Kindle-ing interest for electronic ink: Expensive, but worth the premium

Lots of interest this past week about Amazon’s new Kindle, also called Kindle 2.0, and officially Kindle DX.

Both the original Kindle as well as a competitor, the Sony Reader, use Epson’s driver for their e-ink displays. I checked with Gene Rutevich, director of marketing for Epson, and sure enough, the new Kindle still uses the S1D13521 controller (pdf) for its E Ink EPD (Electronic Paper Display). Electronic ink is worth its price premium for its excellent readability and power miserliness. Another perhaps unanticipated feature that’s driven the Kindle’s alleged success among aging Baby Boomer readers: The ability to make any book instantly large-type.