In bodily books, yellowing pages are often an indication of age. However brand-new customers of Amazon’s Kindle Colorsofts, the tech big’s first colour e-reader, are already noticing yellow hues showing on the bottoms of their shows.
For the reason that complaints started the trickle in, Amazon has reportedly suspended shipments and introduced that it’s working to repair the problem. (As of publication of this text, the US $280 Kindle had a mean 2.6 star score on Amazon.) It’s not but clear what’s inflicting the discoloration. However whereas the problem is new—and surprising—the expertise will not be, says Jason Heikenfeld, an IEEE Fellow and engineering professor on the College of Cincinnati. The Kindle Colorsoft, which turned accessible on 30 October, makes use of “a really outdated strategy,” says Heikenfeld, who beforehand labored to develop the last word e-paper expertise. “It was the primary strategy all people tried.”
Amazon’s e-reader makes use of reflective show expertise developed by E Ink, an organization that began within the Nineteen Nineties as an MIT Media Lab spin off earlier than creating its now-dominant digital paper shows. E Ink is utilized in Kindles, in addition to high e-readers from Kobo, reMarkable, Onyx, and extra. E Ink first launched Kaleido—the idea of the Colorsoft’s show—5 years in the past, although the street to full-color e-paper began nicely earlier than.
How E-Readers Work
Monochromatic Kindles work by making use of voltages to electrodes within the display that convey black or white pigment to the highest of every pixel. These pixels then mirror ambient mild, making a paper-like show. To create a full-color show, corporations like E Ink added an array of filters simply above the ink. This strategy didn’t work nicely at first as a result of the filters misplaced an excessive amount of mild, making the shows darkish and low decision. However with just a few changes, Kaleido was prepared for shopper merchandise in 2019. (Different approaches—like including coloured pigments to the ink—have been developed, however these include their very own drawbacks, together with the next price ticket.)
Given this design, it initially appeared to Heikenfeld that the problem would have stemmed from the software program, which determines the voltages utilized to every electrode. This aligned with studies from some customers that the problem appeared after a software program replace.
However trade analyst Ming-Chi Kuo prompt in a publish on X that the problem is as a result of e-reader’s {hardware}. Amazon switched the optically clear adhesive (OCA) used within the Colorsoft to a fabric that might not be so optically clear. In its announcement of the Colorsoft, the corporate boasted “customized formulated coatings” that might improve the colour show as one of many new e-reader’s improvements.
When it comes to resolving the problem, Kuo’s publish additionally said that “Whereas part suppliers have developed a number of {hardware} options, Amazon appears to be leaning towards a software-based repair.” Heikenfeld will not be positive how a software program repair would work, aside from blacking out the underside of the display.
Amazon didn’t reply to IEEE Spectrum’s request for remark. In an e mail to IEEE Spectrum, E Ink said, “Whereas we can’t touch upon any particular person associate or product, we’re dedicated to supporting our companions in understanding and addressing any points that come up.”
The Way forward for E-Readers
It took a very long time for colour Kindles to reach, and the way forward for reflective e-reader shows isn’t seemingly to enhance a lot, in accordance with Heikenfeld. “I used to work loads on this subject, and it simply actually slowed down sooner or later, as a result of it’s a troublesome nut to crack,” Heikenfeld says.
There are inherent limitations and inefficiencies to working with filter-based colour shows that depend on ambient mild, and there’s no Moore’s Regulation for these shows. As an alternative, their enchancment is asymptotic—and we might already be near the restrict. In the meantime, shows that emit mild, like LCD and OLED, proceed to enhance. “An iPad does a reasonably rattling good job with battery life now,” says Heikenfeld.
On the similar time, he believes there’ll at all times be a spot for reflective shows, which stay a extra pure expertise for our eyes. “We dwell in a world of reflective colour,” Heikenfeld says.
That is story was up to date on 12 November 2024 to right that Jason Heikenfeld is an IEEE Fellow.
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