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  This is one of the Panasonic Avionics Astrova in-flight entertainment systems, set to debut in Icelandair, Qantus, and United Airlines flights in the next couple of years. [credit: Panasonic ]

Flying on commercial airlines today might be a lot more of a pain than it used to be, but new tech is going to bring some improvement to one part of the experience—in-flight entertainment. Panasonic Avionics' brand Astrova in-flight entertainment systems are starting to roll out on commercial flights on certain airlines, promising 4K HDR TVs and other features to the backs of seats that should be a huge upgrade over the abysmal screens we normally watch in-flight movies on.

Look at most commercial airlines today, and you'll find a tiny, terrible LCD TV embedded in the seat in front of you. These HD, standard dynamic range screens have terrible contrast and poor viewing angles, and they aren't bright enough to achieve a good viewing experience when the overhead lights are on.

They're bad enough that I always bring my own hardware for flights—most recently, I took three flights with Apple's Vision Pro headset, which I plan to write about later this week. But most people just bring a tablet.

Enlarge / A marketing image for Samsung's 83-inch S90C, its first OLED TV to quietly use an LG Display WOLED panel. (credit: Samsung)

Samsung rejuvenated the OLED TV market when its display manufacturing subsidiary, Samsung Display, announced QD-OLED two years ago. Quantum dot-infused OLED panels brought the promise of richer color compared to LG Display's white OLED panels (WOLED) and represented a viable competitor to what had become OLED TVs' only option. Various OEMs, from Samsung Electronics to Sony, bragged about the purported advantages QD-OLED brought over WOLED. Samsung is not so boastful these days.

Samsung's 2024 OLED TV lineup will feature TVs that use both QD-OLED and WOLED panels. Samsung started doing this last year with the 83-inch S90C . But this year, it will reportedly be even harder to tell if a new Samsung OLED TV has quantum dots.

Samsung announced the entry-level S85D, the S90D, and the flagship S95D in January, without specifying the type of OLED panel tech(s) involved. But it was still apparent that the S90D would include WOLED options since Samsung said it would come in 42, 48, 55, 65, 77, and 83-inch sizes. QD-OLED doesn't come in 42, 48, or 83 inches.

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  Lenovo's transparent laptop prototype on display at MWC 2024 this week, as captured by India Today. [credit: India Today/YouTube ]

In 2010, Samsung demoed a transparent laptop prototype . The OLED laptop looked uniquely futuristic, and there were even reports that Samsung would release the design for real. But it never did. And 14 years later, even with a different type of display technology improving the experience, it seems like there still isn’t a strong argument for transparent-screen consumer laptops—even with AI shoehorned into the design.

Just a prototype for now

Before we get into the Lenovo ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop Concept, keep in mind that it is just a concept. Lenovo has no official plans to release this computer and describes it as a way to explore how transparent displays and AI can be combined.

That said, Lenovo's executive director of ThinkPad portfolio and product, Tom Butler, told The Verge he has "very high confidence" that such technologies will be available in a consumer product within the next five years. If that's true, Lenovo will need to figure out what people might want in capabilities.

Enlarge / Dell's upcoming UltraSharp U4025QW. (credit: Scharon Harding)

Each year, the Consumer Electronics show brings a ton of new computer monitor announcements, and it's often difficult to figure out what's worth paying attention to. When it comes to the most interesting models this year, there were two noteworthy themes.

First of all, my complaint in 2022 about there not being enough OLED monitors was largely addressed this year. CES revealed many plans for OLED monitors in 2024, with a good number of those screens set to be appropriately sized for desktops. That includes the introduction of 32-inch, non-curved QD-OLED options and other smaller screens for people who have been waiting for OLED monitors in more varied form factors.

Secondly, with more people blending their work and home lives these days, CES brought hints that the line between gaming monitors and premium monitors used for general or even professional purposes will be blurring more in the future. We're not at the point where the best productivity monitor and ideal gaming monitor perfectly align in a single product. But this week's announcements have me imagining ways that future monitors could better serve users with serious work and play interests.

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  Asus plans to release this foldable OLED monitor in 2024. Electronics retailer Abt Electronics captured footage of it on display at CES. [credit: Abt Electronics/YouTube ]

Foldable screens have been bending their way into consumer gadgets over the last few years. But with skepticism about durability, pricing, image quality, and the necessity of such devices, foldable screens aren't mainstream. With those concerns in mind, I haven't had much interest in owning a foldable-screen gadget, even after using a foldable laptop for a month . However, the foldable portable monitor that Asus is showing at CES in Las Vegas this week is an application of foldable OLED that makes more sense to me than others .

Asus' ZenScreen Fold OLED MQ17QH announced on Tuesday is a 17.3-inch portable monitor that can fold to a 12.5-inch size. The monitor has 2560×1920 pixels for a pixel density of 184.97 pixels per inch. Other specs include a 100 percent DCI-P3 coverage claim and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification.

When I think of the ways I use portable monitors, foldability makes more sense than it does with other device types. For example, I love working outside when possible, and an extra 17.3-inch screen that's easy to carry would make long work sessions with an ultraportable laptop more feasible. The Fold OLED's 17.3 inches is near the larger size for a portable monitor, but the fold and comparatively light weight should make it feel more transportable than similarly sized monitors that don't fold in half.