Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss presented on an iPhone (left) alongside a smaller e-paper display (right) showing the same artwork
Kingston Frameworks; Kunli Xiong et al. (2025)
A groundbreaking type of color e-paper is capable of showcasing vivid, high-resolution, full-color images and videos with minimal power consumption, heralding a potential new era for display technologies.
Unlike conventional LED screens, which produce colors through the emission of red, green, and blue light, e-paper screens utilize small molecules to generate images. Historically, these screens were restricted to black and white, but advancements have now allowed for color displays. However, they still face challenges in updating quickly enough for video playback.
To address this issue, Kunli Shion and their team at Uppsala University in Sweden have engineered electronic paper featuring pixels constructed from tungsten oxide nanodisks. Each pixel measures roughly 560 nanometers, resulting in an impressive resolution of 25,000 pixels per inch (PPI), whereas typical smartphone displays generally have resolutions in the hundreds.
The tungsten oxide nanodiscs are designed in various sizes and spacings to reflect distinct bands of light. By arranging them together, a range of colors can be created, with brightness adjustable through short electrical pulses that position ions within each disk. Once set, these ions maintain their placement, allowing the color to persist without a continuous power source.
The researchers constructed an e-paper display that measures just 1.9mm by 1.4mm, roughly 1/4000 the size of a conventional smartphone display, and utilized it to showcase a 4300×700 pixel segment of Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss – achieving remarkable resolution for such a compact device. It is also capable of refreshing approximately every 40 milliseconds, making it suitable for video display.
Another significant advantage of this novel e-paper technology is its remarkably low energy consumption, as noted by Xiong. The display utilizes about 1.7 milliwatts per square centimeter for video and around 0.5 milliwatts per square centimeter for still images.
“What I find impressive about this development is its capacity to support video at a rapid pace while consuming minimal energy, as each element remains switched after being activated,” comments Jeremy Baumberg from Cambridge University.
My husband is with his IP, Advertisement or his phone. That’s the last thing he does before going to bed and the first thing he attends to in the morning.
We have toddlers and are pretty good at sharing childcare, but the moment we show up after work, he gets me.pad out. It grabs me more than I can say (especially if I’m eating the dinner I’ve cooked). Parenting is lonely and boring, and I think he likes to relax at the end of the day, but I hope we spend time together as a family.
I know that there’s nothing sexier and more fun than devices designed by a lot of rich people silicon. I’m a volleyball expert, but I try so hard not to be on my phone all the time with my kids, as I don’t want it to impact them negatively. The phone seems more important to him than spending time with me. We thought we were on the same page about this, but it appears that my partner doesn’t see the disconnect between “our kids aren’t getting an iPad” and “I’ll be on mine all the time.”
I feel like I’m becoming more isolated, and I don’t know how to address it. Despite my love for him and thinking he is kind, fun, and cheerful, I miss having a relationship without the constant device presence.
In rare cases, we have a date night away from the baby, and he spends time with me without reaching for his phone. It was amazing, and I desire more of these moments in our daily lives. I want to establish some boundaries, but there never seems to be a good time to discuss it since we are always tired. How can I request one screen-free night a week together?
Eleanor says: I see multiple issues here. The screen use is affecting your connection with each other and potentially your child. When he falls into an iPad Vortex, it may feel like he’s bringing work home. There’s also the challenge of finding the right time to address this, but he may not realize how you feel unless you communicate your concerns to him.
It appears that each screen use case may require a tailored approach to resolve.
It’s easy to assume that once the screen is out of the equation, everything will return to normal. However, in today’s age, there is a new void created when we push away the iPad, where old hobbies and social connections used to exist.
On the flip side, excessive screen use can lead to neglecting other aspects of life. When we put down the screens, it might feel like we are waiting for something that never comes. This realization can lead to a sense of emptiness. By immersing in screens, we may inadvertently isolate ourselves from non-screen activities.
I believe the antidote to excessive screen use isn’t just avoiding screens but engaging in activities outside the digital realm that make screens seem less appealing.
You might find it helpful to propose positive alternatives for the various aspects of your lives. Not only should you aim for screen-free nights, but also plan concrete activities – games, outings, or movies that you both enjoy. Don’t just focus on avoiding the screen with your kids; think about creating meaningful experiences together.
Even activities that were once considered recreational – like date nights, movie nights, or reading to your kids – may feel burdensome due to screen immersion. Instead of considering them as chores, view them as opportunities to connect and recharge.
Given his willingness to abstain from the phone on date nights, it seems like he values your time together. If not, expressing your feelings about missing him and cherishing the moments spent with him, even when tired and stressed, could be enlightening. It’s evident how much you appreciate his company.
Asking him to reduce screen time shouldn’t feel like an imposition. Instead, it can be a way of showing him your love for spending time together. This could serve as a gentle reminder of the connection you share beyond the digital realm. Communicate your feelings, and it may pave the way for a positive change.
PLaptops with multiple touchscreens have long been the stuff of science fiction movies, but in the real world, several manufacturers have tried to build dual-screen laptops without much success.
This usually happens because they try to do too much and end up compromising too much, and now Asus thinks it's solved that problem with its new dual-screen machine, which also has a full-size, detachable physical keyboard.
In theory, this means the 2024 version of the Zenbook Duo could be the best of both worlds: a regular laptop with a standard keyboard and trackpad, and a futuristic machine with two touchscreens.
