Vibrant Notebook Screens

Snazzy screens have become more available. Is it time to buy?

James A. Martin

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Feature: Vibrant Notebook Screens Go Mainstream

If you haven't looked at new notebooks lately, you may be in for a pleasant surprise. In the past year, a growing number of notebooks have debuted with brighter and whiter screens and glossy reflective coatings. These sparkling displays show off colors and improve contrast for video playback and digital photos.

I've seen several of the bright-white notebook screens, and in general I love what I see. But bright-white screens have some downsides, too. Here's the scoop.

The Bright-Screen Backstory

Bright, glossy notebook screens are currently available from Dell, HP, Sony, Toshiba, and other vendors on selected models. Each company has a different name for its technology. HP calls its BrightView, Sony's is Xbrite, and so on. Of the various bright-screen flavors currently offered, I'm most familiar with HP's BrightView, as I've been trying out one of its notebooks that features the technology, an HP Pavilion DV1000.

I've viewed the DV1000's screen both indoors and out; and I've been amazed by how crisp and legible it is, even in direct sunlight. (Most notebook screens look washed-out in bright light.) The DV1000's BrightView screen has impressed several of my friends, too. In fact, my pal Bob bought a DV1000 the day after I showed him the notebook--and Bob is by no means an impulse buyer.

The DV1000's dazzle is achieved by adding a high-gloss polarized coating to a transmissive LCD screen, says Kevin Clancy, manager of display technology for HP's consumer notebooks. Transmissive screens are the most common type found in notebooks today. They usually come with an antiglare, as opposed to a high-gloss, finish.

The mirror-like sheen on the DV1000 greatly improves contrast and eliminates the washed-out look so common when traditional antiglare LCDs are exposed to sunlight. And because HP is using the widely available and long-manufactured transmissive screen technology, BrightView is an inexpensive option, adding only $50 to the cost of a DV1000 when configured on HP's Web site. The DV1000 is nicely priced overall, too, starting at $799 for a basic configuration. Go to our Product Finder for the latest prices.

What's the Catch?

Now for those downsides I mentioned.

Mirror-like Display: Depending on the lighting conditions and the screen's tilt, you can see yourself in the reflective coating of an HP BrightView display. Most of the time, I wasn't bothered by the reflection, but it could prove distracting.

Ergonomics: For prolonged viewing, ergonomic experts suggest that LCDs with a traditional antiglare finish are easier on the eyes than high-gloss displays, Clancy points out. That shouldn't be a concern if you have a desktop PC and use your high-gloss-screen notebook only when you're out of the office. If you use your notebook as your office computer, too, you could connect it to an external monitor (without a high-gloss finish, of course). That's a good idea ergonomically, no matter what type of screen your notebook has.

Scratches: A high-gloss coating is no more vulnerable to scratches than a typical antiglare finish--but because the high-gloss coating emphasizes screen contrast, you could notice the scratch more, Clancy admits. He cautions users to avoid scratching their display regardless of the screen type, because repairing a scratched screen can be expensive. One tip: The DV1000 ships with a removable, gauzy black strip that protects the screen when the notebook is in its original box. I'd hold onto the strip and place it between the monitor and keyboard whenever I traveled with the notebook.

The Big Picture

To me, the advantages of a bright-white, glossy notebook screen far outweigh their drawbacks.

HP's BrightView makes everything on screen look better, crisper, and cleaner. Best of all, with the DV1000, I can sit at an outdoor cafe table on a sunny day and work. For me, that alone makes a BrightView display--or other competing high-gloss, high-contrast screen technologies--worth the few extra bucks.

For more information about the DV1000 series, go to HPshopping.com.

What's Your Story?

Does your notebook have a high-gloss, high-contrast screen? If so, are you happy with it? If not, why not? Send me e-mail.

Mobile Computing News, Reviews, & Tips

Notebook First Look: HP's Media Center ZD8000

HP's new Pavilion ZD8000 is well equipped to entertain, with Microsoft's Windows XP Media Center 2005 operating system; 1GB of system memory; ATI's Mobility X600 graphics chip with 256MB of graphics memory; a 17-inch wide-screen display; a separate unit that contains two TV tuners, an FM tuner, an infrared port for use with the included remote control, and composite-in and S-Video-in ports; and guaranteed face time with Jessica Simpson. (I just wanted to make sure you're still reading.)

PC World's Kalpana Ettenson gives the system a thumbs up, except for one big problem: the notebook weighs 12.2 pounds with its huge AC adapter. It's not really designed for mobile professionals, though; it's more for consumers who want an entertainment computer they can move from room to room.

Pricing starts at $1400, but you'll spend about $2549 for a model with the specs I just described.

Notebook Accessories: Portable Speakers With Punch

Klipsch's new $100 ProMedia Ultra 2.0 packs desktop-sound quality into a portable speaker set, says PC World's Eric Dahl. Although they're a bit bulky, the speakers produce crisp and detailed high to midrange response and surprisingly good bass, especially when compared with other portable speaker sets.

PDA News: Treo 650 Storage Crunch

PalmOne's new Treo 650 smart phone uses flash memory instead of the dynamic RAM that the earlier Treo 600 uses. Problem is, the switch has unintentionally reduced the amount of memory available to Treo 650 users. The result: The files you had on a Treo 600 might not all fit on the 650. To help users get around this, PalmOne is offering a free 128MB expansion card to Treo 650 owners.

PalmOne switched to flash memory because it better protects data in the event of battery failure and because PalmOne handheld owners have been asking the company to switch to flash memory for years, according to a PalmOne spokesperson. For more details, read "New File System Constrains Treo 650 Storage Capacity."

Gadget First Look: An IPod for Music and Pictures

Apple's new IPod Photo makes it easy to look at your favorite photos and listen to your top tunes on one device. But the high price tag--$499 for a 40GB version and $599 for a 60GB model--isn't a pretty picture, says PC World reviewer Cathy Lu. The 2-inch, 65,000-color display is beautiful and crisp, but it's a bit small for viewing photos, Cathy adds.

You can check our Product Finder for the latest prices.

Travel Tech: Airlines May Offer Cell Phone Check-In

Beginning in 2005, you may be able to use your mobile phone to skip the airport check-in line. Air industry organization SITA and Siemens Business Services recently announced they'll be offering such a service by mid-2005. Many U.S.-based airlines are interested in beta testing it, says a SITA spokesperson.

In-Flight Entertainment: Movie Downloads vs. Netflix

Netflix, an online service that mails DVD rentals to your address, has long been popular with notebook-toting frequent flyers. For a flat monthly fee, you can rent DVDs to watch on your notebook in flight without fretting over late fees.

So how well do online movie download services such as Movielink and Starz Ticket on Real Movies compare to Netflix? PC World's Dan Tynan says the download sites are a good idea done poorly, with technical glitches and limited selections. For now, Netflix is still the way to go--and it could be even more appealing when the company launches its own download service next year in partnership with TiVo.

Suggestion Box

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