Sony recently released a new Clie PDA in Japan with a 3.8-inch OLED display. OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays require less energy, do not require a backlight, are cheaper to produce, and can provide more vivid colors and deeper blacks at a wider viewing angle than competing technologies.

Sony does not immediately plan to release the new PDA to the rest of the world. Eventually, however, flexible OLED screens with high resolution may become the de facto display component in upcoming media playback devices, including the much-wished-for eBook reader described in my “Future Wants” column. Major announcements regarding the use of OLED technology in upcoming consumer electronics are expected at next month’s Consumer Electronics Show 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The first OLED screens for desktop computers and laptops are expected in 2007.

More information about OLED technology can be found at the “Just Emaginit” blog, information pages on the Kodak website, and by typing “OLED” into any search engine.