LG.Philips develops dirt-resistant notebook LCD

Joint company LG.Philips says it has developed a new kind of LCD panel, one which is resistant to virtually any kind of dirtying. The problem with standard panels, the company says, is that the coating on most screens' anti-glare layers tends to hold onto oil and other substances. It is possible to add a second layer on top to eliminate the problem, but this naturally requires extra time and money on the part of screen builders. LG.Philips now claims that it has a simpler and cheaper solution, which the company's head of advanced technology development says is based on a principle "similar to that used on non-stick frying pans."

Although the company is hesitant to provide more details, it will say that the prototype is a notebook-sized 15.4-inch screen; while still markable, the screen is so resistant to dirt that dust, fingerprints and even permanent ink can easily be wiped off. Mass production will begin in the first half of 2008, with larger screen sizes coming towards the end of that year.