Pixel Qi’s Magical Hybrid E-Paper LCD Coming This Fall

Mary Lou Jepsen has posted a few early pictures of her low-cost everything-killer 3Qi screen, which can seamlessly operate as sunlight-readable e-paper, a backlit LCD or a full-motion, low-power transflective display. And, she says, 10.1-inch models are shipping by Fall.

Jepsen also designed the OLPC’s reflective screen, and posits this, which essentially adds an e-book mode to that display’s technology but can still be manufactured with LCD fabrication techniques, as the obvious next step. In talking this tech up, she’s made two important promises: that the 3Qi is possible to make, and that it’ll be cheap to make. Seeing these hacked-together Aspire Ones (one of which is pictured below, subathing) is reassuring on both fronts, as is her continued optimism about bringing the 3Qi to market:

These screens will be available this fall in netbooks and ebook readers. Size: 10.1″ diagonal

If prices are anywhere close to regular LCD netbook panels, this could be huge: netbooks would be eBook readers, eBook readers would be PMPs, and regular small-to-midsize LCD and e-ink panels might have a hard time justifying their existence. [Pixel Qi via Gadget Lab]