via Geek.com: Qualcomm demos Marisol e-reading display technology that does color and video

There is a rumor that Amazon may be considering an LCD screen for the Kindle in the wake of the iPad.

That would be a mistake.

If we assume that the goal for the Kindle hardware is to create the world’s best standalone e-reading device, and not morph into a bad imitation of the iPad, then the screen has to be based on a non-backlit technology.

In the past, I felt that improved grayscale rendering was more important than color for the next generation Kindle, but that was assuming the display would be based on e-ink.

Qualcomm’s new Marisol display technology (featured above) is quite impressive. It has vibrant color, longer battery life than e-ink screens, supports video, works in the sunlight, is not backlit, and is arriving at least a couple years ahead of the conventional wisdom on when e-ink could go color.

Wow.

Note to Amazon: I just added this to my Kindle 3 wishlist.

Two years ago, none of us expected what has happened so far. It is [our] No. 1 bestselling product. It’s the No. 1 most-wished-for product as measured by people putting it on their wish list. It’s the No. 1 most-gifted item on Amazon. And I’m not just talking in electronics—that’s true across all product categories. We’ve spent years working on our physical books business, and today, for titles that have a Kindle edition, Kindle book sales are 48 percent of the physical sales.

Newsweek recently published a great interview with Jeff Bezos in which he talks about the Kindle’s success, Amazon’s business philosophy, how Kindle fits with the rumored Apple tablet, and more.  I could have easily plucked a half dozen quotes from it.  You should definitely check it out.

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But down here, below the clouds, in the world of ebook-reader owners, I can guarantee you that the times I want color are far outnumbered by the times that I’d benefit from sharper, bolder, faster grayscale. The numbers break down something like this:

• Times I’ve wanted color: I don’t know. Maybe one or two? I can’t remember any. But it has probably happened once.
• Times I’d benefit from grayscale improvements: Every time I use it.

This isn’t to say that there’s no reason to make any devices with color e-ink screens, but I don’t think there’s much reason to make mainstream ebook readers with them.

Marco Arment on why for the typical user of an e-book reader, improving the rendering of grayscale on e-ink screens is far more important than developing color e-ink technology.

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Andy Ihnatko in the recent MacBreak Weekly on the “rumored Apple tablet”, its impact on digital publishing, and why 2010 is going to be a landmark year in tech:

Every single manufacturer of anything that is even remotely tablet-like that I’ve ever talked to is just preparing for what happens after Apple releases the tablet.  I compared it to like the year before there is a world war where, no it hasn’t been announced, no it hasn’t been scheduled, but everybody is anticipating that the world is going to be fundamentally different this time next year, and they are making arrangements to make sure they are in the best position to survive and thrive in that new landscape; especially when you talk to publishers. Everybody has a concrete plan for how they’re going to deal with the fact that there’s going to be these really cool inexpensive color touchscreen tablets to publish things onto. 2010 is going to be one of the most exciting years in technology, period.  I think we’ll look look back on it and just that’ll be one of those little things we put a little red push pin in it and say that’s one of those years where everything changed after that… I think that the tablet is going to be a really phenomenally cool device but it’s also going to create the environment in which every single magazine, newspaper, and book publisher is going to be that much more compelled to say, “We are going to have a comprehensive digital publishing plan.” It’s not going to be something that some guy who was a failed vice president who would never make it further in the company — “Well we’re going to give him the digital publishing division because that’s not really very big and it’s not going anywhere.” Eveybody has a horse in that race and everybody believes that’s an opportunity to make lots and lots of money.  It will create the environment in which everybody starts thinking about everything publishing digitally from now on.

As usual, Andy nails it. I am a very satisfied Kindle owner, but what Amazon is doing (as well as the Kindle’s current competitors) is really just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re interested in hearing the whole discussion, it starts at 38:29 and goes for about ten minutes.

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I was recently listening to an older episode (TKC 64) of Len Edgerly’s excellent podcast, The Kindle Chronicles, which included an interview with Ian Freed, Vice President of Amazon Kindle for Amazon.com.  Freed was discussing the release of the international edition of the Kindle, and commented that with the new release, the Amazon Kindle vision statement would have to be revised to state, “Every book ever printed in every language all available in 60 seconds from anywhere on the planet.”  (The new language is in italics).

That was the first time I had heard the vision statement for the Kindle, and I have to say it is one of the best I have ever heard.  It is simple, bold, and easy to understand.  Whether I’m an Amazon employee, customer, or competitor I get it.  Kudos to Amazon for nailing it.