Journal: Electronic Billboards

Ars Technica has an article (from the NYT) about how 10"x14" panels are being put together to make electronic billboards. Rather than using LCDs, OLEDS, or even Plasma screens, the company is using a form of magnetic ink that they call Magink. Coincidentally, Magink is the name of the company that makes the tech. From the article:

By creating a paste made of tiny helix-shaped particles that can be minutely manipulated with electric charges to reflect light in highly specific ways, Magink can produce surfaces that look like paper but behave like electronic screens, rendering high-resolution, full-color images without ink - or, as Magink executives like to refer to the process, with digital ink.

Granted, they cost a lot more to build than traditional billboards, but they can be updated remotely, as well as displaying images at up to 70 frames per second. The sign is updated via a custom networking interface, using a windows XP box connected to either a satlink, cellular modem, land line, or a network connection, and can display live feeds.

However, reading this pdf file, it seems that the signs are not quite all that. There is a 2 second refresh rate for starters, as well a 5mm dot pitch. So, while these images will look great at a distance, don't count on using them at home just yet.