Pixel Qi demos 3Qi Hybrid Display

Pixel Qi has demonstrated its 3Qi screen which it hopes will revolutionise display technology. The 3-in-1 display can not only switch between an efficient black-and-white mode and a high resolution colour screen, but also to an e-paper mode suitable for reading in direct sunlight.

The same panel is used in the picture below. The left picture has the backlight on, with the screen set to full colour saturation. The right picture shows the same screen in e-paper mode with the backlight off. Battery life will be conserved when using the e-paper mode, as the only energy consumption occurs when the page changes.

The second picture shows the 3Qi display used in a 10.1-inch modified Acer Aspire One. As can be seen, it is perfectly readable in direct sunlight. PixelQi’s project leader, Mary Lou Jepsen, says that this screen will be commercially available for netbooks by the end of this year.