PIXEL Qi TO MASS PRODUCE ITS 3 Qi LOW POWER DISPLAYS

Pixel Qi plans to start the mass production of its 3 Qi displays from next month. These displays consume less power while at the same time offering high contrast. The 3 Qi displays can be used in two modes. When used in full color saturation mode, you can hardly distinguish between a Pixel Qi display and a normal LCD display. And when used in high contrast mode, the display will consume significantly less power and you will get more battery life. The 3Qi displays are also readable in bright surroundings.

Pixel Qi is founded by Mary Lou Jospen who is also associated with the One Laptop Per Child project. She has been distributing screen shots of the display for quite sometime, but the real product hasn’t been released as yet. But now with mass production just around the corner, we will not have to wait too long to see the displays used in real notebooks.

Pixel Qi is also developing an HDTV that consumes less than 10 watts of power while most HDTVs use at least ten times more energy. Pixel Qi said that its technology would make HDTVs available in areas with limited access to power. And at just 10 watts the TV could run on a battery.

SONY DISPLAYS VAIO X NOTEBOOKS

Sony’s upcoming VAIO X series is going to break some records – it will be incredibly light with a thin chassis and a long battery life.

Sony recently released a prototype of its new VAIO X series notebook at its IFA keynote. The VAIO X series will have an 11.1 inch display. Instead of the heavier and bulkier aluminum and plastics, these notebooks will be made of carbon fiber which will reduce their overall weight to an incredible 1.5lbs and thickness to half an inch. Sony has not yet released the final specifications of this notebook, but it is expected to have an energy efficient Intel Atom processor.

No information regarding pricing or release date is available as of now.

COMMON PROBLEMS WITH LAPTOP DISPLAYS

A lot of people are forced to buy new laptops because of broken or damaged displays. In this article we will examine the most common problems with laptop displays.

Dead Pixels
Dead pixels are a common problem with laptop displays. Actually this is the first thing you need to check when you get a new laptop. Power up your laptop and look for tiny white dots in the display. You don’t have to open any applications. Actually a desktop image or a window with a plain solid color will make it easier to spot white dots. Contact your service department even if you see just one or two white dots.

Loose hinges
If you notice that the hinges that hold the display in place are loose, you need to take the laptop to the authorized service center. Loose hinges can cause the display to slam down on the desk. This may even break the display.

Gap in the casing
There should be no gaps in the casing surrounding your display. If there are gaps it will cause dirt and other particles to get in behind the display. This is not a problem you can repair yourself. So take the laptop to the authorized service center.

Cracked bezel
The bezel (the casing of the laptop that surrounds the display) may develop cracks due to rough treatment of the laptop. This, for instance, can happen if you accidentally drop the laptop. To avoid such situations, carry your laptop in a properly sized and well padded laptop bag. Place the laptop only on firm and even surfaces.

WHICH COMPANY HAS THE BEST LAPTOP DISPLAYS?

Color accuracy may not be your major concern if you do regular computing. But if you happen to be in the graphical field (especially photography) than you had better pay attention.

Rob Galgraith has just put together a comparison of some laptops to see which came out on top for best accuracy in color and viewing angle. Needless to say Apple was on the list. But the results were a little surprising as Apple failed to receive the award of best color accuracy. The Dell Mini 9 beat the previously named model in accuracy tests but failed to deliver the knock out punch in viewing angle.

Overall Lenovo's new W700 system took the top honors both in color accuracy and viewing angle. But we're not going to spoil anything else. So if you have some time head over to the READ link and get the full details from Rob himself.