From Wikipedia:
Quote:
Whereas a passive matrix display uses a simple conductive grid to deliver current to the liquid crystals in the target area, an active matrix display uses a grid of transistors and capacitors (which are called the thin film transistors) with the ability to hold a charge for a limited period of time. Because of the switching action of transistors, only the desired pixel receives a charge, and the pixel acts as a capacitor to hold the charge until the next refresh cycle, improving image quality over a passive matrix.
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I think the conventional meaning of "active display" is that the pixels can be individually turned on or off (and will, to a certain extent, hold their state without further instruction from the video interface), as opposed to having to refresh the whole screen at once. E Ink can have both methods of screen update; the whole-screen refresh appears to produce less ghosting, at least on the iLiad.
Internet access itself should not be dependent on an active display. Most internet applications, e.g. a web browser, can be displayed by refreshing either a portion of the screen or the entire screen, as the content is relatively static. However, E Ink, because of the high latency in pixel refresh, will not be appropriate for animated or other rapidly changing visual content (at least not this generation of E Ink).