If you've been following the smartwatch trend at all, you likely remember hearing about Sony's interesting E-ink wearable. Dubbed the FES (Fashion Entertainments) Watch, it uses low-power e-paper technology on both the face and wrist band. It doesn't have any of the "smarts" we've come to expect from our timepieces, but it can change patterns instantly at the press of a button.
Today we've gotten up close and personal with the newest innovation in E Ink display technology - Advanced Color ePaper. Also ACeP for short, this Advanced Color ePaper technology allows an electrophoretic display (EPD) to produce full color "at every pixel" without the use of a color filter array (CFA). That's big news for those of you that love to use your ereader without having to charge more than a couple times a year. Now you'll be able to do the same in full color.
If ever an ereader was aspirational, the Kindle Oasis, Amazon's eighth generation and most dramatically impressive to-date, is it. Taking the online retail behemoth's aping of paper with the flexibility of digital books to its most extreme example so far, the Kindle Oasis promises cutting-edge ergonomics along with the flexibility of not one, but two batteries and a clever way to carry both. It comes at a hefty price, however.
Withings is known for its wide range of health and fitness devices, which include analog watch fitnesss trackers, digital scales, and, just this week, a thermometer. With the new Withings Go, the company is back to its tracker roots but with a twist. Just like any tracker, this handy gadget does keep an eye on your steps, activities, and even your sleep. But unlike most trackers that either use LCD screens or none at all, the Go uses a battery friendly e ink display to show you your stats, all that time and even in bright ambient light.
There's a reason e-ink (also known as e-paper) technology is such a great fit for e-readers like Amazon's Kindle: it uses very little power and offers high visibility in a variety of lighting conditions. It's no wonder that the black and white digital displays are starting to be used for traffic signs and other real-time information posted outside. Now London started to adopt the technology for its bus stops, launching a trial that has four locations display real-time arrival schedules and more.
Ever saw a stylish shoe that you wished came in your size? Or ever wanted to design your own shoes yourself? If you answered yes to either or both of these questions, then this hot new Indiegogo campaign might sing to your heart. The name "ShiftWear" is a tad deceptive, not standing up to the magic it can do. Unlike personalized sneakers, you don't have to settle for a single design and live with it once and for all. You can change it on a whim using only your smartphone, thanks to the magic of e-paper.
It was almost exactly a year ago when Sony revealed the FES watch — a timepiece that uses low-power e-paper tech not only in the face, but in the band as well. Now, following a campaign on Sony's own crowdfunding site First Flight, the watch is finally a release, albeit limited, in Japan. It was originally developed by the Sony-owned subsidiary Fashion Entertainments, and was first pitched for crowdfunding without the Sony name attached, as the company wanted to see if there was a real market demand, without their reputation overshadowing the concept.
Kobo isn't exactly swimming in cash when it comes to its hardware. In fact, it has decided to scrap its Android-based tablets, the Kobo Arc line, in favor of an Android app instead. That leaves it with time and resources to focus on the hardware that probably matters most to its customers: e-ink readers. Following the Glo HD that it unveiled last April, Kobo has mysteriously put out a version 2.0 of its baseline Kobo Touch reader but with seemingly little to differentiate it from its predecessor.
Microsoft's detachable Surface keyboard may already bring easy text entry to the tablet, but the company is cooking up a new DisplayCover prototype with its own e-paper touchscreen. The work-in-progress peripheral is the handiwork of Microsoft's Applied Sciences Group, combining not only a physical keyboard but a full-width touchscreen which can be used to show menu items, toolbar controls, or even offer an alternative input area.
Rollable displays may be a mainstay of science-fiction but they've been slow to show up in the real world, something startup Polyera aims to change. Just headed out of stealth mode after spending a decade working on flexible electronics to pair with a monochrome E Ink display, Polyera plans to demonstrate the worth of its Flexible Thin-Film Transistors with a homegrown product, the Wove wristband, in 2016.
The same technology used on the display of your Amazon Kindle is now appearing in traffic signs in Sydney, Australia. While e-ink may not have the same visual punch as the OLED display on a smartphone, the technology is great for its low power consumption and easy visibility in various lighting conditions. That's probably the exact reason the Australian Road and Maritime Services (RMS) has gone with e-ink in traffic signs used for special events, which need to be updated frequently and easily seen by drivers.
It can be tough being the middle child, but Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite is having its moment in the sun by copying the best parts of its more expensive sibling. Revamped today, the new Paperwhite gets a 300dpi e-paper display like the Kindle Voyage we reviewed last October, as well as Amazon's new typesetting engine and the company's specially-created font, Bookerly. While the refreshed Kindle Paperwhite isn't expected to ship until the end of June, but I've been playing with one in advance.