The following should be considered when looking at the available display technologies. They are all essential to provide a no-compromise, portable Macintosh.
• Large Contrast Ratio/Brightness
The contrast ratio is the ratio of luminance of a pixel that is on to the pixel that is off in the ambient environment. This boils down to "How well you can see a pixel?" Without a large contrast ratio the display will have pixel wash out. The term "wash out" refers to the loss of contrast in a light-emitting display when the ambient light reflected off the back of the display becomes comparable with the light from the emissive display. The Macintosh Portable contrast ratio can be as high as 50:1.
• Fast Response
One of the primary factors in selecting a display for Macintosh Portable has been the need to track the cursor. Many display technologies "lose" the cursor when the pointing device is moved. The display needs to be able to turn pixels on and off fast enough to allow smooth cursor movement. If the display was not fast it would start "tunneling"; i.e. when the mouse is moved it disappears until the mouse stops, it then reappears and comes out of the "tunnel".
• Large Viewing Angle
A large viewing angle allows multiple people to view the display at the same time. A large viewing angle also allows the most flexibility in display position. Some displays have a small viewing angle as a result, the user must sit directly in front of the screen to read the screen.
• Low Power
Because the Macintosh Portable is a battery-powered computer, the display must have very lower-power characteristics. The more power a display uses, the briefer the battery life.
• Rugged
Because the Macintosh Portable will be taken on the road, it needs to stand up to shock abuse. The computer must be rugged enough to check as baggage and the display must stand up to this abuse as well.
