A Flexible Screen Entrance

HP and the Flexible Display Center (FDC) at Arizona State University have teamed up to demonstrate a plastic a new reading display using self-aligned imprint lithography (SAIL) technology invented in HP Labs.

Flexible displays are paper-like computer displays made almost entirely of plastic. This technology enables displays to become easily portable and consumes less power than today’s computer displays and also 90% less materials by volume. The first practical demonstration of the new flexible display involved FDC, HP others including DuPont Teijin Films and E Ink. Flexible displays could create a new generation of portable devices, such as e-readers.

The FDC is a US government–industry–academia partnership advancing full-color flexible display technology.

The question is where the technology now gets taken up and how long it takes to make its commercial entrance.

Magazines On Demand

So you want to print a glossy magazine and do it on demand?



A start-up called Magcloud is bringing vanity self publishing to the magazine world. Even the smallest organisation or group can their own, professional, full-colour magazine at a cost normally associated with traditional publishing. HP Labs started with BookPrep, a print on Demand service for books and now have created MagCloud for anyone to publish digitized magazines as well as print them, in full colour, on 80 lb paper, with saddle-stitched covers, on demand using HP's Indigo technology. MagCloud accepts PDFs that are 8.5" x 11", and trims them down to 8.25" x 10.75".

It costs you nothing to publish a magazine and 20¢ per page, plus shipping to buy it. For example, a 20-page magazine would be $4 plus shipping which is a flat $1.40/copy (USPS first class mail) for quantities 1-9, or a flat $13 for quantities from 10-100 (per box of 10-100). This may appear steep but it’s not steep for those seeking small niche audiences. Magcloud take the money and even manage the subscriptions!

All you need is to create a high-resolution PDF of the magazine and a PayPal account and you can create, market and sell it at a price of your choosing. The service is currently is in beta and restricted to US shipping addresses, but if it takes off, and given HP’s reach, who knows.

Today it focus is vanity and long tail but when we think of societies, or creating your own wedding and anniversary 'Hello' special. It must have appeal and like POD prices should fall with growth.