> lack of built-in lighting

That depends on the environment. Natural light fights against the functioning of light-emitting displays. Reflective displays cooperate with natural light.

You in the dark? Use OLED. Under the sun? Use EPD.

As kindle devices have shown though, you can backlight an e-ink display too

> you can backlight an e-ink display too

And you could read OLED at noon in the tropics under an umbrella (I know I did) - but I was exactly talking about optimal use.

--

A good scientist can file with a saw and saw with a file

~~~ Ben Franklin

A wise guy does not, unless necessary

~~~ We, here and now

This is technically a frontlight. The panel contains a diffuser and has LEDs at all edges of the display.

I don't know too many people operating desktop computers under the sun. They are usually situated indoors, often distant from any window access. Anyways the point stands that additional lighting discounts any power savings from using e-ink in a desktop environment. I get the use case for e-ink in the field. This product is not for in-field use.

> usually

HN is nth standard deviation sensitive. There is always market for some.

> additional lighting discounts any power savings

Not necessarily. Lighting today can cost fractions of watts, and on the other hands EPD can be energy costly - it depends on how many cell updates you are causing. So, the matter is probably less with energy consumption, and more about getting a better effect based on user and environment.

> This product is not for in-field use

Sure, it does not seem specific. But it can have its places. Be it some production site - maybe a quarry near the tropics -, be it personal - maybe you want to do some work in your garden...