+ Skiff Reader highlights content

The world of media is taking strides towards removing the trees away from the daily content people demand. Many companies have put their bets on e-readers as being today's must-have item, yet so far several seem like glorified Gameboys. They often have thick bodies and screens crowed by peripheral features. While many await Apple's entrance in this growing market, check out this Wiki matrix of the offerings out now - nearly 40 devices in all!

Of the e-readers we've seen so far, we've been most impressed by one of the latest to market, the Skiff Reader (Skiff LLC and Sprint partnership). At just over one pound and .26 inch thick, it will be the thinnest of the large readers currently available, and it might seem flimsy or fragile except for the magnesium housing. The full 11.5" touchscreen is the overall hero here, making it ideal for the transition from print, allowing users to be consumed in the content. The screen, developed by LG, is a flexible metal foil e-paper display that is shatter- and crack-proof, and the main reason the reader can be wafer thin. It also has the highest resolution in the e-reader market so far at 1600 x 1200 pixels.



A promised benefit of e-ink screens is far better energy efficiency than a traditional backlit displays. The Skiff reader combines a very large screen with a Lithium-ion battery to claim a full week of use between charges. Users can download blogs, magazines, newspapers and books from the Skiff Store using USB, Wi-Fi or even a 3G network connection through it's deal with Sprint. Although it was introduced at the CES, this reader will be available at an unknown date later this year.

While e-readers may not excite the laptop and netbook generation, this might be the perfect stepping stone for millions of baby boomers who prefer simple tech. The large screen is easy on the eyes and closer to a magazine than a paperback, and a touch screen is more intuitive than peripheral buttons. Depending on the price point, these might easily find themselves in your kids classrooms as well (similar to our concept Papyrus tablet).

Images from Skiff.com

+ Sony Ericsson GreenHeart

We've heard lots about phone recycling and how takeback programs are a key method for closing the loop on business's product cycles. We even did our own take on it, the LINC Lifecycle Phone.

Sony Ericsson seems very close to making this concept a reality with the GreenHeart. The phone features bioplastics, a 3.5mW zero charger, and eco-friendly packaging. According to many blogs, it was said to be a concept. But Appliance Design recently reported that 500 GreenHeart collection points are already in operation in 7 countries, including the U.S. Has anyone visited one of these collection points yet?

+ Overnight Sensation

We can access and enjoy any type of music now in so many different ways. The business model formerly known as the record industry has been completely changed by digital technology, computer software, and the internet. Myspace, i-Tunes, satellite and internet radio are just a few of the many options listeners have for enjoying music. Artists have creatively adapted to these new opportunities and are driving innovation.
As fast as everything is apparently changing, it is important to consider that what is happening is due to the cumulative effect of many people working very hard for a long time to get to this tipping point.
John Van Eaton has been involved in the world of poplar music as musician, digital audio technician and programmer. On the road and around the world on stage and in the studio, John has almost 20 years of experience with such acts as Nine Inch Nails, Guns and Roses, Linkin Park, KMFDM, The Lords of Acid, Love and Rockets and Bauhaus, just to name a few. A list like that certainly places John in the Electro/Industrial/Goth categories and may not be for a general audience, but to hear some great stories and insights into the state of the art then and now, check out this recent podcast interview at
http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews.cfm?newsid=6448
Later this week The Greener Grass will interview John where we will dig deeper into the subject of technology and music.

+ Power to the Flat-Screen TVs

MSNBC posted a video regarding the increase in power consumption among the ever popular flat screen televisions, which are quickly replacing the CRT completely. So even though we may be replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents, that soft glow from the not so "small screen" may be devouring the gains. And Christopher Null from Yahoo! TECH wrote an article about the problem earlier this year:

Of course, you can't find CRTs beyond this size any more, but Philips' 47-inch LCD consumes a whopping 290 watts and its 50-inch plasma eats up a mind-bending 400 watts! If you replaced a 26-inch CRT with that 50-inch plasma, you more than tripled your power bill on that outlet.