Android e-ink e-reader to run Tower? To run Solex?

[wsalopek]

Hi guys,

In the never-ending quest to try to see my phone/tablet in bright sunlight, I started thinking of e-ink, e-reader "tablets"...I've come to realize (duh) that some of them run Android and can even run apps off the Google Play Store.

I see two scenarios:

1) Running Tower WITHOUT a live video feed. Be easy to see the map, see the telemetry data, etc.

2) Running Solex, WITH, of course, a live video feed.

I don't know the limitations of the various e-ink devices, esp in playing video...

Do they have the processing power?

Do the "pixels" refresh fast enough?

I'm not thinking of racing around treetops with an e-ink display (needing a fast pixel refresh rate), I'd just like to be able to frame images, and see telemetry data, easily in sunlight.

Anyway, anyone ever tried an Android-based e-ink e-reader??

Thanks...

--

Bill

 

[Solo_Maverick]

If you are referring to the electronic paper type tablets, they do not have a very fast refresh rate so the videos will suffer, as well as any other info that will be refreshed quickly may also be impacted.

 

[IrishmanPDX]

They've been working on color e-ink tablets that can run video for a while now, the advantage being the low low power consumption BUT like Solo_Maverick above points out, the refresh rate just isn't there yet. Course neither is the color spectrum. With battery improvements down the pipeline though, there may not be much of a need for a color video capable e-reader though.

 

[Kelly Schrock]

Generally, e-ink displays are meant to display static (more or less) content without using much power. The way they work is a lot different than a normal display. I wouldn't expect one of these to work very well at all for this purpose.

If you're looking to get better performance in sunlight, I'd suggest getting a high-quality tablet with a good display (e.g. Galaxy Tab S2 or S3) and putting a matte-finish screen protector on it. I've been using a Tab S3 10" lately, and the screen (even with a shiny surface) looks good in sunlight. It's VERY bright if you crank up the brightness level, or leave the "Adaptive brightness" setting turned on.