Return of the IPS screen? (iPad)

[Volker]

Apparently mobile IPS screens are less unobtainable than claimed by lenovo. And power consumption issues seem to be solvable, at least if Apple's claims of 10h battery life are to be believed. Can we please have IPS screens in future T- and X-series Thinkpads?

Though my bet is that we'll have to live with TN TFT until similar price & size OLED screens are out. Looking at my Nexus One screen, I won't miss TFT screens a bit

[Eudoxus]

I didnt know that iPad has IPS screen but one thing seems certain - it has 4:3 form factor. And we have been told by Lenovo that nobody manufacture 4:3 panels anymore. If so then where the hell Apple gets them from?

[dr_st]

Do we really need a million of threads on this stupid gadget?

Those somehow looking for connection between this product and the laptop screens need to learn some fundamentals about the LCD industry.

Touch screens, tablet screens, slate screens, phone screens, laptop screens, desktop screens and TV screens - they are all LCD (in the sense they use the same core technology), but all are completely different market sectors and what's going on in one has no connection to the others whatsoever.

The screen on the iPhone and iPod Touch has also always been IPS. Why didn't you ask "why can't we have it on my 15" T-series laptop" then?

The Lenovo Tablet screens just like any other Tablet in the market have also always been IPS (or PVA, at worst).

This does not, and will not have anything to do with the availability of those screens in the laptop sector.

If Apple is so great and Lenovo is so crappy, can you please point me out to a single Apple laptop using anything other than a TN screen? No? I didn't think so.

Why don't you go to whoever Apple gets these screens from and ask them very nicely to please make one that will match the size of the mainstream notebook. And make it in quantity that will be sufficient to sustain demand, and still be profitable for them and the OEMs and for a price that the average person will pay for it.

I would love to get one. Seriously. My T60 isn't gonna be able to sustain my computing needs forever.

[archer6]

Do we really need a million of threads on this stupid gadget?

Despite personal opinions, there's no doubt this device is getting a lot of attention. It's a testament to the power of Apple's masterful use of hype via their sales and marketing expertise.

[Volker]

Touch screens, tablet screens, slate screens, phone screens, laptop screens, desktop screens and TV screens - they are all LCD (in the sense they use the same core technology), but all are completely different market sectors and what's going on in one has no connection to the others whatsoever.

Small correction - OLED is already a viable alternative on phone screens and having seen one, I'm fairly certain that LCD will die sooner rather than later in that form factor.

Other screen sizes are of course different market segments, but (since it is easier to produce smaller screens) I claim that the smaller-sized screens are a good predictor of things to come.

PS: And I don't care for Apple's gadgets. But its fair to say that some of their product do influence the technological evolution.

[archer6]

Small correction - OLED is already a viable alternative on phone screens and having seen one, I'm fairly certain that LCD will die sooner rather than later in that form factor.

Other screen sizes are of course different market segments, but (since it is easier to produce smaller screens) I claim that the smaller-sized screens are a good predictor of things to come.

PS: And I don't care for Apple's gadgets. But its fair to say that some of their product do influence the technological evolution.

Well said, I certainly agree. In addition regarding their influence, it is indeed quite strong and seems to be growing stronger by the day.

[A31]

Do we really need a million of threads on this stupid gadget?

No!!!

there's no doubt this device is getting a lot of attention.

The iPad is getting attention for all the WRONG reasons! Look at all of those Spoof videos and pictures on the internet... do you think people like the iPad?? Or do you think that they are bitterly disapointed with it??

PS: And I don't care for Apple's gadgets. But its fair to say that some of their product do influence the technological evolution.

I agree with you. Yes, I don't like Apple and I don't care for their gasgets, but some of them have influenced technology - iPhone did (I think), but the iPad certinaly hasn't.
Is this the first ever Apple product to receive widley spread bad critism??

[AvalonXIII]

Do we really need a million of threads on this stupid gadget?

Those somehow looking for connection between this product and the laptop screens need to learn some fundamentals about the LCD industry.

