A blow to the bar: E Ink and Intel unveil ePaper touchpad for laptops

E Ink, known as the pioneer of e-paper technology, together with Intel, has announced the launch of an ePaper touchpad for laptops, which is supposed to revolutionise the user experience of an "AI PC" (a strange construction, as if artificial intelligence requires some special computers or the presence of an NPU makes a difference). The new product combines ePaper with a classic touchpad, promising "low power consumption" (obviously, this is still more than a touchpad without any screen), excellent visibility in the sun, and even the ability to display notifications or notes when the laptop is turned off (usually, when we turn off a laptop, we close its lid).

But is this really a technological breakthrough, or is it just another way to stand out in the world of laptops where everyone is chasing an AI label? On paper, it looks impressive: thanks to the integration of Intel's Smart Base, IPF, and AI Assistant Builder technologies, the touchpad can "show personalised data, generate short texts, and even game tactics" (if software developers support it, because these messages won't appear on their own - it's not magic).

In addition, the experience of using ePaper in dynamic scenarios can be controversial. E-paper, despite all its advantages in terms of readability and battery life, has limitations in terms of image refresh rate and colour reproduction. This calls into question its practicality as an element of constant interaction.

Another issue is economic feasibility. Will such a module justify the additional cost of the device if most users are satisfied with standard touch panels? Or is this just another concept that will remain a niche solution for fans of green technologies? In addition, the user needs a new habit - to look at the touchpad, because now we don't look at the movements of our fingers on the touchpad at all.

E Ink promises that this integration will become the basis for new AI use cases and improve ergonomics due to the "absence of flicker" (but conventional touchpads cannot have it at all). However, without real devices on sale and user feedback, this remains more of a loud statement than a confirmed breakthrough.

Source: E Ink