Database Users

Here are some shots of my Pixel Qi

screen with back light on and off. Indoors and out. This is a first generation Qi on a Lenovo laptop.
note: These are poor phone camera images. The first two are inside with normal lamp light. The second two are full sun (notice the sharp shadows) at my back with a slight angle to get rid of the glare. 1st generation Qi is not matte like Adam. The blue tint is probably from a white balance problem. The true whites on the screen are paper white and the blacks are black with definition. The screen was tuned with Adobe Gamma.

From questions on another forum I will answer some
of them here for you.
The Pixel Qi in LCD back light on mode functions like any other LCD. My color, saturation and sharpness is just like any other LCD at the same size and resolution. In back lite off it functions the same as the LCD with back light on except less color down to gray scale.
You are not getting a sub-par LCD. You are getting a normal LCD with enhanced modes. It is a positive. No negatives. You have not lost anything to gain the other. I can read my screen with a 4 graph array in my office with the back light off from 6' away. I can read for hours in full Florida sunlight with no more eye strain than you would have from reading any other 10" screen. The refresh rate is instantaneous just like any LCD.

thanks for the photos! i didnt know they already had a PQ in a notebook already. from all the images, i'm hoping Adam will look the same. what's the highest resolution the notebook is using btw?

You need no buy it and install it yourself
1024 X 600 at 32 bit
Maker Shed
http://www.makershed.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MKPQ01
Bought the Lenovo off Fleabay for couple hundred used. There are only a few laptops it will fit on and function correctly. Several videos on how to do it. Never opened a laptop before and I didn't break anything. Use it in my work in Florida every day. No longer have to run for shade to add notes or read something. Can sit by the pool and read RSS for hours. Add the extra memory to the S10-2 if you want a bunch of window open at once, otherwise base memory is fine. WIFI is very good for G.

Some nomenclature so at least you can sound like
you know what your are talking about.
Pixel Qi has three modes.
transmissive mode = back light on like regular laptop LCD
transflective mode = Back light turned down and good ambient light (Some say this is the best mode for reading.)
reflective = back light off. Ambient light used 100% to read the screen.
I use transflective mode when reading outside as it gives me a bit of color in the photos.
Read this site and blog and you will know what you are talking about.
http://www.pixelqi.com/

Matte for the Adam?
I thought there was not yet confirmation about the matte screen because of difficulties with green pixels, especially when the extra gap of the touch screen comes into play.
Also note that the Pixel Qi to be used in the adam is meant to be considerably better as it is the third? generation of Pixel Qi. (Maybe second by I seem to remember reading third?).
Even thougth it is very tempting to pre-order, It surely has to be worth the wait to see user reviews before going ahead and buying? I know I want one yestreday, but I am forcing myself to wait... Painful as that is!

I believe he said matte, just not how much matte
In blog when talking about matte screen he says"
"We told you how much we love Matt (that’s one reason why all the monitors here are from Dell). We have invested a lot of time in figuring out the right surface values which gives the perfect combination of 2 worlds (no reflection property of matt and scratch resistant property of glossy surface).
"It took us really long and was really harder for the manufacturers to make what we wanted. We can’t compromise on few things and this was one of them.
"(You need to open it in another tab and see it full screen). If you can see (I hope you do), you will see small green fringes and speckles. Matt surfaces don’t work well with Green colors and creates diffusion around green pixels. You Dell screens look good for two reason, one they have done good job and two, they don’t have to deal with the gap of touch screen in LCD monitors. Gaps add more refractions. Please see the next illustrations for more understanding.
"We have done a good work when it comes to both of these issues and you can observe the same in the final product".
I believe he has said the screen will be matte. It is a question of "how much matte" that is open to interpretation.

Generation
"Also note that the Pixel Qi to be used in the adam is meant to be considerably better as it is the third? generation of Pixel Qi. (Maybe second by I seem to remember reading third?)."
There really is no way at this point to figure out what generation the screens are. All she has said is that Adam will have "their latest and greatest." I have the Makershed "do it yourself" version which seems to have a wider viewing angle than what they were calling their 1st generation at CES 2010. Was this first gen. production, off the work bench, out the door" Who knows.
On one of the Qi videos they have one version they are showing off they called their "next generation" and then they go inside and get another newer version to show off. This was back in the summer.
Adam could be getting 10th generation for all we know, but at least we will be getting her "latest and greatest". I am sure we will be getting the screen they will be showing off at CES. Would not make sense for them to dis their best customer by showing off a better screen than was coming out on a product that was just starting to be shipped.

I see both of these companies going far, Notion Ink and Pixel. Eventually you may even see Pixel displays on smartphones.
TS

[Q] Good e-reader?

Hello everybody,
I would like know opinions from users about Adam as an e-book reader.
I've seen all the videos in the archive about that, and i've seen that the screen looks pretty poor as an ereader vs a true e-paper, so my question is:
I would use it for academic books in pdf or djvu that i need for my university exams and academic papers.
considering that Adam is a tablet and can do a lot more than an ebook reader, i could be satisfied with a poor e-reading experience,
so i would like to know from whom of u who already owns it if u would suggest it or not for my pourpose.
In other words, if i have to spend about 400 € for good ereader, but i can have an adam for 500 € considering that i would use it for a lot more thing than studying, if the pixel qi technology is quite satisfieing i would chose an adam..

