Transflective liquid-crystal display

A transflective liquid-crystal display[1] is a liquid-crystal display (LCD) with an optical layer that reflects and transmits light (transflective is a portmanteau of transmissive and reflective).

In dim ambient light or at night a backlight allows reading of the display in its transmissive mode.

[3] Digital time displays in alarm clocks for bedrooms may also work this way.

In portable electronic devices the transflective mode of operation helps to save battery charge, since in bright environments no backlighting is required.

Display manufacturers label their transflective screens under a variety of trade names:

A Pixel Qi screen installed in an OLPC XO laptop operating in reflective mode. The screen is in grayscale mode and is not retro-illuminated.
A Pixel Qi screen installed in an OLPC XO laptop operating in transmissive mode. The screen is in color mode and is retro-illuminated.