E Ink, known for its electronic paper technology in e-readers, has developed a new touchpad for laptops featuring a colour E Ink screen. While other companies have explored adding functionality to growing laptop touchpads, E Ink is uniquely positioning its innovation as a dedicated hub for AI applications and assistants, rather than a secondary display for the main operating system.
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A mock-up image released by E Ink showcases a laptop with a touchpad that integrates a colour E Ink display, similar to those found in devices like the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft. Instead of merely extending the laptop’s primary screen, E Ink envisions this touchpad as a separate, always-available space. This could allow users to view AI-generated text summaries directly under their fingertips while working on a document, or maintain a continuous conversation with an AI chatbot without needing to juggle multiple desktop windows.
This concept draws parallels with laptops from companies like Asus that feature upgraded touchpads doubling as secondary displays. However, those typically use small LCD screens, which are often too tiny for effective use of applications designed for larger computer screens. Full-colour LCDs can also be distracting and negatively impact battery life. E Ink’s technology, while expanding beyond e-readers into signage and digital notepads, remains best suited for displaying text, making it ideal for the proposed AI-centric functions.
Similar to Apple’s discontinued Touch Bar, E Ink suggests its touchpad display could offer quick access to frequently used shortcuts, display notifications or weather updates, or provide temporary media playback controls without requiring dedicated function keys on the keyboard. A significant advantage of E Ink displays over LCD or OLED panels is their minimal power consumption; they only draw power when updating the display. This inherent efficiency could greatly alleviate battery concerns, especially given the higher power demands of modern AI tools on laptops.
Currently, in-depth technical specifications remain under wraps. Beyond the potential use of colour e-paper displays, E Ink has not disclosed whether it will adapt an existing panel or if it has developed a new one with enhanced resolutions for this application. The announcement specifically mentions compatibility with Intel-based AI PCs, but details on whether the touchpad display would be powered by the laptop’s primary OS or feature its own independent power source are yet to be revealed. E Ink also did not provide a timeline for when these touchpads might appear in consumer laptops or which hardware manufacturers might be interested in adopting the technology.
