Monday, May 19, 2008

E Ink teams with Wacom to combine digital pens and e-paper

By Mass High Tech

E Ink Corp. has partnered with Wacom Co. Ltd. to integrate Wacom’s digital pen technology with E Ink’s electronic paper displays, officials said.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. E Ink’s Vizplex displays are intended to enable slimmer devices to have bigger screens that are easier on the eyes. Wacom’s batteryless, cordless digital pen, called Penabled, would allow users to digitally take notes in the column of a book or circle a newspaper article.

E Ink’s Broadsheet AM300 prototyping kit will combine the two technologies so mobile computing manufacturers can integrate them into their product designs, according to E Ink. The kit will enable engineers to prototype and develop e-paper products. The kit will be available in June, according to E Ink.

In November, E Ink’s Vizplex technology was included in Amazon.com Inc.’s Kindle electronic book reader. Financial details were not disclosed.

Since its founding in 1997, Cambridge-based E Ink has been a favorite of investors, raising more than $120 million in funding for the development of electronic reader displays.