But you know how this world is, even if the technology is there, the only significant critical factor is the school officials involved. Because they are the ones that make the decisions whether the kids would get these types of books once they get available.

I've been hearing some really crazy news lately about students suffering from a super poverty level public school budgets because some stupid school official, like the Principal is making $240,000 a year. Even the teachers have to pitch in money to buy pens and students parents are asked to contribute coloring pencils....pretty sad. And this is more than one school! I'm not talking about 1 single case here. We have all this news of new technology and all of its positive world or the-unfortunate helping uses, but when it gets down to it, money comes first.