Folks,

At times I like to put my feet up and work outside while breathing fresh
air. I currently use a T20 and have used a Sony R505 laptop. Both
these laptop screens are unviewable when outside in bright sunlight.
I've been looking at the latest screens at Compusa and Fry's and it's
impossible to get a feel how those screens will function when under
direct sunlight. So my question is...

Q: Any feedback on the current SXGA+ and Flexview screens while playing
outside ?

Cheers, Simon.

I find that even the Flexview screens can difficult to read while outside (even while in the shade on a sunny day), although they are still an improvement over the regular screens. The Flexview is the brightest screen I have seen in a laptop (imagine the Fujitsu crystal view screens you see at Fry's but with better anti-glare characteristics), so it's probably the best you will manage.

Mofongo

I've been thinking of making a collapsable sun shade or hood, using perhaps panels from black 3-ring binders in an inverted U shape. Has anyone tried this before?

Here's something similar: http://www.photodon.com/specialhdor.htm and http://www.photodon.com/mgrh.htm

Heck those shades would seriously cramp any pose factor
I'd have while using a Thinkpad.

Simon.

Maybe wearing a propeller cap will offset that some.

Simon.

I plan to do the testing on my patio, not in public