By EditorsWeblog
De
Tijd, the Antwerp based daily with Belgium's highest online readership,
will be the world's first paper to launch a digital version, for a
three month trial period beginning in April 2006. The paper will take
the form of a portable electronic device; a paper thin screen the size
of a newspaper page. Users will connect to the internet with the device
and download their newspaper. Updates will be provided throughout the
day. 200 subscribers to the newspaper will be able to take part in this
initiative. The paper can be read indoors or outside. Based on an
estimated use time of three hours per day, the device's battery would
last for a week. The device has a storage capacity of 244 megabytes;
the equivalent of a month's worth of newspapers, thirty books and
office documents in different formats. E Ink, creators of the
electronic ink technology integral to the initiative, are working on
developing coloured ink; currently 16 different shades of grey are
available. Added video and sound features could take up to 10 years to
develop.Readers will be able to write comments and scribble on the
paper by using a special marker. Interactive advertising will also be
featured. Source: M&C Tech (through the IFRA newsletter)
