Better LCDs for outdoors reading

afv011 · 10-12-2013, 02:12 PM

Quote:

JDI (Japan Display Inc.), a joint venture between Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi, has announced that it will begin to produce Full HD 5-inch “WhiteMagic” LCD displays, which are almost 40% brighter when compared to some of the brightest displays on high-end phones of 2013.

(...)the new displays from JDI utilize an extra white pixel added to the standard RGB (Red-Green-Blue) pixel layout to create a RGBW (Red-Green-Blue-White) pixel layout.

This tweak allows the display to reach a surface luminance of 840cd/m^2, an insanely high brightness when compared to current smartphones (...)

Source

I don't read often on my phone, but any improvements to make the screen more readable in daylight are certainly welcome.

LordP · 10-12-2013, 02:51 PM

LAMAO:

zeppelin
this is good news. someone please secure this innovation from Apple's hand..

johnnyb · 10-12-2013, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordP

LAMAO:

zeppelin
this is good news. someone please secure this innovation from Apple's hand..

Already in the new iPad Mini, baam!

*kidding*

Prestidigitweeze · 10-12-2013, 05:59 PM

I read an article about this days ago but would be more interested if there were reasons beyond readability in sunlight to prefer a WhiteMagic™ screen. I seem not to go to the beach enough to be overly concerned about reading a tablet in the noon glare.

If brightness is enhanced by the white pixel, I wonder what the effect on battery life will be. That could be interesting.

Xanthe · 10-12-2013, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyb

Already in the new iPad Mini, baam!

*kidding*

Some of us won't buy Apple.

Re-baam!

BWinmill · 10-12-2013, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

If brightness is enhanced by the white pixel, I wonder what the effect on battery life will be. That could be interesting.

That was my initial thought, then I read the article. Apparently it has no impact upon the battery. My guess is that the light from the W pixel doesn't have to pass through a filter, so less energy is lost and the image can be much brighter without having to increase the intensity of the backlight. (In reality, I suspect that battery life would be improved simply because the backlight can be set to a lower level.)

Sil_liS · 10-12-2013, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWinmill

That was my initial thought, then I read the article. Apparently it has no impact upon the battery. My guess is that the light from the W pixel doesn't have to pass through a filter, so less energy is lost and the image can be much brighter without having to increase the intensity of the backlight. (In reality, I suspect that battery life would be improved simply because the backlight can be set to a lower level.)

Indoors I use minimum brightness on LCD already. This might be too bright for me.

caleb72 · 10-12-2013, 10:25 PM

Soon enough you'll need protective eyeware when reading the device. It will come with warnings - only use this brightness in direct sunlight or risk eye damage.

Canuck_in_Japan · 10-13-2013, 01:20 AM

If they've managed to do this while not compromising battery life then great. But if they've just invented a new LCD screen where you can turn the brightness up to 11 and have a crap battery life then no thank you.

Sil_liS · 10-13-2013, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caleb72

Soon enough you'll need protective eyeware when reading the device. It will come with warnings - only use this brightness in direct sunlight or risk eye damage.

I get that feeling on the rare occasions when I turn my tablet on in the dark.

frahse · 10-13-2013, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afv011

Source

I don't read often on my phone, but any improvements to make the screen more readable in daylight are certainly welcome.

I think this might be a real plus for cameras. I am always having a problem reading the screen on my camera out in full sunlight where you are limited as to how to hold the camera because you want to take a certain picture.

Bricorn · 10-13-2013, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frahse

I think this might be a real plus for cameras. I am always having a problem reading the screen on my camera out in full sunlight where you are limited as to how to hold the camera because you want to take a certain picture.

Agreed, cameras and the like where the screen is only needed for short periods, yes. Smartphones & tablets, no, not unless battery life is unaffected - and I don't see how they can do that.

afv011 · 10-14-2013, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bricorn

no, not unless battery life is unaffected - and I don't see how they can do that.

The article indicates battery life is not affected by the increased brightness.

Andrew H. · 10-14-2013, 12:35 AM

The reason that LCDs are hard to read in sunlight is because they have to compete with the brightness of the sun, and are substantially dimmer. While a 40% increase in brightness might help in marginal cases, I don't think it's going to make an LCD screen outdoor-readable the way that e-ink is.

frahse · 10-15-2013, 12:01 PM

Someone asked me how do the dedicated GPS devices like Garmin have screens that are very readable in bright light?
Are those different in some way that is not usually talked about?

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10-12-2013, 02:51 PM	#2
LordP Groupie Posts: 188 Karma: 1341124 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	LAMAO: zeppelin this is good news. someone please secure this innovation from Apple's hand..

10-12-2013, 05:59 PM	#4
Prestidigitweeze Fledgling Demagogue Posts: 2,384 Karma: 31132263 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: White Plains Device: Clara HD; Oasis 2; Aura HD; iPad Air; PRS-350; Galaxy S7.	I read an article about this days ago but would be more interested if there were reasons beyond readability in sunlight to prefer a WhiteMagic™ screen. I seem not to go to the beach enough to be overly concerned about reading a tablet in the noon glare. If brightness is enhanced by the white pixel, I wonder what the effect on battery life will be. That could be interesting.

10-12-2013, 10:25 PM	#8
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	Soon enough you'll need protective eyeware when reading the device. It will come with warnings - only use this brightness in direct sunlight or risk eye damage.

10-13-2013, 01:20 AM	#9
Canuck_in_Japan Wizard Posts: 1,476 Karma: 14328611 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tokyo, Japan Device: Aura, Aura H2O, Kindle PW3	If they've managed to do this while not compromising battery life then great. But if they've just invented a new LCD screen where you can turn the brightness up to 11 and have a crap battery life then no thank you.

10-14-2013, 12:35 AM	#14
Andrew H. Grand Master of Flowers Posts: 2,201 Karma: 8389072 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Naptown Device: Kindle PW, Kindle 3 (aka Keyboard), iPhone, iPad 3 (not for reading)	The reason that LCDs are hard to read in sunlight is because they have to compete with the brightness of the sun, and are substantially dimmer. While a 40% increase in brightness might help in marginal cases, I don't think it's going to make an LCD screen outdoor-readable the way that e-ink is.

10-15-2013, 12:01 PM	#15
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,315 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	Someone asked me how do the dedicated GPS devices like Garmin have screens that are very readable in bright light? Are those different in some way that is not usually talked about?

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