It’s been a while since we heard news about the Gvido, an incredibly nice-looking double-screened E Ink tablet designed specifically for displaying sheet music. Originally announced back in June 2016, there were two big questions left unanswered: when (if ever) would the Gvido actually be released, and how much it would cost? Fortunately, we now have the answer to both of those questions: September 20th, for the eye-watering price of $1,600.
Price aside, the Gvido remains a really great idea, at least in theory, for musicians. E Ink seems like the perfect medium for displaying tons of digital scores or taking them on the go. And the ability to turn pages by just tapping on an IR sensor or using a foot pedal seems like a genuinely useful way to avoid rustling pages during a performance.
The Gvido still remains a really great idea, at least in theory
Spec-wise, things are unchanged from the original announcement: two 13.3-inch E Ink displays, 8GB of internal storage expandable by microSD, PDF compatibility, and a Wacom pen for annotating things. And the hardware itself is being produced by the formerly Sony-owned Vaio, which is a good sign. Whether or not that’s worth $1,600 will depend on how much you hate carrying around sheet music.