Samsung has announced that they will no longer be in the e-paper panel production industry, citing “cost issues” and a dim view of e-paper’s future. This is interesting news, because if a giant like Samsung is walking away from the e-paper business, who else is getting ready to leave?

Samsung will still be involved with the e-book reader market though and will release a new model next year that will ditch e-paper in favor of an LCD display. Poor sales obviously helped fuel this decision.

Before the iPad was official, many were predicting that the print market could be saved by eReaders with color screens for reading magazines and other content. Now that the iPad is on the market, it will steal a lot of the thunder from eReaders color or not.

However, there is no denying that an e-paper screen is easier on many eyes than an LCD like the iPad uses. Fujitsu Laboratories has unveiled a new color e-paper screen that is much better than its previous color offering.

One of the Kindle’s drawbacks is that it has no color screen. That may soon change if Bridgestone has anything to say about it. This is the best attempt yet at a color e-paper screen. It’s still experimental, but this 13-inch color e-paper screen even accepts pen input. Better then that, the screen refresh rate is quick. Only 0.8 seconds.

Those are some nice advancements. But it isn’t ready for prime time just yet. Right now the panel is noticeably dim, with little contrast and we’re assuming that battery life leaves something to be desired. But color e-paper screens are getting closer to being enjoyed in our everyday lives.

Polaroid is finally a thing of the past. Almost. You can probably still find film, but not for long. The Shelly E-Paper Camera could be the new way of doing Polaroid type instant photos in the future. According to the designer, “You take a picture, stock on the i-paper (consumables), send it via the Internet to other owners of i-paper therefore to wallets, picture frames, at home, in the office … everywhere and anywhere.”

That’s all well and good, but the pink with purple swirl design has to go. Grown men want instant photos too. Unless this is aimed squarely at little girls AND those select male adults that frequent Hannah Montana concerts. In that case, it’s probably not girlly enough.

Now this is truly clothing of the future. Lunar Design wants the world to look like what the 21st century should have looked like years ago. More specifically, they want to turn you into a walking billboard. The Blu Jacket is a concept that uses flexible organic e-paper. It will show passersby your mood, subway maps, or can even play video advertisements. It’s all very Blade Runner and makes women look ten times hotter to geeks.

Of course, if this jacket were to be made anytime soon, it would cost a fortune. On the other hand, it could generate ad revenue. Maybe we’ll see Google getting into clothing and makiing even more money. Between advertisements and the ability to use your jacket as a search engine, I’m thinking they are already salivating.

P-Per was awarded for the Red Dot Concept Design. It’s designed by Chocolate Design Agency and is a simple mobile phone concept with features that were supposed to be incompatible: simple, advanced, green and unique.

Modeled after the E-Paper slap bracelet, it’s made of only 4 layers of sustainable materials, the “1 function, 1 part, 1 material” rule makes it easy to disassemble the materials for recycling. Too good to be true? Maybe not. This might be the best phone ever. It has a transparent display for camera mode and a browser that spans the entire surface of the display. Check out a video here and be thoroughly impressed.