The idea is that when Microsoft’ next-generation Windows® client operating system -formerly code-named “Longhorn” and just christened Vista - makes its much anticipated debut next year, we’ll be able to view battery status, check email and take a look at our diary schedule without ever having to boot up our portable computers, thanks to auxiliary displays.

Microsoft’s vision is to have an  LCD mounted on the lid of a closed laptop, similar to the way some clamshell mobiles display date, time and Caller ID info, that would allow users to carry out certain tasks, without having to open the computer. In fact, Microsoft doesn’t expect it to stop there. It would also like to see auxiliary displays being used as a software add-on to cell phones, PDAs, TVs and other "remote display" devices.

A neat idea, but as with most good ideas – not a new one. Go back to 2003 and Intel was showing off its Newport technology, which included a secondary display via which users could scroll through e-mails, access a calendar, and even check network connections.

Last year Paul Allen’s Vulcan Inc debuted FlipStart, which weighs in at under one pound, laying claim to being the world’s smallest Windows XP computer. It too displayed information on the outside so that the user didn’t have to boot up the system. Instead you can ‘wake’ a device up and it would synchronise with Windows. It, however, has yet to appear in the stores.

It is no surprise that Microsoft is thinking along the same lines. The company revealed that it would go down the auxiliary display road at the Windows Hardware Engineering conference last year.

In a presentation at the VSLive and Windows Anywhere developer event in San Francisco earlier this year, Sriram Viji, a program manager working on auxiliary display technology at Microsoft lifted the curtain on what the software giant has in store.

The auxiliary display included a menu of options, numbering calendar, contacts, tasks, inbox and media player. A set of buttons to allow users to navigate the menu. As well as RAM and flash memory, Viji explained that it would also include a lightweight ARM processor and USB/system bus connections.  The auxiliary display will run on Spot (Smart Personal Objects Technology) which implants always-on wireless connectivity in an array of gadgets. First out of the starting-gate being a Microsoft smart SPOT watch which recognises time zones and can deliver your personal calendar and contact info, local traffic reports, entertainment news, and stock news.

Microsoft is very confident the concept of auxiliary displays will take off and is asking developers to conjure up applications.  Viji said to expect Microsoft to deliver a beta version of its auxiliary display development kit at the same time as it delivers Vista Beta 1, on target for 3 August 2005.

Microsoft hasn’t said how much extra we can expect to pay for auxiliary displays.  I am sure you can imagine times where you need to check email, but don’t want to spend the time booting up your machine.  But how deep into your pocket are you willing to dig for such convenience?

Is SPOT the right technology for auxiliary displays? The cynics will say that Microsoft is probably trying to salvage something useful from its smart watch business, which has hardly been quite the success expected. Only time will tell on this one.

If Microsoft can come up with a fast, nifty auxiliary display, which is what the software giant likes to call ‘glanceable’ then it is on to a sure fire winner. The catch is it will have to be able to provide bite size information when and where we want it. Does this mean that everyone will want a gadget with an ‘auxiliary display’.  Probably not, but it does mean they won’t get relegated to the ‘gadget I had to have’ category that is now forgotten at the back of the cupboard somewhere.