Some flat panel displays being made today have modestly thin edges, and people like using them for multi-monitor systems with a desktop that spans one or more monitors.
I suggest a monitor design where the edge moulding on the monitor can come off, and be replaced, with care by a special interlock unit. The interlock would join two monitors together strongly and protect the LCD panel but try to bring the two panels as close together as possible. Most of the strength would be on the back, and on the front, the cover would just be a thin but strong strip, in choice of colours, to cover only the small gap between the monitors.
The result would be a good way to make display walls, and of course big multi-monitor displays. Dell is now selling a 2560 x 1600 monitor for $2100 that is very tempting, but two 1600 x 1200s, for similar screen real estate, can now be had for under $1000, and they don’t require a new $300 video card to boot. Four 1280x1024 isplays, though smaller at 17”, can be hand for under $1000 and even more screen real estate with two dual-head video cards (which cost under $50). Though with 4 screens people don’t necessarily want them so flat any more.
However a 2x2 grid of 17” displays at $1000 would attract customers if the lines between were small.
Of course, in time that lovely 4MP display will get cheaper, and an even better one will come along. I am tempted by the 4MP because that’s half the pixels of my 8MP digital camera, and I could finally see some of my images at at least half-res without having to print them. But other than for that, multi-monitor is just fine.
Of course if you use multi-monitors, be sure to visit my panoramic photography pages for super-wide photos you can use as wallpapers on such setups. Regular blog readers can ask me nice and I’ll get you an image 1024 or 1200 high if available.
