Pixel Qi continues its debut, founder Mary Lou Jepson speaks


Computex appears to be Pixel Qi’s big entrance: what with the hands-on last week and these follow-up videos answering questions and showing more of the device, we’re learning more about this reclusive technology in a few days than we did in the last year.

Mary Lou Jepson is the CTO and founder of Pixel Qi, and she explains what her vision was in starting the company. Among other things, she wanted to take advantage of the existing LCD-creation infrastructure and make the screen, while in other ways revolutionary, work inside the confines of existing computer technology. They’ve succeeded for the most part. Some salient points:

  • They’re going into mass production this Fall
  • “It’s not e-ink… it’s not e-ink”
  • It’s “almost” as reflective as the Kindle in its reflective mode
  • There’s no greenish tinge (I can kinda seen one though)
  • Unlike e-paper screens, the Pixel Qi screen can show full motion in reflective mode, and although it looks black and white, there is color information depending on your lighting.
  • Mary Lou uses VLC

Here’s a comparison with the Pixel Qi, a Kindle, and another “transflective” screen.

And in Mary Lou’s office, where they’ve hacked some Pixel Qi onto an OLPC for comparison purposes:

Looking good. Maybe the CrunchPad V2 will use one these suckers.