E Ink eReader Screens Now in Colour As Seen On the Hanvon

E Ink, the company that's made screens for eReaders like the Kindle and the non-colour Nook, has now made a colour screen. It's displayed on the prototype of the Hanvon, an eReader from a Chinese company, shown at the FPD International Trade Show in Tokyo. The Color Nook and the iPad both use LCD screens.

The advantage that E Ink screens have over LCD screens is they draw far less battery power, increasing battery life and they are still readable in the glare of sunlight. However, it comes with its disadvantages too. For instance, the colours aren't as rich as they would be on an LCD. The New York Times says that they're even faded, like looking at an old photograph. The E Ink screen can't handle heavy duty video either. At best, it can handle simple animation.

Amazon and Sony aren't embracing this screen yet. They're waiting for something better to come out before making a move to the colour world. Samsung's coming out with a range of AMOLED screened tablets next year. Hanvon's eReader with the E Ink screen is 9.68 inches and will sell for $440.