14 DAY TRIAL // As some may know, Pixel Qi is a company that has become fairly known on the display market for its sunlight-readable screen, and it seems that the company is going to press forward with this technology, even getting ready to bring out 7-inch models for tablets.
The largest issue with liquid crystal displays when it comes to mobile electronics is that they are more or less useless when exposed to direct sunlight.
This is why Pixel Qi's transflective displays proved to be such a best-seller when they were finally released as DIY kits.
Said kits were meant as a replacement for the LCDs that today's netbooks are designed with and can be applied even by those not versed in technology.
Granted, it may have been because the company took care not to prepare too many at once, but the fact remains that the first batch sold out in one day.
Besides visibility, another feature of this screen is the ability to switch the backlight on or off, or turn its intensity up or down, depending on one's preference.
Now, the company itself has offered an update on what it plans to do over the next year, and it seems that its horizons are expanding.
For one, the first tranche of the Series B funding has been completed, though the second part of the update seems more relevant.
Apparently, Pixel Qi is working on a 7-inch model of the display that should make it into e-readers and tablets some time during the first half of 2011, samples set to become available as early as Q4 this year.
The announcement also explained that the tablet delays over the summer were due to, mostly, maxed out factory usage, the iPad's disruptive performance.
On the other hand, these delays gave manufacturers time to refine their designs and, thus, prevent all new slates from being just customized iPad clones.
What remains to be seen is how long it takes for Pixel Qi to announce new products using its displays.