Pixel Qi 3qi screen: Will this screen drive down the costs of e-book readers and the netbooks this fall?
“By popular demand here is the first picture of our new screen. In the above picture, two 3qi screens are shown side-by-side: one of our screens is in full color saturation with its backlight on, the other of our screens is shown in its epaper mode with backlight off. These screens will be available this fall in netbooks and ebook readers. Size: 10.1″ diagonal.” – Mary Lou Jepsen, Pixel Qi.
Details: She’s the brain behind the dual-mode display on the XO-1, the OLPC laptop, and her new company could very well end up supplying screens for a successor. Also, she hopes to popularize her technology in the private sector, So her screens are, er, well worth watching.
Imagine all the extra time your netbook could give you in the black-and-white mode, with less of a strain on the batteries. The XO-1 screen offers similar capabilities, of course, and I’ll welcome comparative stats. On top of everything else, Mary Lou’s tech can piggyback on existing LCD production facilities, making it rather cost-competitive with E Ink.
Tip and other info: Click on the photos for more detailed views. About the second shot—taken on an iPhone.”Sorry, it’s just not a great camera…outside in the hot tropical sun. The laptop is on top of a shrub. Apologies for the glare from the metal bezel of the screen; this will of course be covered up in a real product. Nonetheless, we think it’s a stunning screen.”
May 28th, 2009 at 5:58 am
It’s hard to compare e-ink to the 3Qi based on these pictures but I really believe that integration of the 3Qi into tablets, netbooks and smartphones could be a real game changer for the industry.
May 28th, 2009 at 7:19 am
I agree, Hadrien. If Mary Lou is reading this, I hope she’ll follow up with additional images. These are not small details. Like me, many people are unhappy with the contrast ratio of the current E Ink. We’d also like color and lower costs. So I’m really rooting for Mary Lou to have a nice alternative. Nothing against the good people of E Ink. I, of all people, understand that their technology, too, is evolving. The ultimate victor, assuming there even is one, is far from decided. Thanks. David
May 28th, 2009 at 8:19 am
I just hope the Not Invented Here syndrome doesn’t kick in. I remember the Foveon image processor. It never got any traction with Japanese camera manufacturers at all because of NIH.
I’m really hoping that Pixel Qi will think of the possibilities of offering hacker kits. People like JKK over at JKKMobile have shown people how to put a touchscreen on an Asus netbook. Swapping out screens on current notebooks shouldn’t be all that difficult. Hell, someone could even make a real good business charging people for that service.
May 28th, 2009 at 8:47 am
I believe that Mary Lou is actually sending the right signal here: the first time that we discover the 3Qi, it’s on a modded netbook.
Devkits should be available pretty soon now: http://www.pixelqi.com/faq