The Mac’s Glossy Screen Is Bad For Your Health
Just when you thought it was safe to dump Windows and move to the Mac, now we find that the Mac’s glossy screen might be bad for your health.
What’s next? The iPhone causes arthritis? The iPod causes hearing loss? The iTunes Store causes financial ruin (unlike the US stock market)? Does this stuff ever end?
The latest news comes from the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia in a paper entitled High Gloss Computer Screens.
This isn’t a warning aimed at all users of glossy computer screens, of.... (excerpted).
6 Reader Comments
Santa said:
I hate the glossy screens. Why did Apple switch to this standard when they use to make some of the best matte screens in the industry. I’m a designer and now have to design on a glossy 24 Apple display at work and the glare is unbearable. Yes they have higher contrast, but try working 8 hrs of day in an office with florescent lights on the ceiling. We’ve had to tape up an cover a few of the ceiling bulbs at the office in order to still be productive. Screw you Apple. Next monitor I get will either be a Dell, HP, or Samsung.
tom tom said:
Sorry, Thomas. “Glossy” screens have not been around 20 years. If that’s what you think, then double down on your daily dose of Alzheimer’s medicine. Polls? What polls? Glossy is for morons who love glitter rather than quality.
Thomas Carley said:
If you @#$%tards don’t like glossy screens, buy a Dell or HP if they make a matte screen. Glossy screens was all you could get 20 years ago and you never heard all of the crying from the self centered selfish jerks that you do now. This constant whining is getting old. As far as a health hazard, why is it only a problem for one group from Australia of all places, sounds self serving to me, probable an attempt to get funding by people who make a living off of worthless studies. you can buy an overlay for most screens that gives you a matte screen, but most of you are just to cheap and would rather constantly whine. Polls have shown that over 60 percent of users like glossy better.
Editor’s Note: Dude, you’re silly. Glossy screens like you see on the Mac today have NOT been around 20 years. And no, you’ve never seen a poll about who prefers glossy screens. Oh, one more thing: you’re whining. And you’re the only one.
dood said:
Dude, you nailed it. Glossy is glitter and glitter sells. Apple caved in to the lowest common denominator—all those Windows PC switchers who began buying Macs in big numbers when the switch to Intel was made. Apple could not resist, glossy screens won the day.
It’s too bad. Gloss sucks pond scum.
Jared B. said:
Will you brought this up so I do have somethings to say about the glossy screen.
Yes I have the new 2009 17 inch Macbook Pro and a second house mortgage. I hate the gloss screen, absolutely hate it. I wish I had ordered my Book but I had to have it at the spur of the moment.
Don’t get me wrong because I love my new MacBook to death. But I have had the 23 inch matte cinema display since my first day using a Mac. The black on the matte screen is just as good if not better then on the gloss screens, probably because my matte does not serve as an annoying mirror also.
Today my wife and I took my mother in law to have some tests done at the hospital. She was in for a few hours, my wife went in the back room with mom and I went out into the lobby to watch the movie “Twilight” on my new MacBook. Sure the movie was great but it really got annoying watching the people that where walking towards me in the hospital isle and then watching them walk off in the reflection of my MacBook (Grr).
If I could change one thing, I would go back in time, order the new MacBook with the Matte screen and have nothing to complain about. Yes that is my only complaint about my MacBook Pro (09), the gloss mirror screen. Otherwise I love the thing.
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Lucca said:
Ugh. I agree. Apple sold out with the glossy screens. It’s REALLY all about the money… gotta get those PC users to convert! I don’t like the design of the Book either, with black keys. It looks like a PC type of design. Really, I’ve had a Mac since the mid 80’s, and as a designer, I can’t stand working on those glossy screens. I’m still using an older Mac because I just can’t bring myself to buy something that hurts me. I had to work on a glossy screen Mac a few times at other studios and it was horrible. I asked folks how they managed with them and most said their eyes hurt a lot by the end of the day. Thanks a lot Apple.