But such advancements always come with a hefty price tag, and the new machine is available in a range of configurations and prices depending on the region, starting from £1,799 in the UK, all the way up to £2,000 for the Core Ultra 9 version we tested.
Windows Hello recognizes your face to log you into the laptop, and the keyboard and trackpad provide a great typing experience. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
It has two full 14″ touchscreen OLED displays hinged like a book in the middle, one in the lid and one where a regular laptop keyboard would be. The full-size laptop keyboard and trackpad attaches magnetically to pins in the screen at the bottom, completely covering the screen. It fits snugly and works so well that you might not even notice there's a display underneath. If you want to use it as a regular laptop, you don't have to compromise too much, but the keyboard can also be detached from the laptop and used via Bluetooth, which is very handy.
Detach the keyboard and you have two screens. The lower display houses a full-size touchscreen keyboard with a simulated trackpad, but it's fine for simple actions like search queries and AI prompts. The included stylus can be used to draw and write on either screen; how well it works depends on the app you're trying to use. Microsoft's handwriting recognition is better, while Asus' system isn't as good.
The kickstand and detachable keyboard allow the Zenbook Duo to be used in a variety of configurations. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
A kickstand on the back of the machine lets you prop up the Duo in a variety of configurations beyond the standard laptop L-shape. Stand the Duo upright, screen-top to screen-top, perfect for using two screens at your desk for a huge productivity boost, or prop it up like an open book, with the two screens side-by-side, perfect for documents.
The Core Ultra 9 version's 3K 120Hz OLED screen looks great, with very sharp blacks and vibrant colors, but it’s not particularly bright and struggled to overcome glare and reflections in direct sunlight, requiring a bit of adjustment to the screen angle in bright environments.
The kickstand is quite sturdy and can support the laptop at a variety of angles on a desk. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The Zenbook Duo is equipped with Intel's new Core Ultra chips, and in our testing, the Ultra 9 185H was the best performing, delivering impressive performance for a thin and light laptop. It handled everyday tasks with ease, including advanced photo manipulation and juggling three screens simultaneously (the laptop's two 3K displays and an external 4K monitor).
Benchmark tests show that its performance is on par with similar 14-inch PC laptops from Dell, Lenovo and others, as well as Apple's M1 Pro chip in the 14-inch MacBook Pro. However, the Zenbook does get quite warm, with the top quarter of the machine's lower half getting noticeably warm even under light loads.
Battery life varies greatly depending on how many screens you're using. Used as a standard laptop with the keyboard attached and screen brightness set to around 70%, it lasted just over seven hours with light work using Chrome, Evernote, a light text editor, and various messaging apps. Using both screens simultaneously halves that figure to less than four hours in similar circumstances. Of course, performing more demanding tasks will drain the battery much faster.
Windows 11 + some stuff
The touchscreen keyboard and trackpad are nearly the same size as the real thing. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Duo comes with Windows 11, which is designed to be great for computers with multiple screens. It remembers the position of apps on both screens, automatically adjusts the screen orientation when you rotate the screen, and lets you easily move windows between screens.
Asus also bundles software to help you take advantage of the dual-screen setup, including a utility that pops up quick controls for turning the bottom screen on or off, summoning a virtual keyboard, swapping windows, and more.
The Asus Dial and Control app lets you create a custom set of virtual dials, buttons and tools on the bottom screen for doing things like changing brush thickness in a paint app or altering the volume knob on Spotify, but in general I found it better to use the second screen as a full monitor rather than covering it with touchscreen controls.
However, please note that it is not accessible on the Zenbook Duo. Microsoft's new Copilot+ AI tool It's limited to certain new chips as part of a Windows 11 update.
sustainability
The Zenbook Duo is a little thicker than a standard laptop, and its speakers aren't the best. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Asus rates the battery to retain over 80% of its original capacity for at least 1,200 full charge cycles, and there's a care tool available to extend its lifespan by limiting charging to 80%. The device is repairable in the UK, and the SSD is upgradeable. The body is made from recycled magnesium-aluminium alloy, and Asus Free machine recycling.
price
The Asus Zenbook Duo (2024) is priced from £1,799 (€1,899.99/$1,499.99) with an Intel Ultra 7 chip and FHD display. £1,999.99 (€2,499.99/$1,699.99/A$3,999) with Intel Ultra 9 and 3K display.
By comparison, the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i Gen 9 dual-screen laptop is priced at £2,011.50, the Microsoft Surface Laptop starts at £1,049 and the Apple MacBook Air M3 at £1,099.
verdict
The Zenbook Duo is one of the most successful attempts to make a dual-screen laptop work in the real world. If you want to use it as a regular laptop, you get a great keyboard and trackpad. But once you’re at your desk, it takes just a few seconds to set up the two screens, which can make you much more productive. It also reduces the back and neck pain that can come from hunching over a laptop.
The middle ground between the touchscreen keyboard and widget-packed controls isn’t appealing, but those with artistic skills may be pleased to be able to draw with the included stylus.
There are four main compromises: it heats up more easily than a comparable standard laptop, has a slightly shorter battery life, is heavier and thicker, and is much more expensive. Despite being an all-new machine, the Duo runs on an Intel chip and can’t run the new Copilot+ feature that Microsoft is now adding to Windows. It remains to be seen whether these compromises will be a deciding factor.
This isn’t a laptop we’d recommend for everyone, but if you want a portable dual-screen setup, the Zenbook Duo
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