Is SuperKindle Coming Next?

In The New York Times' Bits blog -- motto: 'We're Still Relevant! Really!' -- Nick Bilton wrote recently about how the acquisition of Touchco by Amazon 'might breathe new life into one device in particular: Amazon’s Kindle.'

When Bilton visited Touchco’s lab last month, he relates, 'they showed me a variety of interesting uses for the technology. One example shows a large sheet of Touchco’s force-sensitive plastic being used to control a 3-D animation application. Other demos in the lab included flexible strips that could potentially be used in wearable devices and a variety of mock-ups for new e-readers.'

The acquisition, he thinks, 'indicates what Amazon might try to do next in response to Apple’s (News - Alert) iPad announcement. Although Touchco’s technology will work with the Kindle’s current e-ink screens, it could be overkill to incorporate it into the current iteration of the device. Instead it might signal a future full-color multitouch Kindle that would directly compete with the iPad.'

The Old Gray Lady reported earlier this week that Amazon has acquired Touchco, a New York-based start-up specializing in touch-screen technology, a move they see as a shot across Apple's iPad bow:

'Amazon will merge Touchco’s technology and staff into its Kindle hardware division, Lab126, which is based in Cupertino. Touchco, which began as a project at New York University’s Media Research Lab, had roughly six employees and had not yet turned its technology into a commercial product.'

Terms of the deal were unreported. Nobody from Apple or Touchco are commenting on anything.

According to the Times, Touchco uses interpolating force-sensitive resistance, which at about $10 a square foot is much less expensive than the capacitive touch screens used in the iPad and iPhone (News - Alert) are considerably more expensive: 'Unlike those screens, the Touchco screens can also detect an unlimited number of simultaneous touch points.'

Incidentally, we like one comment on the Bits blog from Shane Doran: 'Hmmmm...if I was going to put my money on which company was going to succeed in creating a cutting edge, reliable, market viable, electronic gadget for the masses, it would be a really tough call as to whether I should pick an internet retailer with a fabulous website or a computer and consumer electronics company specializing in mass market hand-held computers. Apple.... Amazon.... Apple.... Amazon.... ah what the heck, I'm going with Apple!'