Discussions

Photo courtesy of totalAldo, Creative Commons

Blame it on gaming, instant messaging, Twitter, Facebook, Tumbler, 4chan...a near obsession with keeping as many tabbed windows open before our machine chokes, smokes and cries, “No mas!” We’ve always wanted MORE screen-estate! What was once the luxury of the set of fortunate early (and well heeled) adopters has become the norm for a great many of us who work, play and socialize online regularly and demand bigger and better. Multiple display setups have moved beyond the realm of diehard serious gamers, pixel monkeys (graphic and web designers) or statistics-focused bean counters, back when working upon a single 20” monitor was considered enviable display real estate and “flat screen” only referred to the front glass panel, not the whole display. Now a display that size seems a quaint starting point for “mum’s setup”.

Once you go double, a lone screen seems like trouble, as we quickly learned even back at our first job using dual 20” CRT displays (oh those quaint, good ole days sitting in front of what felt like a nuclear reactor).  Dual screen display designs are even leaking into the realm of laptop designs, as the advent of flat panel LCD has seemingly trumped the goals of owning one huge monitor for the servitude of a multitude of a few stitched together.

So what would I like to see in future display technology in regards to multiple display setups? How about designs that incorporate multi-display connections into one large unit from square one, prefabricated to snap/attach more seamlessly, and that intelligently shares/combines the power source, multiplies USB connections & HDMI ports (or better yet, wireless HDMI please), and perhaps even supports multiple angle built-in video cameras across connected units (stereoscopic video conferencing, anyone?)...Legos, but for viewing content. How about displays that connect easily, but are also able to switch sources on the fly, capable from switching from a connected stitched 3 screens state to easily switching only the 3rd display for use with your gaming console at the push of a button while the other 2 remain operating with your PC? SLI-style integrated graphics cards with each display that multiply pixel churning power with each addition. Or better yet, tablet displays that work autonomously on the go, but also operate as multi-displays when connected into a home dock configuration which includes accompanying sidekick screens on each side. There’s a whole world of possibilities with flatter and more lightweight screens beyond netbooks and tablets, so we eagerly await how designers and engineers are able to optimize multi-display configurations into setups into the home office, living room and beyond, freed from the single display paradigm.

If given the chance to design your perfect multi-display setup, which features would like to see incorporated into future designs? And ideally, how many displays would like gracing your desktop for everyday use?