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Collapsible LCD Screens

Posted by timothy on from the sounds-tempting dept.

Schart writes "I can't seem to find any pictures of exactly what they mean by 'collapsible LCD,' but NEC today announced a new line of low(ish) priced LCD screens that 'fold up for easy portability.'" Anyone out there who can supply visual documentation?

12 of 304 comments (clear)

  1. why by teklob · · Score: 4, Interesting

    whats the point in having a folding lcd monitor? it's not like portability is a huge factor when you still have to plug it into your computer

    1. Re:why by Shishak · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Remember the IBM laptops that had a keyboard that would open up to full size? Imagine a laptop LCD that opens up like a pop-up card to a full 23" LCD screen when in use but fold down to 15" when not in use.

      --
      Now I hope and pray that I will But today I am still, just a bill
  2. This is great news... by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Several years ago (circa 1995 if my memory serves me right) IBM produced a regular-sized notebook which had a full-sized keyboard. This "butterfly" keyboard was the closest anyone has ever come to producing a desktop-type experience in a notebook package but the screen was still no better than that on any other notebook.

    Now, with these foldable screens, we'll finally see ultra-ultra portable notebooks with 15in. dispays and usable keyboards in smaller packages than currently possible.

    Of course, it'll be a long time until these babies are anything but top-of-the-line models but, eventually, they'll be available at the lower-end of the market too.

    I can't wait to see one.

    --

    "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
  3. The World's 1st Foldable LCD by cloudless.net · · Score: 5, Interesting
    The world's 1st foldable LCD

    Can't find a photo of it yet, but the article says "The seam between the two panels is less than 1 mm"

  4. would be good for many games by Squarewav · · Score: 3, Interesting

    you could take say quake3 bend the screen a bit and up the fov that way when you look to the left you see guys that are to the left of you, without so much distortion from just uping the fov on a flat screen

  5. Cool by Klimaxor · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I like the idea. Some may think "well, it's 13lbs, that's not so portable" But you have to look at it this way. Whether you haul your system to and from LAN's every week, or even move it from location to location once a year, it's common knowledge that if you can the make the package smaller, it won't get harmed as easily. Even with current day LCD's, the worry of scratching the screen, or something else, makes people put them in a box, which takes up room, and is a general pain in the ass. If you can fold it up, especially so that the entire screen is enclosed, what the hell, put the monitor in your glove box and save room in the moving vehicle for other stuff (like that abnormally large chair that is just really comfortable and you just CAN'T compute without it)

    --
    your sins into me, oh my beautiful one.
  6. Re:about time... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Forget folding LCDs - a technology whose time will NEVER arrive. What we want is fold-up or roll-up screens. Remember the "electric paper" display units? These things will be in colour pretty shortly, plus they don't lose the image when you remove the power!

    Imagine your laptop, which is half the size of a normal keyboard (folded in half), with a display folded like a map inside it. Remove the display, unfold it to 2 metres x 1 metre, stick it on any wall less than 6 metres away, and presto - wireless display.

    The unit will auotmatically select what display mode you want, and what size, based on how you unfold it, and the display will know where it is still folded, and only display across the area intended for viewing. So you'll be able to unfold it to quarter-size while it's close to you (on a desk) but move up to the full size when you unfold all of it.

    LCD - BAH!

    OLED and I might be impressed... ;)

  7. Hellooo Trintron! by SuperBanana · · Score: 5, Interesting

    1980's, Sony: "You'll never notice those two 'faint' grey lines!" 2003, NEC: "You'll never notice those three 'small' spaces between sections!"

    --
    Please help metamoderate.
  8. Was I the only one reminded of... by Moses+Lawn · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Aw man, when I read the blurb about a collapsible screen, the first thing I thought of Mr. Whoopie's amazing 3-D blackboard (best link I could find - 2nd image down) from 'Tennessee Tuxedo'. That was the one that opened up from pocket size to full size and came to life with full animations of whatever concept he was trying to demonstrate. Always saved Tennessee and Chumley's asses.

    Man, I really want a 3-D blackboard. Life sucks.

    --

    What if life is just a side effect of some other process and God has no idea we exist?

  9. Forget the lcd by NightWulf · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Where are those paper displays I keep hearing about. The only redeeming factor in that craporama that was Red Planet was that cool pull out film that was a computer display. Imagine having something like a pen, that you pull a display out of, now that's the real future!

  10. do you want an opinion or a link? by chipace · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you want an opinion... it doesn't look like what I expected. If you want a link (like the guy asked for) here it is: http://www.nmv.co.jp/nmvisual/hardware/index.html

  11. Re:expandable PDA display by r84x · · Score: 3, Interesting
    I think you are on to something here. I cannot tell you how many times I have thought, "Man, I wish I had a dictionary/map/encyclopedia/etc. right now" when I go to pull out my PocketPC.

    I am going on a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park in a couple days, and have downloaded some topo maps that display poorly on my tiny LCD. (Buying paper maps cost money that I don't have...)

    As a previous poster said though, folding is not where it's at, what we really need is a cheap-ish roll out display, one that will also be able to take the wear and tear of repeated use.

    As long as I am on my little wish list here, I also think that there is a market for a outdoor/weatherproof/rugged PDA. If such a thing already exists, please excuse my ignorance.

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