More on TechnologyTell: Gadget News | Apple News
Pixel Qi’s three modes: Normal LCD, low-power e-book display, and a power-thrifty color screen
July 10, 2009 | 12:35 pm
|
By David Rothman
So will we see Kindle software suddenly show up on netbooks?
In Jeff Bezos’s place, that’s what I’d do—now that Pixel Qi displays are looking better and better as alternatives to E Ink in many cases.
Here’s the latest, from Epaper Central’s interview with John Ryan, COO and marketing VP with PixelQi:
The company is introducing displays-called 3Qi- that will operate in three different settings. The first is a full-color, bright conventional LCD mode; the second a low-power, reflective e-paper display that will be readable in sunlight; and finally, a low-power basic color transflective mode. The screens are available in 10.1-inch sizes, and soon will also be available in 7.5-inch sizes. A typical LCD screen in 10.1″ consumes 2.5 watts with the backlight fully on; Pixel Qi’s is the same. However, the Pixel Qi LCD screen consumes 0.4W to 0.8W with the backlight off; typical LCDs have totally black screens with the backlight off, but the 3Qi screen moves into an e-paper mode. “This low-energy consumption is a major attribute, along with high resolution,” explains Ryan. “These screens have (for black-and-white reading applications) far more pixels available than any other screen…and not just ‘sunlight readability’ but usability in ALL ambient light conditions.” He explained that most users prefer to use the screen in intermediate mode settings with just a little backlight, preserving much of the power saving while relying maximally on ambient light.
|
Previous
SUBSCRIBE TO RSS
Comments:
I like the potential – it could offer enough benefits to offset eink’s battery life advantage.
The real key is going to be where it ends up though. Let’s see some devices.
Why stop there? If Jeff had any sense, right off he would have created a Kindle app for any and every electronic device already known to science, and let people read his content on whatever they wanted.
But what do I know? I’m just a person who likes to read.
I’d love to see an ability to read Kindle books on my MacBook. I own a couple of Kindles and love them, but I prefer to do my Amazon shopping through my laptop. It’d be helpful to me (and more profitable for Amazon) if I could send previews of Kindle books to my laptop and buy them directly from there after checking that their formatting is decent.
This is the display I am looking for in an eReader. I must have the back lit mode. If I can get at least 20 hours battery life (which is not likely), reading with the backlight, and who knows what in the reflective “eInk mode” I will be a happy camper. Of course it needs to be wedded to a well-designed device.
I don’t recall if they plan to add a touch screen at some point.
Twenty hours should be possible. The decade-old-tech eBookwise manages it, and while this screen is twice the size, it’s more efficient and will have a better battery.
Rimon,
I think I agree with you… but we “are” talking about a color display now, rather than gray-scale. I am hard pressed to name an electronic device with a color display that gets that sort of battery life.