PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Far Eastern supply chain gossips have claimed that Amazon is set to launch colour display e-book readers in the second half of the year.
Basing the claims on the sorts of components ordered in the supply chain for Amazon’s contract manufacturers, the unannounced devices will move to multi-touch capable capacitive touch panels instead of the infrared variety in the current Kindle touch.
Quoted by Taiwan-based industry site the DigiTimes, the same sources reckon that this is evidence that the world’s largest bookseller will adopt E-Ink’s new colour display. E-Ink has fallen somewhat on hard times given the popularity of colour LCD displays such as the Kindle Fire.
The E-Ink display has some key advantages, chiefly using no power until the display changes and visibility in bright sunlight. Drawbacks such as a slow update speed and, of course, the lack of colour, are all being addressed.
That said, the second half of the year is also expected to see a raft of new, cheaper, Android-based tablets – possible even a Google-branded device.
Is it too late for E-Ink or will a new Colour Kindle storm back onto the scene? We imagine that this also opens the door for other sorts of content on the e-readers such as magazines.
It’s a colour world after all.