Here is a review from a site that does nothing but talk about and review ereaders, it is a bit long but it probably has the info you are looking for:
hxxp://goodereader.com/blog/tablet-slates/notion-ink-adam-hands-on-review/

Thank u, i've already seen that, but i would like to hear some user opinion since that review doesn't speak in terms of e-reading experiece but more of powersaving possibilities with the pixel qi.
I don't want a tablet, i want an e-reader, but for those prices, since i need it for reading big pdfs of scanned books (and i would need a 9" expensive e-reader for a sporadic use) i would like to understand if Adam could do the trick of giving me a decent e-reading experience.
In that case i would justify the price paid since i would use it for more much things than only studying and reading academic papers.
No one out there does use it for reading manuals and academic books that they can't afford to print?
Thanks

First, I haven't yet ordered an adam, due to the Mastercard issues, but when I finally do, I plan on getting one with the Pixel Qi screen, and one of it's uses will be as an ereader. I don't plan to do all my reading in the Pixel Qi mode, but there are many situations where a standard LCD just won't cut it for me, so I need the option.
Here is my take on it judging by what reviews are out there in reference to the Pixel Qi and the experience viewing documents on my 4" android phone...
Software:
Will the adam work as a good e-reader? Sure, there are many apps available for android that provide for a pleasant reading experience. There are apps to view just about any format you want (many of them free), so you can choose to convert it to the best format, instead of possibly settling for another because of limited support. Combine that with a 10.1" screen, fairly low weight, and ergonomic weight distribution (concentrated on one side as opposed to spread out evenly, which makes it feel lighter) and it will make a great reader.
Hardware:
Is Pixel Qi as good as e-ink? No, not quite. In the 'e-ink' type mode, it is a reflective grey-scale lcd screen, and doesn't have as good of a contrast ratio as you will see on the newest e-ink screens, and therefore not as crisp. Is the Pixel Qi as good as a regular LCD? Again, not quite. It isn't as bright as a normal LCD screen, and again the contrast ratio is also a little lower, but it isn't that bad either. There are people looking into tweaking the display settings (like gamma and such) like you can in Windows, to optimize the experience. Also, while good, and with the software needing further tweaking to make it better, the battery life won't be as good a dedicated e-ink reader.
The pro's of this are that it is still an LCD screen, and while in transmissive/transflective mode, is full color, and can be taken out into the bright sunlight and still be read clearly (although with loss of color). Also, as you said, the adam is a tablet which can do a lot more than a dedicated ebook reader.

I mostly read novels, so these are some comments for a few paper-back sized readers, not for text books, but maybe there's some useful information here anyway.
Kindle3 (6"):
Good for reading outside. Super high resolution. Put it under a microscope and it looks like it was laser printed. Not so good if there is not a lot of ambient light. Expect to need a nice bright light nearby when using it indoors. This is my current book reader of choice for use outside. I pretty much hate the GUI. Anything beyond read, turn page, read, is an exercise in patience and frustration.
Dell Streak (5"):
Good for inside and under most lighting conditions. Nearly ideal size for reading novels. Very sharp text and great contrast. This is my current book reader of choice for anything but outside in direct sunlight. Great battery life you can read forever in airplane mode.
iPhone 4:
Similar experience to Streak. Even sharper text. You have to turn the page a lot. Not really a problem.
iPhone 3Gs:
Similar to iPhone 4, but text is a little blurry in side-by-side comparisons with the others. Still O.K. though. I read on one of these for 5 hours straight NY to LA and liked it, but it did need recharging for some reason.
I haven't used either the iPad or Adam PQi for much reading yet, but i did play with them side by side (my son has the Adam), and think I would prefer all of the above to either for extended reading. In fact a Kindle + Streak combo is still smaller, lighter and more readable than an iPad or Adam.
So maybe the take home message is 'Jack of all trades, master of none.'
Additional notes.
iPad:
Hard to hold. Too big and heavy for long reading sessions. If you keep it out of direct light, i.e., in your shadow its just as good as the PQi. Inside it is way better owing to greater contrast and seemingly higher resolution.
Adam PQi:
That rounded handle makes it way easier to hold than in iPad. Not so thrilled with the stability of the software so far. PQi in direct sunlight is better than iPad, but still no fun to read. It's not even close to e-ink for direct sunlight.
Other notes on the PQi:
I think people have been way too kind in describing how much of a compromise the PQi display really is. For somewhat better outdoor performance, you get the poorest LCD display quality I've ever seen.
The text looks more pixelated than I've have noticed on other 10.1" displays or the iPad. I expect this is because every other row of the LCD is dedicated to the reflective elements. I put it under a microscope and every other row of pixels is off in LCD mode, so I think that explains it. It probably also explains the lame contrast. In PQi mode it looks a little sharper, but still pixellated. I have a PQi Adam on the way and kind of wish it was an LCD version.

