E-ink displays on devices like the Amazon Kindle have proved wonderful for reading and other still-image use cases for years now, but they’ve also been steadily improving with time. Today, “Daylight” is showing off its new Android tablet that has a display that is similar to e-ink, but is much, much faster.
Announced today, the Daylight DC1 is a 10.5-inch (1600×1200) Android tablet that ushers in a new tech the company calls “Live Paper.”
Daylight explains that Live Paper “feels like magic, with super-smooth scrolling and interactions across all your apps.” The display hits up to 60fps.
This new display, which appears to be only monochrome, touts that it produces no “blue light.” That’s the type of light that’s thought to affect your circadian rhythm, potentially messing with your sleep schedule. Daylight does tout, though, that the device will work especially well in bright outdoor sunlight. There is a backlight, but it only produces a “pure amber” light, and there’s no PWM flicker as is increasingly common on traditional displays.
The device runs a customized version of Android – “Sol:OS” – that’s apparently designed to be minimal. Notifications are turned off by default, but the device can apparently run normal Android apps. There’s no word on if it includes the Play Store. Daylight says the device runs on a MediaTek Helio G99, has 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and an 8,000 mAh battery. Its experience is based on Android 13.
Daylight adds that some apps that are included on the device include Pocket Casts, Spotify, Audible, Notion, ChatGPT, Pocket, Kindle, and more. Google Docs is also shown.
Android tablets with e-ink displays have become more popular in recent years, with devices like the Onyx Boox and Kindle Scribe building experiences that are more capable than traditional e-readers. However, the limitations of refresh rates often cause a usability and/or compatibility problem with some apps or uses.
Daylight also teased on Twitter/X that it may make a phone using this technology in the future, and a laptop was teased in a previous interview. The current tablet also uses a Wacom-based stylus and has “Action Buttons” that can be used for multiple functions including turning the page in a book. The stylus and a “comfy case” are included in the box.
Pricing on the Daylight DC1 starts at $729 and “Batch 2” or pre-orders will ship in August of this year. You can also make a refundable $100 deposit to reserve a unit for Q1 2025. Both options are available through the company’s website.
More on Android:
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- Android Find My Device trackers are starting to ship
- Review: Boox Tab Ultra C and Tab Mini C pair color E Ink and full Android – I didn’t know I wanted that
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Post has been updated since publication to reflect details that have since been published on Daylight’s website
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