eBooks have sort of been able to do this for ages, but Plastic Logic has introduced what is probably the closest version yet to the "electronic newspaper" ideal seen back in 1968's 2001: A Space Odyssey: a lightweight plastic screen that mimics the look of a printed newspaper.

The New York Times reports that the unnamed device uses the same technology as the Sony eReader and Amazon.com's Kindle: a crisp, legible black-and-white display developed by E Ink Corporation.

The report said that while both of those devices are intended primarily as book readers, Plastic Logic's device has a screen that's more than twice as large as the one on the Kindle and the eReader. It's about the size of a standard 8.5 x 11-inch sheet of paper, and can be continually updated via a wireless hookup and can store hundreds of newspapers, books, and magazines. Stay tuned for more on this promising competitor.

(Image credit: NYT. Left: Plastic Logic. Center: Sony eReader. Right: Amazon Kindle.)