We've said it before: modern screens can cause a range of disorders, starting with insomnia. We spend many hours in front of them, and the breaks we need to rest our eyes are becoming more and more frequent.
Some programs try to fix the situation by adjusting light levels automatically. But the people at Dasung propose a radical change: Paperlike, the first electronic-ink monitor.
A familiar problem
How many hours do you spend in front of a screen? Clearly that's a trick question, because the term “screen” stopped being limited to computers many years ago. Smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and even the television (whether it's “smart” or not) add time and strain to our eyes. The argument is always the same: with a little care, good distance, and enough breaks, our eyes can recover. However, these generic suggestions don't apply to everyone. Some people really suffer in front of a monitor, but there's nothing they can do about it… unless an old technology comes to the rescue.
Introducing Paperlike
Hailing from China, Dasung's Paperlike monitor aims to earn a place on our desks as the first electronic-ink solution, capable of working alongside traditional monitors, either by extending their content or in mirror mode. Since it doesn't need a separate power supply, its only connection is a micro USB cable. Its physical size is 13.3 inches, and according to the manufacturer, the resolution reaches 1,600 by 1,200 pixels, a classic 4:3 format. Its refresh rate is high enough to work in word processors and spreadsheets, and it offers four different display modes for images. The company published a couple of demonstration videos:
Price and funding
Paperlike is an unusual product. It seeks to provide a very specific solution, in exchange for removing the always-present “backlight” and giving up the ability to see colors. Its manufacturer is seeking financial support on Indiegogo to bring it to market, and honestly, it has already exceeded its goal by 400 percent. So what's the problem? Without further ado: the price. The first thing you think about electronic ink is that it's a cheap technology, but Dasung wants 800 dollars for each monitor, and once the campaign is over, the price will be 995 dollars.
