The Next Big Thing – OLED Laptops
Samsung has been a trendsetter of sorts in the notebook manufacturing, and with the announcement of the worlds first notebook with a AMOLED (active matrix organic light emitting display) display in the first half of 2008,it had caused a ripple in the fast evolving notebook niche. The OLED is a 12.1-inch active matrix display (AM), which stacks cathode with an organic and anode layers on top of a substrate that contains circuits. Now the bulk of the weight of a notebook is due to the display, the processor and the hard-disc. Hence a lighter display will reduce the weight correspondingly.
In an OLED (organic light emitting display) display, the pixels are due to the deposition of the organic layer in a discrete-’dot’ pattern.
Now there is a growing usage of this organic-light-emitting-diode-displays. It will definitely challenge the LCD screens in smart phones and such, however its adaptation to notebooks and PCs has been a slow process.
Basically the organic compounds in the OLED displays emit light when exposed to electricity. They have sharper contrast and brightness and the edges of images are more defined. Proving faster response and less power consumption then the LCD displays make them prime replacement material on LCD panel used in notebooks.
Walkmans and mobile phones with OLED have been in the market for some time.
Main attributes of being lightweight and better colour displays and contrast are premium features for its popularity in such gadgets.
OLED have the potential of replacing LCD panels in notebooks as it would make the notebook much lighter and the display better. Adaptation to TV is another option.
The main restraining factor at present is the cost involved. Present estimate is a 1.5 times increase in cost with the use of OLED to replace LCD displays. That would convert into raised notebook prices. The benefits being lighter and better displays.
Only Samsung has leapt into the business end of OLED notebook production, with the proposed release of an OLED notebook in the third quarter of 2010.However the pricing is going to be keenly watched in a fast evolving and highly competitive market.
It is worth noticing that Kodak, the producer or digital camera and camera films own the patent for the OLED technology.
On a negative note, that OLED displays lose the brightness faster being organic in nature. That is the big reason for its slow adaptation in bigger gadgets and television.
With increased OLED use and production, the volume will cause reduction in prices and allow its adaptation to notebooks to replace LCD displays!
Going a bit further into how the Active Matrix OLEDs will impact notebook production in the future will be a bit of a guess. Passive matrix OLEDs are already in use in cell phones and mp3 players.
Flexible displays using active matrix OLED’s is another interesting topic and is infact a mouth-watering prospect in viewing pleasure.
Samsung planned release in the third quarter of 2010, should bring distortion free and true colour into the laptop display and a lighter laptops into the market.