i don't mind lightness as i won't be using it for reading novels. Actually here in Italy e-books are almost nonexistent. I read novels on paper mostly because of that and also because i don't think reading on 4" backlit display is a good experience (i've a Nexus One)
I would read pdf scans and that is a thing u can't do with a kindle3 because as i've read it is not possible to zoom if i am right...
My concerns are only about studying sessions on backlitted displays, i don't want an exploding headache after 4 hours reading on an LCD.
And no, i don't want to buy a book on the cost of 50€ for using it 2 months of my life for a specific exam. Yes i could lend it from a library and that's the way i go for now, but a lot of texts aren't available, not for speaking of manuals regarding things like digital art or photography, in which i'm involved but that are impossible to get in italian libraries near where i live.
I think th PQi is a good compromise on that since in the transreflective mode on indoor good lightining conditions i could get good non-eye-tiring reading. (Am i right?)
And i don't really mind a sharp display or with intense colors since i would use it for surfing the web, reading news, socials, mails, and leave to my laptop the multimedia things.
Actually i'm almost convinced that it will be a good choice for my pourpose.

ptok said:
Adam PQi:
That rounded handle makes it way easier to hold than in iPad. Not so thrilled with the stability of the software so far. PQi in direct sunlight is better than iPad, but still no fun to read. It's not even close to e-ink for direct sunlight.
Other notes on the PQi:
I think people have been way too kind in describing how much of a compromise the PQi display really is. For somewhat better outdoor performance, you get the poorest LCD display quality I've ever seen.
The text looks more pixelated than I've have noticed on other 10.1" displays or the iPad. I expect this is because every other row of the LCD is dedicated to the reflective elements. I put it under a microscope and every other row of pixels is off in LCD mode, so I think that explains it. It probably also explains the lame contrast. In PQi mode it looks a little sharper, but still pixellated. I have a PQi Adam on the way and kind of wish it was an LCD version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are you basing this analysis on? You don't have an Adam PQi as of yet, did you get hands on someone else's to make this determination?
-CC

clockcycle said:
What are you basing this analysis on? You don't have an Adam PQi as of yet, did you get hands on someone else's to make this determination?
-CC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My son got his in the last batch. Mine is on the way. I get to play with it in the few moments when he is not using it.

zanzabros said:
i don't mind lightness as i won't be using it for reading novels. Actually here in Italy e-books are almost nonexistent. I read novels on paper mostly because of that and also because i don't think reading on 4" backlit display is a good experience (i've a Nexus One)
I would read pdf scans and that is a thing u can't do with a kindle3 because as i've read it is not possible to zoom if i am right...
My concerns are only about studying sessions on backlitted displays, i don't want an exploding headache after 4 hours reading on an LCD.
And no, i don't want to buy a book on the cost of 50€ for using it 2 months of my life for a specific exam. Yes i could lend it from a library and that's the way i go for now, but a lot of texts aren't available, not for speaking of manuals regarding things like digital art or photography, in which i'm involved but that are impossible to get in italian libraries near where i live.
I think th PQi is a good compromise on that since in the transreflective mode on indoor good lightining conditions i could get good non-eye-tiring reading. (Am i right?)
And i don't really mind a sharp display or with intense colors since i would use it for surfing the web, reading news, socials, mails, and leave to my laptop the multimedia things.
Actually i'm almost convinced that it will be a good choice for my pourpose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I look at an LCD all day long, It doesn't bother me.
The Kindle can zoom on a PDF but it's limited and frustrating. Like I said, turn page, read, turn page, read, that's what it's good for.
I don't think the PQi display is right for me, but it may be for you. I think the only way to really find out is to try it.

zanzabros said:
I would read pdf scans and that is a thing u can't do with a kindle3 because as i've read it is not possible to zoom if i am right...
My concerns are only about studying sessions on backlitted displays, i don't want an exploding headache after 4 hours reading on an LCD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to use the device fir a paper replacement while studying, you definitely need a tablet instead of an ereader.
Speed (searching and page turning) and possibility to annotate make a tablet a very good paper replacement.
Transflective display means you can use the tablet under more circumstances (especially in Italy where you DO have sun ;-D).
Re eye strain I tend to agree with tpok. LCD is not too bad on the eyes
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

Up Close and Personal With the Pixel Qi Display
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/01/the-pixel-qi-display/

QI looks great the brighter the sun shines
Hi!
With Kindle-reading-mode ADAM's QI display looks very crisp, while you're reading in bright sun.
Compared to the iPad the LCD-Mode inside is not that good, but this is definitely better if you turn off the automatic-light-dimming. I use ADAM at 80% of it's available Backlight-power, then inside, sometimes it's already too bright for me.
QI is way better than iPad for outside-usability!! Also in the shaded areas iPad suffers already any contrast where ADAM looks much more crisp, but already without any regardable colour. In the sun, where I want to use a tablet-PC very often, there is nothing compareable, it's very nice to see and with "Kindle"-Mode books are very good to read, they weight of ADAM is not more than a big paperback and with it's curved edge it's good to hold. I wish the rubberized surface of the batterie-cover would be allover ADAM's backside, this would increase the good handling of ADAM.
I'm waiting for a solution to fix it to my bike, so there will be an readable(!) navigation for exploring "the wilderness" with my bike by using GPS-tracks
With honeycomb I think ADAM's lack of performance in some apps will be history...
best regards, Stefan

bestmichels said:
Hi!
I'm waiting for a solution to fix it to my bike, so there will be an readable(!) navigation for exploring "the wilderness" with my bike by using GPS-tracks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Man that's crazy! and if u fall say goodbye to ur adam!
I use my desire for music and MyTracks for GPS Stats by i put it in a safe place in my backpack