Touch screens, tablet screens, slate screens, phone screens, laptop screens, desktop screens and TV screens - they are all LCD (in the sense they use the same core technology), but all are completely different market sectors and what's going on in one has no connection to the others whatsoever.

The screen on the iPhone and iPod Touch has also always been IPS. Why didn't you ask "why can't we have it on my 15" T-series laptop" then?

The Lenovo Tablet screens just like any other Tablet in the market have also always been IPS (or PVA, at worst).

This does not, and will not have anything to do with the availability of those screens in the laptop sector.

If Apple is so great and Lenovo is so crappy, can you please point me out to a single Apple laptop using anything other than a TN screen? No? I didn't think so.

Why don't you go to whoever Apple gets these screens from and ask them very nicely to please make one that will match the size of the mainstream notebook. And make it in quantity that will be sufficient to sustain demand, and still be profitable for them and the OEMs and for a price that the average person will pay for it.

I would love to get one. Seriously. My T60 isn't gonna be able to sustain my computing needs forever.

Nope, the screens on the iPhone is normal TN, as is the LCD of many other portable devices. It's only recently that OLED screen is used in these gadgets.

I guess the main question that people want to get answer from is: How does Apple, with no way to predict the demand of its iPad, can procure 4:3 ratio, LED-backlit, IPS screen? They must have pressured LCD companies into producing this panel. As much as I hate Apple, I have to admit that they got this right. Computer makers should not take whatever LCD companies give them, but instead demand better quality LCDs.

[goofyGAguy]

Computer makers should not take whatever LCD companies give them, but instead demand better quality LCDs.

When the public at-large starts clamoring for higher quality displays, maybe they will.

[dr_st]

Nope, the screens on the iPhone is normal TN, as is the LCD of many other portable devices.

I beg to differ. I have seen quite a few iPhones, and in fact I am looking at one right now (albeit not the original, but the 3G variant). I can certainly differentiate between a TN and a non-TN screen. The iPhone screen does not darken and does not wash out like any TN screen would at extreme viewing angles. On the other hand, when viewed at extreme angles it exhibits the purplish glow on dark colors, which is present on many IPS variants.

Edit: Accidentally stumbled on this old post, and absolutely had to correct this misconception of mine and misinformation I posted.

After spending some time with a 3GS, no - it does not have an IPS screen. It appears to be a fairly high quality TN, but TN nonetheless. It takes very particular angles to get it to darken / wash out, but it does happen. Side by side comparison with newer IPS iPhones makes it evident. It still has the purplish glow which is typical of IPS screens of that time, but apparently - not only IPS screens.

So, please accept my apologies for being absolutely wrong on this one.

I guess the main question that people want to get answer from is: How does Apple, with no way to predict the demand of its iPad, can procure 4:3 ratio, LED-backlit, IPS screen? They must have pressured LCD companies into producing this panel. As much as I hate Apple, I have to admit that they got this right. Computer makers should not take whatever LCD companies give them, but instead demand better quality LCDs.

I agree with you, but it is not as simple. In fact, what works for Apple will not necessarily work for other companies, because of the fundamental difference in approach.

With each generation, Apple releases a very limited number of devices with a very small set of specific, non-customizable configurations. This is true for their laptops, desktops, and especially portable devices such as the iPad. All the iPads manufactured (probably in the hundreds of thousands) will use the same screen. So Apple is able to order large quantities of said screen that will make it worthwhile to the panel makers (also keep in mind that it is a tablet screen, where prices are different, volumes are different, and quality panels are much more widespread).

On the other hand, a mainstream company such as Lenovo typically release several models with several dozens of configurations, among which there are at least 3 screen sizes, and each with 2-3 different resolutions. The volumes for each configuration are much smaller than Apple's, and the ability to drive the panel market are much more limited.

I am sure that some Thinkpadders would be happy to see IPS screens, but would other Thinkpadders be happy if suddenly their options were limited to a single configuration?

Yes, I am aware that Apple's Macbook line currently also has 3 different products. But first, the available configurations for each product are much fewer, and second - they also don't have a single non-TN screen in that line-up, which leads be to believe that they are also not omnipotent in their ability to influence panel makers.