Interesting Device for Seeing a Laptop Screen in Direct Sunlight

We've allbeen there-- it's a beautiful day outside and you're stuck inside working on a computer so you try trotting outside with your laptop to absorb some rays and do work at the same time. But, alas, the sun drastically overpowers yournotebook screensbacklight and you can't see a thing. Interestingly, there was a device invented by Lenovo for the 2000 Olympics to solve this problem but that is no longer sold.

Okay, so you can see from the above picture this "hood" that fits over your notebook screen to block sunlight is maybe a little weird. But it does offer two things:

1. The ability to see a screen in direct sunlight by blocking the sun rays from flooding out the screen.
2. Complete and utter privacy.

The hood actually looks a lot like the device NFL referees use in American Football to view replays:

With a privacy hood thereferee is able to clearly see a replay without the sun reflecting off of or washing out the TV he's viewing, and the players and coaches can't go and stand over his shoulder to give their own "interpretation" of what they see.

IBMactually designed the laptop shadinghood after complaints from Olympicofficials in the Atlanta 1996 games. IBM provided the notebooks used during those Olympic games, but officials had a hard time seeing the screens in the outdoor events. So for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney IBM (now Lenovo) issued these sewn fabric structures with rigid plastic inside as a way for officials to shield their screens. Apparently it was a success with the officials, who used it widely, and the hood device was sold briefly with branded Olympic rings to the public.

Above is a picture of the shader Lenovo designed, it fits various screen sized notebooks because it fits on the screen like a sock. It also folds flat for storage and carrying.

David Hill, a notebook product designer at Lenovo and writer on LenovoBlogs.com asks whether people would be interested in buying this device if it were offered for sale again. After all, with more people using notebooks now than in the past, maybe the demand is there? David offers more description and background on this notebook screen shade in a very interesting post.

And as an aside, I highly recommend checking out LenovoBlogs.com "Design Matters" blogto read and find out about the thought that goes into the design of notebooks and give feedback directly to the guys that make decisions!

 

I bet that works perfectly, but it looks so dorky, I can't imagine ever using it around campus! I just find a bench in the shade.

 

Too bad it doesn't have a nice blue glow. Then you could really feel like Spock.

 

lol hahahha

 

AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
HAHAHAHAHAAA*breathe*AHAHAH
AHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA*cough
coughohman*HAHHAHAHAHAHAHA
HHAHAHA

*ahem*

looks cool

 

nobody in their right mind would use that in public.

 

A company called hoodman sells hoods for pretty much any screen including notebooks: http://www.hoodmanusa.com/powerbook.asp

 

Thanks for the heads up on that product, very interesting, and not quite as dorky as the Lenovo implementation

 

i don't know, i think the dork factor is pretty equal for both

however, with the lenovo, you'd have to worry about people coming up behind you and smacking you on the back of the head so maybe the hoodman solution edges out lenovo by a hair

 

Quite interesting if I may say so myself. Not a bad thought though, considering it can be implemented in all outdoor sports.

 

Which begs the question - who would carry such a clunky thing around? Laptops are made for (most anyway) for portability remember?

 

first thing came to mind... this is a joke right? hahahah

 

yikes! why don't they just used transreflective display for outdoor laptop anyways?

 

Great idea, but I don't really see the current options being a big seller.

But I guess if I really needed to use my laptop outdoors on a sunny day, it would definitely do the trick.

Perhaps if the hood covered your entire body so nobody knew it was you ...

 

Unless you're in a business where you HAVE to be mostly outdoors, that is just ridiculous!

 

finally, this is the answer to my public porno viewing pleasure!!!

jk

 

lol, it does seems like ur watching porn in public aye

 

Uhm... I'm trying to come up with different ways to say 'no', but I think I'll just stick to 'negative, no can do.'

 

Her head is practically glued to that thing. Shame on her.

 

Here's the thing. If you're an Olympic judge, you can't very well fix the results if you can't see the display. These screens are crucial for that level or corruption to take place.

Really though, for a specific application, these are perfect. Just like other very niche products, they have a place. College campus? Not so much...

 

foamcore and tape = $5
I made a hood to do landscape painting and it's worked flawlessly for months now.

 

Not to offend anybody but when I read this, I instinctively thought it was an April Fool's kind of thing.

 

I would rather invest in an umbrella and create my own shade.

Hell, they are almost the same size!

 

Problem 1 :
Public humilation .

Solution :
After using this with your laptop just put the hood on on your head and walk away .

Problem 2 :
With that thing everybody will be thinking you are watching nekid ladies in there .

Solution :
Don't mind them , just put a sign "30sec peek for 1$" and that thing will pay for itself .

 

Me too! I was sure it was a photo from The Onion.

My next thought was, Matthew Brady called and he wants his camera hood back.

 

You've got to be kidding me... Can't people come up with some sort of polaroid thing or something you can wear like glasses?

Also notice the perfect grass she's sitting on. This roundup treated lawn causes cancer. I strongly recommend this lady goes inside before it's too late...