palthainon

Open Source Video Card Drivers

Monitors and Displays submitted by meffie 02/20/07

Sell machines with video adaptors that have open source drivers, not proprietary binary blobs.

Please impress the importance to ATI to publish specifications for their hardware. 3 Comments »

linux hardware support

Dell, Linux, Monitors and Displays, Operating Systems submitted by xiandrow 06/06/07

There has been a lot of headway in the Linux support area of computer technology in the last few years. It would be awesome to see Dell lead the pack in general Linux driver support. I would be a more regular customer! The hardware on my Dell Inspiron 1501doesn't fully support Linux. Graphics and Wireless drivers are badly needed. This is a good machine, but Vista just isn't up to par yet. 2 Comments »

Make those laptops display lid hinges unbreakable and offer a guaranteed 6 year free repair for a hinge that breaks

Monitors and Displays, Laptops submitted by mahei 02/19/07

I had two laptops in the past 6 years with a broken hinge at the display lid because i always have my notebook around with me at home, university, work, clients etc.

I will never again buy a laptop which does not look mechanically stable - it's a total waste of money to pay around EUR 1000,- for something that breaks just because some engineer saved 20 cents in the design of the construction. 1 Comment »

I don't like glossy screens either

Monitors and Displays submitted by genesplitter 05/09/07

When I'm sitting (at a coffeshop) with a large windows behind me, all I see is glare. 5 Comments »

Include cleaning and screen protection cloth with laptops

Monitors and Displays, Laptops submitted by jkeating 11/02/07

A nice dell branded cleaning cloth should be included with new laptops. This cloth would be used to clean the laptop sceens as well as lay on top of the keyboard when the laptop is closed to protect the screen from keyboard imprints. If a cloth is included it is far more likely that this cloth would be used to clean rather than some other cleaning device which may damage a user's screen. 10 Comments »

Stop the TrueLife Madness!

Monitors and Displays submitted by jmecc 03/28/07

First it was all the laptops and now even desktop screens are getting the TrueLife garbage (SP1908). Just keep the screens mat like they were - there was nothing wrong with it and the manufacturers had to screw with it.

TrueLife brings this terrible glare onto the screen that mat screens avoid. In stores, you see this fishbowl screensaver and you know why it looks good - because a real-life fishbowl is glossy! As soon as you try to get work done on these the glare is a big problem though.

Each manufacturer claims to have some anti-reflective coating, but they all look shiny. You know how to recognize something that is reflective: if it is shiny that means it is reflecting light, otherwise it would not look shiny. Please, please, please return to the mat screens!!! 6 Comments »

Give us the option of a glossy or a non-glossy screen on ALL desktop monitors REGARDLESS of color

Monitors and Displays submitted by winoffice Mar 13

I have checked the Dell Web site and I have seen in most cases (on desktop monitors) that the black screens have non-glossy screens and that the silver screens have glossy screens. And why is that Dell? What if I want a non-glossy screen on a silver monitor, or a glossy screen on a black monitor? Please give us the option of a glossy (TrueLife) or a non-glossy (anti-glare) screen on ALL desktop monitors REGARDLESS of whether it is silver or black.

And now BEFORE those of you who hate glossy screens demote this, please notice that I am asking for nothing other than the OPTION, so that you could always opt out if that was what you wanted. 3 Comments »

Offer Laptops with the SXGA without the Trulife

Inspiron products, Monitors and Displays, Laptops submitted by mavtech 05/06/07

I miss my Inspiron 6000's WSXGA screen. I could see the screen in any lighting. I absolutely cannot stand the TruLife on my E1505. I can barely see the screen outside and have to close the blinds in the living room when using the laptop. I wish I could switch it out. If there had been an option to get the WSXGA WITHOUT the TruLife, I would have chosen it. 5 Comments »

NICE New Dell montor! Keep making great designs like this.

Monitors and Displays submitted by jmxz 05/18/07

http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/18/dells-ultra-thin-concept-lcd-with-displayp...

