I learned CLEARink’s TIR technology which provides a superior video and color representation is patent-protected. The technology also uses only a fraction of energy compared to the energy consumption of LCD. This means longer battery life and longer reading hours.
CLEARink Is Partnering With A Leading Tablet Maker
The first thing I noticed when I switched from reading hardcover books to e-readers is the huge potential for improvement of the latter. Books have a standard formatting and there is little you can do to change that without attracting criticism from readers. E-readers, on the other hand, have a number of hardware or software tweaks and get accolades from the users.
CLEARink recently signed an agreement with a popular tablet maker to begin the supply of CLEARink tablets in 2019. Compared to the conventional reflective tablets, the displays of CLEARink tablets will have fifty percent larger form factors. CLEARink combines the best of reflective displays and LCD to offer low cost, outdoor readability, the best of video and color, and low power.
Frank CHRISTIAENS
According to a reliable source, CLEARink received ten million dollars to provide 9.7-inch color e-paper displays. According to CLEARink Displays CEO, Frank Christiaens, they received overwhelming demands after the Display Week 2017 but chose their partner after a number of considerations.
“Since Display Week 2017 we have been overwhelmed with demand from customers that serve the wearable and tablet markets. We have chosen this particular client because of their detailed launch plan, global appeal, and unique positioning.”
Source: Good E Reader
When Will CLEARink Hit The Market?
There are speculations that CLEARink will likely be in mass production by the second quarter of 2019 but what audience saw at the recent Display Week left many speculating that the technology may be far from ready.
CLEARink is not the first company to come up with the idea of a low-power display that will serve as an alternative to LCD and E Ink but over the past decade, none of these companies have seen the light of day. If CLEARink pulls through with this technology, it will be the first of its kind.
The Impact Of This Technology On E-Readers
The numerous advantages of e-readers over reading traditional books made me invest more in ebooks –but they also have their downside. The first problem I encountered with ebook was the poor battery. There was a time I was on a long flight. Books are usually my companions at such times. I downloaded a book which I was reading but I soon ran out of power. The backlight drains most of the battery power. If it is possible to come up with a display that can cut down battery usage, I am certain that even the poorest of the e-readers will last longer.
There is also the issue of the health of the eye. Many believe that the bright light of LCD screens can cause long-term damage to the eyes. The Amazon Kindle Oasis has settings that allow users adjust the font size of their ebooks to reduce the strain on their eyes but that is not enough. Those that read at night like me will soon discover that their eyes get irritated by the bright light.
A screen with a brighter display and better contrast will lower the strain on the eyes and make it easier for avid readers to use their e-reader at night. I will be looking forward to seeing how the CLEARink technology goes.