E Ink Improves Contrast and Refresh Rate for E Books

We really like the idea of ebooks, but their low contrast and pokey refresh rate just about ruins the experience when using devices such as the Sony PRS-500 Reader pictured above. Now, Cambridge, Massachusetts, company E Ink, the inventor of this tech, has decided to spruce it up with a higher-performance imaging film it calls Vizplex.

If what the company is saying is true, expect to see ebook displays refreshing twice as quickly, with 20% better contrast, too. The company’s also planning to roll out a wider variety of screen sizes other than the single 6-inch size it currently offers, from 1.9 inches aimed at cellphones and MP3 players, up to 9.7 inches for bigger ebooks. We might be seeing the results of this latest technology as early as this summer. – Charlie White

E Ink displays upgraded imaging film technology [EE Times]