Which technology is this? very cheap kids drawing tablets.

[zip accident]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09 ... RP96&psc=1

That's under £10 for a 12 inch screen.

Or this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09FLJL2ZL/ ... RhaWw&th=1

£45 for a (22 * 17?) inch screen.

Looks likely they are b/w with vari-coloured film over them, though there is no memory involved and no way of keeping the contents, but they're touch or something sensitive.

How are we not seeing this as a display technology?

[Rhythm]

Not sure if there's anything to pass on to display technology. I've had one of these for a few years. Works great as a note-taking pad on the fridge. But it's a digital version of those drawing toys that used to let you draw on plastic then would wipe when you lift the plastic. It's super basic and there's not much by way of fidelity

[zip accident]

Not sure if there's anything to pass on to display technology. I've had one of these for a few years. Works great as a note-taking pad on the fridge. But it's a digital version of those drawing toys that used to let you draw on plastic then would wipe when you lift the plastic. It's super basic and there's not much by way of fidelity

I don't think it's that, the images show the screen lighting up:

[Deckard]

Not sure if there's anything to pass on to display technology. I've had one of these for a few years. Works great as a note-taking pad on the fridge. But it's a digital version of those drawing toys that used to let you draw on plastic then would wipe when you lift the plastic. It's super basic and there's not much by way of fidelity

Getting big Last of Us vibes with that picture

[Rhythm]

I don't think it's that, the images show the screen lighting up:

Yeah, the one I have had similar images on the box.

The “display” is a sheet of black LCD that turns clear when you draw on it and that reverts to black when you hit the delete button. The background is whatever you want it to be. Mine came with a few templates (lined, gridded, hex).

This one looks to be the same thing only with a backlight.

And I’m not saying they’re not cool/useful, just that the ad oversells what it is you actually end up with.

[zip accident]

I don't think it's that, the images show the screen lighting up:

Yeah, the one I have had similar images on the box.

The “display” is a sheet of black LCD that turns clear when you draw on it and that reverts to black when you hit the delete button. The background is whatever you want it to be. Mine came with a few templates (lined, gridded, hex).

This one looks to be the same thing only with a backlight.

And I’m not saying they’re not cool/useful, just that the ad oversells what it is you actually end up with.

If it's actually got an overall backlight, I'm astounded that they seem to be claiming a runtime of up to a year on a CR cell or two. I wouldn't think CR cells were that powerful. There do seem to be complaints that the light isn't bright enough, but then there usually are, camera displays for instance are generally best indoors.

Given the prices you are probably correct, but there is an awful lot of overselling for an awful lot of articles going on if you are.

[Misfit]

I guess the answer is to give it a go. It's only £10 and you could return it if you could be bothered.

I assumed when I've seen these in the past it was all marketing and more like Rhythm described. But it claims a resolution of 1024 x 600 in the product details, which suggests it isn't.

My gut feeling is that it will be crap and wouldn't entertain a child past a couple of years. They've come to expect a bit too much form a device with a screen.

[zip accident]

I guess the answer is to give it a go. It's only £10 and you could return it if you could be bothered.

I assumed when I've seen these in the past it was all marketing and more like Rhythm described. But it claims a resolution of 1024 x 600 in the product details, which suggests it isn't.

My gut feeling is that it will be crap and wouldn't entertain a child past a couple of years. They've come to expect a bit too much form a device with a screen.

Yeah, I'm giving it a look. I don't know what I'm expecting. I had a slate when I was a kid, can't be worse than that, except the slate didn't need batteries.

[zip accident]

I don't think it's that, the images show the screen lighting up:

Yeah, the one I have had similar images on the box.

The “display” is a sheet of black LCD that turns clear when you draw on it and that reverts to black when you hit the delete button. The background is whatever you want it to be. Mine came with a few templates (lined, gridded, hex).

This one looks to be the same thing only with a backlight.

And I’m not saying they’re not cool/useful, just that the ad oversells what it is you actually end up with.

Yeah, it turned up. It's as you said, there is no backlight, it's just very clear with a bright backing.

That said, I remember Etch a Sketch, they were awful, this is a lot better than those.

My problem with Etch a Sketch was that it did one thing well, draw straight lines horizontally or vertically, and unless you spent years at it that was pretty much all that they did, diagonal lines were steps, wobbly steps if you tried to make them actual diagonal lines, square steps if you didn't.

[Misfit]

That said, I remember Etch a Sketch, they were awful, this is a lot better than those.

My problem with Etch a Sketch was that it did one thing well, draw straight lines horizontally or vertically, and unless you spent years at it that was pretty much all that they did, diagonal lines were steps, wobbly steps if you tried to make them actual diagonal lines, square steps if you didn't.

Etch a Sketch were appalling. How did we ever get any fun out of it? In fact did we get fun out of it, or is it just nostalgia?

I have enough problems drawing anything vaguely recognisable so getting anything out of something that limiting/hard to use would have been impossible.

[zip accident]

Etch a Sketch were appalling. How did we ever get any fun out of it? In fact did we get fun out of it, or is it just nostalgia?

I have enough problems drawing anything vaguely recognisable so getting anything out of something that limiting/hard to use would have been impossible.

I think I didn't have one, maybe a neighbour's kid did? I remember not being impressed.

I think the one use for them was that kids are always asked to draw houses, particularly their own house. You could probably draw the front or back of a house without drawing any lines that weren't horizontal or vertical. You couldn't draw much else, but you could get pretty close to one decent drawing out of the thing.

The Wikipedia page has a Taj Mahal that is a work of hours or maybe days, I know I couldn't have done it (couldn't do it freehand either).

[Rhythm]

Aw man, I used to love my Etch-a-Sketch. Couldn't draw shit on it, main thing I remember doing on it was trying to fill it in as completely as possible

Google-fu is failing me but I once read a story where a magazine in the States used to "test" the post office by sending increasingly frustrating parcels. Inflatables already inflated, that kinda thing. One year they decided to test it by mailing an Etch-a-Sketch. Only the address was written into the Etch-a-Sketch screen, meaning "this way up" became more important than ever.

It apparently arrived safely

And shame about the backlight, ZA. As I say, though, they're genuinely useful little "tablets". Perfect for little quick notes and things. I have mine on my fridge door. I use it as a shopping list and take a photo of it when I head out to the shops.

Edit: found the article! https://www.wired.com/2008/12/st-15returntosender/