Samsung Incorporates E-Ink Panel Technology for Their Alias 2 Phone

May 15, 2009 by John Messina weblog
Samsung Alias 2 by Verizon Wireless

(PhysOrg.com) -- E-ink panels have become very popular for e-book readers; however Samsung has taken this technology one step further and using it in the keyboard for their Alias 2 3G cell phone.

The Alias 2 is the successor to Samsung's Alias that was released in 2007. Both the Alias and Alias 2 is a dual hinge phone which makes the phone into a full when opened in landscape mode.

One of the problems facing Samsung's Alias was that the keys are difficult to read and small. The keyboard is also confusing to use. The Alias 2 now takes the guess work out of texting. The e-ink technology allows the phone's keypad to change according to what you're using the phone for.

When the phone is held vertically numerical keys are displayed. Switching the phone to the horizontal position gives you a full QWERTY layout that can also change to numeric with symbols. Other controls, such as the navigation arrows and the soft keys, also change positions.

Utilizing the e-ink technology on the keypad makes for a much cleaner and simple layout. Unfortunately the remaining features for the Alias 2 are similar to Samsung's original Alias 3G phone with only a few minor additions.

The Alias 2 is available from Verizon for anyone that might be interested in this type of phone. The Alias 2 is not a smart phone so there is no expensive data plan you need to purchase.

via Reghardware

© 2009 PhysOrg.com

Filter


Move the slider to adjust rank threshold, so that you can hide some of the comments.


Display comments: newest first

Sirussinder
May 15, 2009

Rank: not rated yet
Gee, the screen is actually color, unlike the expensive BW screen of the Kindle
h0dges
May 15, 2009

Rank: not rated yet
Gee, the screen is actually color, unlike the expensive BW screen of the Kindle

Err, the keypad is e-ink in this product, not the screen. Although researchers are working on colour e-ink.
Rank 3 /5 (5 votes)
Related Stories
Relevant PhysicsForums posts
  • Calling function with no input argument
    created9 hours ago
  • Force free body diagram problem on gym equipment
    created10 hours ago
  • Empirical data regarding shower heads and water
    created17 hours ago
  • feed hold button on CNC lathe
    createdFeb 09, 2012
  • RFAC in Fortran
    createdFeb 09, 2012
  • dynamics 2/32
    createdFeb 08, 2012
  • More from Physics Forums - General Engineering

More news stories

Japan scientist makes 'Avatar' robot

A Japanese-developed robot that mimics the movements of its human controller is bringing the Hollywood blockbuster "Avatar" one step closer to reality.

Electronics / Robotics

created 14 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (5) | comments 5

Intel packs performance and reliability into its latest SSD 520 series

Intel Corporation announced today its fastest, most robust client/consumer solid-state drive (SSD) to date, the Intel Solid-State Drive 520 Series (Intel SSD 520), a 6 gigabit-per-second (gbps) SATA III SSD ...

Electronics / Hardware

created Feb 07, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 4

Google rumored to have built Heads-Up-Display glasses prototype

(PhysOrg.com) -- 9to5Google is reporting that they have received a tip from someone they believe to be a reliable source saying that Google is working on a Heads-Up-Display (HUD) pair of eye-glasses. The per ...

Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets

created Feb 08, 2012 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (8) | comments 2 | with audio podcast weblog

Apple to debut 'iPad 3' in March: report

Apple will unveil a new version of its market-ruling iPad table computer in March, according to a report in Dow Jones-owned technology blog All Things D.

Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets

created Feb 09, 2012 | popularity 1.9 / 5 (21) | comments 0

New Kindle Touch is an impressive e-reader

When it comes to reading digital books, tablets are all the rage. But there's a lot to like about simple e-readers, which over the past year have become both a lot cheaper and a lot less clunky.

Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets

created Feb 09, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 1


Google users warned of threat to smartphone wallets

Users of Google smartphone wallets were being warned on Friday that there is a way to crack pass codes intended to thwart thieves from going on illicit shopping sprees.

Anonymous knocks CIA website offline (Update)

The website of the Central Intelligence Agency was inaccessible on Friday after the hacker group Anonymous claimed to have knocked it offline.

Complex wiring of the nervous system may rely on a just a handful of genes and proteins

Researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered a startling feature of early brain development that helps to explain how complex neuron wiring patterns are programmed using just a handful of critical genes. ...

NASA sees wide-eyed cyclone Jasmine

Cyclone Jasmine's eye has opened wider on NASA satellite imagery, as it moves through the Southern Pacific Ocean.

NASA sees Giovanna reach cyclone strength, threaten Madagascar

Tropical Storm 12S built up steam and became a cyclone on February 10, 2012 as NASA's Terra satellite passed overhead. Residents of east-central Madagascar should prepare for this cyclone to make landfall ...

Putting the squeeze on planets outside our solar system

(PhysOrg.com) -- Using high-powered lasers, scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and collaborators discovered that molten magnesium silicate undergoes a phase change in the liquid state, abruptly ...