Pixel Qi dual-mode displays sell out, in a good way

Unless you're in the music biz, selling out is generally considered a good thing just as long as you can restock, pronto like, to meet consumer demand. So we're sure Mary Lou Jepsen is roiling in her jollies knowing that the first batch of $275 dual-mode Pixel Qi displays have sold out after less than 24 hours of retail availability. You can pre-order now for a second shipment of the 10.1-inch reflective LCDs expected to arrive on MakerShed by the middle of next week. Until then, we patiently wait for the first-hand DIY experiences to begin trickling in.

[EvanSei Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:18AM]

how pixelating

[TheCake Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:20AM]

@EvanSei I see what you did there >_>

[Jive Turkey Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:31AM]

What happened to you? You used to stand for something, man.

[captnlove Posted Jul 2nd 2010 5:53AM]

@TheCake You're a lie!

[xanavi Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:19AM]

I love this kind of little company. One that brings something to the world that truly an innovation.

[TheCake Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:19AM]

Wunderbar!

[tonicboy Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:45AM]

@TheCake: Is it, though? I'm wondering exactly how wunderbar it is. I mean, how many did they produce in their first batch? If the answer is 100, then it really isn't as impressive as it sounds.

[DefPoet Posted Jul 2nd 2010 6:45AM]

@TheCake is a lie!!!!!!

[TheCake Posted Jul 2nd 2010 1:10PM]

@tonicboy Well it is a start...

[TheCake Posted Jul 2nd 2010 1:10PM]

@DefPoet
No you!
I am here, aren't I!!!!!

[PacoBell Posted Jul 8th 2010 8:30AM]

@TheCake I dunno...are you o_O?

[Almo Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:20AM]

Only thing I'd like to know is, is it pronounced Pixel Key or Pixel Chi?

[tonicboy Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:36AM]

@Alm: If it's supposed to be pseudo-Chinese, then "chi".

[Lucian Armasu Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:42AM]

@Almo chi

[TareG Posted Jul 2nd 2010 5:41AM]

@Almo

"Chee."

With all due respect, though, I think they should give it a more consumer friendly name (like "Retina" display) which conveys its strong points.

Like Day screen, Daylite screen, Outsy screen...I don't know... something other than Pixel Qi which onlt a select elite know is pronounced Chee, and still tells me nothing about what it does.

Can't wait for the 4.3" HTC Vision with Pixel Qi this holiday season.

[cleareyes Posted Jul 2nd 2010 6:51AM]

@TareG

Daywalker!

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 2nd 2010 7:28AM]

@TareG
So you don't think that the company that puts this display in their product will draw attention to it at all?

That it will not be demonstrated at the store, or referenced in the web page text?
Possibly with a side by side comparison of both modes, and an explanation of this new and product differentiating feature?
Say for example, a split screen photo of the full backlit normal mode, and the QI daylight readable mode..

So where is the high definition mention in "Blu Ray"? It just tells me it uses a blue ray of some kind. Am I supposed to guess that it is referring to a laser, and know what colour the laser is in a DVD player, and what difference it makes?

What if I get confused and buy a puppy instead?

[tobsmonster2 Posted Jul 2nd 2010 10:31AM]

@TareG
These aren't exactly going to be hanging on shelves in stores so a "consumer friendly" name isn't necessary. Most sales will probably be to OEM's anyway.

[tobsmonster2 Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:20AM]

Why didn't you guys get one?

[Thomas Ricker Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:24AM]

@tobsmonster2 we're working on it. Need to have the screen and the correct netbook. Stay tuned.

[FeliveNdrell Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:20AM]

Pixel Qi + iPad = magic device

[satish Posted Jul 2nd 2010 6:48AM]

@FeliveNdrell What happened to Notion Ink's Adam? Any update from them?

[FeliveNdrell Posted Jul 2nd 2010 7:07AM]

@satish None as far as I know, but I wasn't looking hard into it cause android in it present state not ready for tablets IMHO. Will see what Google have to say about it - Chrome OS or new android ui?

[vkelman Posted Jul 2nd 2010 8:33AM]

@satish,
You can check Notion Ink's Web site. Development of Adam tablet is going well, as far as I know. They recently found a good source off financing. Adam is expected to be available this Fall. And yes, Android is ready for tablets.

[Flix C Posted Jul 2nd 2010 10:05AM]

@FeliveNdrell
You would still have iOS...
I'll pass.

[Mr w00t Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:20AM]

As with everything I had before I am waiting for the perfect device to use this. Happened when I first saw the iPod, until the iTouch came, with my DSLR camera, until the super D90 came, and with phone, until the N900 came.

I am still waiting for the perfect Pixel Qi device.
Something that would have a colour display, cheap, open to different formats and so on.

Lets hope in one year I finally can get my hands in one.

[Mr w00t Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:23AM]

@Mr w00t Keep these Pixel Qi stories coming Ricker

[tonyprince Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:20AM]

wait a minute.. this laptop uses e-ink?

[buoy Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:24AM]

@(Unverified) non non it's Pixel-Qi. It's this type of display thats similar to LCD to manufacture but uses less power, is readable outdoors, can have the backlight turned off etc, etc. there is an interview with the creator on youtube if you want to know more. cheers.

[TareG Posted Jul 2nd 2010 5:55AM]

@(Unverified)
Basically, the screen allows outdoor light to permeate through the screen, and reflect back, thus acting as backlight without the screen actually being backlit.

