LG Display has developed a
LCD module that it says looks as good outdoors in sunlight ads it does indoors.
The 14.1-inch display is intended for laptop computers and allows users to
switch display modes to suit the location. The illumination from a backlight
panel behind the screen, results in an image that looks good indoors but is not
bright enough to be seen outdoors. Reflective panels use a mirror behind the
screen to reflect ambient light for a brighter outdoor image but one that looks
dark indoors. Halfway between these two technologies are transreflective panels
that have both a mirror and backlight behind the panel and offer a compromise
between the two types of display but don't excel outdoors or inside. The new LG
Display panel can be switched between backlight mode, when indoors, to
reflective mode, when outdoors, at the touch of a button allowing the best of
both technologies without any compromise, the company plans to unveil it at CES
in January.