Taiwan's Innoversal is set to release a 10.1" (1,024 x 600) tablet with a Pixel-Qi 3Qi touch panel. The tablet has 3 light-sensors to determine whether to use the backlight or not. The tablet has a 1.66Ghz Atom processor, an integrated SSD (16GB to 64GB), 8mp camera, a SIM slot for 3G data, USB 2 and Wi-Fi. It'll support Window 7, Andorid, Ubuntu and Chrome OS.

Pixel Qi is introducing new 10" touch-capable wideview display panels, which are 30% more power efficient than their previous models. These ones are aimed towards tablets. The company is demonstrating this on a number of tablets and netbooks.

Pixel Qi's CEO has posted a new blog post, saying that they have fixed their manufacturing delays, and production is ramping up to the scale and schedule required by "some of the largest computer companies in the world".

She also tells us that the displays have actually been shipping to some "specialized products" that aren't available in stores yet. She also tells us that the DIY display kit partner will be announced soon, and that they are preparing a new "wider viewing angle technology" in the fall.

The One Laptop per Child Foundation (OLPC) and Pixel Qi have signed a permanent and royalty-free cross-licensing agreement. As a result of the agreement, OLPC receives full license to all Pixel Qi “3qi” screen technology, including 70+ patents in process and all current and future IP developed by Pixel Qi for multi-mode screens. The agreement also calls for Pixel Qi to receive full license to the dual-mode (indoor and outdoor) display technology used in the XO.

We have talked to Mary a few weeks ago.

Pixel Qi will offer DIY kits towards the end of Q2. Yeah, you'll be able to turn your laptop/netbook display into a Pixel Qi display yourself! They say it's rather easy: "It’s only slightly more difficult than changing a lightbuld: it’s basically 6 screws, pulling off a bezel, unconnecting the old screen and plugging this one in. That’s it. It’s a 5 minute operation".

I'm guessing that these will be 10" displays, so it'll only fit in small laptops... but maybe these are better as e-readers anyway.

We had the good chance to talk with Mary Lou Jepsen, Pixel Qi's CEO. She agreed to answer a few questions we had...

Q: Can you tell us about Pixel-Qi? the company and the displays?

A PQ panel looks like normal LCD with backlight on, but with backlight off it becomes a highly reflective screen that rivals the performance of electrophoretics in terms of reflectance, but with video rate fully available (for fast typing, multitouch, fast panning, and video). 

We have already done self-refresh screens in the roots of this technology to lower the power – Pixel Qi actually spun out of One Laptop per Child where that architecture was implemented to create a ~1W laptop (and what is widely considered the netbook that launched the recent netbook revolution).

Q: Can you tell us of any upcoming Pixel-Qi products? Are you working also on other displays beside the 10" one?

Only our customers can announce their products, and we have brought on several more since our last discussion in January. We have been in early production since December and are now scaling it volume in the current 10” size and in process of designing new sizes that we will announce in the future. Our customers are pulling us into a variety of new product categories.

Q: What kind of products do you think can benefit from PQ displays?

Our panels are easy on the eyes – they combine the best of LCD and best of EPD together in a single screen and are excellent for reading. Anything that uses a battery can benefit from our technology. Anything that is used outdoors and indoors can benefit from our technology. 

Thanks Mary, and good luck!

Pixel Qi says that they are working with half a dozen partners, including one that "everyone is familiar with" that will announce a device in 2010.

Currently the only announced device using Pixel Qi's 3Qi display is the Notion Ink Adam.

Pixel Qi say that they'll start mass-production of their multi-mode LCD/ePaper display next month. 

They also promise a 100$ sub-10W HDTV. We'll have to wait a while for this one, though...

Samsung are showing a 10.2" hybrid LCD/epaper display that's capable of color video. This is somewhat like Pixel-Qi's hybrid display - it can switch between regular LCD and a 'memory' mode in which only changes in display draw power.

Samsung Hybrid LCD-ePaper

A demo video by Pixel Qi showing their dual-mode display - LCD and e-paper in one display...