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210

Use Electronic Paper Screen for Day-Light Users users

210 points posted to Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Printers and Ink by marvindanig May 2

Its very difficult to read the laptop screen in open daylight under the Sun. Especially, in a developing country like India, where people have to run and meet clients under the sun n do all reading while finding a suitable angle to turn the screen on... its annoying to adjust angles to connect optically with the text literally and the eyes get strained ultimately.

Using a layer of electronic paper screen (I know of company named e-ink.com which makes electronic papers) will help users like me to use the laptop more ergonomically. Not only that the electronic screen would consume power at 1/3rd the rate of an LCD or LED would ... Giving me more action time between two charges for the lappy....!

A paper screen can be read under the sun and requires alternative lighting for the night use (just like paperback books). It will suit a very large category of eye-conscious customers and give opportuniy to design another awesome category of LAPTOPS.

marvindanig
May 2		 Sry abt those two users at the top!! [:P]
paperpilot
May 2		 Will electronic paper allow color images. I think this would be the deal breaker.
phubert
May 2		 Not necessarily, paperpilot. The real question is how many people would buy such an option and would it be worth Dell's effort to provide it (either directly or through increased customer loyalty).

But, why would anyone try to use a laptop with the screen in direct sun????
claudio_ch
May 2		 Given e-paper and traditional displays are different[1] I like this idea and would imagine this: A laptop which on its inner side has its usual LCD-screen and keyboard. On its outer side (top) it would have an e-paper screen which - if this is possible - is also a touch screen, or otherwise just a few buttons. One could use this outside e-paper part for reading stuff while sitting in a nice place in a park without the need to print out your documents just because you don't want to spend your time inside on a sunny day.

And if I'm true in believing that e-paper can keep its content even witout power, this would make the ultimate customisable laptop lid :-)

[1] As far as I know e-paper has some advantages as mentioned and also I think it can keep and display its content even if not powered. Compared to traditional display it has also disadvantages in that it cannot be refreshed fast enough so that it would be suitable for e.g. for video, games or any other application where display has to quickly change content.
marvindanig
May 2		 thnx claudio for your comments. e-paper comes in colored screen as well... !!:) and you know what ... I hv seen a e-paper device with touch screen layer on it as well. the design was so simple and aesthetic in that device...one can think of a touchscreen keyboard as well in place of "standard punch key system thing" ....

And you know what, the laptop could be made even thinner and sleeker with both sides as e-paper screens. you just press a laptop key, and one side takes a shape of a keyboard and the other side that of a typical screen. rest of the time you can us the lappy as a reading book in portrait mode ... should i offer this idea to Apple?? for an awesome innovation to dent the world again?? i dunno how ideas bubble up with this website?
marvindanig
May 2		 jamesmoroni u demoted this idea did you? but u did not substantiate any reason? tell us why you demoted the idea of electronic paper?
berksmobil
Jun 1		 Please Dell, produce this notebook in black/white option! It would be sooo good for all WORKING people. Long lasting batterie power. CLEAR view nearly everywhere. Resolution is very high if I got it right, image webpages of newspapers and directories in near-paper-look? Amazing thing. In addition it would make ePaper more common and cheaper, if there is DELL buying "few" more displays then e-reader-manufactureres. BUT: don't try do replace books or so, it won't work for sure :-) Let it be a real notebook with no gimmicks (ePaper won't need webcams, gamers graphic cards, strong backlights, no touchpad, no implemented video codecs, dvdplayer-software and so on). Just for writing articles or managing servers via remote or all things like that. Could also be good for plain programming jobs?

@phubert: as marvindaning wrote in his idea in india it seems to be common to meet customers in open sun, so that's why u need to use it there. And think about all those architects on construction areas??? Handy thing if they had a high-high-high-resolution b/w plan?
robertandy1980
Jul 8		 this is such a good idea but it is lost in the clutter of 9000+ ideas on this website...sad it is. i guess this forum fails after delivering the first few ideas to the company...then the voice is lost in the rush.
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