Good e-reader
zanzabros said:
Hello everybody,
I would like know opinions from users about Adam as an e-book reader.
I've seen all the videos in the archive about that, and i've seen that the screen looks pretty poor as an ereader vs a true e-paper, so my question is:
I would use it for academic books in pdf or djvu that i need for my university exams and academic papers.
considering that Adam is a tablet and can do a lot more than an ebook reader, i could be satisfied with a poor e-reading experience,
so i would like to know from whom of u who already owns it if u would suggest it or not for my pourpose.
In other words, if i have to spend about 400 € for good ereader, but i can have an adam for 500 € considering that i would use it for a lot more thing than studying, if the pixel qi technology is quite satisfieing i would chose an adam..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using the plain LCD model with a Skinomi screen protector (get rid of the matte protector it distorts) with FBReader and like it. My partner likes me reading in bed with night mode. I've used Kindle and Kobo and it isn't straightforward comparing them. Without going into great detail, I buy books from Amazon and get to read books as e-pubs on these devices. The Kobo is light and book-like, but the Adam is different ... I can read while I listen to digital radio (TuneIn) or music (3 by Fillipe Abrantes is a great player) via BT Jabra stereo headset. I need two devices if I try this with a Kobo or Kindle ... My N1 plus Kobo. As I stated earlier, the comparison is not straightforward .... In short, I am happy, and I am hard to please!

How are those Skinomi screen protectors?

DOEBeats said:
How are those Skinomi screen protectors?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wondering about that too, because the original one really sucks :-D Removed it within the first 24 hours of application..

[INFO] Here are pictures comparing Transformer's LCD to Xoom's LCD (viewing angles)

I wanted to bring some pictures I took last night to the forum. As a Xoom owner (now former, just took it back) and in anticipation of the Transformer's release, I scoured the internet over the past few weeks in search of some good comparison pictures between the Xoom's LCD and the Transformer's IPS LCD. At the time, there were not a ton of photos comparing these two specific devices.
I decided to setup my tripod and try to capture the viewing angle differences of these two displays while I still had both devices in my possession. Both devices were at 100% brightness, and I let the camera choose the shutter speed (aperture priority - Nikon D200). Some of the shutter speeds selected made the overall image darker, but it still gives a good idea of the color and contrast differences between the two displays (in addition to viewing angle differences). My goal wasn't to compare brightness - both devices are more or less on par in that area.
If anyone was on the fence regarding the two devices, maybe these images will offer better insight into one of the most important aspects of a tablet - the display. The price gap is big enough, and the screen technology is different enough (all in favor of the Transformer), that someone being on the fence regarding these two devices is hard for me to imagine. You never know though.
You can view the flickr stream here. (25 total images)
The flickr stream description mentions this - but I'll mention it here too: The Xoom is on the LEFT or the TOP, and the Transformer is on the RIGHT or the BOTTOM in the pictures.
I hope someone finds these pictures interesting.
I have attached one of them here.

Wow....look at that difference. Are you able to do the Asus vs the Acer? Or anyone able to?

couple of the pics xoom is better (or you can say brighter), but the most is to Transformer.
I don't like the strong brightness on the xoom specially in the reading part. I like feel it will hurt my eyes after while of reading. On the other hand, smooth colors in the Transformer, and easy on the eye.
Thanks for showing us the differences.

Thank you for taking the time and posting this.

Not as dramatic a difference as I expected (colors wash out, but things are still legible, unlike the gTab), but the Transformer still wins, especially with the price difference.

Thank you for taking your time and posting the pictures.
The xoom looks a little overexposed, but kind of I thought there would be more different. Seeing them side by side I think the xoom, not having a IPS screen, has a very nice one (compared to others I have seen in other tablets).
Regards.

Yeah, good job!
The transformer is a clear winner here.

Thanks for posting it. This should make it little easier to convince a couple of friends who are on the fence (iPADers!).

x2 on the Xoom versus Transformer - that picture is very accurate.
The Xoom also has a bluish tint that bugs me (common TFT issue, I believe). The Transformer IPS screen color balance is better, imo.

kxs783kms said:
Wow....look at that difference. Are you able to do the Asus vs the Acer? Or anyone able to?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, I do not have access to the Acer. Sorry!

