Slashdot reports that “Sony will launch an ebook [called LIBRIé] based on E Ink technology in Japan in late April.” The E Ink press release has some more details:
The Electronic Paper Display is reflective and can be easily read in bright sunlight or dimly lit environments while being able to be seen at virtually any angle – just like paper. Its black and white ink-on-paper look, combined with a resolution in excess of most portable devices at approximately 170 pixels per inch (PPI), gives an appearance similar to that of the most widely read material on the planet – newspaper. Because the display uses power only when an image is changed, a user can read more than 10,000 pages before the four AAA Alkaline batteries need to be replaced. The unique technology also results in a compact and lightweight form factor allowing it to be ideal for highly portable applications.
There are some more links (most in Japanese, though) and pictures available here.
This sounds pretty cool, although it may be too cumbersome to replace books. Still, the fact that the “LIBRIé can store up to 500 downloaded books” may outweigh the desire for a conventional newspaper or book. I’m not sure I’ll like reading from an electronic device, but I’ll keep an open mind once they make it over here…
