CES 2006: Sharp Dual-View Display

January 25, 2006 in Tech/Gadgets

Sharp has given me a head-scratcher with a new technology they showed off at CES this year called the dual-view display.  Basically, it’s a flat-panel display that shows two different images depending on your viewpoint.  It works similarly to those little plastic cartoon "action" cards you used to find in boxes of Cracker Jacks.  While it’s a interesting concept, actual usability in the real-world remains a question.  Sharp seems to think that there may be a use on airplanes seatbacks and in airports.  The idea in the airport is that from one angle you would see arrivals and the other angle you would see departures.

My guess is that we will not see this technology used for either of these purposes.  Instead, I think there is a much more reasonable market in the world of marketing and advertising.  For instance, if you’re standing in the Gap in the jeans section, maybe there would be a visible ad for a sale on jeans.  On the same screen, from the other side of the store, you would see an image of someone wearing the new, regular-priced, line of sweaters.  In other words, I can see a use for subtle communication in marketing, but I think the average person would be pretty confused about these screens displaying important information in an airport setting.  I also imagine that with the dropping prices of flat-panels, we may never see this technology in the real world.  Thanks anyway Sharp!  Image credit: Gizmodo