Television shows and movies have long envisioned a future where all of the data anyone could ever need to access is found on paper thin sheets of plastic that can be connected to a hard drive.
The allure of this is easy to understand. After all, if we could turn this futuristic sci-fi concept into a reality, we would no longer need expensive monitors to display information. Additionally, we could easily take a paper-sized screen with us anywhere, and these items could be rolled up without causing any issues.
If this all sounds too good to be true, then you just might want to take a seat for a moment. In fact, a recent partnership between the Citrix ShareFile service and Sony’s Digital Paper device appears poised to change the future of tablets and computing in general. Your tablet may currently be used primarily for reading eBooks and exploring apps, but the functionality of these electronics is already evolving in some very exciting ways.
For example, Sony’s Digital Reader tablet is so small that that it only weighs 12.6 ounces and is barely thicker than 30 sheets of paper stacked together. This device allows people to handwrite notes with a stylus, and you can store, edit and share up to 2,800 PDFs at a time. This ultra-thin specialty tablet is perfect for people in the business world, but the next phase in tablet evolution is projected to be even more beneficial for everyone.
As far back as 2014, early concept designs were being shared online for a prototype product known as the PaperTab. This prototype brought the futuristic Sci-Fi world of computing to life by demonstrating that it is possible to operate a PC with paper in plastic sleeves serving as open tabs. This and many other inventions have proven that this technology is possible, but Citrix’s decision to get directly involved with Digital Paper is indicative of a high level of confidence in this particular product.
Citrix ShareFile makes it possible for people to quickly and safely share files for everything from accounting to legal paperwork. These documents can then be electronically signed to help prevent wasting paper unnecessarily. It makes sense to combine this type of technology with Digital Paper because this will make it even easier to sign documents and handwrite revision requests.
Furthermore, Sony’s Digital Paper has received mostly positive reviews from consumers and tech websites. When you combine this with recent updates such as enabling the Digital Paper to become a presentation tool, it makes sense for a file sharing company to get involved in what is almost certainly going to be the future of all tablet technology.
Although the Digital Paper product is currently only utilized for working with PDFs, the fact that it exists at all showcases many future possibilities. It seems more likely than ever that use of ultra-thin digital paper solutions for much more than PDFs will be common in the foreseeable future. The collaboration between Citrix and Sony is virtually certain to push this technology to the next level, and you may soon be using a Digital Paper tablet to do everything from making handwritten notes to watching your favorite movie.
Image: Sony
Aira Bongco
It’s about time that everything becomes digitized. It saves paper and keeps the files safe so I’m all for it.
Jyothir
and students can carry just one such device to school and college.