Coming soon to a supermarket checkout lane near you --

May 23, 2002 9:38 AM

Coming soon to a supermarket checkout lane near you -- E Ink Corporation's "Ink in Motion" displays will look like a piece of cardboard (like the back of a chewing gum display box), but will flash a graphic at you. To follow: larger indoor and outdoor signage, screens on PDA devices, etc. Better angle visibility, brightness, contrast, than electronic screens; runs forever on a small battery. Comprehensive and informative site about technology that has gotten little attention but could revolutionize display technology, the sign business, point-of-purchase marketing, and publishing. (Previous 2001 MeFi mention in a comment but much new info.)
posted by beagle (8 comments total)

You know those postcards that when you move then back and forth, the image changes...thats what this is, only the plastic ridges stay still and the little battery powered motor moves the image. So its like a cheezy postcard that moves on its own. Kinda dumb, actually.
posted by andrewzipp at 9:51 AM on May 23, 2002

Little blinking signs everywhere. Looks like the the next step to the complete aesthetic "Blade Runner"-ization of the world.
posted by Faze at 9:56 AM on May 23, 2002

Great-- <blink> tags for everything!
posted by bschoate at 9:56 AM on May 23, 2002

The local pizza place has had one of those for weeks. It's really bizarre when you realize what looks like an ordinary hanging cardboard sign is animated.
posted by Foosnark at 10:04 AM on May 23, 2002

E ink is very interesting. I'm looking forward to the day when you only have to buy one newspaper that automatically updates itself. For the supermarkets, store clerks may no longer need to reprice items as it's done automatically. But there's definitely a downside. If used as I think it's going to be, I predict that some storefronts of the future will induce epileptic seizures. And I wonder how long it is before the subliminal messages start to appear, or even false advertising...baits and switches..etc...
posted by samsara at 11:23 AM on May 23, 2002

I'm waiting for fabric... then I can rent out advertising space on my clothes... oh wait, don't we do that already, but pay for the priviledge?...
posted by jkaczor at 11:41 AM on May 23, 2002

In London, Nike now has large (2' x 10', I'd guess) animated matrix-graphics boards running on the side of buses. Just monotone right now, but seeing one drive past you for the first time is a very Blade Runner moment.

I suspect they'll be withdrawn for distracting drivers.
posted by Hogshead at 12:08 PM on May 23, 2002

these things look great -- they don't have to be ads, folks; you can use them for good!

i definitely want the kit if you can design your own signage. it's not so clear from what i've read so far.
posted by fishfucker at 3:56 PM on May 23, 2002