Dell's ultra-thin LCD concept with DisplayPort going retail?
...
Remember that super swanky Dell monitor concept we went ga ga over back at January's CES? Yeah, we still find it hard to believe it's a Dell design. Well, it'll apparently be up for sale later in the year.

Beautiful - we want more great designs like this. 41 Comments »

Linux Drivers for All Dell Devices

Linux, Monitors and Displays submitted by grifter 10/24/07 **REVIEWED**

If Dell truly wishes to promote their Ubuntu line of computers then they should make sure that all of their devices work properly with the OS. For instance, the SP2008WFP monitor, while it does display everything fine, does not have drives for Linux systems of any kind. This is most certainly a hamper for any Ubuntu users to want to buy a Dell peripheral.


Please see john_h and matt_d's comments
14 Comments »

HDMI on all laptops

Inspiron products, Monitors and Displays submitted by blackkitty 06/27/07

I would like to see all Inspiron laptops have HDMI connectors standard, or at a minimum make it an option on the 17" screen version. 3 Comments »

Dissipate heat from the back of the LCD; not the laptop's bottom

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Monitors and Displays, Laptops submitted by endolith 06/10/07

The name for these devices has been changed from "laptop" to "notebook", because the bottoms of these things get so hot they slow cook your legs if you try to hold them on your lap. I've been using mine with a big cloth pad underneath since I got it, and it still heats up my legs.

The problem is that the heat is designed to dissipate mostly from the bottom. That's why the modern Dell laptops have little rubber bumper feet, so that, theoretically, you'll use it on a table and the fan will draw air past the bottom surface of the laptop. Back in reality, everyone just uses them on their laps or couches and the little rubber feet break off and get lost.

What you should do instead is route the heat to fins on the back of the LCD, where it will easily be dissipated. (You know, the part that's almost vertical, prone to convection, and always exposed to the environment instead of legs?) The parts that contact the lap should then be thoroughly insulated.

Options for routing the heat into the LCD:

• Actively liquid-cooled laptops with little pumps and such.
• Passive liquid heat pipes using alcohol or other working fluid that condenses in the heatsink, drips back down by gravity into the main body of the laptop, is warmed and evaporated to flow back up and be cooled in the heat sink, etc.
• Active air cooling with the normal laptop fan blowing air into open ducts that go up the LCD housing
• Very passive cooling that just leaves open ducts for air to naturally convect up the LCD housing like a chimney.

For connecting the main body to the LCD:

• Rotational coupling built into or coaxial with the LCD's hinges
• Flexible hoses

11 Comments »

Matte (NOT TrueLife) Display on XPS m1330

Monitors and Displays, XPS products submitted by mw 06/27/07 **UNDER REVIEW**

The XPS m1330 seems to be the perfect machine, aside from a few imperfections (no Gigabit Ethernet, for example). However, there is one feature that is an absolute dealbreaker for me--the glossy TrueLife screen. I remember the day before the shiny screens, and what a beautiful day that was.

If the XPS m1330 were available with a matte option (along with LED backlighting, of course), I would order one right now. I just don't think I can deal with the TrueLife panel.











17 Comments »

Turn off latop screen via QuickSet

Monitors and Displays, Laptops submitted by lukemcurley Apr 7

Quick suggestion, please allow me to turn off my laptop screen completely with the QuickSet brightness control. Currently it does not and never goes completely black.

Not being able to do this means the laptop sucks battery when you are on a plane listening to music only via headphones and don't need the LCD sucking juice. Or often in my case listening to Internet radio at bedtime, the laptop screen even when dimmed to the max lights up the entire room.

I understand you can get some applications online to do this but Dell what is the point adding brightness control if you cannot turn brightness off. 6 Comments »

Use better LCD panels in laptops.

Monitors and Displays, Laptops submitted by mlazarov Feb 26

In order for laptops to be a viable platform for graphical applications, the color reproduction and viewing angles of their displays must be addressed. Most laptops use TN/CCFL displays that suffer from poor color range and color shift. Dell should at very least offer an S-IPS/LED display option in their workstation-class laptops. I realize several of Dell's laptops already have LED backlighting, but there would a significant improvement quality if S-IPS panels were used.

