If, like me, you utilize a wi-fi mouse when engaged on a laptop computer, your trackpad most likely does not see a lot motion. Asus prompt double obligation as a second display screen again in 2018, and now E Ink is doing the identical with some assist from Intel.
Just like the Asus solution, the colour ePaper contact panel can function a trackpad for shifting a cursor round the primary show however can even serve up AI-powered purposes. And because it solely attracts energy when the show is refreshed, it must be fairly vitality environment friendly when it performs second-screen duties.
“With the event instruments and reference structure supplied by the Intel® Good Base ecosystem, we have created ultra-slim, energy-efficient modules optimized for AI PC designs,” stated E Ink’s JM Hung. “These modules allow seamless integration of ePaper shows into laptop computer touchpad areas – delivering crisp visuals, low energy consumption, and a novel interactive expertise.”
It is unclear when (or even when) such modules can be rolled out to laptops within the wild, or any extra prices that may tag onto the ticket value, however E Ink sees it being helpful for accessing shortcuts or displaying system notifications, offering AI-generated summaries of textual content or imagery proven on the primary display screen, punching up gaming techniques, or simply displaying social feeds, climate updates and so forth.
It may maybe subject chatbot queries and replies, and it may be residence to assembly transcripts, in addition to an area for be aware taking or displaying customized paintings – which may stay in view even when the laptop computer is powered off.
The ePaper also needs to be kinder to the eyes than emissive show know-how. And although some E Ink readers and ePaper tablets do have entrance lighting for continued use after hours, there is not any suggestion of such issues right here so, for the time being no less than, customers will want respectable ambient lighting to obviously see what’s being displayed.
E Ink hasn’t shared precisely what taste of coloration ePaper is getting used on this productiveness resolution for laptops, however its most up-to-date show merchandise have been based mostly round Spectra 6 or Kaleido 3. We’ll have to attend and see which makes it via to the primary laptops.
Supply: E Ink
