When OLPC boosters got together in D.C. this week, we held a screen contrast face-off between the Sony Reader PRS-505, the OLPC laptop and the iPhone. The iP gizmo won, natch; and as perceived on the scene, the Reader fared better than the OLPC laptop when the latter machine was in its reflective mode for e-books. That said, the OLPC laptop also includes a backlit mode with good contrast, and besides, the reflective mode is really designed for outside. Not included above is another contestant, a paper version of the Book World section of the Washington Post. Other photos from Wayan Vota, OLPC News guy and organizer of the event, are here. Meanwhile check out the get-together link for thoughts on the laptop’s interface issue.
Related: An e-book guy sees promise in the $100 children’s laptop, in my Publishers Weekly blog—plus OLPC News articles from TeleBlogger Robert Nagle and librarian Steve Cisler on setting up local OLPC clubs. Wayan is in the process of setting up an e-mail list for a D.C.-area club, and the official global OLPC organization may do a support-focused e-mail list for new XO owners. Stay tuned.
Here is what XO looks like in XO color mode vs. the Classmate PC (the Intel knockoff also meant for children):
I think the XO side of the photo was out of focus, but you get the idea (Here’s a blowup of the same photo) .
Technorati Tags: OLPC , One Laptop Per Child , iPhone , Sony Reader PRS-505 , Sony Reader , Wayan Vota , Steve Cisler
Comparing the contrasts of screens between a backlight-off screen and a backlight-on screen in the middle of the night?
Great photo. I would have also liked to see a shot in color mode. (Actually I just appended it to the article itself. More on display from the specs :
Eduardo: Many thanks for your thoughts. Sorry but the meeting was at night, and of course I’ve taken care to qualify the observations:
“The iP gizmo won, natch; and as perceived on the scene, the Reader fared better than the OLPC laptop when the latter machine was in its reflective mode for e-books. That said, the OLPC laptop also includes a backlit mode with good contrast, and besides, the reflective mode is really designed for outside.”
I can’t wait to have a chance to do comparisons in the daylight–when my own XO arrives. Are you using one now, or have you tried an XO in the past? Perhaps you can offer your thoughts on the contrast question.
Thanks,
David
Addendum: Actually I see you’ve had your own XO experiences. Congrats on being among the pioneers in Chile! So, yes, please do comment on the screen in daylight, as you see it. How close is it to paper? And have you had a chance to make any daylight comparisons with an E Ink machine? Thanks!
Oh no, I’m not that person, although we share the same name (he is a programmer, I am not :)).
I can’t really compare the xo with ebook readers, as I’ve never seen them. The black&white mode isn’t like paper, it needs a greater source of light to be confortable viewing/reading (like the sun, or turning multiple lights in your room during the night, but then this would defeat the purpose of saving power 🙂 ). Indoors during the day, I’ve managed to read in it with my back to a window, but it isn’t very confortable having to do so. I really think it fullfills its goal, of being readable outdoors during the day readable, and anti-reflection (even if the backlight is on, once a light shines on the screen, you start seeing the high dpi, b&w mode). As far as a replacement for a book (in shape, and confort) it isn’t, but from my past experience, it is the best laptop to come close (small size, and screen mode).
Eduardo: Thanks for those helpful observations. Further ones welcomed. Can’t wait to get my hands on my own XO! – David