Laptop screen digitizer. Touch screen glass overlay.

You may have heard of the term "laptop screen digitizer" or "digitiser" used within the replacement laptop screen industry, but what exactly does the term digitiser mean?

A digitiser is simply a device that digitises analogue input; for example - a scanner could take a digital impression of a hand drawn image - this would be referred to as digitising the image.

But what exactly does the term digitiser refer to within the laptop lcd screen market? A laptop screen digitiser, is a touch screen interface. The touch screen interface is a small layer of touch sensitive material, usually glass layers that sits over the top of a conventional laptop screen. The digitiser touch panel will allow the user to use finger gestures on the screen glass to control mouse mouse movements and keyboard controls.

The digitiser will usually have a flat ribbon cable that folds back under the screen and connects to a data connector on the reverse of the LCD panel.

Some laptop screens come with the digitisers included, such as the following models:

http://www.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/laptopparts/BOEHYDIS-HV121WX5-111-12.1_13213.asp

http://www.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/laptopparts/BOEHYDIS-HV121WX5-120-12.1_13212.asp

http://www.laptop-lcd-screen.co.uk/laptopparts/IBM-LENOVO-THINKPAD-X200-12.1-TOUCH-SCREEN-LAPTOP-SCREEN_12501.asp

Usually, laptop screen suppliers supply the replacement screens without the digitiser, unless otherwise specified such as the selection above. If your old screen uses a digitiser, you may be able to remove the old digitiser from the back of the original screen, however it may not be possible to fit the digitiser to the new screen, depending on the model and revision of LCD supplied by the laptop screen supplier.

Retina Displays are coming to mainstream laptops, but what is a retina display?

The display found in Apple’s iphones and ipads is formally referred to as a “retina display,” due to the fact that they are composed of pixels so tightly packed together that it is impossible for the human eye to distinguish between them.

The displays used in laptops are altogether different however, with not nearly as high a pixel quality: to illustrate, 1366 x 768 pixel resoulution displays are only just starting to gain precedent above their 1024 x 768 pixel predecessors. Despite this though, the company Intel have predicted that, in the near future, laptops could be being equipped with the very same retina style pixel density now found in phones, a prediction that could bear the fruits of fruition as soon as next year!

figure1 above left shows a non Retina display pixel density, which looks blocky, the right hand side shows the same image on a Retina display. You can see the same image is finer as it is composed of finer pixels than the image left.

 In detail, Intel anticipate the following developments in the computing world-Laptops with 15 inch screens and 3840 x 2160 pixel displays, Tablets with 10 inchscreens and 2560 x1440 pixel displays and Ultrabooks with 13 inch screens and 2800 x 1800 pixel displays.

This drastic shift in pixel quality will be made possible, it is forecast, by alterations in the manner in which Windows and other operating systems manage pixel density. Whilst previous systems have allowed users to change their dots per inch setting, the results are rarely adequate. This problem, however, is avoided somewhat by iOS and Google Android as they are equipped to resize images to suit higher resolution displays.

It is thought Windows 8 will operate in a similar manner. Despite this though, until the balance between supply and demand reaches its economic equilibrium, one can expect these new retina displays to be significantly more expensive than laptop screens at present.

This, coupled with the fact that standard 1366 x 768 pixel displays are only just rising in mainstream popularity, may serve to indicate that it could be a significant amount of time before retina style laptop screens become commonplaces of the computing world.

Ever had an annoying scratch on your LCD screen that you just can’t seem to budge? Below are a few suggestions, some common, some less well know, for removing it.

1.) The rubber method

First clean the affected area on your screen. Then take a clean rubber, and rub it along the length of the scratch until it has disappeared.

2.) Buying a scratch repair kit

Search Google for +LCD+Scratch+Repair. Some people have achieved successful results with products such as Novus Plastic Polish or Scratch Pro.-One paste called Displex scratch remover has been manufactured specifically to hide scratches on LCD screens. The product comes with a microfiber cloth which can be used to gently ease out the scratches.

3.) Rubbing alcohol and Vaseline method

Apply diluted isopropyl alcohol, (50% solution, 50% water,) to your screen with a cloth to remove dirt. [Avoid abrasive cleaning materials such as sandpaper and kitchen towels.] Then apply Vaseline to the scratches. Remove the excess Vaseline and the improvement should be noticeable. This method requires repeating as and when necessary.

