2002's coolest tech. CNN's summary

2002's coolest tech. CNN's summary of hot tech trends for 2002 is amazingly clueful, especially given the normally lightweight reportage we've come to expect from CNN.

Scintillating screens: Organic-light-emitting diodes

What is it? A replacement for LCD screen technology.

What's cool? OLEDs rely on organic materials that emit light, so they require no backlighting. That makes them cheaper to produce and less power-hungry than LCDs. They're a natural choice for portable devices when battery life is a key concern. OLED screens are also thinner than LCDs, and the technology can be printed on flexible materials such as plastic. Imagine a computer screen that rolls up and down like a window shade.

When's it coming? Two to three years for PDAs and cell phones; five to ten for laptops and desktop displays.

What's the catch? It's early. Color fidelity can be a problem. Building active-matrix OLED displays — in which each pixel is controlled by two transistors, or twice as many as on a standard notebook LCD — erodes some cost and power advantages.

Impact meter: 5

Link
Discuss
(via /.)