Also known as: eReader, e-book reader
An e-reader is a portable device built for reading digital books, using a low-power electronic-paper display that looks like ink on paper.1
Overview
The defining part is the electronic-paper (E Ink) display: a reflective screen of microcapsules that hold their image with no power once set, so the device only draws energy when the page changes. The result is paper-like readability in sunlight and battery life measured in weeks rather than hours. E-readers run a stripped-down mobile operating system on a modest SoC, often with a touchscreen and a front light. Familiar examples include Amazon’s Kindle and Rakuten’s Kobo.
Where it fits
An e-reader trades the bright, fast color of a tablet for outstanding battery life and eye comfort at one task — reading. The same E Ink technology shows up on shelf labels and low-power status panels, where a display that needs power only to update is exactly the right tool for a device that mostly sits idle.