4.) Replacing the damaged screen

With the cost of replacement laptop screens dropping every month, you could always opt for buying a new screen from one of the suppliers online that sells new screens for laptops.

IZGO Laptop Screens, a new lease of life for the LCD industry?

"The iPad 3 will be based on this new technology"

The marketable success of a product rests on two age old factors: supply and demand. When both experience steady and equal growth, a product is likely to perform well. However, given the current period of general economic hardship the supply of flat-panel screens for both laptops and televisions has vastly outweighed consumer demand.

Despite this, the production of screens, driven by company competition, is at its zenith. This disparity between supply and demand has forced down product prices to such an extent that they no longer cover production costs. In a bid to ease losses, companies have curbed their overheads in expectance of a financially difficult 2012. 

However, there are signs that 2013 may be more promising thanks to a material called IGZO and a new brand of ultra high resolution screens.  IGZO is the abbreviated name for Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide which is a semi-conducting material that is currently being used to fashion transparent thin-film transistors, the key component of LCD and OLED screens.

Unlike the silicon found in most trasnsaparent-thin film transistors, IGZO possess a greater capacity for electron mobility, thus making it 40% more efficient than silicon based transistors. This increased efficiency means that IGZO screens are able to contain smaller pixels capable of shifting states more quickly and efficiently than silicon models.

Equally, smaller pixel sizes means a greater number can be fitted into any given area, helping lay the ground for the production of ultra-high resolution screens in the same vein as Apple’s anticipated 2048x1536 iPad 3.

Furthermore, the use of smaller pixels allows more light to pass through the screens, meaning backlights need not be so fierce and the models don’t consume vast amounts of energy.  In terms of production it is not particularly difficult to modify an LCD line so that it produces IGZO screens, as point evidenced by Sharps’ swift alteration of their production line to produce such screens in the closing quarter of 2011.  The world of television may not absorb this technology as quickly as computing companies however, as content providers in that field are only just getting to grips with the demands of HD viewing (which requires resolutions well within the scope of the old silicon based screens.)

In the computing world though, Apple have been formulating resolution independent graphics in an anticipatory bid to cope with the ultra high resolution technology materials such as IGZO produce. If this is an early indicator of Apple embracing these new screens, we can expect their competitors to do the same, in a move which “Displaysearch” believes will inflate demand, gradually in 2012 and vastly in 2013.

When married with the  limited IGZO supply in relation to older LCD models, inflation in demand would help restore both the economic equilibrium and LCD manufacturer margins. 

Gorilla Glass Laptop LCD Screens

 

If you have been reading the screen news recently, you'll have no doubt heard of the many new promises for brighter, crisper, higher quality laptop screen display units that are being produced for Intel's new range of Ultrabook Laptops that are going to emerge quickly starting from this year, 2012.

 

By the end of the current year, we believe Ultrabooks may out sell tablet devices, and probably then moving forwards out sell laptops. Why not, they're every bit as powerful as a desktop machine, and super slim and tough. The new plans for a tougher laptop extend to the LCD display manufacturers also; they are improving displays by making them thinner and stronger and with a higher scratch resistance. They're calling the new type of glass being produced for these units, Gorilla glass. The name says it all really :)

 

Gorilla glass is the name given to a specialist type of alkali-aluminosilicate glass (used for screens in a variety of electronic devices-eg, phones, laptops,) which is manufactured by Corning and is specifically designed to be thin, damage resistant, hardy and durable.  It is also able to produce optimum optical clarity, making it ideal for use in HD and 3D television displays. Early in the New Year Corning announced the innovation of Gorilla Glass 2.0, 20 percent thinner than the first, to enable greater touch sensitivity, whilst simultaneously maintaining the wear resistant qualities of its original counterpart.

 

The glass is produced by being placed in a bath of molten potassium salt. During this process, sodium ions leave the glass to be replaced with larger potassium ions derived from the salt. The larger ions possess a greater surface area and they are duly pressed together when the glass cools. Such compression helps create a material with a greater resistance to everyday use.  As with all glass derivatives, the product is capable of being recycled. 

 

More Information:

Gorila Glass 2 Promises Stronger Laptop Screens - read more about this new technology in this BBC news bulletin.

Read about how this new type of glass is being used to make thinner tablet devices in this NY Times news article.

More information from Gizmondo can be found here about what exactly this new type of glass is. Read the Gizmodo Article.

