Another company has entered the ebook reader market that is slowly getting crowded.
The Kyobo Book Centre from South Korea has released the Kyobo eReader a new eReader that boasts of a 5.7 inch XGA display and a battery life that lasts for weeks. The device runs on a modified version of Android, and of course, is geared towards Korean content.
The Kyobo eReader is generating interest among gadget fans because it is arguably the only eReader that uses a Qualcomm XGA mirasol display. Why is this new display getting a lot of attention? It’s a new technology that offers very long battery life similar to what E Ink displays consume but instead of gray-scale graphics it produces full color images and has fast response times that will allow for the playback of video content and still be completely readable under direct sunlight. The mirasol display works by controlling the distance between a membrane and the surface of a display. Depending on the distance, certain frequencies are blocked or amplified, which then produces different colors, or appear black or transparent. One of the interesting qualities of a mirasol display is that it actually gets brighter when used in bright light conditions. For dimly lit conditions, a front LED system is installed that would produce the same effect as sunlight.
The Kyobo eReader is not the first device that will employ the mirasol display. It is already used in some phones manufactured and distributed in Asia but by the very nature of these phones, the screen real estate is relatively small. The Kyobo eReader is the first device that will use a 5.7 inch display using the technology.
The Kyobo eReader sells for the equivalent of $310. Kyobo hasn’t revealed if it will be selling their device to the global market.
Originally posted on November 25, 2011 @ 5:48 pm