Qualcomm announces Mirasol eReader for Fall of 2010

Qualcomm's proof-of-concept Mirasol screened eReader

Qualcomm has been talking to anyone who will listen about their incorporation of Mirasol technology — a type of reflective screen that uses color film optics and is bi-stable (in Layman’s: it’s color E-Ink) — in the eReader field, but finally released some hard details. They will be working with a “brand partner for the e-reader space to be announced in the first quarter of 2010,” according to Cheryl Goodman who is director of marketing for Qualcomm.

The as of yet unnamed and unbranded device will run a 5.7-inch Mirasol color screen and feature a massive 1024×768 pixel resolution with a 220 dpi. In contract, most 5 to 6-inch eReaders feature a 800×600 resolution with around 160 dpi. It is also capable of playing video files in 30 frames per second. The Mirasol display uses the same power method as an E-Ink screen. It takes a small charge to rearrange the display and requires no additional energy to keep the screen stable. That way even a color eReader could last around 8,000 page turns on a single charge with the current batteries available.

Next year is shaping up to be an interesting year for color eReaders. In addition to Qualcomm’s Mirasol technology, Pixel Qi and Bridgestone will be releasing eReaders and other gadgets utilizing their screen technologies. It’s possible that by this time next year we could see 2nd and 3rd generations of the Kindle and Nook using color technology… if the Apple Tablet or Microsoft Courier hasn’t wiped eReaders off the map by then.

Source: EE Times and Slashgear