Mike Lee at OLPC News has a photo and video comparison of the 4-year-old OLPC XO-1’s display, and the new Pixel Qi display based on the same technology.
Lee said that he bought the $275 10.1” display panel when MakerShed had them available (they sold out fast) and put it in the Acer Aspire One netbook he had bought the month before for $199. (It seems a bit odd to me to pay more for a screen than for the netbook you swap it into, but on the other hand it does have some advantages.)
Although the new display shows “better contrast, darker blacks, and a cooler tone” than the OLPC’s display:
The XO’s dual mode screen still rules in terms of pixel resolution at 1200 x 900 vs. the Acer’s 1024 x 600. It was amazing to see Windows 7, Amazon Kindle software, the New York Times web site and a QuickTime video in direct sunlight. Shades of gray and some color tints are visible. Besides the XOs and e-ink based Kindle ereaders, no other color screen device I own can be seen as clearly in sunlight. Not even the famed iPad. In the video, you can see that at a certain angle where line of sight and sun are aligned, the new Pixel Qi screen glows as if backlit!
I have to admit, it would be nice to be able to read and use my laptop in direct sunlight like that. I wonder when netbooks and laptops will begin coming with this screen as standard, rather than an aftermarket replacement?
(Found via Slashdot. Video below the jump.)