Update: I thought it'd be best to illustrate the difference between TN and S-IPS displays. Below is a side-by-side comparison of a TN (left) and S-IPS (right) display from an off-axis vertical angle.

http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/10884.jpg

Having such dramatic color variation at different angles almost precludes any sort of in-field collaborative image editing or similar application. The laptop on the right is a (discontinued) ThinkPad T60p.



2 Comments »

TrueLife LCD Display Screens Should Have An Optional Anti-Glare Coating (like camera lenses & eye-glasses)!

Gaming, Monitors and Displays submitted by hjwasson 05/09/07

There are many posts regarding the fact that TrueLife displays are far too reflective for brightly backlit conditions. User responses to the complaints suggest getting a business class display with anti-glare filter - but these displays have not kept pace, are too dim, have poor pixel response rates and often have poor color rendition.

My suggestion is a compromise: Have the option to have TrueLife displays with an Anti-Reflective coating applied - just like those found on photographic optics or eye glasses! Such coatings are not as effective as traditional anti-glare matte screens, but significantly reduce reflections without greatly impacting light transmission (which is why they are used in photographic optics - they actually enhance contrast and reduce unwanted light scatter). They would moderately eliminate most reflections, while still allowing TrueLife displays to be bright and punchy.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-reflective_coating 
 http://www.firstvisionmedia.com/uww/2005_ar/enhance_properties.html 
 http://www.firstvisionmedia.com/uww/2004_ar/ar_product_showcase.html

I'm sure that Seiko, Hoya, Essilor, iCoat and others would vie for the chance to open up a new market for their coatings, and thus bring more profits to them (and lower costs to us). Some IdeaStorm members might be concerned about scratching the coating - but consider:

1. LCD panels are already prone to scratching, and care must be taken in their cleaning.
2. Modern Anti-Reflective (AR) coatings, with their multiple layers, are far more resistant to scratching than they used to be.
3. AR coatings tend to repel dust, so the need for cleaning would be less frequent.
4. With the use of a microfiber cloth (and mild liquid cleaning formulations when needed), the AR coating and display will remain pristine for many years of service.

If you would like to see modern Anti-Reflective coatings applied to TrueLife displays (as an optional upgrade) please promote this post.

6 Comments »

LED Screens for All Precision Laptops; Power Options for Precision Laptops

Monitors and Displays, Laptops submitted by rjasso Apr 27

For the market (engineers, architects, etc.) that is being catered to by the Precision laptops, these laptops should have LED screens that offer better and richer colors and are less power-hungry. Further, the M6300 should have a media bay battery option as do its smaller siblings, the M2300 and M4300. 2 Comments »

All Dell monitors must support 32 bits color

Monitors and Displays submitted by winoffice Apr 29

Just now I came across a Dell widescreen flat panel LCD monitor, the E198WFP (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Displays/productdetail.aspx?c=us&...). Alongside the fact that this monitor does not have 1920x1200 (which already makes me unlikely to buy it), even worse, the monitor only supports 24 bits color (click "Tech Specs" and see "Color Support' under "Display")! Today there exists much software that will not even install or run (without 32 bits), and yet some Dell monitors come with only 24 bits! That makes this monitor completely not viable for most use. Dell needs to upgrade all non-32 bits monitors to 32 bits color. 1 Comment »

switch to LED monitors

Monitors and Displays, Laptop Power submitted by yardsale Jan 16

I dont know why dell hasnt done this yet. switch all monitors on desktops and notebooks to LED. did you know that you can run an LED screen at full brightniess and it uses less power than a LCD monitor at the lowest brighting level?!? its cheaper, its energy efficent, and it needs to be done! promote this, if you demote i wanna know why! 46 Comments »

MP3

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) submitted by mrcool400 Apr 27

I think Dell should start coming on with there own line of MP3s with touch or with games plus podcasts, music, videos, pictures, and maybe bluetooth plus wifi to surf the net. 3 Comments »