E Ink shows concepts galore at SID 2011: snowboards, radios, thermostats, oh my!

E Ink's 300ppi 9.7-inch panel -- touting "laser print quality" and a ridiculous 2400 x 1650 screen resolution -- was just the tip of the e-paper iceberg here at SID 2011. The aforesaid display isn't shipping in any commercial products just yet, but given that OEMs are already accepting 'em, we were told to expect ultra-fine print devices in the not-too-distant future. The screen, which was jointly developed by Epson, truly did look astonishing up close, forcing us to get awkwardly close to see the pixels behind the pictures. Outside of that guy, though, the outfit's booth was splattered with concepts -- everything from an E Ink-infused snowboard (shown above) to a rugged radio. There was even a prototype sheet music reader (dreamed up by Lenart Studios) that looked downright outstanding, not to mention a thermostat that would have any Home Depot junkie swooning. Have a gander at the galleries below, and peek past the break for a brief video tour. Oh, and Burton -- you should seriously get on this.

E Ink snowboard concept eyes-on at SID 2011

E Ink's concept sheet music holder at SID 2011

E Ink's 9.7-inch 300ppi display at SID 2011

 

Samsung and Nouvoyance show off power-sipping, pixel packed Pentile display (video)

Samsung is seriously stepping up its slate screen game with its 10.1-inch 300ppi panel that we told you about last week. We just got to see the display in person at SID 2011, and can confirm that the presence of Pentile pixels should no longer be a cause of concern. Nouvoyance, who designed the display, told us that the panel's RGBW pixel configuration makes your whites whiter and brights brighter (up to 600 nits worth), while consuming 40 percent less power than conventional LCDs. The company also told us the tech's been around for awhile, but that market forces conspired to keep it concealed -- though after seeing it in person, we can't fathom why it didn't make it into Sammy's stellar new slate. Pixel-density people shouldn't pout, however, as devices packing the display will drop by Q4 of this year or Q1 2012. Video explaining why you should join the RBGW revolution's after the break.

Nouvoyance 10.1-inch PenTile RGBW prototype tablet display at SID 2011

 

E Ink and Epson to co-develop 9.7-inch high-res 300ppi electronic paper display

It's pretty obvious that this year's SID Display Week is shaping up to be a stage for the 300ppi extravaganza -- Samsung and LG were first to announce their latest high pixel density LCDs, and then Toshiba chimed in with its 367ppi LCD for cellphones. Fortunately, fans of ePaper will also have something to look forward to here, as E Ink Holdings and Epson have just announced the co-development of a 300ppi ePaper display. To be exact, E Ink will be in charge of producing the sharp-looking 9.68-inch 2,400 x 1,650 display panel, whereas Epson will take care of the high-speed display controller platform to go with E Ink's part. No availability has been announced just yet, but stay tuned for our eyes-on impression at the show.