The Apple iPad 3 may have a hybrid LCD E Ink display, if a patent filed in October 2009 and revealed publicly today, goes into production. The system will automatically recognise what it's displaying and change the screen display to suit. So when reading a book the E Ink display will be activated, with a backlight if needed. It doesn't stop there the device will even be able to layer LCD and E Ink at the same time using multiple composite display regions. The translucent E Ink display will sit atop the LCD and below the touchscreen. Source
Isn't one of the main appeals of E-ink that it doesn't require a backlight, thereby cutting down a hell of a lot of power usage? I guess the light would be optional or only in certain circumstances... If this works it could be big. I'd always choose my Kindle over an iPad for reading purposes, there just isn't a more comfortable way to read than E-ink. Combining it with an LCD screen would ruffle more than a few feathers over at Amazon.
PixelQi already has something like this http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/03/video-pixel-qis-e-ink-lcd-hybrid-screen-demoed-at-computex/