Wow, I was debating between a few tablets, by with the support the transformer is getting here on xda, and seeing these pictures, I'm pretty much sold on waiting for the transformer
Sent from my Inspire 4g using XDA Premium app

dfin13 said:
Not as dramatic a difference as I expected (colors wash out, but things are still legible, unlike the gTab), but the Transformer still wins, especially with the price difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right ... it is not terrible - and to be honest, I probably could have continued to use the Xoom and been perfectly happy. The price difference played a pretty big role and contributed a lot to wanting to switch to the Transformer. I suspect that there would have always been a thought in the back of my mind bugging me about how the Xoom's screen "could have been better."
Overall, I love the difference in the screen though - it has certainly helped me in a number of practical ways where I was previously disappointed with the Xoom's screen performance in regards to viewing angles and color. Specifically while the Xoom was sitting flat on my desk at work - things were hard(er) to read due to the wash out and loss of contrast at the angle I was viewing it at.
There is another Xoom screen artifact to mention here too. If anyone has ever seen a Xoom's screen when portrait mode, then maybe you have noticed. You could see horizontal lines in the actual panel itself for every row of pixels - most noticeably on a white background. I've read other reviews stating the same thing. I have a friend at work who also noticed the same thing on his Xoom. It wasn't noticeable when in landscape orientation. It was easy to overlook though and not a deal breaking issue for me. The Transformer's IPS LCD does NOT do this.

kxs783kms said:
Wow....look at that difference. Are you able to do the Asus vs the Acer? Or anyone able to?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have pictures but I compared the Acer to my NC yesterday, also an IPS screen, and I can say with certainty that I saw really comparable results to the Xoom v Asus comparison. Even dead on, Acer had slightly washed colors when compared to an IPS screen and at angles > 45... well it was pretty hopeless for the Acer while the NC was perfectly visible and vibrate.
Regardless to say, Acer went back to BB last night and waiting for my Asus to come in tomorrow.

dustindw said:
I wanted to bring some pictures I took last night to the forum. As a Xoom owner (now former, just took it back) and in anticipation of the Transformer's release, I scoured the internet over the past few weeks in search of some good comparison pictures between the Xoom's LCD and the Transformer's IPS LCD. At the time, there were not a ton of photos comparing these two specific devices.
I decided to setup my tripod and try to capture the viewing angle differences of these two displays while I still had both devices in my possession. Both devices were at 100% brightness, and I let the camera choose the shutter speed (aperture priority - Nikon D200). Some of the shutter speeds selected made the overall image darker, but it still gives a good idea of the color and contrast differences between the two displays (in addition to viewing angle differences). My goal wasn't to compare brightness - both devices are more or less on par in that area.
If anyone was on the fence regarding the two devices, maybe these images will offer better insight into one of the most important aspects of a tablet - the display. The price gap is big enough, and the screen technology is different enough (all in favor of the Transformer), that someone being on the fence regarding these two devices is hard for me to imagine. You never know though.
You can view the flickr stream here. (25 total images)
The flickr stream description mentions this - but I'll mention it here too: The Xoom is on the LEFT or the TOP, and the Transformer is on the RIGHT or the BOTTOM in the pictures.
I hope someone finds these pictures interesting.
I have attached one of them here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For anyone interested in reading some more "general thoughts" between the two screens, I have finally published the blog post that I started the night I posted these pictures.
http://dustinwilkins.com/2011/05/03/it-is-all-about-the-screen-transformer-vs-xoom/

thanks alot

dustindw said:
For anyone interested in reading some more "general thoughts" between the two screens, I have finally published the blog post that I started the night I posted these pictures.
http://dustinwilkins.com/2011/05/03/it-is-all-about-the-screen-transformer-vs-xoom/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Music? Did you say music? Now I must know.... is your ID the same on last.fm, because anyone who listens to Shearwater and The National gets a thumbs up from me!

this post makes me feel so much better about buying the transformer having cancelled the Xoom, as pc world delayed me. I saved 100 pounds too! well 50 including the dock im still waiting on...

I have had my xoom for almost 3 weeks now and have no problem with how my screen looks from any viewing angle cuz the main angle I'm looking at is right in front of me. That's how all these devices are designed to be looked at. Not like a tv from various different angles. so I don't even understand why people complain about how a screen looks from a different angle. If its really that important to u plug it up to your tv via hdmi. Then see if u can still complain. I love my xoom. Yeah the price is a lil steep. But I work with electronics and if there's 1 I've learned in 12 years its you get what you pay for. Wanna cheap price. More then likely you'll have a cheaply made product
Sent from my PG06100 using Tapatalk

Well, I think you don't truly appreciate viewing angles until you have a tablet that excels at them.

And this is important for those of us with kids that love fingerpainting or playing Angry Birds with you! I love how they are now able to sit next to me comfortably and not have to peer right at the screen to get the viewing angle just right.

The screen thread!

So, I've been taunted by the Acer the day before launch at BB and had someone open one up to demo for me. After somehow avoiding the purchase I did more research and found the Asus release date and figured I'd wait. Well we all know how that went..
Anyhow as I sit here reading thread after thread deciding on the Acer now, or Asus later, I am torn about the screen quality. I have heard many things like "as good as Ipad" "way better than Xoom" the amazingly grammatically correct; "it Sux" or just "terrible"
I don't care about the dock....at all. Battery life, build quality and screen crispness i do care about.
I'm hoping this thread can be to discuss the goods and bads about the screen in as unbiased a way as possible. I would love for people who have interacted with both chime in!