 

A New Display Era Approaches Us

A flexible Samsung AMOLED screen - Looks nice huh?

Through the provision of information by organisations such as laptop screen replacement specialists, people in general are becoming aware that there are a handful of low grade laptop screens being produced and fitted to the majority of mainstream laptops. In addition to this, these low cost screens are even being fitted to supposedly high end laptops and gaming machines.

The truth of the matter is that the people are not stupid, they know this and a huge public demand for better quality displays has pushed the LCD industry to research technologies that provide higher quality viewing devices. This issue has been compounded by Apple's retina dispay technology. Retina claims to provide a display image of a quality that at a distance of 12 inches from the display unit - is indescernable from real life. In other words the display shows a resolution and colour depth that matches the capabilities of the human eye. It looks real.

Samsung have released the Samsung WAVE phone, which uses a technology known as AMOLED, we believe that laptop screen will do an "about turn" and go back to the higher quality we used to see in models such as the 10.4 and 10.6 inch Sharp panels that used to fit to the Fujitsu Lifebooks and the 11.1 Toshiba panels that went in the Sony VGN TT and TZ machines. These kind of displays gave a rich vibrant colour depth, a black that was really black and could be viewed from almost any angle without degraded viewing pleasure. They were better for watching movies than most large screens.

AMOLED - What is it?

As highlighted by a document source entitled, “Samsung Display,” and posted recently on the OLED-Display website, the year of 2012 will see the arrival of AMOLED screens. Whilst ordinary laptop screens, (often TN displays,) allow only restricted contrast and viewing angles, AMOLED screens offer the viewer far greater contrast levels and facilitate generous viewing angles. The first of such screens however will no doubt appear, firstly, in high end laptop models as they cost a significant amount to produce. The aforementioned source goes on to forecast that, by 2014, Samsung will be producing as many AMOLED laptops screens as they do currently for tablet models.  It is as this time that we can expect production costs to decrease and AMOLED screens to appear in more affordable laptops.

The future is bright - The future is AMOLED :)

samsung_display_4-5-inch_flexible_amoled.jpg (216.12 kb)

Sony’s lenticular sheet-no need for 3D glasses-free 3D achievable on any laptop.

 

New innovations suggest that Sony Corporation has devised a way of equipping any laptop with the tools for 3D technology, without the need for the now commonplace 3D enhancing glasses. The manufacturer has developed what is called a lenticular sheet which you simply place across your screen. Whilst not an original development Sony’s design does incorporate some impressive new facial recognition technology. For example, through the use of the programme’s own software and your web cam the lenticular sheet assesses the position you are sitting in and adjusts the picture on the screen accordingly to provide an optimum viewing experience. Sitting between 30cm and 1 metre away from your screen should allow you to enjoy high quality visuals. But how does the sheet work independently of those features one so commonly associates with the 3D effect you may ask. The answer is that lenticular sheets of the type used by Sony consist of lenses which direct the light from the pictures on the screen to your eyes. Each eye is presented with a different image, thus helping to foster the illusion of a 3D picture. Despite this, however, several complaints have been voiced about lentiular screens, most notably that they create blurry images and that prolonged viewing in awkward positions can sometimes lead to physical discomfort. This particular sheet was designed by Sony for the Vaio S series, but there is no conceivable reason it could not be produced to suit a range of laptop models. GlobalWave’s similar  Pic 3D technology has been manufactured to be compatible with several screen sizes, however, their product does not incorporate the facial recognition feature utilised by Sony. Sony’s product will go on general sale to the public in October 2011 priced at £113.

 

A concise history of the portability of laptops:

History of the laptop, history of the netbook, history of the notebook, history of the tablet computer.

1981-The Osborne 1

The Osborne 1 was the first portable computer which became a commercial success. However, weighing in at 23.5 pounds and resembling a cumbersome case its potential for travel was limited. It also came equipped with a proportionally tiny screen which lacked the ability to display a full sentence, even with the compressive capacity of WordStar word processor.

 

 

1982-The Compaq Portable

The Compaq was the fist MS-DOS based and IBM PC compatible machine to improve and enlarge the screen on the earlier Osborne 1 model. It played a primary role in making the PC a standard product of cross manufacturing rather than the workmanship of monopolies.

