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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?

#21

Post by hmottestad »

cameron_b wrote: post #6

Not E-ink, but alternative tablet - Repaper: https://www.iskn.co/repaper/shop/repaper I got my wife ( a non-techie painter ) one for Christmas and just set it up last night on our iMac. Adoption -> volume -> buying power -> lower component prices, better feature implementation I think most of the alternatives suffer from adoption challenges, but I personally love Unix-model physical devices [ which do one job well an…

Is that just a paper clipboard that can digitize your notes? What I like about note-taking on an ipad is that I can move stuff around, copy paste, figure-mode, undo button and camera for quickly grabbing a picture of the whiteboard or a slide.

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

#22

Post by dominotw »

pidg wrote: post #10

I own a reMarkable 2. There is certainly enough to justify the cost, if you are a prolific note-taker. Conversely, I find it hard to justify the cost of an iPad, becuase I already have a phone and several laptops. I can't see a situation where a tablet would be more useful to me, so I've never bought one. Turns out different people have different needs, and the e-ink note-taking market caters to that. Most people wou…

same. I spent ~500$ on boox air. To me its my most used device after my laptop. I use it everyday for hours to save my eyes, totally worth $500. I also have an ipad which i never use.

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

#24

Post by anfractuosity »

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 wonder why electrowetting based displays aren't more prominent?

They presumably wouldn't be covered by the e-ink patents, as they seem to work on a different principle.

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

#25

Post by NeutronStar »

cannaceo wrote: post #19
mhh__ wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Musicians often don't have all that much money though, so unless this device cost less than maybe $200 it's a very hard sell.

Even the broke musicians I know have thousands to tens of thousands of dollars in gear.

That's for gear. Not for a paper replacing device. What's the cost of paper and pen compared to this?

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

#26

Post by StavrosK »

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

Didn't the OLED patent expire this year? Am I misremembering?

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

#27

Post by StavrosK »

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

While I agree, the word itself doesn't seem to be particularly offensive, no? It's a matter of using it in an offensive manner, which means that even if we move on to "disabled" now, that's soon going to meet the same fate. I think we should strive not to use mental disability in a derogatory manner, no matter the word.

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

#29

Post by wizzwizz4 »

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

Language isn't inherently offensive; it offends people. In this instance, you¹'re hurting, offending and low-level ostracising a totally different group of people to the ones you¹'re trying to offend.

If you¹ want to use a slur, choose a better one.

___

¹: “you” means the grandparent comment (GP)

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

#30

Post by Mistletoe »

throwaway4485we wrote: post #14

Throaway to not get sued. E-ink, the company, holds the patents of the pigment core tech that makes "paper-like" displays possible and strongarms the display manufacturers and the users of their displays to absolute silence. Any research project or startup that comes up with a better alternative technology gets bought out or buried by their lawyers ASAP. E-ink don't make the display themselves, they make the e-ink fi…

It’s so silly though, have they done real correct math on how much more they would make if everyone used it?
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