The screen "quality" is fine. Text looks great (read for over an hour with no eyestrain). Videos look good. Viewing angles are even fine, which is unusual for a TFT.
But the glare!!! Yikes. I realize that the glare probably has more to do with the glass than the screen technology, but the bottom line is that they both contribute to my enjoyment, or lack thereof, of the screen.
I have a Nook Color and I can place the A500 and the NC right next to each other and the difference is dramatic in terms of glare. Sure, the NC has some reflection, but it's a great deal more muted than then A500 which is practically a mirror.

I don't have any particular problem with the screen. It looks sharp. Runs in 1280x800 resolution.
Some people complain about the grid that can be visible, but I have NEVER seen it during normal use. I didn't even know what people were talking about until I held it at weird angles directly under a light source (as in...10 inches away from my lamp).
The thing is a finger-print magnet though, so if you have OCD issues with that sort of thing you will always need to be replacing screen protectors or having a microfiber cloth in your back-pocket.

I picked one up from bestbuy a few days ago. The screen is very nice. The grid does bother me, but it's not often that I see it.
Games look good, videos look good. Everything is snappy
I don't have a transformer or an ipad to test it against but I think the acer is worth buying if you don't care about the keyboard dock on the transformer.

The screen itself is very good with decent colour and contrast with excellent viewing angles. As others have said though, you do get glare from the high gloss glass panel and it attracts fingerprints when you just go near it. With the right lighting direction I can see the grid in the same way I have seen it on virtually all capacitive screens.
Would I use any of this against the A500? - no. These issues are minor to me but I can see how for some they would be a more major issue.

I think the quality is really good but could use some tweaking. Why in the world are there no apps that allow you to tweak gamma contrast color and all that? Calibrating would make it much better but for some reason we are expected to keep it as delivered?
Also slightly unrelated, has anyone noticed if you use a 1280x800 image as a wallpaper it looks liek crap? What resolution do we need wallpapers to be in? The stock ones are too borring.

volcaicstrad37 said:
So, I've been taunted by the Acer the day before launch at BB and had someone open one up to demo for me. After somehow avoiding the purchase I did more research and found the Asus release date and figured I'd wait. Well we all know how that went..
Anyhow as I sit here reading thread after thread deciding on the Acer now, or Asus later, I am torn about the screen quality. I have heard many things like "as good as Ipad" "way better than Xoom" the amazingly grammatically correct; "it Sux" or just "terrible"
I don't care about the dock....at all. Battery life, build quality and screen crispness i do care about.
I'm hoping this thread can be to discuss the goods and bads about the screen in as unbiased a way as possible. I would love for people who have interacted with both chime in!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look, the IPS display is "better"....that's that. If you need something with a gorgeous screen, wait.
Is the A500 screen terrible, bad, etc.? Not by a long shot. It's bright, crisp and the viewing angles are very, very good. The 'grid' you read people referring to, is barely visible and you'll only notice it on very lightly colored, black or white backgrounds, and that's with your face plastered to the screen. It isn't a deal breaker for many people but it might be for you. If you can afford to wait, wait....and make an informed decision and one you won't regret once you're able to compare them side by side. Unlike the TF, the A500 is in supply and I doubt they'll be running out any time soon so time and supply are on your side (for the Acer, anyway).

here are a few pictures of the iconia and transformer screens. Pics are captured by motorola atrix camera. Hope it can help with the buying decision.

home screen landscape and portrait

thickness and back. For some reasons, I can't upload the video

Wow the one on the right looks so much better. Orange county area? I live in Tustin lol. Where did you get your hands on a transformer?

keroppilee said:
Wow the one on the right looks so much better. Orange county area? I live in Tustin lol. Where did you get your hands on a transformer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahaha, nice to have a neighbor on this forum. Yep, the transformer has the best screen but the iconia is not that bad. I got my TF at Fry's. I saw an employee there carried 3 TFs to the stock room. I jumped on them right away, got one for my best friend and one for my brother. Both of them want the TF so bad. As for me, I am settled with the iconia at Best Buy. I just like the build quality and how it feels in my hands. If I knew, I could have got the last TF for you

appreciate the thought
I'm still deciding between android or I pad. I really feel I pads polish in multimedia is a big plus. I'm trying my roommates xoom and youtube doesn't even run without stutter :/
Netflix is nice on I pad too
I do love the PC I sh feel of android. Much more customizable

Back light bleed through
Some transformer owners have complain about back light bleed through when watching videos.

hey in the past week i have tested the view sonic gtablet , the archos 101 and the playbook . the view sonic and the archos dont even come close to what the acer is i picked up the acer after i saw it at best buy today and i was impressed i also picked up the xoom last week but returned it after 24 hrs because the price 599 was on my mind the whole time i was playing with it .
the screen i feel is like the apple ipad which i have . i really can not notice the difference. and if anyone is thinking about the gtab and the archos dont get them if your not holding it at the right angle all the time your not going to see much.

