Transflective Laptop Screens?

Posted by Cliff on Monday April 22, 2002 @07:37AM from the transflective-vs-reflective dept.

Ed_Moyse writes "It's a beautiful sunny day here in Geneva, and I've just been outside, enjoying a game of Advance Wars on my GBA. What I'd enjoy even more is to be able to work outside. Does anyone know why reflective laptop screens don't exist? It'd save battery life and should (if the GBA is any guide) work indoors too. Geeks with tans!" Timothy points out that what this reader is probably looking for is a transflective display, not a reflective display. The difference is that transflective laptops don't depend on ambient light, because they can be selectably backlit. Anyone who has ever used a laptop outside will know the advantages this may provide over your traditional LCD screen.

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Palm 505 by E1v!$ · 2002-04-22 09:10 · Score: 2, Insightful

If you wonder why laptops aren't using these, go back to the review of the 505. Almost every review complained about the display quality/brightness. If laptop makers put these in their machines, they'd sell very few of them.

And honestly, have you ever tried coding in bright sunlight? I have a nice patio out front (in AZ). If it's windy and I've made (paper) notes they try to go all over. Suntan? Go on a major coding streak and you can call it sun-BURN!

(Still, I'd buy one if available)