An e-ink primary display on a cellphone? Eh, that’s so 2006. On display at Japan’s CEATEC show this week is a prototype clamshell that flips the concept on its head, moving the e-ink down below. The benefits are pretty obvious — different keypad configurations can be shown in different phone modes, a tactic that’s been explored before — but unlike phones that use OLED or LCD displays, e-ink only requires power when it’s being changed, so you get the combined benefit of configurable keys while consuming virtually no additional energy over a standard layout. Combine the concept with physical ridges between keys and we figure this could be a pretty killer setup since you wouldn’t be losing tactile feedback, either. We see a good fifteen or twenty concept phones for every device that actually sees production, but since some folks bothered to throw together a physical prototype here, we’re cautiously optimistic this thing might see the light of day.
Archives for the day Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007
3 Oct
Kindle Edition e-books appear on Amazon — reader launch imminent
Posted on 2007 under Other Gadgets | No Comment
Here you go, the first honest to goodness proof that Amazon is prepped to launch their Kindle e-book reader. You know, that EV-DO packing device we extracted from the beige soiled bowels of the FCC filing last year. But seriously Amazon, $54 for an electronic book… are you kidding us? Anyway, the launch rumored for October 15th certainly looks imminent.
Philips trotted out its SHD9100 wireless headphones back at IFA in August (where we got to check ‘em out first hand), but it looks like the company has just now made the cans available to the general public — in the U.K., at least. According to Pocket-lint, those in the neighborhood should be able to pick them up now for £170, or about $345. Somewhat curiously, Pocket-lint is also reporting that the cans boast a 50-millimeter speaker driver, and not a 40-mm one as we had heard before, as well as a 30 meter range, as opposed to the 40 meters we last heard about. Otherwise, the phones look to be unchanged, with the same promised six hours of listening time and untold levels comfort and sound quality, which we’re guessing you’ll want to check out for yourself before dropping all those pounds.