Epson Imaging Devices introduce a-TFT displays that play well in sunlight or darkness

Epson's developed two transflective amorphous silicon TFT (a-TFT) LCDs for high visibility in a variety of situations on mobile devices. The screens seem to have been developed mostly for gadgets which are used outdoors and in direct sunlight. These new LCDs employ a more traditional, transmissive mode, using backlighting in darker or indoor settings, but are also capable of utilizing a reflective mode, which can harness bright sources such as sunlight to increase clarity. The reflective mode not only increases visibility on the screen, but also reduces the need for backlighting, thus conserving power. The displays will be available in 3 and 3.5-inch sizes, and samples of the screens are said to be shipping before the end of the month.

[vvtopkar @ Oct 29th 2008 9:54PM]

If only the new macbooks.....

[JR @ Oct 29th 2008 10:13PM]

...had tiny monochrome-only screens that were very visible outside?

I think they were working on something like this for the OLPC (works in black and white mode only).

Still, if they make these larger and with color it would be awesome.

[JR @ Oct 29th 2008 10:20PM]

My bad, I think these ARE color.

[SteveJr_Ri @ Oct 29th 2008 11:24PM]

Put a piece of glass over anything and it usually reflects any light

[High Ranks make you sterile @ Oct 29th 2008 11:51PM]

Congratulations to Cole Hamels for being the first openly gay World Series MVP!

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Oct 29th 2008 10:10PM]

Put these in the new PSP 3001. A PSP that you can play in the sun and save you battery life. This is sweet.

[Troels C @ Oct 29th 2008 10:21PM]

Whats new about this? Even my old Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket Loox 610 had a transflective TFT display, that was bright even in direct sunlight.

[jpennin1 @ Oct 30th 2008 1:17AM]

I was thinking the same. Tranflective screens have been around a long time. Is there something special about these that I missed?

Even the iPhone has one. Check it in bright sunlight.

[Erik Tomlinson @ Oct 30th 2008 2:10AM]

Yeah, I've got a four year old Toshiba PDA that has a transflective screen. What's the big deal about this, exactly?

[rav0 @ Oct 30th 2008 7:49AM]

It seems that not much is new here. Possibly that the back-light is turned off when sunlight is available, it's unclear from the article whether this is the case. I don't know whether existing devices using trans-reflective LCDs do this or not, but even if it stays on always, it's only ever needed at low power so should have a small effect really.

[iEye @ Oct 29th 2008 10:23PM]

The lack of iPhone news is disturbing...

[who? @ Oct 29th 2008 10:27PM]

Look ten posts down... But I agree, there should be more!! Wait just one minute- what if Engadget made an entire site devoted to Apple product news? Wouldn't that be great? They could call it:


http://www.tuaw.com

[James @ Oct 29th 2008 11:52PM]

iEye hurry and jump through the link and don't come back!!!

[who? @ Oct 29th 2008 10:23PM]

What's that you say? Something else that's cool and useful that will never make it to the mainstream consumers? Say, uhhh... how's that flexible screen coming' along? Got lots'a them out there do ya? Or what about those paper-thin displays? I've been seeing a lot of those in Wal-Marts lately...

I don't remember Engadget ever releasing news of a new invention that actually came to fruition... I WANT SOMETHING NEW!!! GAHHH!!!!!

[Plothole @ Oct 29th 2008 11:26PM]

Well thin, flexible eInk displays are set to hit the market early next year. Flexible OLED is still *probably* a few years off though.

[SteveJr_Ri @ Oct 29th 2008 11:00PM]

How about we just get rid of sunlight or tint the Ozone layer???

[vvtopkar @ Oct 29th 2008 11:47PM]

We would...If we had any Ozone left....

[Troels C @ Oct 30th 2008 4:37AM]

The ozone layer blocks UV light. More ozone there wouldn't do anything to display visibility. As for lack of ozone, it consists of O3 (O=O-O) or a molecule of pure oxygen. Its created every time a spack occurs and even when UV-light hits the atmosphere. Unless something prevents it from forming, like freon.

[chef @ Oct 29th 2008 11:20PM]

So, this makes the GameBoy Color new tech again?

[Game_playa @ Oct 29th 2008 11:28PM]

What? (In the but)

[Plothole @ Oct 29th 2008 11:28PM]

I don't recall the GBC being back, or even front, lit...

[HyperHacker @ Oct 30th 2008 12:28AM]

I could see the GBC screen great in direct sunlight, but in the dark? That'd be difficult.

There was a limited-edition backlit GBC, but I never saw one.

[chef @ Oct 30th 2008 6:19AM]

Whoops, I meant GameBoy Advance - it has a transflective screen

whoooooooooooooooops

[James @ Oct 30th 2008 12:13AM]

If only it were touchscreen.

[Plothole @ Oct 30th 2008 12:49AM]

It could be, if the device maker so desired. The "touch" part of the screen has nothing to do with the LCD itself. It's usually a membrane layered on top, or sometimes a grip of sensors placed underneath.

[James @ Oct 30th 2008 1:13AM]

sweet learn something new every day

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Oct 30th 2008 4:03AM]

Transflective displays are not new at all. They aren't popular anymore because they have relatively poor contrast. Also, they are less efficient when the backlight is on. It takes a lot more light to make them light up than a transmissive display does.

Personally, what I'd like to see is a full-on reflective display like early Blackberries had. They looked great in low light and in bright light. The only difficulty was how to light it up when in really dark rooms where there just isn't enough light to reflect (same problem a book has for example). To light these, you need a frontlight, and the technology for these just hasn't been very well developed. I'd love to see it done.

[Plothole @ Oct 30th 2008 4:51AM]

I believe that's the point. Transflectives may not be new, but the article suggests that this one has fairly good contrast for a change.

[Bad Beaver @ Oct 30th 2008 6:56AM]

It's high time these end up on notebooks. I'm especially looking at you, Apple. I want a notebook I can use outside. Or even better, make it a netbook with 8-hour real-world battery time.

[Robin Jacobs @ Nov 1st 2008 8:06AM]

Most E-series nokia's have transflective screens (Like my E-51) ( http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/reviews/item/Nokia_E51.php )
With excelent readabilty in direct sunlight and total darkness (and most conditions in between)

[jawn @ Feb 26th 2009 11:19AM]

Sweet. I want this on my ASS

[blahblah @ Oct 29th 2008 10:11PM]

brings new meaning to backlighting...