I had the gtablet for 3 weeks and recently sold it and picked up the Acer A500 yesterday. I was also comtemplating on buying the Xoom at Bestbuy, but after playing with both tablets I couldn't justify spending the extra $ on the xoom so I went with the Acer and so far so good. It's like night and day compared to my old gtablet.

texonex said:
home screen landscape and portrait
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LoL. Please clean the screen of the Iconia What a difference...

I'm a Transformer owner, but over the weekend I had a chance to play with both the Xoom and the Iconia in store.
The screen on the Tranformer is definitely the best of all three tablets, and this was clearly evident even without having the Transformer to hand to compare side by side.
However, I would still rate the Iconia's screen as "very good" (the Transformer's screen would be rated "excellent"), and significantly better than the screen on the Xoom (which I would rate as just "ok").
Regards,
Dave
P.S. Just an FYI, but I'm keeping an eye on the Iconia forums because I'm thinking about getting an A100, not to troll regarding A500/Transformer comparisons!

if you want to see the real difference between the Iconia and Transformer, take a pic from the side with about a 150 deg angle.

MCWatter said:
. Viewing angles are even fine, which is unusual for a TFT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It not a regular TFT screen , in fact there are 4 differents technologies ( TN, MVA, PVA, IPS )
Acer choosed PVA for the A500 , it provides the highest contrast ever measured on a tablet (1126:1) when the Ipad and its IPS Screen is rated (960:1) , but the latency is not as good as its competitors (even if asus came out with a trick , to correct that , by inserting a black picture every 3 images )
People tends to think that IPS is superior , but in fact it depends of the usage.
A500's screen might not be the best screen in the world , but it is for sure a very good one.

Why does everyone say such bad things about the Xoom's screen?

So I went to bestbuy today to officially make a decision on a tablet. I was seriously considering the Flyer, 10.1, Touchpad, Xoom (especially with the price drop), and and the iPad 2.
Long story short, after playing with everything for like an hour, I walked out with a xoom. I had almost written it off because of everything I had read about the screen. With all the terrible things being said about it I was almost expecting a dim misery of an LCD ala the Velocity Cruz.
But I must say after using it at bestbuy I was really surprised. The screen is very clear, more than bright enough, even at bestbuy, and the colors are fine. I then spent some time with the 10.1, and had my eyes blown out. The colors where WAY over-saturated and blown out. I can see why people like it, but the colors aren't accurate. I think this is same syndrome people have when the see super amoled screens, and why they leave their tv's on "dynamic" Just because the colors are more saturated doesn't mean they're better. The xoom looked much more natural to me with its warmer display and more muted colors.
And now that I have it home, im very happy with my choice. It feels so well built. I didn't need the thinness and lightness of the 10.1, I like having the build quality. The screen has ZERO backlight bleed (take that apple!), and I can't find any dead pixels, dust, or anything like that. Im not trying to "justify" my purchase here, like im sure some will say. I could have easily bought a 10.1 or an iPad 2 if I wanted. But I just liked the xoom the best, screen and all.
So does anyone else actually like this screen, or is it just me?

I'm perfectly satisfied with my Xoom's screen, too.
I've read that there are 2 screen parts used and that one is not as good. Glad I got the good one.

I am happy with my Xoom's display as well. I often watch HD movies on it, and it looks great. It doesn't seem to "pop" like some samsung screens, or some amoled screens I've seen on a few htc devices, but it is by no means faulty. I personally love the vivid popping colors on the previously mentioned devices, but, again, I am happy with my Xoom as well.
Also, I find a lot of people complain about things such as this out of jealousy(they are mad because they don't have said device, so make up excuses to justify it) or fanboyism(Htc is the best ever. Moto screens suck!!), or some other various reason that holds no merit.
Lastly, the people who are satisfied generally aren't as vocal, so you don't see as many threads started by them. However, when someone finds the smallest problem such as one miniscule dust particle, viewed only by microscope, under the glass of their device, the obvious step is to all caps rage on the forums, demand justice, expect a free replacement of a far superior device, etc.

ZanshinG1 said:
I'm perfectly satisfied with my Xoom's screen, too.
I've read that there are 2 screen parts used and that one is not as good. Glad I got the good one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love my Xoom screen too. Especially at sixty percent to full brightness, the Xoom screen is plenty saturated and true. I'm a painter, and I use my Xoom as my portfolio, so it has to be good.

I also am very satisfied with the screen quality and its warm colors. The brightness isn't as high as some other tablets but its enough to satisfy my needs. I usually have it set to auto brightness anyways, save for when watching shows or movies. As mentioned, I too really appreciate the build quality of the xoom and the weight did not bother me at all. Although now that I have an otterbox defender on it, the weight pretty much doubled and not to mention how beastly thick it is with it on.
Sent from my MZ604 using XDA Premium App

I'm also satisfied with my screen. My only issue is that the Auto brightness is too dark - that might be the reason why most people seeing a Xoom for the first time think the screen look washed out, without having checked how brightness was adjusted.
Regarding the mention there might be two different screen - any facts to support this? If so, any way to distinguish the two manufacturers?

