I've said it before and I'll say it again: e-ink and e-paper displays are getting pretty darn funky... especially when you look at NEC's nifty solution that actually tiles multiple units. In fact, NEC can now tile up to eight microcapsule electrophoresis e-ink displays into one large screen, up to a maximum A3 size. Crazily, this huge screen has only a 1mm border to it too. That means if you're prepared to accept a tiny bit of deadspace, you could perhaps tile those into a truly monster screen. There's little more info than a 10:1 contrast ratio—definitely no pricing or timings—but at least it gets our imaginations ticking over. E-ink broadsheet newspapers or wallpaper anyone? [Techon via Engadget]

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I've spent the morning at Philips Research Labs in Eindhoven, Netherlands, and I've seen some pretty amazing inventions that may not be far away from a shop near you. One of the coolest was these magnetic LED tiles that allow you to build any kind of 2D- or 3D-shaped display by just attaching one to the next. The results, combined with the beauty of the animated colour LEDs behind the diffusing glass, are stunning. The way it works seems like magic.

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The idea of LED illuminated tiles is a good one in theory, but I'm afraid it'll end up like fibre optic lighting and Bluetooth headsets in that people with no taste will take it over, ruining it for the rest of us. The waterproof tiles snap together Lego style and have a repeating connectivity scheme, much like model train tracks, except these light up and illuminate your kitchen or bathroom. And the layouts aren't static, they can be changed at a whim. I'm hoping that some people exercise restraint if these ever come to market. [Dvice]

Looks like those concept building shingles that double as solar-electric cells are getting a real-life counterpart in SRS Energy's solar roof tiles. Designed to look like "normal" roof tiles, they come in active and inactive tile versions, incorporating special connectors so wiring-up is simple.

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