Dell laptops going 100% LED

You know how compact fluorescent light bulbs have been so prominent in this early stage of this green technology revolution? Well, it turns out that flat-screen displays have been using fluorescents from the beginning. Obviously, incandscents wouldn't work, so thin, cold-cathode fluorescent lights were used as LCD back lights.

But here at EcoGeek we've moved so far beyond CFLs that they're starting to seem like antiques. And we were glad today when we got an email from Dell saying the company felt the same way.

Dell is officially switching all of the backlights in its laptop screens from fluorescents to LEDs. LEDs are more efficient, allow for higher contrast ratios, and they don't contain mercury like current fluorescents do.

The shift at Dell is certainly a signal that pretty much all flat-screen monitors will soon be LED-lit. And hopefully that means home applications won't be too far behind.

Full press release here.