LG Display today announced that the company has developed a 14.1-inch LCD panel for laptops that is illuminated by sunlight instead of backlight unit when used outdoors. The technology behind this has been rightly termed as "Backlight Data Signal Switching Technology" and it allows users to switch LCD from reflective mode in a high luminance setting (sunlight) to transmissive mode in a low luminance setting (indoors and at night). All this, with a mere push of a button.

First of its kind, this sunlight-illuminated 14.1-inch notebook LCD panel lowers the energy consumption by 75% when used in bright outdoors. Plus, it improves the contrast ratio from 3:1 for conventional laptops when used outdoors to 9:1 (reflective mode).

It's clear that if this technology does manage to see the light of day, it will help to tackle two problems in one go: improve screen readability and lengthen laptop's battery life while in the outdoors.