Aren't you leaving out partial refreshes here? Several e-ink tablets have achieved near-instant feedback for writing and typing. Full refresh times don't matter near as much for text processing, so I think you are overdramatizing.

Still, general purpose computing is indeed questionable. But why wouldn't it be possible to manufacture and sell such a device at < $1000? 13.3'' displays are at $370 [1], and the remaining specs are inexpensive [2] (given there is no ssd included). Solely depends on ones profit margin, it seems.

By the way, I appreciate your steady fight against malicious patent usage claims of e-ink corp by many users on HN. No idea if you are right, but it is admirable that you rightfully keep insisting on proof as there seems to be none.

[1] https://www.waveshare.com/product/displays/e-paper/13.3inch-... [2] https://github.com/Modos-Labs/Lancer