Microsoft Pitches Display on Laptop Lids

[fbrdphreak]

Microsoft Pitches Display on Laptop Lids

Microsoft wants PC makers to mount a display on the lids of laptop computers so users can check the time, battery status, appointments, or E-mail notifications without having to open and startup their PC. Microsoft is in the process of developing the next version of Windows, code-named Longhorn that reference designs for the display. The display, called auxilary display on the lid of a laptop would be similar to a color cell phone display and powered by the notebook battery. The data is stored in a special memory cache so it is also accessible when the PC is turned off or in standby mode. The auxilary display could also be programmed to wake up the PC, connect to the Internet and synchronize data. There will be different size and quality displays, which can be black and white or in color.

Yea or gay?
Seems interesting if they ever make it work, or even get Longhorn out

 

[uOpt]

I already use a LED which is visible with closed lid for my email indicator. Requires the notebook to run, of course.

 

[fbrdphreak]

What make/model? Never seen an indicator like that
This one would run w/out laptop having to be on, which sounds uber cool

 

[uOpt]

Thinkpad R40. Under Linux of course.

If you have a notebook where you can use the keyboard leds download "ledbiff" from here:
http://www.cons.org/cracauer/software.html
You need to turn the XKB extension in the X11 server off to get LED control back.

If you need to use other LEDs than the keyboard leds and have a Thinkpad, then use the ibm-acpi package, load it with "modprobe ibm-acpi experimental=1" and use a loop like this:

ledbiff -x -v1 -s1 2>&1 | while read foo ; do
echo $foo | grep -q was.read && echo 7 off > /proc/acpi/ibm/led
echo $foo | grep -q New.mail && echo 7 on > /proc/acpi/ibm/led
done

I should probably put the acpi code into ledbiff directly but that'll do.

 

[RonS]

I think it would be neat to have a PDA that docks right into a notebook, with the display facing out. That way you could remove the PDA for a quick phone number or whatever, it syncs and charges automatically while docked, and you could use the display to indicators for whatever pupose.

I came up with this idea on my last work trip, when I had to boot my notebook to pull up a hotel reservation number.

If a notebook manufacturer built a machine like this, I would buy it.

 

[loup garou]

FlipStart's LID technology did this a while back, I thought it was pretty cool

 

[SynthDude2001]

Sounds pretty cool, but I'm sure it would be ridiculously expensive...

 

[fbrdphreak]

Of course it will be expensive, its M$. I'll just be shocked if the display itself doesn't get infected with a virus or start spamming me while the notebook is off