1982-The Grid Compass 1100

 

The Grid Compass model was perhaps one of the first clamshell model laptops equipped with a screen that was able to fold back down onto the body. Priced at $10,000 it was not accessible to the mass market but NASA used it on their space shuttle facilities.

 
1983-The Epson HX-20 

 

The Epson laptop was likely the first battery operated portable computer sold to the public. It perhaps weighed less than modern models and could easily be fit into a carry case , however, the screen it came equipped with was inefficiently small.

 

1989-The Poqet PC

 

The Poqet was a small, light, (weighting in at 1.5 pounds,) laptop which ran on AA batteries. It ran on MS-DOS, the primary operating system of the period. 

 

 

1991-The Apple Powerbook 100

The 100 model was the first to carry the title, “Powerbook.” It was also the first machine to incorporate a trackball as a pointer at the foot of the keyboard where most modern laptops now have a flat navigation pad.

 

 

 

1992-The IBM Thinkpad 700C

 

With the increased popularity of Windows a mouse became an essential feature of a laptop. Thus, in the 700C model, IBM incorporated their branded pointing device, the Trackpoint. The machine’s 10.4 inch colour screen was also a groundbreaking technological development.

 
1994-The Apple Powerbook 500

 

Both the trackball and IBM specific Trackpoint device proved commercially limited. However, the touchpad utilized in the Apple Powerbook model pictured below became the standard format for most modern machines.

 

1995-The IBM Thinkpad 701

As the mid 90’s approached, Laptops became smaller, devolving into “netbooks” with more compact keyboards. Limited space made accurate typing difficult. In response to this, IBM created the “butterfly keyboard” which expanded to full size when opened. However, since the popularity of netbooks was transitory, this new IBM innovation [pictured below,] disappeared.

1999-The Apple iBook 3G 

 

The 3G was the first laptop to integrate Wi-Fi antenna behind the screen thus creating the potential for wireless connection.

 

2005-The Lenovo X41 Tablet 

 

The X41 model provided a laptop which could also be converted into a tablet, allowing the user the benefits of both model types. However, as a tablet the X41 was quite heavy and didn’t possess an extraordinary long battery life.

 

2007-The Asus Eee PC 4G 

 

Asus built the 4G, a light weight, linux based netbook model as a machine more generally accessible to the public. Before this machine’s development the smaller the laptop the more one was likely to pay. Asus broke this mould by charging just £250 for the 4G netbook.

 

2007-The OLPC XO Laptop 

 

The OLPC XO laptop was designed for children in the third world. In order to buy one for yourself you were also required to purchase another for donation. The total for both machines was £250

 

2010-The Apple iPad

Whilst the iPad cannot necessarily be regarded as a Laptop, with it, Apple has significantly altered the technological landscape. Perhaps designs such as that pictured below will be the forebears of future developments. 

How to choose a laptop screen supplier.
Laptop Screen Suppliers, what to look for.

Oh no, you have broken your laptop screen! It’s OK, stay calm, if you have a broken laptop screen there are several companies that sell replacement laptop screens. The screens are dead easy to fit; The question is where do you start looking and what should you look for?

Use Google or one of the other search engines to locate the correct screen. Choose a website that looks professional and offers comprehensive information about laptop screens.

When searching for the screen use the make and the model of the laptop, the best place to find this is on the packaging or front of the documentation for the laptop, for example toshiba satellite pro l450 replacement laptop screen; Do not include suffixes like "Toshiba Satellite Pro L450-115" keep the search simple - or search for laptop lcd screens and you will find several companies selling screens. When searching for a laptop screen, the company may have listed more than one screen available for that model. If you arrived to a website from a Google search, you should always search again on the suppliers website to make sure that there are no other models of laptop screen fitted to your machine. Sony and DELL are classic companies for fitting multiple screeens to their laptops, as are IBM / Lenovo.

If there are multiple screens for your laptop, this means usually you will need to know if the screen is a LED screen or a CCFL screen, sometimes mis labelled LCD (Inverter powered). LED screens are new technology and there is a transition period happening now (2011) whereby the same models of laptops can be fitted with both types.

You may on some occasions be asked to remove the screen by the supplier to establish the part number on the back of the lcd screen so the company can send you a quotation for the correct screen. Professional screen suppliers often request for particular models so that the correct replacements are send out without dissapointment to the buyer.

Check the resolution of the laptop screen and compare that to the resolution stated on the suppliers website. Some companies have a video running on their website to help you remove the screen or offer technical support which should be free.

