Improv® Electronics Slated to Unveil Highly Anticipated Boogie Board™ eWriter with Save Capabilities at this Week’s IFA Show in Berlin

Kent, Ohio, USA – Thursday, September 1, 2011: Improv Electronics, the makers of Boogie Board LCD eWriters, will be introducing the long-awaited model with save capabilities at tonight’s Showstoppers @ IFA media event in Berlin, Germany.

Named the Boogie Board Rip™ LCD Writing Tablet, it is the newest model to join the rapidly growing line of paperless, environmentally-friendly eWriters from Improv Electronics that utilize Kent Displays Reflex™ No Power LCDs. The Boogie Board Rip tablet (Rip stands for Record Image. Preserve.) combines the exceptional writing experience inherent of all Boogie Board tablets with the ability to save notes or illustrations and then transfer them to a computer for editing, organizing, archiving and/or sharing. Saved images are stored as .pdf files in the tablet’s internal memory and can be uploaded to a PC through its micro USB port.

“The introduction of ePaper as a paper replacement, both in its most recognized use as a dedicated eReader, and now as a dedicated eWriter, is a momentous step forward not only for Improv Electronics but for environmentally- conscious consumers all over the world.” said Improv Electronics/Kent Displays CEO Dr. Albert Green. “Since the introduction of the original Boogie Board 8.5 LCD Writing Tablet in 2010, we have been inundated with requests to make a version with the ability to save what is written or drawn on the tablet’s writing surface. Because of the high demand, other entities announced plans of their own to launch a similar product. These plans failed to materialize, and we are very excited that we are the first to bring a product of this type to market.”

The Boogie Board Rip tablet’s paper-saving and productivity benefits will have the most pronounced impact in education and workplace environments, where note taking activities are most prominent. It will replace wire-bound note books, loose-leaf paper, work books, essay books, composition books and sketch pads. Like other Boogie Board tablets, it is also an excellent replacement for memo pads, sticky notes and smelly dry erase boards in both schools and offices.  Additional applications for the Boogie Board Rip tablet are also expected to emerge as users discover new ways to leverage its unique functionality and characteristics.

“Boogie Board Rip tablet users can save page after page of handwriting and drawings including lecture/meeting notes, design concepts, homework assignments, tests/quizzes, etc.” Dr. Green continued. “This functionality, and the ability to upload saved content to a computer, takes the Boogie Board Rip tablet well beyond the limits of ordinary paper and provides a cost-effective vehicle to save enormous amounts of it.”

In addition to its save capabilities, the Boogie Board Rip tablet features a 9.5” writing surface (measured diagonally), a thin, durable and lightweight all-plastic construction, an integrated stylus holder, an erase lock button and rechargeable batteries that last more than a week between charges. An integrated software application expands the tablet’s functionality even further and opens the door for an increasingly robust user environment. The Boogie Board Rip tablet requires no power to generate or retain an image, and only a small amount to erase, save or upload stored files to a computer.

The Boogie Board Rip tablet will begin shipping on November 1, 2011 for purchases made through improvelectronics.com. It will also be available for purchase from select global retailers shortly thereafter. A preorder period for purchases through improvelectronics.com will be announced in the coming weeks.

Improv Electronics was formed in 2010 as the consumer products subsidiary of Kent Displays. Founded in 1993, Kent Displays, Inc. is a world leader in the research, development and manufacture of Reflex No Power LCDs for unique, sustainable applications including electronic skins, writing tablets, smartcards and eReaders.

Go to Improv Electronics for more information about Boogie Board eWriters