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Chinese e-reader manufacturer Onyx has an E Ink smartphone under development for the Android platform.
(Screenshot by Michelle Starr/CNET Australia)
Onyx is experienced at working with E Ink display technology, we’d say; the company manufactured the rebranded BeBook Cluband Neo, both of which were decent, if expensive, for their time.
Now it has turned its attention to smartphones, with an Android model in the works. According to ARM Devices, the phone’s battery can last up to a week on a single charge, which is impressive for those who might be sick of charging their devices daily.
Since it’s E Ink, the display is black and white only, but it can be read easily in full sunlight, as you can see in the video below. The refresh rate also looks a little slower, and it would probably have a hard time running apps — but it looks like an interesting way to combine a smartphone with an e-reader.
Known specs are few at the moment: it has a capacitive touchscreen, runs on an ARM Cortex-A5 processor and is super light, coming in at less than 100 grams. The prototype in the video below is the only model in existence; it’s so new that it doesn’t even have a name, but it’s expected to launch sometime next year.
What do you think? Would the sunlight legibility, longer battery life and potential as an e-reader make it an attractive prospect, or is its lack of AMOLED functionality a deal breaker?
