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The revolution of paperless paper
Published on 16/10/2008 14:51:50

By Steven Rosenberg

How the 'paperless paper' works

I love reading newspapers. Really I do. But whenever I read one on the train to work or on the bus, I always seem to end up sparking complete chaos.

Either the passenger sitting next to me gets it in the face with my elbow, or half the pages of my daily collapse onto the floor into an embarrassing heap which, in rush hour, is rather difficult to clear up.

But soon my problems with paper could be over.

At Plastic Logic's factory in Dresden, British engineer Dean Baker shows me a new kind of newspaper.  The electronic e-reader

What's new about it? Well, for a start there's no paper - it's electronic.

The device looks just like a table mat, it's as light as a magazine.

We have paper being distributed all over the country wich is consumed on that day and then discarded into the bin. This doesn't need to be the case.
Dean Baker

But onto it you can download hundreds of newspapers and - at the touch of a button - browse through them quite safely, without elbowing anyone ever again.

"It's very robust," says Mr Baker.

To prove it he whacks the screen with his fist. Not a scratch.
The machine's so tough, because everything, from the screen to the electronics inside, is made of plastic.

That's why the electronic newspaper is so light, flexible and revolutionary.

Mr Baker believes the device will help consign ordinary paper to the rubbish bin of history.

"There's a huge amount of waste," says Mr Baker.

"We have paper being distributed all over the country which is consumed on that day and then discarded into the bin. This doesn't need to be the case.

"All of that content could be transmitted electronically and stored on a single e-reader, with the same visual appeal as paper. "

Tags: revolution paperless

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