Color eReader Debuts At CES 2012

There’s an exciting new product at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that will have ebook fans drooling: An eReader that has a color e-ink display. Before you get too excited, there are a few details you should know.

The eReader is called the Ectaco Jetbook Color eReader. Ectacto is a Russian company, and the device is already available for sale in Russia (no word on it will be available in the US).

Here’s a quick rundown of the Color eReader from laptopmag.com:

Manufactured by Russian company Ectaco, the jetbook Color eReader shows off a 9.7-inch, 1600×1200 display imbued with color E Ink technology. Reps told us that the eReader was essentially made for educational purposes, and it certainly looked the case with a sample biology textbook loaded onto the tablet for the press’ benefit.

Yes, a color eReader will make a great educational tool, especially if the price is right for poverty-stricken students who don’t want to shell out big bucks for a tablet. But a color eReader can go beyond education: I’m thinking of illustrated children’s books and even travel guides with color photos. There are a lot of possibilities.

There are some drawbacks though since this technology is relatively new. The article says that the pictures are in very “muted colors” and not a hi-res, crisp display that you’d expect from a tablet. Nevertheless, this is a big step in the right direction.

Once the color e-ink technology improves and the price comes down, all eReaders will be in color. Gone will be the days when we are forced to read our ebooks in boring black and white.

Now, if they can just come out with a 3D eReader where the words literally jump out at you, then I’ll be really impressed.

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