Finally you can check the position of the connector on the back of your existing screen and compare that to the information provided by the supplier. Often screens can come with connectors in different positions.

But which company should you choose?

There are few things you need to confirm with the company before you go ahead and purchase the new screen. Here are some helpful hints and tips when ordering your new laptop screen.

So where do you start?

✔ Always check the company is governed by UK and EU selling laws and has a Company Registration Number and a VAT number. Are you dealing with a real company? Find out who you are dealing with for just £1.

✔ The company registration number should be available on the website. If they have a Company registered number you are dealing with and have the backing of a reputable Limited Company that is regulated by UK and European selling laws.

✔ Does the company have a good returns policy?

✔ Will the company pick up the screen from the delivery address if they have made a despatch error and correct the error immediately?

✔ The screen has a dead pixel, will the company offer an exchange?

✔ Does the company have lots of testimonials from happy customers that had purchased from the company?

✔ Are you able to contact the company easily and ask questions if you are not sure of the screen you require?

✔ Any screen enquiry via email should be answered at least within 24 hours, or ideally within 1-3 hours of the enquiry being made.

✔ Make sure the screens being sold brand new Grade A and not a refurbished screen.

✔ What is the delivery like, will the screen be received next morning (best), or next day, or in 2-3 days? Will the screen be properly packaged?

✔ Will the company deliver to your work address if you are unable to take the delivery at home?

✔ If you change your mind about the purchase are you able to send the screen back without any stocking fees being incurred?

And finally if you speak to a laptop lcd screen company the company should sound professional, confident and have an excellent knowledge of the different lcd screens on the market today.

Laptop Screen Privacy Filters

(Which also changes the laptop screen from Glossy to a Matte finish)

Fed up with your glossy laptop screen when you need to work outdoors or under bright lights? It maybe that your replacement lcd screen is now only available to purchase with the a glossy finish or your laptop was originally purchased with a glossy screen. The Privacy Screens are fairly new on the market and it is a new idea for laptops and also for monitors. They are widely called laptop screen protectors / privacy filters. These  re made of a film that is placed over the laptop screens that helps protect the screen from breakage and scratches as well as providing a matte finish on the screen which is excellent for working in bright conditions; for example the garden or park in the summer. It is also useful when working under bright lights at home or in the office as it will cut down the glare and reflections.

There are other uses also for this filter because the plastic material is made from an anti glare plastic which helps reduce the strain on the eyes. This is particularly useful if the user is to spend any length of time in front of the laptop, and suffers from eye strain and or tiredness. 

The laptop screen protector is also hailed as a privacy filter, so if you are using your laptop, for example, on train, the information on your laptop screen is not visible to the people around you. You are able to work with complete confidence that the person sitting next to you cannot see your screen as the viewing angles are minimised. So you can see the screen but the person sitting next to you can only see a black screen!

There are several different filters available on the market, one is a thin flimsy film and one is manufactured with a more rigid plastic. They are all pretty durable. They are washable and re usable so this makes them very  versatile. Depending on the filter purchased, and the way it is used, the laptop screen protector can last anywhere from a few weeks to two years or even longer. The filters are light and fairly portable and stay on the laptop when it is closed. 

The filter will not distort the data on the screen, or make the text blurred and will help to protect your screen from breaking and protect it from being scratched.  As more and more screens are only available with a gloss finish these days more and more people are opting for the filter not just for the privacy advantages, but to eliminate the glare from the screen. If you have had to purchase a glossy screen as that was the only option available to you, then this could be the answer for you to eliminate the glare from the screen. The screen will look darker with the privacy filter fitted, but the images on the laptop can be easily seen.

The anti glare privacy filters are available in a range of different sizes for laptops, the most popular size is the 15.4in size privacy screen, but is also available in these sizes: 20in, 18.4in, 17.3in, 15.6in, 14.1in, 13.3in and 12.1inch screen sizes. The privacy filter comes with self adhesive tabs that stick to the bezel to hold the filter in place. The filters can be very easily removed when needed. Always make sure you are purchasing the correct size of filter for the laptop.

The privacy filter can be used in the office protecting you from other colleagues from viewing your data, or on the train, bus, coffee bar, at school, college or at the airport when working with confidential information; you do not need to put your data at risk from prying eyes anymore!

The prices vary depending on the size of the filter you need, the quality of the filter and the choice of reseller.