[bhtooefr Posted Jul 2nd 2010 7:14AM]

@(Unverified) Nope.

Have you ever used a monochrome LCD in sunlight? Good ones are incredibly easy to see.

However, color LCDs normally have the color layer in front.

These displays have it behind the LCD. So, in normal indoor lighting, with the backlight on, it looks normal.

If you don't need color, however, and want to save battery, you can turn off the backlight. In many places, there's enough ambient light to read it indoors with no backlight.

Or, if you're outdoors in the sun, you wouldn't be able to read a color display... but this, the sun just helps you see the monochrome mode, rather than washing the display out. Might as well kill the backlight, it's not doing anything, though.

(It's not actually switching modes - if there's more light coming in the front than the backlight is putting out, it's monochrome. If the backlight is putting more light out than is coming into the display, it's color.

[Sor1 Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:32AM]

What is the resolution of this display ?? Also if you add a touch sensitive layer for input will it work as a touch screen?? There are some nice tablet netbooks that if everything works they can be made as very good e-readers.

[Lucian Armasu Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:45AM]

@Sor1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxgRBC47SAo

[vkelman Posted Jul 2nd 2010 8:50AM]

@Sor1,
You're exactly right! And there are already two Android tablets in development which will use Pixel Qi displays. The first one is called Adam and is being developed by Indian company Notion Ink http://goo.gl/cjRP. Its specifications are quite remarkable. Another one is Innoversal Pixel Qi based tablet (Atom-based powerful Android tablet.)
See dedicated Wave at http://goo.gl/M6kc.

[boxieblue Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:32AM]

sold out in a day? how many did they make?

[qbgabe12 Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:51AM]

Kindle DX Color!

[NeatOman Posted Jul 2nd 2010 4:55AM]

I just want to know.... WHY THIS IS NOT ON MORE PHONES!!!!!!

FYI, i know its on some (and look like crap)... but i mean mass market phone. The only one i've seen (close to this) is on Motorola phones (i.e. v9m outside screen) and there ok, but not as good as this. This would make business smart phones more feasible for field work. Pull up blue prints etc...

[Formul Posted Jul 2nd 2010 5:07AM]

@NeatOman you mean this brand new technology, that isnt on any phone yet?

[sara Posted Jul 2nd 2010 6:39AM]

@NeatOman I'm fairly sure my Nok E71 is kindof transflective - though not with as much 'pop' as this Pixel Qi... certainly on a bright day I can kill the brightness and easily red ebooks (white BG, black text) off it...

[NeatOman Posted Jul 2nd 2010 6:54AM]

@Formul When i was talking about more phones I was talking about a screens ability to be visible in direct sunlight... that's why i said "i know its on some (and look like crap)" I'm well aware that this is new along with its ability to change. I'm Sorry that my post was incoherent, But this of course would be awesome on any phone, especially for a professional. Hope this post is better understood :)

[dokuzetsu3 Posted Jul 2nd 2010 5:15AM]

Was the brightness sensor adopted?

It is very good display.

[waxernz Posted Jul 2nd 2010 5:31AM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z03hlZThveI
From about 5:15 she explains about the screen and how it works and why you get a resolution boost in reflective mode etc. The start also shows a bunch of configurations for the newer wide angle model as well as touch screens and wacom support.
Innoversal have been putting up vids of their windows tablet running and showing off handwriting recognition using your finger. Processing the letters is a bit slow but interesting anyway. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd72hPyhC0I

[BeaverusIV Posted Jul 2nd 2010 6:23AM]

The question is, can it work with amoled?

[bhtooefr Posted Jul 2nd 2010 7:18AM]

@BeaverusIV No. AMOLED is naturally an emissive technology - that is, it emits light.

LCD is a light-blocking technology. In a normal LCD, there's a backlight, the light from that backlight goes through subpixels, and color filters in front of each subpixel create the colors. In monochrome LCDs, light from outside of the screen can also reflect through the LCD, causing it to be quite readable. (There are color LCDs that use this, but they're not very good.)

In this LCD, the color filters are behind the subpixels. So, the backlight light goes through the color filters, and then the subpixels. (I may not be quite right on how the pixels themselves are laid out, but this is how it works otherwise.) Outside light, however, reflects through the subpixels, but not the color layer - so the display works just like a monochrome display when the backlight is off or the light is too bright.

AMOLED can't work like that, unfortunately.

[BeaverusIV Posted Jul 2nd 2010 7:27AM]

@bhtooefr Damn. Also, couldn't have asked for a better reply, thanks.

[c w j Posted Jul 2nd 2010 2:01PM]

@bhtooefr

I miss the good old days when engadget was full of links interesting articles and insightful commentary - people asking legitimate questions and getting useful answers.

(nostalgia sigh)

[chris2 Posted Jul 2nd 2010 8:05AM]

I've heard of using a mirror to see who's behind you, but that's ridiculous!


I'm here all week, folks.

[brothaa Posted Jul 2nd 2010 10:24AM]

yesss!!


who ever makes this possible will be rich!

[r19578 Posted Jul 2nd 2010 10:45AM]

Where can I find that picture of the cute little girl holding a pumpkin?

[meta Posted Jul 2nd 2010 11:32AM]

I'm thinking that this was a cunning plan to demonstrate to netbook and tablet manufacturers that there's actual demand.

Sooner or later someone will stick Android 2.x and one of these displays in an actual product, and really honestly ship it, and I'll be happy and buy one.