[methodin]

What does the future hold for E-Ink readers? They are far superior for reading but useless in general. I could see myself getting a Kindle in a few months (I have a first-gen Nook) but after that I don't think they will be relevant as tablets continue to advance.

[acabal]

I see them as exactly that, dedicated reading devices. Tablets are great for some folks, but others like ereaders because:

-E-ink can be stared at for long periods and in bright light; staring at a tablet screen for long periods gives many (including me) eye strain.

-Tablets usually include many other apps and internet access, which is a huge distraction when you just want to focus on reading a book. When I'm reading, I prefer to just read.

-Good tablets are much more expensive, so people might hesitate to drag them all over the place like they would a paperback.

The technology is already pretty cheap to produce, and I imagine big players like Amazon, BN, Kobo, etc. will eventually just sell them for a token few bucks and make up the remainder in walled-garden sales.

In the end their usefulness depends on what kind of reader you are. If you read for just 30 minutes a day, then a tablet will probably be fine for you. If you spend hours with a book, a dedicated reader is nice just for the e-ink.

[dougk16]

Much longer effective battery life is also a huge deal for me personally.

[ajtaylor]

For me it's all these things, but most especially the massive difference in battery life. Even on the best tablets you might get around 10 hours of usage. On my old Aztak EZReader Pocket Pro I can easily read 2 Game of Thrones books (~2k pages) on a single charge.

[eclipxe]

I was on vacation for the last week and along the beach I counted at least 20 Kindle eInk devices. Maybe 2-3 iPads/generic tablets. E-Ink readers can't be beat outdoors and for long form reading.

[seanmcdirmid]

It all depends on where E-ink technology goes. Can they master color? Can they do better on refresh?

I haven't heard anything new lately on how e-ink technology is continuing to advance, so I'm wondering if they've hit some kind of snag where they just aren't advancing fast enough to be very relevant outside of the ebook niche.

[robryan]

Personally I don't think color matters too much, are people on there holding out or choosing a table instead of an eink device because of this?

I have a second last generation kindle, the refresh time is fine I think for the primary purpose.

[seanmcdirmid]

The current market where e-ink does well (kindles and other e book readers) I think is too limited to make e-ink very compelling.

Tablets are one place where we would love to see e-ink solutions (with color and a bit better refresh). Or consider e-ink wallpaper. The possibilities are many, but the tech needs to break out of its rut before its too late.

[phamilton]

My guess is that E-ink readers will get cheap enough that everyone will have one. If I remember correctly, we've even had a wink and a nod from Bezos that their intention is to give them away. Get a free E-Ink reader with your Amazon Prime subscription, or something of that sort.

[sengstrom]

Paper books are far superior for reading but useless in general.