Member Avatar for EddieC

When I first saw animated photos on newspapers in the Harry Potter movies, I thought it looked interesting, but never imagined it could be made cost-effective. It looks like time has once again proven me wrong. (When the 386SX processor came out, I wondered why anyone would ever need a "server" on their desk.") Esquire magazine has reported today that it will use so-called electronic ink in its October issue celebrating its 75th anniversary.

According to publisher Hearst, the issue's cover will feature moving words and images. "We've spent 16 months making this happen," said Esquire editor David Granger in a statement. The cover will use use technology developed by a team at Amazon for its Kindle e-book reader working with manufacturer E Ink Corp., in Cambridge, Mass. Introduced in the United States in November, 2007, the Kindle stand-alone reader now sells for US$359 including access to content over Amazon's Whispernet free wireless download service. Its monochromatic "segmented display cells" exhibit simple images and alphanumeric characters on a thin film. The cover will operate on a small battery that's estimated to last about three months.

More vexing than embedding the display film onto the cover was how to make a battery small enough to hide within. Esquire reportedly had to contract a Chinese engineering firm to design such a battery. It will ship 100,000 active-cover magazines to its circulation of 720,000.

The move will surely get Esquire lots of, ahem, coverage, but at the risk of making yet another wrong prediction, I think the novelty of a crude, black-and-white cover will not last long, and it won't be until they come in color that such animated pages will make a comeback and will only catch on when they become interactive.

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Both and highlight the two sides of the idea: strong novelty and real engineering limits. Early magazine covers that incorporate a thin display are great PR, but the step from a one-off stunt to routine production depends on a set of practical tradeoffs that are easy to overlook.

A few technical realities worth spelling out: many low-power paperlike displays are bistable, so they hold an image with no power and only draw energy when the image changes. That makes long battery life possible for infrequent updates, but it also means the experience is not the same as smooth video—animations are built from a small number of discrete frames and refreshes are relatively slow. Embedding electronics into a paper product also creates mechanical, thermal, and moisture challenges: the display and battery must survive folding, die-cutting, lamination, ink solvents and conveyor-press conditions without delaminating or shorting.

Practical checklist for anyone planning a prototype:

  • Define the UX first: how often will frames update, and how many frames are needed to convey the effect.
  • Run mechanical tests: repeated fold/bend cycles, abrasion, and edge stress on finished covers.
  • Validate print and lamination compatibility: adhesives, curing temperatures and solvents can damage flexible electronics.
  • Test environmental exposure: humidity, sunlight/UV and shipping vibration.
  • Plan end-of-life and customer messaging: non-replaceable batteries need clear disposal guidance and collectors need archive-friendly options.

If the goal is interaction rather than a novelty loop, cheaper alternatives (AR triggers, short video cards, web-linked content) can deliver rich, color experiences without retooling print lines. For publishers, the safest path is a small, premium pilot: learn the manufacturability and customer reaction before committing to large runs.

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Member Avatar for acejames1

I think it is awesome what they are doing with technology. Very nice read in my opinion

Member Avatar for EddieC

Thanks for the kind words. Technology continues to surprise.

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