[jrrrr]

This is great!

For years when discussing displays and computing ergonomics, I've claimed that I look forward to the day when my screen doesn't need to emit light, and maybe using it can feel more like paper.

Reading this makes it seem less sci-fi future, and possible today if we can get enough interest/momentum.

I'm trying to think of practical places to start for a sellable product. I love the Paperterm idea, but recognize that it's super niche. Maybe something focused on distraction-free writing?

[jaypeg25]

I'd love to see some cross between a Kindle and iPad..something focused on reading, but not necessarily books. At night I tend to browse various sites ranging from WaPo, Defector, The Athletic, and New Yorker, and others on my RSS feed and if I could do so on a simple eink tablet I'd probably reach for that more often than my phone or laptop.

Honestly if Feedly or a similar RSS reader came out with a dedicated eink reader it'd probably be a day one purchase for me, but maybe I'm in the minority.

[hashmymustache]

Is the reMarkable 2 tablet not a fit for that? Haven’t tried it myself so not sure what its limitations are.

[schwartzworld]

That describes Onyx Boox products to a tee. Full android devices with e-ink screens.

[mattm]

Check out Onyx Max Lumi. It runs Android so you can install apps on it. I have the Feedly app installed and it works pretty good.

[initramfs]

Hi jrrr! I am co-developer of PaperTerm- I agree it is very niche right now. The Pomera DM30 is a distraction free typewriter- it is relatively new (there is also much older options like the AlphaSmart Neo2)- I hope to develop something similar to that with a laptop and some more office apps. I also research solar power managers, as the low power is definitely feasible with e-ink.

[jfim]

> Pomera DM30

Wow, thanks for the heads-up that they actually released this! I backed their Kickstarter a few years ago (which didn't raise enough money), but you'd think they'd send an update after releasing the actual device.

[jseliger]

There is also https://getfreewrite.com.

[tyler109]

That's a good point, what is the first adressable market for such a product to gain first momentum before it can become mainstream. Those seem to be low hanging fruits:

-Writers -Coders/Terminal Users like sysadmins -DIY/Hardware Hackers/Raspberry PI/ESP32/Cyberdeck folks -Productivity Hackers -Health Tech folks -Gadget Lovers -Limited Functionality Devices for Education -Folks with medical pre-conditions who need to use eink (e.g. https://dasung-tech.myshopify.com/blogs/news/how-dasungs-e-i...)

I think there is a market, I am just surprised that we take usual monitor like eye-strain as well as the blue light for granted and haven't done anything against it for years. Even though we are having more display usage than ever.

[torgoguys]

Yes, PaperTerm is niche, but the more you look around, the more you see people suggesting a portable terminal-only device, so I don't think the niche is all too tiny. The e-ink screen and battery life are the killer features.

Plenty of us around here basically live in the terminal and if such a device existed at a reasonable price, I think uptake would be pretty good. It presents itself as a tool, not a do-everything panacea. It could be extended in small ways to fit the distraction-free-writing crowd and the like without compromising on its killer features. Basically a tool for a few niches--sysadmins/devops, developers, embedded device communications, distraction-free writing. Put a good terminal-based browser on a server (e.g., further develop brow.sh) and it opens up a huge number of other niches.

[fortran77]

Actually, PaperTerm + offline eBook and PDF reader would be a great compromise. It can be useful when you're connected and when you're not.