Polymer Vision Readius 3G Cell Phone

I just had to write a blog about this latest entry into the 3G cell-phone race, because of how totally unique and awesome the technology is! The new Polymer Vision Readius Cell Phone and book-reader gizmo is extraordinary in its use of "e-paper" display, which is flexible and power efficient. This makes for a design that can best be shown in pictures:

The unit fully open...

The unit partially close (note flexible, foldable display!)...

Isn't that just amazing!?

I have been following the e-Ink, e-Paper technolgy for quite some time, waiting for some great implementations like electronic-ink or electronic-paper based book-readers, cell phones, PDA gizmos, and more. Now this Polymer Vision Readius 3G Cell Phone device featuring a 5-inch foldable e-paper display is officially entering production. I expect it'll cost $350 or so (pricing and exact sale date not yet announced).

In addition to the spectacular and novel designs that flexible displays can allow for, I really like how that e-paper stuff doesn't require a constant display "refresh" like a CRT/LCD/etc. That makes any such device definitely easier on the eyes and battery life than traditional display technologies.

This particular electronic device is not expressly designed to be an e-book reader (though that is a feature). Instead, it seems to be mainly marketed as a tri-band HSDPA phone (with up to 30 hours of reading and/or talking time). I don't yet own anything nearly this cool for portable tech gadgets -- in fact, the cell phone I have is bottom of the barrel old as can be simple type that you can get at Walmart for $15.00 now from Virgin Mobile or other pay as you go (pay per use) cell phones. Even the iPhone hasn't enticed me much (and, the iPhone is rather COOL with that awesome full-color touch-screen and all), but this Readius device offers something I'd more likely use : the book reader (vs. the media players in most cell phones, which I could care less about).

Although a side note, I must say what I really want to see is a desktop e-paper display (realizing won't work for high-motion or full-color tasks) that I can use with Microsoft Windows or Linux or Apple OSX for stuff like I am doing now (typing this blog), since I'd LOVE to reduce eye-strain and ditch the LCD flat-panel when I don't need the refresh speed. That'd rock! And, I'd be willing to pay a premium for such a specialty item just to save my eyes (and prevent headaches!).