E-Book Readers may soon get a color facelift and last longer

If you enjoy e-book readers but sometimes find using them hard on the eyes, or if the battery life is a barrier to frequent use, you may want to follow the progress of Liquavista, a Dutch firm working on a new screen that combines the best features of LCDs and e-ink technologies.  The new screens can display brilliant colors with the fast refresh rate found in an LCD, will be readable in the sun, and will also consume very little power.

The new color display uses a process called “electrowetting” involving electrical charges that move colored oil within the pixels. E-ink displays currently featured in most e-book devices use black and white beads operated with electrical charges.

Electrowetting has been available for more than a century, but it is just now being perfected for use in cameras and other electronics. It could be available in devices such as phones, table PCs, and e-book readers within a year.

Devices with e-wet screens could have days-long battery life and still display video in full color, giving an advantage over current ereader screens. Pricing may prove problematic, since the technology at this point would increase the price of an e-reader. However, Liquavista has received funding to continue developing the technology for commercial use, so stay tuned for further advancements.  And you can check out a glimpse of the product in the video at the source link below.

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