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Boogie Board Paperless LCD Writing Tablet – digital magic slate

By Damir Beciri
11 Comments23 January 2010

magic-slate-catRemember the magic slates? You could write or draw on it and after you’d pull the foil the content would delete and you could write or draw new content on it. In this article we’re going to write about a digital version of such a product. Kent Displays announced the forming of Improv Electronics, a new business unit focused on development and sales of consumer electronic products. The products will utilize Kent Displays Reflex “no power” LCD technology.

The first product sold under the Improv Electronics name, the Boogie Board Paperless LCD Writing Tablet, was released several days ago and the US stores are out of stocks. This product is the first paperless writing tablet to utilize a pressure-sensitive Reflex LCD for the writing surface. While most other LCDs are made on glass, the Reflex LCDs used in Boogie Board tablets are made of impact-resistant, flexible plastic. Its dimensions are 22.3 x 14.2 x 0.5cm (8.8 x 5.6 x 0.2 inches) and it weights only 120 grams (4.2 ounces).

Because all Reflex LCDs are reflective and bi-stable, the Boogie Board tablet requires no power to generate or retain an image, and only a small amount supplied by a small watch battery to erase the content. You can erase the content with a simple press of a button located at the top of the device and it should execute over 50,000 times for one battery lifetime.

Written and graphic images are created with an included stylus or any other instrument that will apply the desired pressure (even a finger nail). Unlike traditional LCDs that have a poor response to pressure, the Boogie Board’s Reflex LCD is highly responsive to variable amounts of pressure. This allows different line thicknesses to be easily created (great for sketching) and provides a writing experience very similar to paper and pencil.

Part of Kent Displays’ Push Green initiative, the Boogie Board tablet provides a highly-effective vehicle to reduce everyday paper consumption. The paperless Boogie Board tablet can be used for all these activities, replacing memo/note pads and sticky notes in the home, office, school, car and field. It also replaces chalk, magnetic and dry erase boards. Like all the above writing and drawing mediums, the Boogie Board tablet consumes no electrical energy to produce an image.

Although the device is greenish, since it tries to reduce paper consumption, there are a few issues that need to be solved. In order to increase the Boogie Board’s usability, they would have to add memory in order to store the pages user needs later. That feature will almost certainly increase the price as well as the need for power (unless we witness a major breakthrough in power technology). The device could also ditch the replaceable battery usage, as the light/solar power should be sufficient to perform the erasing operation. Although the device mimics magic slates successfully, the erasing operation itself would be much more useful if it could be done partially instead in whole.

Despite all the “flaws”, the Boogie Board performs perfectly and it’s very affordable. Although it may not find its place in idea development and presentations as its developers envisioned, it will most certainly find its place among the to-do-lists, family memos or coach diagrams.

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11 Comments — Leave your response!

  • Avatar
    Damir Beciri
     author

    The folks from Improv Electronics claim that at the current retail price of $30 USD, the Boogie Board tablet’s cost per erase is 15 times less than the per sheet cost of paper in a comparable steno notepad.

  • Avatar
    rose
     

    Hello
    Wow this Boogie Board tablet seems very nice and useful.I like this idea very much and I have never seen like this concept before.I think kids will like this kind of things.Thank you very much for giving such good information.

  • Avatar
    Hector
     

    In regards to most peoples complaints about not being able to save what you write, you need to consider that this is a modern version of the chalk board or a dry erase board which also doesn’t allow you to save what you write.

    In this light it is the perfect product.

  • Avatar
    Damir Beciri
     author

    I mentioned that fact as it would increase the device usability, especially in the usage meant for executives, solving math problems or collaborations.

    The more complex problem is solving the partial content removal, since dry erase boards do support that feature.

  • Avatar
    Dr.A.Jagadeesh
     

    Very nice invention. I hope efforts will be made to reduce the cost. . Developing countries will benefit most.

    Also one should think of extending it to Black Board in class room. Any breakthrough in having an improved Black Board avoiding chalk will be a major through in avoiding chalk dust in class room. Now enormous quantity of chalk is consumed.

    Dr.A.Jagadeesh Nellore(AP),India.

  • Avatar
    alisha
     

    Its nice people can use this board because its paperless in other words, it reduce paper consumption. This board can use not only for one time but also it can be used many times. We can used it instead of paper. When paper will reduce then tree will be save otherwise if forests will be remove for papers only, it is really harmful for people and new generation also. Save nature, save paper, save trees then earth will be save.

  • Avatar
    Anand
     

    How do i get this boogie board in india.

  • Avatar
    Chandra
     

    Hi Guys,
    You can buy from eBay.in, just search for Boogie Board or visit below link
    http://www.ebay.in/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570&_nkw=boogie+board

    And interesting part is no delivery charges across India, and I found that if you call them up on hotline “+91 8008011118” you might get it for cheaper as well.

    Enjoy…. :)

  • Avatar
    Hause
     

    Exceptional post, I might be checking back frequently to search for updates. Regards

  • Avatar
    abdolkarim
     

    i am looking for 500 pcs magic bord with one color printing for my client please let me know your best price and delivery time period include the shipping cost as soon as possible
    abdol karim

    IMC MIDDLE EAST GIFTS TRADING
    Boulevard Plaza Tower 2, 21st Floor, Sheikh Mohd. Bin Rashid Boulevard, Down Town Dubai,
    P.O. Box 90666, Dubai, UAE.
    T : +971 4 709 8888 Ext. 870 | F : +971 4 709 8889
    D : +971 4 709 8870 | Mob: + 971 50 306 8540
    W : http://www.alfahim-avenue.com

  • Avatar
    Jerry Foster
     

    Will this be comparable to an Ipad6

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