Earlier this year (on March 24, 2004), Dutch conglomerate Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX:PHI), Japanese giant Sony Corporation (NYSE:SNE) and E Ink corporation jointly launched the first consumer application for an electronic paper display module (Sony's new e-Book reader, Librlé. The product became commercially available in Japan in late April and relies on E Ink's novel electronic ink technology which offers a great end-user experience, similar to reading newsprint.

The idea that brought the three vendors was an electronic ink display with a touch panel input device to produce a electronic drawing tablet that comes closer to paper.  The device could eventually be used for freehand computer input, including cartoon drawing and adding annotation to documents, according to the researchers.

Librlé can store up to 500 downloadable books, went on sale in Japan this spring. Its display uses E Ink's technology, which employs tiny microcapsules that act as electronically responsive ink.