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Ask HN: Why are e-ink note-taking devices so expensive compared to iPads?

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Re: Ask HN: Why are e-ink note-taking devices so expensive compared to iPads?

#61

Post by alisonkisk »

Ajedi32 wrote: post #48
Naga wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree completely with your points, and I'm sorry be that guy, but "literally retarded" is offensive language and is frankly below the level of discourse of HN. I'm not one to be the PC police but really, come on. You can make your argument without resulting to slurs like that. https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-is-the-r-word-3105651

Don't necessarily disagree with you, but seeing as "the r word" is no longer used to refer to mentally disabled people it seems a little late to be campaigning to end its use as a pejorative _now_. If anything, these efforts should be directed towards ending the use of "autism" in a pejorative context, as if that trend isn't stopped then that term is up next on the euphemism treadmill. I also wonder if perhaps these…

We can attend to more than one abuse of language at once. "Idiot" and other discourse-terminaring slurs have no place on HN.

It's not the word that's the problem, it's the intended meaning. The euphemism treadmill is when people keep changing words instead of communicating better.

Re: Ask HN: Why are e-ink note-taking devices so expensive compared to iPads?

#62

Post by toyg »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #38
varjag wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Patents expire after 20 years.

Looking up their patents ( https://patents.justia.com/assignee/e-ink-corporation?page=3... ), looks like their earliest patents are from 1998, so those should be expired already. That said, there's 36 pages of patents that seem related, so I'm sure that newly made e-ink technology will be covered by the newer patents.

It also takes time for manufacturers to design and produce. Even if someone had rushed out of the gate in 2018, they would probably not have ad products ready for a couple of years (and last year there was covid too) - and this with the most basic tech, which we know actually took significant time to be refined.

I think a more realistic timeframe for usable eInk patents is 20 years from the first Kindle release, so 2027 or so.

Re: Ask HN: Why are e-ink note-taking devices so expensive compared to iPads?

#63

Post by ianai »

alisonkisk wrote: post #59
ianai wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if the market based solution is for their IP to be bought by someone seeking to make products. And what that would cost.

It would cost the sum of as what it costs now, probably? There's not much of a market-based solution to a legally protected monopoly. The best you can hope for is to higher demand at lower price points that makes a lower price profitable

Theory says it should cost some multiple of whatever revenue they’re making on it y/y now. And it’d be worth it if the buyer knew they could grow that revenue substantially compared to interest rates.

Re: Ask HN: Why are e-ink note-taking devices so expensive compared to iPads?

#64

Post by alexfrydl »

Naga wrote: post #18
RicoElectrico wrote: post #3

The company holding patents for e-ink is literally retarded, as if they don't want it to succeed. I'm not making this up. [1] Sure e-ink has its flaws, but wouldn't it be better to have a smaller slice of a much larger cake? OLED is patent encumbered too, there's also a patent holding company, despite that you can buy smallest modules for less than $2 on AliExpress. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22829798

I agree completely with your points, and I'm sorry be that guy, but "literally retarded" is offensive language and is frankly below the level of discourse of HN. I'm not one to be the PC police but really, come on. You can make your argument without resulting to slurs like that. https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-is-the-r-word-3105651

I was thinking that this word is not, in fact, below the level of discourse of HN and based on the other replies I don't believe I even have to back this statement up.

Re: Ask HN: Why are e-ink note-taking devices so expensive compared to iPads?

#65

Post by zwily »

brassattax wrote: post #13

I think e-ink screens would be great for musicians too! A lot of musicians are using iPad Pro, but I personally would rather have a dual screen e-ink device like this (for better battery life, better readability): https://www.gvidomusic.com/ ($1600!!) First company to build something like this and bring the cost down to something a bit more reasonable will get my business.

I would love a quality eink display to replace my iPad Pro for piano music. One reason I haven’t tried anything else is it has to be rock solid - crashing/locking up/etc during a gig would be terrible. The iPad (with a Bluetooth pedal for page turns) hasn’t let me down yet.

Re: Ask HN: Why are e-ink note-taking devices so expensive compared to iPads?

#66

Post by darkwater »

pid_0 wrote: post #50
Naga wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree completely with your points, and I'm sorry be that guy, but "literally retarded" is offensive language and is frankly below the level of discourse of HN. I'm not one to be the PC police but really, come on. You can make your argument without resulting to slurs like that. https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-is-the-r-word-3105651

Is this really necessary? Retard is not used to refer to people with mental disabilities. It is not a slur. Its a new social justice campaign to get mad about something when they ran out of things to complain about. Guess what, stupid, moron, idiot, etc used to refer to people with mental disabilities. Why aren't they campaigning to ban those words too?

> Guess what, stupid, moron, idiot, etc used to refer to people with mental disabilities.

No, they were not. And despite what the "you get offended so quickly" mob says, "retarded" main meaning when used in a negative fashion against someone always, always appeals to the "that person/entity has the mental abilities of someone with Down syndrome or any other similar intellectual disability". And you, me and everybody else KNOW this. You just decided that this won't trouble you.

Re: Ask HN: Why are e-ink note-taking devices so expensive compared to iPads?

#67

Post by alisonkisk »

pid_0 wrote: post #50
Naga wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree completely with your points, and I'm sorry be that guy, but "literally retarded" is offensive language and is frankly below the level of discourse of HN. I'm not one to be the PC police but really, come on. You can make your argument without resulting to slurs like that. https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-is-the-r-word-3105651

Is this really necessary? Retard is not used to refer to people with mental disabilities. It is not a slur. Its a new social justice campaign to get mad about something when they ran out of things to complain about. Guess what, stupid, moron, idiot, etc used to refer to people with mental disabilities. Why aren't they campaigning to ban those words too?

What do you think "slur" means? All of these words are slurs, and they detract from discourse while adding nothing.

No one's banning "words" here. They are discouraging misuse of language that drags down the quality of discourse.

Re: Ask HN: Why are e-ink note-taking devices so expensive compared to iPads?

#68

Post by toyg »

brassattax wrote: post #13

I think e-ink screens would be great for musicians too! A lot of musicians are using iPad Pro, but I personally would rather have a dual screen e-ink device like this (for better battery life, better readability): https://www.gvidomusic.com/ ($1600!!) First company to build something like this and bring the cost down to something a bit more reasonable will get my business.

> for better battery life, better readability)

High latency could be an issue though.

Re: Ask HN: Why are e-ink note-taking devices so expensive compared to iPads?

#69

Post by Firehawke »

g63wchueuo wrote: post #43
wizzwizz4 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This word has gained hurtful and harmful connotations. Usually you can wait long enough and cycle them back in, but increased access to old books and – now – the internet has given us longer cultural memories, so it might never lose its slur connotations.

tho shalt never name their child karen, until such connotations have absolved.

Well, you certainly won't choose names with nary a Karen the world.

Re: Ask HN: Why are e-ink note-taking devices so expensive compared to iPads?

#70

Post by [deleted] »

Ajedi32 wrote: post #48
Naga wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree completely with your points, and I'm sorry be that guy, but "literally retarded" is offensive language and is frankly below the level of discourse of HN. I'm not one to be the PC police but really, come on. You can make your argument without resulting to slurs like that. https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-is-the-r-word-3105651

Don't necessarily disagree with you, but seeing as "the r word" is no longer used to refer to mentally disabled people it seems a little late to be campaigning to end its use as a pejorative _now_. If anything, these efforts should be directed towards ending the use of "autism" in a pejorative context, as if that trend isn't stopped then that term is up next on the euphemism treadmill. I also wonder if perhaps these…

[deleted]
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