Color

LG Display plans to begin mass production of color 9.7" e-paper panels, and 19" flexible monochrome ones (most likely both are based on E Ink). We don't know LG's plan for the displays, but we can assume they're targeting e-readers, and perhaps newspaper-sized ones, too (for the 19" flexible panels).

LG has unveiled their 19" flexible E Ink panels back in January (shown above). The panels are only 0.3mm thick, and weight just 130 grams. It uses metal foil, and so it can recover its original shape after being bent. 

Qualcomm plans to invest $2 billion in a 4.5 Gen Mirasol production plant. Volume production will being in 2012. The mainly aim to produce 5.7" color panels. There are reports that samples have been shipped to customers already, and at least one 'major client' has started the design-in process.

Mirasol displays claim a 6X power advantage of E Ink, offer a fast response time (enough for Video!) and color.

Geek.com has posted an interesting comparison: comparing the iPad's IPS-LCD (or Super-LCD) to the Kindle's E Ink up close. There are two photos. One at 26x magnification, in which you can already see the 'dots' in the LCD (the right image):

The second image is at 400x magnification:

As you can see, the E Ink display is way better up close - it's not just a series of dots. So obviously the LCD has a lot of advantages (color, fast response time, bright), but for reading, nothing beats an EPD...

E Ink says that Hanvon has adopted their color EPD, and will launch the first e-readers that use it in 4Q 2010. The display will use E Ink's latest Pearl EPD with a color filter. E Ink expects color e-readers to account for 10% of the global e-reader market in 2011.

Color E Ink prototype

E Ink has also posted their 2Q financial reports - revenues were $162 million, and their gross margin was 39.6%.

HP is reportedly developing new e-paper materials that will be sued to make bright, efficient, video-capable displays.

via Engadget

Check out this nice video showing how Liquavista's displays behave outdoors. This short clip shows a couple of displays and a regular LCD (the laptop in th top-right). The liquavista's display are better, of course:

LG Display says that they plan to become the top e-paper maker by 2012, worldwide - when they'll introduce a flexible, color e-paper panel. LG have shown a 19" flexible monochrome E Ink based panel back in January 2010.

LG Display has also entered into a partnership with iRiver to make e-readers. They hope to produce 1 million units in 2011.