The 1st pictures of Pixel Qi’s 3qi screen are now out on Mary Lou Jepsen’s Blog. Depending on which page you read (blog or their website) the screens will be in ereaders and netbooks by Fall 2009, or End 2009. Here are the pictures -
PixelQi in Full Color Mode (backlight on), side by side with Pixel Qi Screen in ePaper mode (backlight off)
3Qi Screen from PixelQi in color and epaper modes
PixelQi ePaper Mode outdoors
The 3qi epaper screen outdoors
Details on the 3qi screen
- Size is 10.1″ diagonal.
- Screens will be available for netbooks and ereaders in late 2009.
- 3qi screens support video refresh and fully saturdated color.
- ePaper mode has 3 times resolution of fully saturated color mode to enable better readability.
- In 2009 PixelQi are focusing on being a run-in change into netbooks and ereaders which means the devices will not be optimized for these screens and benefits will not be fully felt.
- In 2010, PixelQi aim for full integration and to improve battery life by 5-fold.
- They are pretty clear that they are not connected to EInk Corporation and do not use electrophoretic technology.
- The resolution in epaper mode is 205 dpi – better than the Kindle’s 167 dpi.
3qi screens in Acer Aspire Ones
Time got to play with some Acer netbooks that had the 3qi screens incorporated and loved the 3qi screens. Time is already proclaiming the technology the future of ereading.
A few snippets -
On these Acer prototypes, the 3Qi display managed to give an extra hour or so of battery life.
In black and white, reflective mode, I couldn’t see any difference when we held up the Kindle alongside the PQ-modded Netbook.
Probably the most important part -
Mary Lou said that a manufacturer could buy PQ’s technology today and have an e-reader that could render high-def text, on a full color page, and video, by the first quarter of next year. The screens are cheap to produce, too—well under $200, she said. Such a device ought to enjoy 40 hours or so of use as an e-reader, between charges.
What this means for Kindle and Amazon
The first thing to keep in mind is that Mary LJ herself is saying first quarter 2010 is when a manufacturer would be able to come out with a device that utilizes the 3qi screens well. Amazon is as well placed as any other manufacturer to use these screens for an ereader/netbook (if they choose to).
The second is that ‘well under $200′ is not good enough at this point. eInk screens cost around $60-$70. $100 more for a color screen with video? Perhaps.
Amazon basically has to choose between a few different strategies, two of which are -
- Incorporate 3qi into a color Kindle 3.
- Wait for the ‘multiple years away’ color eInk screen. An exceptionally bad choice in my opinion.
PixelQi has thrust ereader technology into the future.
A PixelQi color ereader/netbook in early 2010 or an eInk color ereader sometime in 2011? Thats a really easy choice to make.
Filed under: Pixel Qi 3qi, evolution | Tagged: color ereader, pixel qi