Humans are more fond towards colors that pop and are bright even if they aren't accurate.
The xoom screen is fine and well worth the price at the new price point @ $500.

RMerlin said:
I'm also satisfied with my screen. My only issue is that the Auto brightness is too dark - that might be the reason why most people seeing a Xoom for the first time think the screen look washed out, without having checked how brightness was adjusted.
Regarding the mention there might be two different screen - any facts to support this? If so, any way to distinguish the two manufacturers?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are a lot of topics here about the two different screens, search. You can find out what screen you have by typing "dmesg" in terminal and look for line that contains lcd. I have a Sharp screen. A Xoom that i returned because of toutch screen problems had a AUO screen.

poisike said:
... You can find out what screen you have by typing "dmesg" in terminal and look for line that contains lcd....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you please translate it for dummies?
Thanks

NikosPx said:
Can you please translate it for dummies?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe terminal here means either command prompt from your pc while connected to your Xoom in debug mode or using the Terminal emulator app.
I suppose to test it, just download Terminal Emulator from the market and run it. Then type dmesg on the dos-like blue screen that appears. A whole bunch of text will appear and you just look for a line that describes lcd.
This should be familiar to you if you know how to use DT a2sd.

AWWW
I have AUO, I still think the screen is fine though. My screen has zero light bleed what so ever so I guess that is good.

Thank you musashiken, I 'll try it out.
Sent from my MZ601 using XDA Premium App

i like the screen very much too. just hate the fingerprints

musashiken said:
I believe terminal here means either command prompt from your pc while connected to your Xoom in debug mode or using the Terminal emulator app.
I suppose to test it, just download Terminal Emulator from the market and run it. Then type dmesg on the dos-like blue screen that appears. A whole bunch of text will appear and you just look for a line that describes lcd.
This should be familiar to you if you know how to use DT a2sd.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, use Terminal emulator from Market.
It's a good idea to restart your Xoom before you type dmesg (you will get a lot of text if you don't restart and it's possible you will not find the line you are looking for).

andr0id23 said:
I am happy with my Xoom's display as well. I often watch HD movies on it, and it looks great. It doesn't seem to "pop" like some samsung screens, or some amoled screens I've seen on a few htc devices, but it is by no means faulty. I personally love the vivid popping colors on the previously mentioned devices, but, again, I am happy with my Xoom as well.
Also, I find a lot of people complain about things such as this out of jealousy(they are mad because they don't have said device, so make up excuses to justify it) or fanboyism(Htc is the best ever. Moto screens suck!!), or some other various reason that holds no merit.
Lastly, the people who are satisfied generally aren't as vocal, so you don't see as many threads started by them. However, when someone finds the smallest problem such as one miniscule dust particle, viewed only by microscope, under the glass of their device, the obvious step is to all caps rage on the forums, demand justice, expect a free replacement of a far superior device, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm currently playing with Thrive, xoom, and tab 10.1. Im comparing the display side by side and tab 10.1 looks better and sharper, no matter what you say. The speaker quality on tab 10.1 blows away both of them. Other than those extra connector found on xoom and more on thrive, tab 10.1 win hands down in rest of the other departments. Also, the display of Toshiba thrive is better than xoom and speakers sound decent to. Its not about jealousy. If you try them side by side then you better understand what's beat for you. I know its not possible all the time but at least sometimes when there are $500 - $600 involved and return policy without restocking fee is available, go for it and take your decision based on that.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

Hmmm. Well it seems I have the AUO screen as well. What kind of problems are they having? Mine looks pretty good, like I sad no light bleed or anything. The only thing I can see is a slight scanline affect that you can sometimes see on cheaper lcd's, i'v seen it on cheap laptops before.
Not sure that justifies a return but has anyone else noticed it?

i just sold mine i am buying the tab10.1 today

Did some searching. Looks like the sharp screen had better color and contrast but also has a massive amount of backlight bleed, where as the AUO has worse contrast and color but has zero backlight bleed. I have a feeling the one on display at bestbuy was a sharp, but the bleed was invisible due to the overhead lights.
I use mine in the dark allot so I cant stand bleed, I have no interest in trying to get a sharp screen. It looks like AUO also makes screens for cheap laptops, witch would explain why I can see the scanlines you see on cheap laptops lol. I have 14 days to see if ill be satisfied the AUO screen. If not I guess I can always trade for the oversaturated Samsung

poisike said:
There are a lot of topics here about the two different screens, search.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I apologize for not hitting the Search button every single time I read a statement in a thread that is about the stated topic, in case it might have come up in the past and I might still have missed it in my daily visits to this forum.

NikosPx said:
Thank you musashiken, I 'll try it out.
Sent from my MZ601 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh and to really make your life easier, type "dmesg | grep lcd".
This will extract text that contain "lcd" and you don't have to scroll through all the text to look for it.
And seems like I got the AUO screen.. well I'm fairly satisfied with it but seeing that I'm not american and I imported my Xoom, I'll have to live with it no matter what.